Ummm.... I like Poe.. but where is John Berryman???

I wonder... if the pastor had put a sign on a bus saying "Jesus is Life!," and Athiest cried out against it on the same terms as he used, would he hold the same standards agains... I wonder... if the pastor had put a sign on a bus saying "Jesus is Life!," and Athiest cried out against it on the same terms as he used, would he hold the same standards against himself? My gut says, absolutely not. Lucky for him, most religions fully endorses hypocrisy. (more)

Absolutely. The following is quoted from a correspondent to Richard Dawkins after Dawkins declared that strict religious upbringins is a form of psychological abuse. The writer ... Absolutely. The following is quoted from a correspondent to Richard Dawkins after Dawkins declared that strict religious upbringins is a form of psychological abuse. The writer had been molested by a priest, and around the same time, told that a protestant friend who recently died was in hell.

"Being fondled by the priest simply left the impression (from the mind of a 7 year old) as 'yucky' while the memory of my friend going to hell was one of cold, immesurable fear. I never lost sleep because of the priest - but I spent many a night being terrified that the people I loved would go to Hell. It gave me nightmares."

Dawkins, "The God Delusion" pg. 357 (more)

Absolutely sick. A very accepted form of devestating Child Abuse. It is still NO SICKER than parents raising any child strictly under ANY DOCTRINE. The Child should be introduce... Absolutely sick. A very accepted form of devestating Child Abuse. It is still NO SICKER than parents raising any child strictly under ANY DOCTRINE. The Child should be introduced to all faiths and left to choose on his or her own. Raising a child to believe that he or she will go to Hell for private thoughts and actions that are completely natural is just as sick as teaching children to speak in tongues. (more)

Of course, our "Gambling Consumer Economic Policies" dont give most people the financial assets to pack up and head for Europe, unless one plans on taking a raft. I suspect many... Of course, our "Gambling Consumer Economic Policies" dont give most people the financial assets to pack up and head for Europe, unless one plans on taking a raft. I suspect many would, if they could. Meanwhile, we have a right to protest our countries policies in peaceful (and in extreme cases, nonpeaceful, constitutionally) manners. I beg to wager that the only one being oppressive and non-peacful was the girl insulting the girl for not pledging. (more)

Abolutely correct Tea.

Even if most wars arent strictly over fundamental differences in faiths, religion provides a very effective reference point to intolerance. How could the irish have fought each ... Even if most wars arent strictly over fundamental differences in faiths, religion provides a very effective reference point to intolerance. How could the irish have fought each other for years and years if the labels Protestant and Catholic didnt exist? What about the holocaust and the Jews? The "Christ Killers"? Religion is intrinsically intolerant. To believe that every other member of a mutually incompatible faith which happens to be different from yours is going to Hell... well... THAT is INTOLERANCE. If muslims can label everyone as simply infadels, then the next step encouraged by the Koran, (i. e. to KILL them) is no big deal at all... if you truly believe the word of the Koran. I challenge you guys to pick up the Koran and actually read it before responding. Same with the Bible. Flip through Exodus and Deuteronomy. This is best personified in a reply to Richard Dawkins by a Christian.

"Youve definitely god some nerve. Id love to take a knife, gut you fools, and scream with joy as your insides spill out in front of you. You are attempting to ignite a holy war in which some day I, and others like me, may have the pleasure of taking action like the one above mentioned"

Dawkins, "The God Delusion" pg. 242

And this well based bit of research is also interesting:

"While political part affiliation in the US is not a perfect indicator of religiosity, it is no secret that the 'red [Republican] states' are primarily red due to the overwhelming political influence of conservative Christians. If there were a strong correlation between Christian conservatism and societal health, we might expect to see some sign of it in red-state America. We dont. Of the twenty-five cities with the lowest rates of violent crime, 62 percent are in 'blue' [Democrat] states, and 38 percent are in 'red' [Republican] states. Of the twenty five most dangerous cities, 76 percent are in red states, and 24 percent are in blue states. In fact, three of the five most dangerous cities in the U.S. are in the pious state of Texas.* The twelve states with the highest rates of burglary are red. Twenty-four of the twenty-nine states with the highest rates of theft are red. Of the twenty two states with the highest rates of murder, seventeen are red."

