just what if

[Joe]

But you've sure got the programming down, haven't you?

Not really. I don't recall hearing Rush Limbaugh ever use that phrase (haven't listened to the show since 9/11, it's become a mouthpiece for the Bush administration).

Oh, please! Just because the Porcine One didn't use the exact same phraseology, he certainly used the same type argument (just substituted "tenured liberal" or variation thereof for "Atheist Marxist" and the sheep fill in the details). It's part and parcel with maintaining the fiction that the universities are "hotbeds" of leftist indoctrination; nevermind that this hasn't been true for twenty years. Assuming it was ever true at all.

And yeah, pity that Rush turned out to be exactly the shill for the Bush/GOP machine his critics long said he was. Must've been so disappointing to discover that he really never had any opinions of his own.

Not all universities are (did I say they were?) There's more than enough left-wing garbage being thrown around at some of the Ivy League schools, though. Like that Harvard idiot who recently argued that the white race should be abolished...an atheist Marxist, probably tenured.

And as for Rush, what can I say. I stopped taking him seriously in 99, but hey, his show is (or was) entertaining. He's pretty good at what he does, you have to give him that.

[David]

While it might be possible to destroy an organized religious movement, it is impossible to destroy religion. Outlawing something only causes people to crave it more.

[AdmiralKanos]

While it might be possible to destroy an organized religious movement, it is impossible to destroy religion. Outlawing something only causes people to crave it more.

Destroying it through force is not feasible. Destroying it through improved education and living conditions is theoretically possible. Religion thrives on misery and ignorance.

[Joe]

While it might be possible to destroy an organized religious movement, it is impossible to destroy religion. Outlawing something only causes people to crave it more.

The best thing we can do is be vigilant and make sure religious crazies don't take control of the government.

[Patrick Degan]

Not all universities are (did I say they were?) There's more than enough left-wing garbage being thrown around at some of the Ivy League schools, though. Like that Harvard idiot who recently argued that the white race should be abolished...an atheist Marxist, probably tenured.

Oh, yes, let's find the ISOLATED NUTCASE EXAMPLES to prove a general argument. And is there any indication that he's being taken seriously? Any large movements to eliminate the white race springing up?

All you've proven is that the aforementioned Harvard idiot is indeed an idiot who is at Harvard. Harvard is much more a hotbed of idiot MBAs, from the evidence seen to date.

[The Dark]

While it might be possible to destroy an organized religious movement, it is impossible to destroy religion. Outlawing something only causes people to crave it more.

The best thing we can do is be vigilant and make sure religious crazies don't take control of the government.

I agree. Most Christians are (by atheist standards) harmless nuts. Let us enjoy our delusions and go on in peace. I believe in science and evolution, why should I be bombarded with the atheist equivalent of Christian fundies screaming that there is no God? If I choose to believe in a God, how does that harm you? Ones like Chick or Falwell, on the other hand, are perfectly legitimate targets.

[Nova Andromeda]

I agree. Most Christians are (by atheist standards) harmless nuts. Let us enjoy our delusions and go on in peace. I believe in science and evolution, why should I be bombarded with the atheist equivalent of Christian fundies screaming that there is no God? If I choose to believe in a God, how does that harm you? Ones like Chick or Falwell, on the other hand, are perfectly legitimate targets.

--Belief in God is just a symptom of irrational tendancies. Unless you want to give up your voting powers when they involve those irrational tendancies you are doing harm by corrupting the government.

[Joe]

Not all universities are (did I say they were?) There's more than enough left-wing garbage being thrown around at some of the Ivy League schools, though. Like that Harvard idiot who recently argued that the white race should be abolished...an atheist Marxist, probably tenured.

Oh, yes, let's find the ISOLATED NUTCASE EXAMPLES to prove a general argument. And is there any indication that he's being taken seriously? Any large movements to eliminate the white race springing up?

All you've proven is that the aforementioned Harvard idiot is indeed an idiot who is at Harvard. Harvard is much more a hotbed of idiot MBAs, from the evidence seen to date.

The fact that Harvard University would allow someone like that to teach says something about the University, if you ask me. He's also a violent thug who has done jail time. That such a professor could be even allowed to teach at Harvard, supposedly one of the proudest universities of the country, is indicative of the general air of idiocy that permeates the campus, or at least the faculty. Surely he could not teach there if his views and actions were not met by at least some degree of approval by the university.

[The Dark]

I agree. Most Christians are (by atheist standards) harmless nuts. Let us enjoy our delusions and go on in peace. I believe in science and evolution, why should I be bombarded with the atheist equivalent of Christian fundies screaming that there is no God? If I choose to believe in a God, how does that harm you? Ones like Chick or Falwell, on the other hand, are perfectly legitimate targets.

--Belief in God is just a symptom of irrational tendancies. Unless you want to give up your voting powers when they involve those irrational tendancies you are doing harm by corrupting the government.

Hey, I voted against Bush (I know, that's not important, but still...). I don't vote based on my religion at all, but generally based on if the candidates are going to improve education (and if they promote creationism they're not getting my vote). I have yet to see a person without at least some irrational tendencies, whether they be a belief in a deity or some other behavior pattern that could be classified as neurotic. Now, if I said that I would only vote for people with the same religious beliefs I have, then yes, you would be right to say that I should give up my voting rights. Of course, our government can't get that much more corrupt anyway...

[David]

While it might be possible to destroy an organized religious movement, it is impossible to destroy religion. Outlawing something only causes people to crave it more.

Destroying it through force is not feasible. Destroying it through improved education and living conditions is theoretically possible. Religion thrives on misery and ignorance.

