Religious people trust atheists as much as they trust rapists, study finds.
365 replies, posted
Religion is dumb.
Religion is dumb because it doesn't make any sense.
It doesn't make any sense because it has no basis in proof, and oftentimes asserts the existence of magic, which is physically impossible.
There is no reason whatsoever that it should be so frowned upon to say this.
A religion is a set of beliefs - beliefs about how the universe works, beliefs about how people should behave, beliefs about whatever else. A religion is, essentially, just a complex, multifaceted idea, but an idea all the same.
One of the most annoying things about how society treats religion is that it doesn't recognize this fact, not really. No one gets offended when one disputes someone's philosophy, or their scientific theory, but people lose their shit if one disputes someone's religion. This is because society classifies religion as something different from other ideas, as something that, for some reason, isn't subject to the same basic standards of scrutiny that apply to philosophy or science. We classify it as something to be accepted and tolerated like race or gender, like a hobby or taste in art - something that is either an immutable facet of their being, or something that's too dependent on personal taste to be judged at an objective level, even when religion is clearly neither of those things.
Yes, I'm well aware of the human right to believe whatever idea one wants to believe, just as I am aware of the human right to dispute whatever idea one wants to dispute.
Yes, some people put a great deal of stake in their religion(not nearly as much as some parties would assert) and get a great deal offended when someone says that they're wrong. But that's not my problem, that's their problem if they're too entrenched in their beliefs to consider any other way. No one would be so sympathetic and defensive of these people if they displayed the same fervor for their politics or science, and no one should be.
No, I'm not saying that religious people are dumb.
No, I'm not saying that religious people are evil.
No, I'm not saying that I'm a beacon of truth in the black, endless, frothing tumult of plebian ignorance.
No, I'm not saying that I'm some cool edgy rebel who doesn't give a fuck what my parents say.
Yes, I'm saying that religious people are wrong, or at least not making much sense.
Maybe I'm the wrong one. I don't believe I am, but I acknowledge the possibility. If someone disagrees and makes a convincing argument for their side, I'll abandon my old beliefs and adopt new ones, like I've been obligated to do many, many times in my life. If I can't do that, I'll at least do my best, which is apparently too much to ask of some types.
[QUOTE=Gundevil;33571243]without religion we would not have the technological superiority over the Middle East, you can thank the crusades. [/QUOTE]
Thats like thanking the nazis because ww2 allowed us to create the atomic bomb. I'm not saying religious people are as bad but god is that a horrible argument to justify the crusades. Not to mention the crusades are one of the major factors in the dark ages that kept it going so without the crusades we might be even more technologically advanced then we are now.
[editline]5th December 2011[/editline]
[QUOTE=Gundevil;33571243]Double standard all the way facepunch, way to go. Religious people say they don't want an atheist in power, and you say you don't want a religious person in power. Theirs is bigotry, yours is fair and just. [/QUOTE]
I didn't realize facepunch was one person.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;33589677]Not to mention the crusades are one of the major factors in causing the dark ages so without the crusades we would be even more technologically advanced then we are now.[/QUOTE]
hmm
[QUOTE=Noble;33586240]Well first off, your examples of the gay guy and the black man don't work because that would just be direct attacks at the person. Atheists generally aren't attacking religious [b]people[/b] but rather their beliefs, by pointing out how the beliefs are irrational. A black man can't change his skin color, and a gay guy can't become straight. To attack a set of worldviews that someone believes in, that can be demonstrated to be false/unreasonable, is absolutely not the same thing, so I think you're making a false analogy.[/QUOTE] This, so much. Stop comparing belief to race or sexual orientation. Beliefs are a CHOICE, and ANYTHING you choose to believe you're going to have to defend. If you don't want to face the fact that your ideas and beliefs will be challenged by others, you're going to have to go live in the wild, kill yourself, or deal with it.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;33589677]Not to mention the crusades are one of the major factors in the dark ages that kept it going so without the crusades we might be even more technologically advanced then we are now.[/QUOTE]
The "dark" ages started roughly around the 5th century and continued on until the 10th. The first crusade was at the tail end of the 10th century, around 1095. So no, the crusades did not cause the "dark" ages.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;33592832]The "dark" ages started roughly around the 5th century and continued on until the 10th. The first crusade was at the tail end of the 10th century, around 1095. So no, the crusades did not cause the "dark" ages.[/QUOTE]
As you see I corrected it. I meant a driving force behind it since it fueled an anti-humanitarian view.
