Top 10 tips for atheists this Easter

Atheists should drop their easily dismissed scientific, philosophical or historical arguments against Christianity, and instead quiz believers about Old Testament violence and hell, writes John Dickson.

As an intellectual movement, Christianity has a head start on atheism. So it’s only natural that believers would find some of the current arguments against God less than satisfying.

In the interests of a more robust debate this Easter, I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith. I’ve got some advice on arguments that should be dropped and some admissions about where Christians are vulnerable.

more….

>>>As an intellectual movement, Christianity has a head start on atheism. So it’s only natural that believers would find some of the current arguments against God less than satisfying.

nup, Plato, Aristotle and many others were around long before Christianity

in fact, many cathedrals have sculptures of the early philosophers and mathematicians

CrazyNeutrino said:

Top 10 tips for atheists this Easter

Atheists should drop their easily dismissed scientific, philosophical or historical arguments against Christianity, and instead quiz believers about Old Testament violence and hell, writes John Dickson.

As an intellectual movement, Christianity has a head start on atheism. So it’s only natural that believers would find some of the current arguments against God less than satisfying.

In the interests of a more robust debate this Easter, I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith. I’ve got some advice on arguments that should be dropped and some admissions about where Christians are vulnerable.

more….

already done

the apologists are already making excuses

its all a lie

they believe in the violence 100 percent – god wanted all of the inhabitants of Israel dead apart from the chosen people

Who cares?

CrazyNeutrino said:

Top 10 tips for atheists this Easter

Atheists should drop their easily dismissed scientific, philosophical or historical arguments against Christianity, and instead quiz believers about Old Testament violence and hell, writes John Dickson.

As an intellectual movement, Christianity has a head start on atheism. So it’s only natural that believers would find some of the current arguments against God less than satisfying.

In the interests of a more robust debate this Easter, I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith. I’ve got some advice on arguments that should be dropped and some admissions about where Christians are vulnerable.

more….

Why do we have to be evangelists for atheism? Why can’t we just live our lives in the complete absence of any Christian religious observations, why can’t we just totally ignore Christian beliefs?

// Who cares?

Thomas Hobbes

• Why do we have to be evangelists for atheism? Why can’t we just live our lives in the complete absence of any Christian religious observations, why can’t we just totally ignore Christian beliefs?

Yep…

/* Why can’t we just live our lives in the complete absence of any Christian religious observations, why can’t we just totally ignore Christian beliefs? */

D’n‘o’ where ‘u live, but here in *.au a proportion of ~0.6 of the population identify as Christian, and every so often I will encounter one of them.

furious said:

• Why do we have to be evangelists for atheism? Why can’t we just live our lives in the complete absence of any Christian religious observations, why can’t we just totally ignore Christian beliefs?

Yep…

It’s not really an issue in Australia. It is more so in the USA, because of Christian extremists trying to corrupt the school syllabi.

>> I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith.

>> I’ve got some advice on arguments that should be dropped and some admissions about

• where Christians are vulnerable.*
  >>>>>>

fuck me!

I don’t believe in God,

but,

does the intolerant prick who wrote this shit ignore Islam & all the

other religions on purpose?

The_observer said:

>> I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith.

>> I’ve got some advice on arguments that should be dropped and some admissions about

• where Christians are vulnerable.*
  >>>>>>

fuck me!

I don’t believe in God,

but,

does the intolerant prick who wrote this shit ignore Islam & all the

other religions on purpose?

The author is a Christian and director of the Centre for Public Christianity. Christianity, not Islam or the other religions, is the subject he’s an expert on.

>>>The author is a Christian and director of the Centre for Public Christianity. Christianity, not Islam or the other religions, is the subject he’s an expert on.<<<<

I see. So he’s trying to keep one step ahead of the intolerant pricks who do

hate Christians.

Compass on ABC had an interesting program on Mary Magdalene today.

Very enlightening on the days of early Christianity and what we consider mainstream and the early Gnostic views.

The_observer said:

>>>The author is a Christian and director of the Centre for Public Christianity. Christianity, not Islam or the other religions, is the subject he’s an expert on.<<<<

I see. So he’s trying to keep one step ahead of the intolerant pricks who do

hate Christians.

Maybe he is just giving some neighbourly advice.

> I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith

I’m sure most unbelievers are not terribly worried about “making a dent in the Faith”. We just want the Faith – all the Faiths – out of our faces, out of our schools, out of our governments and out of our secular legislature. Keep your superstitious bullshit in the privacy of your church and your own home, we’ll all be happy.

