Atheist wins right to have pasta strainer classified as "religious headgear"

Maybe it's all fun on internet forums but people who insult religious people in real life social situations just come across as huge assholes to the majority of whoever is around.

An internet forum is inherently a debate platform. Lets be honest that we're not all here to talk about what's new in our lives like we would over coffee with friends. I've gotten into religious debates in real-life situations, but they were definitely deeper discussions that slowly came about. I will agree that randomly bringing up a religion discussion and is generally an asshole thing to do. It's much like bringing up politics with a large group. Politics are fine to talk about and debate, but it doesn't mean you want to bring it up before a captive audience just before you start dinner at a fancy restaurant.

An internet forum is inherently a debate platform. Lets be honest that we're not all here to talk about what's new in our lives like we would over coffee with friends.

Problem is, to debate properly you need provable facts. No one in a religious debate can prove or disprove the existence of a higher power so all you get is a lot of this:

Bahahaha lets play spot the religious idiots in this thread.

because lets be realistic.. all faiths are a bit nutty.

:lol: @ all you thiests who get up in arms every time you hear about something that makes your ridiculous beliefs seem ridiculous.

Welcome to reality, enjoy your visit.

I tend to think less of anyone who appears to lack critical thinking skills. I don't think that makes me a bad person.

Why shouldn't people be called out for believing in things with absolutely no proof whatsoever? I bet if i was arguing that the Earth was flat I'd be getting all kinds of shit for my beliefs being so stupid in the face of all the evidence we have now. But because people believe in a religion (re: cult with lots of members) I'm supposed to tiptoe around on eggshells because I might offend them? Sorry, but fuck off.

How many hundreds of religious debates have we had on NBR over the years? Does anyone learn anything from them? Or do the same points keep being made by the same people over and over and over again?

I'm going to leave the 'selective belief' religious people discussion out of this.

in that case you're probably eliminating just about everyone.

I will say that selectively cherry-picking beliefs that you like out of what is intended to be a cohesive dogma is no different than simply not subscribing to that dogma in the first place. As soon as you don't believe a part of your faith, you are no longer 'of' that faith. I believe parts of the bible, such as "don't kill", "don't steal", "be good to eachother" but that doesn't make me a Christian. It makes me someone with my own set of morals, some of which happen to overlap with what someone else wrote down as their morals in a book.

yeah i'll agree that there is a lot of hypocrisy when it comes to religious beliefs and following those ideals completely. but, i don't think one needs to throw the baby out with the bath water. talk to those inside the church and i think you will find that being of "the faith" is not solely based on whether you believe in or faithfully practice all of the doctrine. there is a lot more movement for acceptance within christian faiths that i think you realize.

You don't want to think less of someone who say, treats an obviously satirical article from the Onion as truth? If someone makes an obvious showing that they have less-than-average cognitive abilities, I'm not sure why you wouldn't think less of their cognitive abilities. Call a spade a spade.

i would think that their cognitive abilities are lacking in some respects, but i wouldn't think less of the person as a whole. for me that's a big part of the issue as the feeling i get from many of the posts from those opposed to religion is that those who believe in religion have no value as a person. i may be wrong, but that's the sentiment i get.

What a great victory for humanity. :rolleyes:

I seriously don't understand the mindset of the atheist group that feel like they need to ridicule and/or put down people that believe in one religion or another. And let's be honest here, that's all that this is attempting to accomplish.

Atheists probably couldn't go a day without needing to feel superior of religious individuals.

My crutch is God, there's is an air of condescension.

for those affirmitavely in the anit-religion camp how did you arrive at this conclusion? what exeprieces do you use to base your opinion on? how much do you actually know about religion (say specifically christian theologies) besides what we see in the media?

i still like applebees…

Wow did I miss all the fun today.

I don't see in this article the person mocking or belittling any faiths whatsoever. He just seems to be showing that any particular faith granting special rights to a person or having a place in the school system to be dumb. And this I do believe to be true.

If we want helmets to be mandatory because not wearing a helmet when riding a motorcycle puts yourself at risk (and therefore you risk using up more precious health care resources) then they should be mandatory. If you wear a turbin for your religious then you will have to make the choice to not ride a motorcycle or take off the turbin. We aren't persecuting you, we are just making you follow the rules that apply to every citizen.

