• Richard Dawkins: I will arrest Pope Benedict XVI
    821 replies, posted
[QUOTE=Novistador;21296312]Richard Dawkins is a terrible atheist, He spends all his time lending legitimacy to theists by insisting on arguing with them about every thing, all the while dressing atheism up to look appealing to them and using their ethics. He needs to spend more time being for atheism instead of against religion.[/QUOTE] This, exactly. Have you seen him answer theist questions? He just side tracks until he can thread his way into a good religion bashing and then his fanboys laugh like idiots. [editline]05:36PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Zeke129;21296348]He's an atheist. He's also an anti-theist. Not all atheists are anti-theists. Let him do what he wants.[/QUOTE] And not all theists are religious extremists but they're certainly treated like it here.
[QUOTE=ilikecorn;21296353]If you want to go by the bible; the story was dictated by god, so god could have said 7 days, and it would have been for him,since time is relative, but for us it could have been billions of years.[/QUOTE] Yeah I'm sure it just slipped his mind right?
[QUOTE=Mexican;21296258]Do we really need a common ground?[/QUOTE] well come on theists are human interacting with other theists is fun, (great way to make friends too) so why not? along with that some practises (baptism & marriage) do require other people to be present trust me, baptising yourself is NOT fun :smith:
[QUOTE=ilikecorn;21296353]If you want to go by the bible; the story was dictated by god, so god could have said 7 days, and it would have been for him,since time is relative, but for us it could have been billions of years.[/QUOTE] If the bible is so corrupted, why should any of it be taken as truth, including the part that actually says 'god created the universe'?
[QUOTE=ilikecorn;21296353]If you want to go by the bible; the story was dictated by god, so god could have said 7 days, and it would have been for him,since time is relative, but for us it could have been billions of years.[/QUOTE] However, it's written on Earth, and days are a common period of time on Earth. Was something lost in translation?
This thread is growing like a wildfire. Christ. But anyway, read this article over and the first few pages of the thread, and I've sided with Dawkins. He's perfectly within his rights for making this statement, and I hope his plan succeeds. As previously stated, this feels like more of a ploy to see if the Pope will stay or go to Britain, where he would be arrested. I've got to hand it to Dawkins and Hitchens here, they've got a great case against the Pope, and this would show that religion isn't the be-all of this world. Science has made so many more advancements than religion has for humanity, and while I'm of the belief that religion will remain ever-present, science is what will propel us farther. The Pope shouldn't be considered above the law because he's a major religious figurehead, it doesn't make him any more god-like than you or I. He's still a human, capable of human error, which was exemplified in this recent child sex abuse case. I think this is a major step forward for atheists and agnostics, showing that religion and religious officials are as flawed as anyone else is.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;21296327]7 Earth days. So you think The Bible was written on some star with really long days? [editline]06:35PM[/editline] Typical of religion, to change the facts when science undermines the psuedo-science that religion claims as fact.[/QUOTE] Actually, it is said in the bible that to God, a day is an eternity and an eternity is a day. In essence, meaning that time has no effect. 7 is the number usually associated with God, especially when the writes of The Bible were unsure of the actual number. It's not fact changing. The Bible is an extremely, extremely deep work of fiction.
[QUOTE=Archy;21296352]i would actually say that only applies to organised religion[/QUOTE] There's no such thing as disorganized religion. Here's what I propose: - Remove tax-exempt status from churches. All of them. - Charities will remain tax-exempt, and can be [i]sponsored[/i] by a church or churches, but need to be separate foundations in order to get tax-exempt status. (ie, churches can donate to charity but can't be charity) - Remove accreditation from private religious schools that refuse to follow the curriculum laid out by the local governing body.
[QUOTE=Regulas021;21296419]Actually, it is said in the bible that to God, a day is an eternity and an eternity is a day. In essence, meaning that time has no effect. 7 is the number usually associated with God, especially when the writes of The Bible were unsure of the actual number. It's not fact changing. The Bible is an extremely, extremely deep work of fiction.[/QUOTE] Implying that God can somehow change the speed of time? [editline]06:40PM[/editline] [QUOTE=Zeke129;21296445] - Remove accreditation from private religious schools that refuse to follow the curriculum laid out by the local governing body.[/QUOTE] This will never fly. Ever.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;21296445]There's no such thing as disorganized religion. Here's what I propose: - Remove tax-exempt status from churches. All of them. - Charities will remain tax-exempt, and can be [i]sponsored[/i] by a church or churches, but need to be separate foundations in order to get tax-exempt status. (ie, churches can donate to charity but can't be charity) [/QUOTE] that's actually a pretty good idea. [editline]06:40PM[/editline] [QUOTE=sloppy_joes;21296447]Implying that God can somehow change the speed of time? [/quote] Omnipotent man!