Bubblecar said:

> I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith

I’m sure most unbelievers are not terribly worried about “making a dent in the Faith”. We just want the Faith – all the Faiths – out of our faces, out of our schools, out of our governments and out of our secular legislature. Keep your superstitious bullshit in the privacy of your church and your own home, we’ll all be happy.

Agree

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

> I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith

I’m sure most unbelievers are not terribly worried about “making a dent in the Faith”. We just want the Faith – all the Faiths – out of our faces, out of our schools, out of our governments and out of our secular legislature. Keep your superstitious bullshit in the privacy of your church and your own home, we’ll all be happy.

Agree

It would be great if they can keep it off the ABC too

Radio, TV, newspapers and Online

Anyway, the evidence clearly shows that religious belief is in marked decline throughout the developed world, while “no religion” is on the rise, so I wonder what makes him think that atheists are “not doing atheism right”.

dv said:

furious said:

• Why do we have to be evangelists for atheism? Why can’t we just live our lives in the complete absence of any Christian religious observations, why can’t we just totally ignore Christian beliefs?

Yep…

It’s not really an issue in Australia. It is more so in the USA, because of Christian extremists trying to corrupt the school syllabi.

And what makes you believe dv, that Australia doesn’t also have fundamentalists trying to corrupt the school syllabus?

Have you read the reply I got from a principal of a local Christian College on the subject of evolution and creationism?

yawns

Religion as it stands doesn’t really make much sense

If god existed then why do you need so much explanation?

if people are believing in god I have no problem with them as long as they are a force for good not evil , that means no killing

dv said:

furious said:

• Why do we have to be evangelists for atheism? Why can’t we just live our lives in the complete absence of any Christian religious observations, why can’t we just totally ignore Christian beliefs?

Yep…

It’s not really an issue in Australia. It is more so in the USA, because of Christian extremists trying to corrupt the school syllabi.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/gospel-truth-catholics-come-to-power-20140419-36y46.html

You don’t have to be Catholic to be hard nosed people hating prick, but it sure does help.

Soso said:

You don’t have to be Catholic to be hard nosed people hating prick, but it sure does help.

I can vouch for that.

We just want the Faith – all the Faiths – out of our faces, out of our schools, out of our governments and out of our secular legislature. Keep your superstitious bullshit in the privacy of your church and your own home, we’ll all be happy.
———————————————-

Well that would be undemocratic.

Are you an anarchist…

>>>We just want the Faith – all the Faiths – out of our faces, out of our schools, out of our governments and out of our secular legislature. Keep your superstitious bullshit in the privacy of your church and your own home, we’ll all be happy.
<<<

agree 100%

and that go for all religions,

especially the religion of environmentalism

agree 100%

and that go for all religions,

especially the religion of environmentalism
———————————————-

Totalitarianism… I’d vote for that.

The_observer said:

>>>We just want the Faith – all the Faiths – out of our faces, out of our schools, out of our governments and out of our secular legislature. Keep your superstitious bullshit in the privacy of your church and your own home, we’ll all be happy.
<<<

agree 100%

and that go for all religions,

especially the religion of environmentalism

And goat farmers. Wankers the lot of them.

CrazyNeutrino said:

Top 10 tips for atheists this Easter

Atheists should drop their easily dismissed scientific, philosophical or historical arguments against Christianity, and instead quiz believers about Old Testament violence and hell, writes John Dickson.

As an intellectual movement, Christianity has a head start on atheism. So it’s only natural that believers would find some of the current arguments against God less than satisfying.

In the interests of a more robust debate this Easter, I want to offer my tips for atheists wanting to make a dent in the Faith. I’ve got some advice on arguments that should be dropped and some admissions about where Christians are vulnerable.

more….

CN – did you actually read that link?

John Dickson is a theist, and his 10 tips for atheists is the usual patronising theist crap based on the notion that atheists just don’t have the deep philosophical understanding to discuss religion properly.

>>>Totalitarianism… I’d vote for that.
.
..
friday holy funny

• CN – did you actually read that link?

Link spammers don’t read links…

furious said:

• CN – did you actually read that link?

Link spammers don’t read links…

CN posts lots of interesting links, I just wasn’t impressed with that one.

>>>CN – did you actually read that link?
<

>>Link spammers don’t read links…
>

how true,

but CN is proficient at cutting & pasting,

and bonging on,

man

how’s the religion bashing thread shaping up.

transition said:

how’s the religion bashing thread shaping up.

It’s actually a thinly disguised atheist bashing thread.

transition said:

how’s the religion bashing thread shaping up.

Fucken tops!