But since we jumped into the religious people are stupid / atheist people are stupid debate :

Whether god exists or does not people in a religion are often choosing core values and a community based on it. I went to church long after I stopped believing in god because I felt that DID believe in the values being promoted and being surrounded by a hell of a lot of good people. Now there's been a shift in that same church towards more old school garbage and I no longer am a part of it.

Religion is not so dumb if you think of it as a life choice to promote values and a positive community regardless if god or heaven turn out to be a bust. Just let everyone do as they please and chill out.

What would the anti-christian science crowd have to say to this guy?

He was an atheist before he obtained a PHd in physics. Now he's a an Anglican priest.

Funny that studying science (which Christians apparently don't do) could lead someone to belief in a higher power.

What would the anti-christian science crowd have to say to this guy?

He was an atheist before he obtained a PHd in physics. Now he's a an Anglican priest.

Terry Eagleton is much along the same lines but in regards to sociological concepts regarding theism.

i still like applebees…

well then - you are going to hell.

What would the anti-christian science crowd have to say to this guy?

He was an atheist before he obtained a PHd in physics. Now he's a an Anglican priest.

Funny that studying science (which Christians apparently don't do) could lead someone to belief in a higher power.

Maybe his mathematics degree allowed him to see parallels between organized religion and a fatter bank account.

Call me callous but whatevs.

talk to those inside the church and i think you will find that being of "the faith" is not solely based on whether you believe in or faithfully practice all of the doctrine. there is a lot more movement for acceptance within christian faiths that i think you realize.

Ironically, I think it is this kind of wishy-washiness within mainstream Christianity that has caused many people to leave progressive mainstream denominations. People often seek ritual and structure and doctrine in religion. They want a roadmap. They don't want to feel like they are making it up on the fly. BTW, I was raised in a religious family, went to Sunday School and attended a Mission School for several years. I came to the conclusion that organized religion, the type that people wear outwardly on their shirtsleeves, is in a sense another form of bigotry.

Ironically, I think it is this kind of wishy-washiness within mainstream Christianity that has caused many people to leave progressive mainstream denominations. People often seek ritual and structure and doctrine in religion. They want a roadmap. They don't want to feel like they are making it up on the fly. BTW, I was raised in a religious family, went to Sunday School and attended a Mission School for several years. I came to the conclusion that organized religion, the type that people wear outwardly on their shirtsleeves, is in a sense another form of bigotry.

i'd agree and wonder if part of it is needing that structure to give their own lives meaning becuase they are insecure about their place in the world?

i'm curious as to the reason why feel that for people who wear their faith outwardly on their shirtsleeves, is in a sense another form of bigotryp? is that becuase you feel that they're sending the message if you're not like us then you'll burn in hell?

for those affirmitavely in the anit-religion camp how did you arrive at this conclusion? what exeprieces do you use to base your opinion on? how much do you actually know about religion (say specifically christian theologies) besides what we see in the media?

I was raised roman catholic. I didn't have any one event that turned me from a christian to an atheist (I was never raped by a priest or something). I wouldn't say I was ever a christian to begin with, I always hated going to church. Certainly once I gathered the critical thinking skills of a 7 year old I was able to realize that pretty much everything I'd read in the bible was total garbage and began to reject theism. It was about grade 6 when I'd say I became a full atheist (stayed in a private catholic school till grade 12 though) and began to ask questions which would usually get me kicked out of class (just as well, I'd usually get sent to a spare room where extra milk from the milk program was kept, I'd just barricade myself inside and drink milk).

I would say I know more about religion and the wording of the bible than the majority of people who claim to be religious (my favourite are the ones who only attend church on sundays or easter/xmas) because I was basically raised with it.

Synchro, I'm not usually some hateful person as soon as I disagree with something they're saying. I do, however take exception to people who claim that their religious beliefs don't harm anyone. Show me one religion that has ever advocated for the equality of women. Show me one religion that is willing to back up their extraordinary claims with extraordinary evidence (in fact, show me one that can offer any evidence). Guess what, we let religion run the world for a while, it gave us the dark ages. Is it right to appeal to one's credulity rather than one's skepticism? I would argue that the former is detrimental to humanity.

These are the same arguments that are made by (for example) the anti-vaccinationist movement. People in that camp ask what the harm is in believing something works simply because it makes you feel good. To them I say that the harm is in the thousands of babies who are dying of measles or are stricken with smallpox; diseases which were all but eradicated until people came along and decided, based on no clinical evidence whatsoever, that vaccines were harmful to babies and should be avoided.