1. Lying for Jesus?

Comment #148774 by blasphemer_number1 on March 23, 2008 at 10:24 pm

What ever happened to the freedom of assembly? I'd like to apologize for the treatment Dr.Dawkins received in my country.

While I am interested in seeing this crappy film, I am not interested in contributing any kind of money toward the success of such deceitful propaganda.

I wish there were a way I could donate against a film like this. Perhaps there is and I'm just too naive?

2. Debate between Richard Dawkins and Madeline Bunting

Comment #127999 by blasphemer_number1 on February 15, 2008 at 9:13 pm

So many posts, so little time to read them.

"Do you believe in the virgin birth."

There are two reasons why she skirted the question that, while meaning different things, boil down to wanting to keep her viewpoint secret.

1) She does believe in the virgin birth and she thought Richard and secular listeners might find her insane for belief without evidence.

2) She does NOT believe in the virgin birth and she thought her church going listeners might think her a heretic for lacking belief in the miracle of the virgin birth.

Whatever the case, it seems that debaters caught in unpleasant positions want to change the subject like Madeline did when Richard repeatedly asked her. Otherwise, I liked the discussion. I will not otherwise fault her by putting her in the same group as Ted Haggard. ;)

3. I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist

Comment #122731 by blasphemer_number1 on February 5, 2008 at 10:22 pm

I was put off when I heard Bill O'Reilly made this statement with Richard Dawkins as his guest.

How much faith is required to be an atheist? How much faith is required to be theist? It seems to me that this statement is a cop-out. However, I'll entertain the idea that it may have merit for a moment. In which case what it really is saying is, "I have been raised since childhood being told that the flying spaghetti monster (FSM) is an undeniable fact by the elders in my family and community; switching to atheism would require a stretch in my belief to consider that the FSM is farce, which I know is impossible because the FSM touched me with his noodly appendage." Replace FSM with the deity of your choice, and "touched me with his noodly appendage" with "born again" or similar subjective mystical experience.

There are other ways to slice it. In the absence of fact atheism and theism seem to be on similar footings to me; but once you bring in the facts and logic into the picture, atheism is clearly the easier and I believe only rational choice.

4. The US is a Christian Nation

Comment #120507 by blasphemer_number1 on February 1, 2008 at 8:54 pm

While it may not be formally true, it's hard to argue against this one. The US population is 75% Christian according to some of the sources I checked. Our money has "In god we trust" printed on it. Our pledge of allegiance has "one nation under god" in it. We swear on a bible before testifying in trial (in some states atheists cannot legally testify for this reason no doubt.) There are US court houses with the ten commandments prominently displayed.

The US forefathers were seccularists and arguably the most influential ones were almost certainly atheists (Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, etc...) The wording of the constitution specifies the separation of church and state and makes no mention (to my knowledge) directly favoring any religion; let alone Christianity. http://www.usconstitution.net/constfaq_a8.html#Q153

So, is the US a Christian nation? Legally no, but practically yes. As an atheist, I cannot and will not make my views known at work for fear of losing my job; although my co-workers regularly talk about various church functions (despite working in a technical field developing a product for a company not affiliated with religion.)

5. Atheists don't believe in anything

Comment #120500 by blasphemer_number1 on February 1, 2008 at 8:37 pm

Not taking the time to read the rest of people's postings, I have to say that I'm a bit angered in anyone missrepresenting what I believe based on a a stereotype that they fashioned.

I believe in love and the human spirit... not as a mystical force, but I believe in it. I hold that mankind is generally good. I believe in the accomplishments of science and the scientific method. I believe in these things because there is hard evidence backing them all up. Counter that with religious dogma where faith is belief without evidence; is it any wonder why the great shepherd herds his flock of sheep?