>It’s actually a thinly disguised atheist bashing thread.

all shades in that relative sphere, yeah

I’m a bit hypoactive that way.

transition said:

>It’s actually a thinly disguised atheist bashing thread.

all shades in that relative sphere, yeah

I’m a bit hypoactive that way.

In what way?

>Fucken tops!

all good, bro, keep that horizontal vagina well lubricated.

how’s the religion bashing thread shaping up.
——————————————————————

Bruise free so far,

>In what way?

In a similar way to the sincerity of your interest

transition said:

>In what way?

In a similar way to the sincerity of your interest

Seems like an uncalled for assumption there.

You said something which I didn’t really know what you were getting at, so I asked.

Is there something wrong with that?

transition said:

>Fucken tops!

all good, bro, keep that horizontal vagina well lubricated.

Yo momma.

>Is there something wrong with that?

God, ask me to make sense.

The Rev Dodgson said:

John Dickson is a theist,

T-shirt idea:
John Theistson is a Dick

The Rev Dodgson said:

and his 10 tips for atheists is the usual patronising theist crap based on the notion that atheists just don’t have the deep philosophical understanding to discuss religion properly.

Well, I agree that it’s patronising, but I don’t think he’s just saying that atheists are lacking in philosophical understanding. He’s also saying that theists have faith plus philosophy, so in discussions of religion they’ll always have an edge over those without faith, no matter how well-informed on the history of religion and philosophically competent they are.

I thought it was cute how he made a token mention of non-Christian religion, but then essentially dismissed them by going back to talking about “the Faith”.

But at least he wasn’t playing the “You reject Jesus because you want to do your evil sinful stuff” card.

all shades in that relative sphere, yeah
—————————————-

Same point, different argument…

You didn’t agree last time Rev.

transition said:

>Is there something wrong with that?

God, ask me to make sense.

—-

Is it wrong to be a theist?

Mr Ironic said:

all shades in that relative sphere, yeah
—————————————-

Same point, different argument…

You didn’t agree last time Rev.

What didn’t I agree with which last time?

19 shillings said:

transition said:

>Is there something wrong with that?

God, ask me to make sense.

—-

Is it wrong to be a theist?

No, but if you are ‘a neat theist’ you might get sued for administering anaesthetic improperly………..

>Is it wrong to be a theist?

Does anyone need ideology at all?

19 shillings said:

transition said:

>Is there something wrong with that?

God, ask me to make sense.

—-

Is it wrong to be a theist?

Yes. It will lead you to hell. Atheist souls are merely obliterated at death, theist souls are preserved so they can undergo judgement. Since all theists fall short of the standards required they are all condemned to whatever version of hell they believe in.

Postpocelipse said:

19 shillings said:

transition said:

>Is there something wrong with that?

God, ask me to make sense.

—-

Is it wrong to be a theist?

No, but if you are ‘a neat theist’ you might get sued for administering anaesthetic improperly………..

oops, thought I’d been clever but I missed an s rearranging anaesthetist……

:P

19 shillings said:

transition said:

>Is there something wrong with that?

God, ask me to make sense.

—-

Is it wrong to be a theist?

Factually or morally?

a neat theist would probably be suspected of being gay so there screwed anyhow……

What didn’t I agree with which last time?
———————————————————————-

The same reasonable conclusion of course.

Faith is faith whether you believe it or not.

You either write too much or remember too little…

PM 2Ring said:

19 shillings said:

transition said:

>Is there something wrong with that?

God, ask me to make sense.

—-

Is it wrong to be a theist?

Factually or morally?

—-

Possibility

they are all condemned to whatever version of hell they believe in.
—————————————————————————

Yup, now you are talking sense.

http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/skepticism/blfaq_fall_equivocation.htm

Mr Ironic said:

they are all condemned to whatever version of hell they believe in.
—————————————————————————

Yup, now you are talking sense.

Not really. Just making it up as i go along.

you could be a great religious leader p_p. you have the makings.

Mr Ironic said:

they are all condemned to whatever version of hell they believe in.
—————————————————————————

Yup, now you are talking sense.

Oh well in that case I’ll just come back to Earth again

Reincarnation gone horribly wrong.

I think beyond some point to believe or act as if culture and language determine reality more than they do, to not adequately limit the extent that they ought, to fail this way, to act as if they ought maybe more than they ought, that this is ‘religion’ to generalize the term as Ideology.

To believe or act as if they do more than they do, is very much ‘superstition’.

So wording defensive arguments brings the wrong tools to the job, when the hairy side of my mid digit does the job.