Religion and the bible is the way of society of self destruction.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;33592916]As you see I corrected it. I meant a driving force behind it since it fueled an anti-humanitarian view.[/QUOTE]
the crusades were a driving force behind the dark ages? or the other way around?
[QUOTE=wingless;33561457]And this is why I'm Anti-Religion.
Because of the bullshit it spreads and the danger it inflicts.
Not to mention the countless crimes ignored and constant demoralization and fear spread around the world.[/QUOTE]
Protip : people don't need religion to spread bullshit ideas.
KKK, Nazis, Italian Fascism, Slavery, etc.
Plus, religion in itself doesn't spread bullshit ideas, people do. Because a few fucktards misunderstand the idea of religion (which is unite people under a very basic society model with god as a judge to prevent them from doing stupid shit) doesn't make it invalid and essentially bad - if this was the case, kitchen knives would be bad, cars would be bad, the army would be bad and the police would be an atrocity.
The main reason why people believe religion is the plague of the modern world is because how the media emphasizes on all the bad it does, ignoring all the good it otherwise provides discretely. The Abbé Pierre was motivated by religion to create an association that, to this day, still provides shelter and food to the homeless. Same for Sister Emmanuelle who was motivated by religion to help people as well, because that's what about religion is originally about - helping each other.
Don't let your view of things get narrowed by the media and their sensationalist headlines.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;33593204]the crusades were a driving force behind the dark ages? or the other way around?[/QUOTE]
Well obviously the dark ages help cause the crusades but at the same time the crusades pushed back what stopped the end for the dark ages which was a concern for humanity instead of a god.
[QUOTE=Lambeth;33578234]Who started the Crusades?
The Pope
[editline]5th December 2011[/editline]
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Urban_II]Who has since been beatified actually[/url][/QUOTE]
Most popes were extremely corrupt. Up to the renaissance, noble families tried to have connections with every social center of power, which is why parents tended to dedicate one of their children to being a priest, even though they weren't religious and most of the time just didn't care about religion, which led to corruption. This is why protestantism was created in the first place - in reaction to all the money the corrupt church was making.
Also religion was only an excuse to start the crusades. The real reason was money and goods, which is proven by all the pillaging most crusaders did.
[QUOTE=Ganerumo;33593394]Most popes were extremely corrupt. Up to the renaissance, noble families tried to have connections with every social center of power, which is why parents tended to dedicate one of their children to being a priest, even though they weren't religious and most of the time just didn't care about religion, which led to corruption. This is why protestantism was created in the first place - in reaction to all the money the corrupt church was making.
Also religion was only an excuse to start the crusades. The real reason was money and goods, which is proven by all the pillaging most crusaders did.[/QUOTE]
Corrupt or not I think the pope has read the bible and believed in it.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;33589677]Not to mention the crusades are one of the major factors in the dark ages that kept it going so without the crusades we might be even more technologically advanced then we are now[/QUOTE]
The dark ages were before the crusades durrrr.
In fact the crusades led to europe discovering and adopting many technologies and ideas from the middle east, which was more advanced than the west at the time
So shut up
So that's why she never called back :(
[QUOTE=Ganerumo;33593266]Protip : people don't need religion to spread bullshit ideas.
KKK, Nazis, Italian Fascism, Slavery, etc.
Plus, religion in itself doesn't spread bullshit ideas, people do. Because a few fucktards misunderstand the idea of religion (which is unite people under a very basic society model with god as a judge to prevent them from doing stupid shit) doesn't make it invalid and essentially bad - if this was the case, kitchen knives would be bad, cars would be bad, the army would be bad and the police would be an atrocity.
The main reason why people believe religion is the plague of the modern world is because how the media emphasizes on all the bad it does, ignoring all the good it otherwise provides discretely. The Abbé Pierre was motivated by religion to create an association that, to this day, still provides shelter and food to the homeless. Same for Sister Emmanuelle who was motivated by religion to help people as well, because that's what about religion is originally about - helping each other.
Don't let your view of things get narrowed by the media and their sensationalist headlines.[/QUOTE]
But religion was all for slavery and encouraged it. Same about racism really.
[QUOTE=AceOfDivine;33600832]But religion was all for slavery and encouraged it. Same about racism really.[/QUOTE]
No it wasn't. Not only at a single solitary moment in the entire bible or the quran is there a line saying "Fuck these niggers. Fuck them hard. Also enslave them".