You people seem to forget all the good things churches do. They aren't all corrupt, just the media tends to focus on the fact that they are.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;21296447]Implying that God can somehow change the speed of time?[/QUOTE] Perhaps. It can be interpreted many ways, which is why arguing against Christians using The Bible as a source is pretty much an argument in futility.
maybe the next pope won't be such a loony.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;21296491]You people seem to forget all the good things churches do. They aren't all corrupt, just the media tends to focus on the fact that they are.[/QUOTE] we're all corrupt on the inside :smithicide:
[QUOTE=Regulas021;21296419]Bible is an extremely, extremely deep work of fiction.[/QUOTE] Actually no, it's full of so many inconsistencies, it's ridiculous.
[QUOTE=Regulas021;21296513]Perhaps. It can be interpreted many ways, which is why arguing against Christians using The Bible as a source is pretty much an argument in futility.[/QUOTE] But an argument that is argued every day none the less.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;21296445]There's no such thing as disorganized religion. Here's what I propose: - Remove tax-exempt status from churches. All of them. - Charities will remain tax-exempt, and can be [i]sponsored[/i] by a church or churches, but need to be separate foundations in order to get tax-exempt status. (ie, churches can donate to charity but can't be charity) - Remove accreditation from private religious schools that refuse to follow the curriculum laid out by the local governing body.[/QUOTE] This man is a socialist, One rung lower on the ladder than the theists.
Oh yes. Go Dawkins <3
[QUOTE=Archy;21296397]well come on theists are human interacting with other theists is fun, (great way to make friends too) so why not? along with that some practises (baptism & marriage) do require other people to be present trust me, baptising yourself is NOT fun :smith:[/QUOTE] I hated church when I had to go, it was an hour of stories I've heard before, eating those crappy communion wafers, and kneeling in uncomfortable positions.
[QUOTE=Mexican;21296567]I hated church when I had to go, it was an hour of stories I've heard before, eating those crappy communion wafers, and kneeling in uncomfortable positions.[/QUOTE] you haven't been lutheran yet like a party, except god approves
[QUOTE=Zeke129;21296445]There's no such thing as disorganized religion. Here's what I propose: - Remove tax-exempt status from churches. All of them. - Charities will remain tax-exempt, and can be [i]sponsored[/i] by a church or churches, but need to be separate foundations in order to get tax-exempt status. (ie, churches can donate to charity but can't be charity) - Remove accreditation from private religious schools that refuse to follow the curriculum laid out by the local governing body.[/QUOTE] This. So much this. I'd attended a private Catholic school, and I've got to say, honestly, the curriculum was shit. Religion took up an hour's worth of class time, and then there was the occasional prayer service which could take anywhere from an hour to two hours out of your typical six hour school day. If you're paying for school, why should you waste time in prayer when you could be learning?
[QUOTE=ilikecorn;21296552]Exactly. I'm also learning that while FP has a lot of atheists, most of them aren't anti-theists, they just don't like what i like, and that's cool, separate beliefs are good, they allow for discussions to exist.[/QUOTE] I'm not against the belief in a god, I'm against organized religion and religion that tried to contradict science. If you believe God started the big bang and did nothing else, I can't argue with you. If you try to force your beliefs on me, tell me science is wrong or try to impose blue laws, I have a serious problem with that. The problem is the majority of religious people are more like the latter.
Woohoo! I hope they fry his wrinkly ass!
[QUOTE=Vinze;21296628]Woohoo! I hope they fry his wrinkly ass![/QUOTE] You'll just give him more power that way. [img]http://www.fabbricantidiuniversi.it/starwars/immagini/palpatine1.JPG[/img]
Any extremest is bad, however I like to think the principles that atheism is based off of (logic, reason) are slightly better than those behind religion (ignorance, blind belief) Might seem harsh, however, most religions prefer you on your knees than on your feet.
To clarify my three-point plan, private religious institution can still offer religious education but only if it is in ADDITION to previously approved curriculums. It doesn't necessarily have to be optional but it can't replace anything. [QUOTE=Novistador;21296533]This man is a socialist, One rung lower on the ladder than the theists.[/QUOTE] Elements of socialism, when integrated into a democratic society, produces the highest-rated countries in the world
[QUOTE=Zeke129;21296685] Elements of socialism, when integrated into a democratic society, produces the highest-rated countries in the world[/QUOTE] Don't forget increased individual freedom.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;21296685] Elements of socialism, when integrated into a democratic society, produces the highest-rated countries in the world[/QUOTE] This isn't directed at you, just expanding on what you said: I think it's silly people still try to point out socialists. A lot of points behind socialism (Welfare, Healthcare, pensions, workman's comp, child labor laws) are all parts of the majority of western countries. I don't know about the USA, but Canada had the CCF. Read their ideology: [URL]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Co-operative_Commonwealth_Federation[/URL]
[QUOTE=Archy;21296019]i'm also saying it's just bad logic to rule it out, seeing as there's no proof against it[/QUOTE] Nothing can be ever truly ruled out. However, scientifically the burden of proof is on theists' shoulders, because the logical presumption usually is it doesn't exist if we don't have any proof for it. This is the same concept behind justice system. By your logic the belief in anything is rational and reasonable, but this is not the case.
Has the Pope ever been arrested before? If not, this is not going to end well. This will be a very bad thing. There will be massive riots throughout almost every country in Europe as well as the Americas.
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