Just making it up as i go along.
————————————————-

Ha.

If only I was so bold.

ChrispenEvan said:

Reincarnation gone horribly wrong.

That Cat really looks stuck in there.

I liked the way that AC Clarke alluded to that we a just a part in a cosmic experiment in the Rama series.

Oh well in that case I’ll just come back to Earth again
—————————————————-

Perzackley…

That Cat really looks stuck in there.
————————————————
notice how a fifth of it’s head has been cut and shaved clean for a tight fit between the boards.

You gotta love the attention to detail.

jjjust moi said:

Compass on ABC had an interesting program on Mary Magdalene today.

Very enlightening on the days of early Christianity and what we consider mainstream and the early Gnostic views.

I missed the program but it seems that the best bits of the bible were omitted/changed. The Gnostics and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, for example. In the direct translation of the scriptures, there was no lion in the story of Daniel; it was a “monster”. Some people (such as Ken Ham) believe “monster” is a dinosaur (thereby proving man lived at the same time as dinosaurs) while other translations have the monster as a dragon (such as the bible in one of the cathedrals in Brisbane). This cathedral’s bible also has the “missing” scriptures. If those had been left in, with dragons and such, I probably would have been a lot more interested in the bible as a kid!

modern art in the canine dot.

ChrispenEvan said:

Michelle Jenneke

ChrispenEvan said:

Hey, that looks like Chewbacca

That dog’s uglier than Long.

Mr Ironic said:

What didn’t I agree with which last time?
———————————————————————-

The same reasonable conclusion of course.

Faith is faith whether you believe it or not.

You either write too much or remember too little…

I have no idea what you are talking about this time, let alone last time.

I have neither agreed or disagreed with the statement “faith is faith whether you believe it or not”, because I don’t know what it means (other than that it is a tautology, and thus true, provided that both instances of the word “faith” refer to the same thing (but maybe they don’t, in which case it is untrue)).

When people bitch about Atheists.

Divine Angel said:

That dog’s uglier than Long.

Big call.

for the most part easter is a secular holiday, so be nice or it may be taken away.

transition said:

for the most part easter is a secular holiday, so be nice or it may be taken away.

And replaced with Ramadan?

Tamb said:

transition said:

for the most part easter is a secular holiday, so be nice or it may be taken away.

And replaced with Ramadan?

Ramadan isn’t a feast type holiday, it’s more an exercise in self restraint and sacrifice. Not sure it would translate well into a secular holiday.

christmas too, so be nice.

party_pants said:

Tamb said:

transition said:

for the most part easter is a secular holiday, so be nice or it may be taken away.

And replaced with Ramadan?

Ramadan isn’t a feast type holiday, it’s more an exercise in self restraint and sacrifice. Not sure it would translate well into a secular holiday.

Yes. A month of fasting wouldn’t fit well with the Oz idea of a holiday.

>Yes. A month of fasting wouldn’t fit well with the Oz idea of a holiday.

worth a thought perhaps, is where the very notion of holiday originated.

transition said:

>Yes. A month of fasting wouldn’t fit well with the Oz idea of a holiday.

worth a thought perhaps, is where the very notion of holiday originated.

Lent is supposed to be a time of fasting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday

“The concept of holidays has most often originated in connection with religious observances. The intention of a holiday was typically to allow individuals to tend to religious duties associated with important dates on the calendar. In most modern societies, however, holidays serve as much of a recreational function as any other weekend days or activities.”

transition said:

>Yes. A month of fasting wouldn’t fit well with the Oz idea of a holiday.

worth a thought perhaps, is where the very notion of holiday originated.

Maybe it was the celebration after reaching the last day.

Easter may be similar, not many people observe Lent, but everyone takes a holiday at Easter.

>>not many people observe Lent,

I wonder if we could get them to re-Lent?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rest

1. the refreshing quiet or repose of sleep: a good night’s rest.

2. refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor: to allow an hour for rest.

3. relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs.

4. a period or interval of inactivity, repose, solitude, or tranquillity: to go away for a rest.

5. mental or spiritual calm; tranquillity.

Not to be discounting that rest and corresponding mental states pre-existed the associated word-concepts and constructions related. In fact a lot of animals (humans included) have brreathing sounds they make that indicate rest states, and sounds that indicate ‘need of’.

origins of this word always interested me.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/recreation?s=t

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English recreacioun (< Middle French recreation ) < Latin recreātiōn- (stem of recreātiō ) restoration, recovery, equivalent to recreāt ( us ) (see recreate) + iōn -ion

At first I thought this horse racing tips for non-believers :-)