5 reasons atheism is irrational

[devogue]

I think that the next time distillers tries to enlighten us, everyone should just fill the thread with huge boobs! No comments. No arguments. No debunking. Just bloody enormous boobs.

What a great display of rational thought that would be. I think it would confirm my view that there are essentially two types of atheist: one type that is primarily motivated by seeing how far rational and scientific thought can go by itself, and another that simply wish to reject the moral framework found in religion because they don't like it. That, I think was what Dawkins didn't understand about his following - he thought it was primarily the former when actually it contained many people in the latter group who were primarily motivated by kicking against religion. The irony is that in many ways I, as a theist (and as a scientist), am probably closer to the way Dawkins thinks than some, or possibly many, of his own followers.

How nice for you to feel so morally superior. Morality and religion are not remotely connected. Morality has been hijacked by religion over the millennia and used to judge and control people. Morality from an atheistic point of view - mine at least - is a social mechanism. It almost certainly evolved so that we could work collectively in social groups and develop 'rules' which make that easier to do.

+ 1

+1

And there's nothing wrong with enormous boobs either.

[Thinking Aloud]

I think my posts just vanish.

[Pappa]

I think that the next time distillers tries to enlighten us, everyone should just fill the thread with huge boobs! No comments. No arguments. No debunking. Just bloody enormous boobs.

What a great display of rational thought that would be. I think it would confirm my view that there are essentially two types of atheist: one type that is primarily motivated by seeing how far rational and scientific thought can go by itself, and another that simply wish to reject the moral framework found in religion because they don't like it. That, I think was what Dawkins didn't understand about his following - he thought it was primarily the former when actually it contained many people in the latter group who were primarily motivated by kicking against religion. The irony is that in many ways I, as a theist (and as a scientist), am probably closer to the way Dawkins thinks than some, or possibly many, of his own followers.

How nice for you to feel so morally superior. Morality and religion are not remotely connected. Morality has been hijacked by religion over the millennia and used to judge and control people. Morality from an atheistic point of view - mine at least - is a social mechanism. It almost certainly evolved so that we could work collectively in social groups and develop 'rules' which make that easier to do.

+ 1

+1

+1

And there's nothing wrong with enormous boobs either.

There's also nothing wrong with small boobs and medium sized boobs.

[Valden]

Moral superiority = Fucking lame.

[Sean Hayden]

halloumi - because it's ridiculously salty and it can be fried! yummy

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I think that the next time distillers tries to enlighten us, everyone should just fill the thread with huge boobs! No comments. No arguments. No debunking. Just bloody enormous boobs.

What a great display of rational thought that would be. I think it would confirm my view that there are essentially two types of atheist: one type that is primarily motivated by seeing how far rational and scientific thought can go by itself, and another that simply wish to reject the moral framework found in religion because they don't like it. That, I think was what Dawkins didn't understand about his following - he thought it was primarily the former when actually it contained many people in the latter group who were primarily motivated by kicking against religion. The irony is that in many ways I, as a theist (and as a scientist), am probably closer to the way Dawkins thinks than some, or possibly many, of his own followers.

Wrong. There is only one sort of atheist - a person that doesn't believe in god. That is it. That is all that an atheist is.

I don't give a fuck how close anyone is to Richard Dawkins' way of thinking. I don't limit myself to either rational, scientific thinking or an iconoclastic demolition of religious morality. I might dabble a little in both, or I might not, as I see fit. My ideas, opinions, methods and convictions are my own and as subject to change, inconsistency and emotional whimsy as anyone else's. I am not part of a movement, a cause, a crusade or any other organised group. I am a member here because I like the people here, not because of any shared goals or ideas - that is all secondary.

If a theist were to raise a serious, interesting point about their beliefs, I would gladly participate in intellectual discussion with them. See my posts in this thread for an example. However, when faced with ill-conceived, rambling drivel of the kind in the OP of this thread, I firmly believe that it should be met with ridicule and large, bouncy breasts.

[irreligionist]

XC made the post that has been repeatedly attributed to me... I just said the earlier pair of boobs was massively massive. That last pair ^ is fairly ginormous too.

[Skylarking]

Thanks for the clarification FBM. I think we would both agree that truth is not about what we do or don't like. We can say we don't like something; but that is a very different statement from saying something is not true. In atheism (as with religion) I think that sometimes "I don't like it" and "I don't think it is true" get a little muddled.

The absence of theism and the presence of religion is a false dichotomy. Clearly, you are a little muddled here.

[MrFungus420]

[charlou]

..... The logical consequence of atheism is despair and nihilism. .....

Really?
I'm going the have to contact all my happy and well adjusted atheist friends and tell them they're doing it all wrong.

I always feel it's a shame that the word nihilism has been co-opted to have a definite negative connotation. I don't think nihilism has to be negative at all. I regard myself as a nihilist, yet I don't ever call myself one because of the negative connotation it implies. I'm certainly not an unhappy nihilist, I find it pretty wonderful really.

+1

'Tis our way...

Yes, I know. And on the one hand I can sympathise when faced with people who won't engage properly. But on the other hand I don't think pornography, even in mild forms, adds to the credibility of the atheist cause (at least to the humanist side of that cause, though sadly that seems to be a minority part of atheism these days). Rather, in my opinion, it reinforces a stereotype of atheist being male and a little socially immature.

Let me help to dispel your stereotype

[Tigger]

'Tis our way...

Yes, I know. And on the one hand I can sympathise when faced with people who won't engage properly. But on the other hand I don't think pornography, even in mild forms, adds to the credibility of the atheist cause (at least to the humanist side of that cause, though sadly that seems to be a minority part of atheism these days). Rather, in my opinion, it reinforces a stereotype of atheist being male and a little socially immature.

Let me help to dispel your stereotype

Nice norks, Charlou.

[Rum]

[Theophilus]

'Tis our way...

Yes, I know. And on the one hand I can sympathise when faced with people who won't engage properly. But on the other hand I don't think pornography, even in mild forms, adds to the credibility of the atheist cause (at least to the humanist side of that cause, though sadly that seems to be a minority part of atheism these days). Rather, in my opinion, it reinforces a stereotype of atheist being male and a little socially immature.

Let me help to dispel your stereotype

Nice norks, Charlou.

And yet there are clearly more people reinforcing that stereotype than challenging it. Sexism (through portraying women as just sex objects for men) seems to abound as much, if not more, in atheism than it does in does in religion. Which is a little sad, especially considering the promising state humanism was in 30 years ago.

[Feck]

Sexism The Ratz

[FBM]

Thanks for the clarification FBM. I think we would both agree that truth is not about what we do or don't like. We can say we don't like something; but that is a very different statement from saying something is not true. In atheism (as with religion) I think that sometimes "I don't like it" and "I don't think it is true" get a little muddled.

I largely agree. Thing is, in my experience, theists tend to believe because it makes them feel good, i.e., they like or prefer it, rather than because there's any evidence for it. People who use reason see belief in something for which there is no evidence as a profound error. If we could just go around saying that whatever we liked was true without providing and supporting evidence for it, there would be no basis for knowledge at all, would there? I mean, look at your avatar. It's full of idealistic, warm-fuzzy, romantic dreams. It reflects what you want to feel, what you want to be true, despite lack of any evidence that it actually is. (I don't mean that to sound harsh or insulting, btw.)

I hasten to add that non-theists also have unfounded beliefs, and some of them cling stubbornly to them. In my case, my fundamental ontology was deeply challenged by the fact that the Saints went to the Superbowl, and completely shattered when they actually won.

*cough*