Possibly, but I was responding to the original idea of using force to accomplish this goal. I try not to read the other peoples posts after the original statement, as they seem to muddy the issue and sidetrack the conversation.

[Nova Andromeda]

Hey, I voted against Bush (I know, that's not important, but still...). I don't vote based on my religion at all, but generally based on if the candidates are going to improve education (and if they promote creationism they're not getting my vote). I have yet to see a person without at least some irrational tendencies, whether they be a belief in a deity or some other behavior pattern that could be classified as neurotic. Now, if I said that I would only vote for people with the same religious beliefs I have, then yes, you would be right to say that I should give up my voting rights. Of course, our government can't get that much more corrupt anyway...

--So long as your irrational tendancies don't have too much effect on your voting I'm fine with you voting. The sad fact is that as corrupt as the U.S. gov. is it can get SO MUCH worse!

[Darth Wong]

Most Christians are (by atheist standards) harmless nuts. Let us enjoy our delusions and go on in peace.

For the most part, we would, except that there are a LOT of people (even among moderates) who simply refuse to admit that the belief system is just that: a purely subjective, unsupportable faith that bears as much resemblance to logical thought as Rush Limbaugh does to Cameron Diaz. These people expend a lot of effort trying to blur the lines between science and religion in an effort to claim that one is not really much more objective than the other. This pisses us off.

[Vympel]

Most Christians are (by atheist standards) harmless nuts. Let us enjoy our delusions and go on in peace.

For the most part, we would, except that there are a LOT of people (even among moderates) who simply refuse to admit that the belief system is just that: a purely subjective, unsupportable faith that bears as much resemblance to logical thought as Rush Limbaugh does to Cameron Diaz. These people expend a lot of effort trying to blur the lines between science and religion in an effort to claim that one is not really much more objective than the other. This pisses us off.

I just love the trite little fallacious arguments that are constantly spewed forth: "you have FAITH in science!"

[Durandal]

Nova is absolutely correct. Religion harms the government because those in office consistently use their religious beliefs as a basis for their decisions. Who did Shrub go to about human cloning? The fucking pope. I rest my case. He should have been expelled from office straight after that meeting for allowing religious beliefs to influence government affairs.

Same with 99% of the congress, who all signed a resolution against the 9th circuit court's ruling regarding "under God" in the pledge of allegiance. I hate to say it, but the best chance for having a truly fair government is having one where only atheists are allowed to hold office.

[BlkbrryTheGreat]

Atheists are allowed to hold office........ its just that they won't be elected. The majority of the population is totally immersed in the moral system that religions indoctrinate people with at an early age; because of this they think that anyone who chooses to reject religion is immoral.

[Tsyroc]

For the most part, we would, except that there are a LOT of people (even among moderates) who simply refuse to admit that the belief system is just that: a purely subjective, unsupportable faith that bears as much resemblance to logical thought as Rush Limbaugh does to Cameron Diaz. These people expend a lot of effort trying to blur the lines between science and religion in an effort to claim that one is not really much more objective than the other. This pisses us off.

Your comment about Rush and Cameron Diaz made a picture of Rush with "hair gell" pop into my head. Both funny and gross at the same time.

[XPViking]

Don't you people get it? Talk of eliminating fundies through use of force plays perfectly into the fundie's apocalyptic world-view.

XPViking

[Darth Wong]

XPViking: you visualized Rush Limbaugh ... in place of Cameron Diaz?

*backs away slowly*

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

Another problem with organized religions are the holy books. Many militant fundies throught history have used them to defend great atrocities, and some still do today. My solution would be to rewrite them. In a few generations, militant fundies will have no excuse to kill people of other religions, and baptists wouldn't be able to spout out bigoted nonsense. Of course, there wouldn't be fundies, since they were all sterilized, and no baptists and prisets, since they died out due to lack of volunteers, and replaced with robots.

[Joe]

Another problem with organized religions are the holy books. Many militant fundies throught history have used them to defend great atrocities, and some still do today. My solution would be to rewrite them. In a few generations, militant fundies will have no excuse to kill people of other religions, and baptists wouldn't be able to spout out bigoted nonsense. Of course, there wouldn't be fundies, since they were all sterilized, and no baptists and prisets, since they died out due to lack of volunteers, and replaced with robots.

Right, I'm sure millions of peole are going to allow you in all your wisdom to rewrite the holy texts that they have clinged to for thousands of years. I'm just going to assume you were joking.

[XPViking]

Ummm. Let me explain. It has been my experience that fundies not only hold an apocalyptic world-vew (like most Christians) but also go chasing after shadows in the present world while trying to match it up with Scripture (such as Revelations). As I mentioned before in a different thread, I had the unfortunate experience with a fundie in a chatroom. This was during the World series and he said that the Yankees represented all that is GOOD, while the Arizona Diamondbacks were BAD. He equated snakes with being bad, I suppose, in reference to the Garden of Eden.

What's my point? A fundie lurking in this forum will gather enough ammuniton just to feed their own beliefs - especially in regards to atheists. I guess try and imagine if you went to creationweb and saw a posting about an engineered virus that will eliminate all non-believers.

I'm not saying that we must censor our posts. As well, what views a person formulates is up to that person, not the denizens of this board. All I'm saying is that perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised at how others may view those here. I mean, if some fundie said "Your all out to get me" and then points to data_link's virus thread, it would make it a little harder for that person to see where we are coming from.

And no, I love Cameron Diaz. She is, after all, born in the same year as my wife.

XPViking


edit: fixed a typo