People used religion to serve their interest and provide simple, absurd arguments, such as "god designed man as his image, god is white, Africans are black, so Africans are not human, so it's not a problem if we enslave them because they are soulless animals". If religion didn't existed they could have simply scrapped away the god part and the argument still would have worked : "They are black and their face isn't the same as ours, so they are not the same as us, and as we are intelligent and human, they logically aren't intelligent and human because they aren't the same as us".
[QUOTE=Ganerumo;33614591]No it wasn't. Not only at a single solitary moment in the entire bible or the quran is there a line saying "Fuck these niggers. Fuck them hard. Also enslave them".
People used religion to serve their interest and provide simple, absurd arguments, such as "god designed man as his image, god is white, Africans are black, so Africans are not human, so it's not a problem if we enslave them because they are soulless animals". If religion didn't existed they could have simply scrapped away the god part and the argument still would have worked : "They are black and their face isn't the same as ours, so they are not the same as us, and as we are intelligent and human, they logically aren't intelligent and human because they aren't the same as us".[/QUOTE]
However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way. (Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT)
that seems pretty pro slavery to me
[editline]7th December 2011[/editline]
and pro racism while we're at it
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/hUwn1l.jpg[/IMG]
Also, just off reading the article. The topic title is hilariously sensationalist. 105 Undergrads ("A liberal sample from a less-religious nation") thought that atheists and rapists were less likely to leave insurance info = Religious people trust rapists as much as atheists.
I mean, Wow. That takes effort right there.
[QUOTE=Ganerumo;33614591]No it wasn't. Not only at a single solitary moment in the entire bible or the quran is there a line saying "Fuck these niggers. Fuck them hard. Also enslave them".
People used religion to serve their interest and provide simple, absurd arguments, such as "god designed man as his image, god is white, Africans are black, so Africans are not human, so it's not a problem if we enslave them because they are soulless animals". If religion didn't existed they could have simply scrapped away the god part and the argument still would have worked : "They are black and their face isn't the same as ours, so they are not the same as us, and as we are intelligent and human, they logically aren't intelligent and human because they aren't the same as us".[/QUOTE]
The bible absolutely, clearly, and fully condones slavery. There are numerous passages in it that actually give specific instructions to slave owners on how to treat their slaves, and very clearly supports the idea of one person literally owning another person as property. Slavery is condoned not just in the old testament (and I don't believe for a second the excuse that the old testament teachings don't apply to Christians), but also several times in the New Testament. The New Testament does not even slightly condemn slave ownership (apparently god didn't want to piss off the Romans so he decided that slavery was acceptable) and tells slaves:
[quote]Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord.[/quote] - Colossians 3:22
In the case of slavery in America, religion provided justification for the white slave owners to literally own another human being, that they purchased from african slave traders, as their own property. People feeling that slave ownership was their "God given right" was something that played a part in leading up to the american civil war.
Funny thing I trust certain religious people as much
Why isn't "Jewish" at 100% for "no"? This is clearly rigged. Anyone with half a brain knows that Jews are not to be admired in any way.
[QUOTE=UncleJimmema;33561820]That's because facepunch has a good portion of Atheist members who are all bickering within our own little community. We're not standing on street corners telling people they're retarded whilst handing out books on Evolution.[/QUOTE]
the difference is that this isn't an atheist community
it's a gaming community and as such religion 1. is irrelevant 2. if it should come up, everyone should put their high horses in the fucking bin and talk like real adults
You forgot one...
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/MzQka.png[/IMG]
[QUOTE=TBFundy;33620909]the difference is that this isn't an atheist community
it's a gaming community and as such religion 1. is irrelevant 2. if it should come up, everyone should put their high horses in the fucking bin and talk like real adults[/QUOTE]
real adults don't accept what the values of their community are, but attempt to explore truth on their own
-snip wrong thread-
[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;33621051]You forgot one...
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/MzQka.png[/IMG][/QUOTE]
anyone who wouldn't vote thom yorke for president is retarded so i demand you retract this picture
Haters gonna hate
Ahh I love it when people hate on my faith. makes me feel warm and fuzzy and look forward to the continuing development of society.
[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;33623397]look forward to the continuing development of society.[/QUOTE]
How is that?
[QUOTE=Contag;33623430]How is that?[/QUOTE]
How is... what?
How can I look forward to it, or how can it develop?
I can look forward to it because... I can look forward to it.
It develops because... it will always develop. Whether its development is interpreted negatively or positively is irrelevant.
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