Sam Harris "Letter to a Christian Nation"

*I am myself a Texan, and can personally vouch for Harris' claim that it is indeed a pious state. Interestingly, two thirds of the entire nations death penalties are carried out in Texas as well.

I believe the evidence and logic does point to a correlation between religion and violence. (more)

You cant. Christians tell me, "You have to ask God to give you faith before you can believe in him." Ummm... Something wrong here? Its hard to convince people of ridiculous idea... You cant. Christians tell me, "You have to ask God to give you faith before you can believe in him." Ummm... Something wrong here? Its hard to convince people of ridiculous ideas... especially when there is no proof or slight shred of evidence to back them. (more)

Of course, how could the Catholic church charge for "prayers" for souls in purgatory if there were no Satan? Satan is very profitable.

"Hate" is rather a strong word but here are the facts. You have every choice in the world to embrace set of moral beliefs that do not endorse mistreatment or discrimination of h... "Hate" is rather a strong word but here are the facts. You have every choice in the world to embrace set of moral beliefs that do not endorse mistreatment or discrimination of homosexuals. The fact that you hate homosexuals is totally your fault. It is not okay to embrace intolerance just because a book written by men totally ignorant to even the most basic concepts of biology, chemistry, morality, astronomy etc. etc. (ie. VERY uneducated men by todays standards) said it is okay. Your religion is NO EXCUSE for irrational behavior, even though most people think it is. Of course your parents probably brought you up this way and it is just as much their fault as it is yours. I challenge you to challenge yourself, challenge these beliefs that you accept without question, I will tell you a secret, they are distroying this planet. Look at the evidence against God and ask yourself, "Is something so obscure, supernatural and probably false anything to devote a miserable life of intolerance to?" The reason that women are still abused in Islamic countries, the reason that abortion clinics are attacked, the reason that stem cell research, even though it is likely to advance medicine exponentially, is not practiced is because of people being afraid to condem irrationality when it is under the flag of a doctrine. THIS IS WRONG! It is YOUR fault that you believe that way, and your religion does not absolve you from ANY responsibility.

Read Richard Dawkins, "The God Delusion" (more)

This is true, but since Creationists still go back to this, I feel the need to reinstate a response. The chapter in the God Delusion is chapter 4.

1 800 NOT REAL

Interesting enough, I HAVE read the Bible, and the verses are not out of context. How would Numbers 15, where God commanded moses to stone an old man for carrying sticks on the ... Interesting enough, I HAVE read the Bible, and the verses are not out of context. How would Numbers 15, where God commanded moses to stone an old man for carrying sticks on the sabbath, change in context? IT DOESNT. Read the passage. How about in Deuteronomy, where God commands moses to rape, pillage and plunder various cities? These passages are clear, and NEVER anulled by context. Read for yourself. I have. (more)

A) Islam DOES BELIEVE IN GOD. They just call him Allah. Do some research. Read the Koran.
B) I am not suggesting you dont get your beliefs from the Bible. Quite the contr... A) Islam DOES BELIEVE IN GOD. They just call him Allah. Do some research. Read the Koran.
B) I am not suggesting you dont get your beliefs from the Bible. Quite the contrary. What about passages suggesting that the Earth was created in seven days? That night and day were created before the sun? That the death penalty is a proper punishment for gathering sticks on the sabbath? That slavery is okay? That women are inferior to men? That the punishment for adultery should be death... etc. etc.

Surely if you endorse such views, you would be called barbaric. The same is for the bible's view on homosexuality. Do you believe that if you sin with your hands you should cut them off? Do you believe that if your child blasphemes God, you should cut out his tongue and kill him? This is all in the Bible. This is where you are basing your argument against homosexuality. (more)

Haha. Well Im sure that any God who would ask Abraham to kill his son as a joke knows whats best. Heres my credit card number...

Damn right. YEEEHHAWWWW!

Exactly. Religious arguments turn very venemous, simply because they have no facts to argue with. All they have is intimidation.

Religions definitely do tear us apart. Religious faith, I would argue, does the same. I would say that faith in the well-being of humanity is a faith that unites us though.

I think Im feeling sick...