Why the fight for reason matters
5/06/2008 | 1:21 AM | Evolved Rationalist
Superstition and the idiotic backers of it seek to drive us back to the Dark Ages. If theocratic theistards were in charge of the world, rest assured that the age of book burnings and scientists being burnt at the stake would be very much a reality. Are you going to just apathetically stand by and let it happen? Are you going to sit on your couch and bum around while the lunatic nutjobs that pollute society seek to destroy knowledge because it contradicts their cherished, delusional world views? Are you going to let those demented morons destroy science because of their religious delusions, while you rant about how science must never ever be seen to be anti-religion? Are you going to respect and tiptoe around superstitious nonsense for no reason at all? Are you foolish enough to be a cowardly appeaser and let the superstitious nutjobs step on you head?
For the sake of humanity, I hope not.
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Skepticism
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That's a nice call-to-arms. I think our biggest drawback is that we have no central organization. No Vatican of Atheism to coordinate our campaign for reason, no central non-profit behemoth that can supply us with pamphlets of truth to hand out on the streets and actively train atheists to engage and successfully debate for what we believe in. They have all this and more. I sometimes feel like we've brought a knife to a Nuke fight.
"The permanence of the stars was questioned; slavery was not."
Shawn: You're looking at it in the wrong way. If you bring a knife to a nuke fight, don't fight. Find someone else with a knife.
What I mean is that atheists in to start speaking out in their lives. They need to engage their family, friends, and neighbors. They don't need to fight them. They need to say, 'hello, I'm here.'
They can correct scientific inaccuracies. They can better explain science advancements. They can ask questions about religious beliefs, pointing out contradictions.
The list is endless. Excuses won't get us anywhere. Action will.
Carl Sagan is now in hell! Do you want to end up there with him?
Josh: I absolutely agree and I spend literally every day doing so. I just remember watching a two hour Nightline Debate between Kirk Cameron and some other creationist and a couple of people from that Rational Response Squad and I was really struck by how well-planned and rehearsed the creationists' arguments and rebuttals were. They came across as more knowledgeable and articulate even though what they were saying was total trash. All because they have workshops and organized meetings on how to argue their nonsense.
Creationist: I find it terribly sad that you've been terrorized into "Faith" in an almighty. The fear of Fire & Brimstone is nothing more than a scare tactic meant to control you. You can't come to a conversation between rational thinking people and expect such a tactic to work. I'm glad I don't get yahoos like you on my blog, bringing down the level of discourse.
"Carl Sagan is now in hell! Do you want to end up there with him?"
Um, 'creationist', when you give us the choice of talking to people like you in Heaven, or Carl Sagan in Hell, I'll take the fire & brimstone.
Oh, and you can't scare people who don't believe in Hell with Hell. Think about it.
"Hell is other people" Jean-Paul Sartre (another guy you have roasting in hell, creationist)
Sartre was only half right. Hell is SOME other people. Hell is YOU people. Hell is watching the potential of this country turned to shit at the hands of a mob of illiterate fuckwits who take their racism, their homophobia, all their petty assed little hatreds, wrap 'em up in the bible and dignify it all with the name of principle. Why don't you go picket a funeral with your buddy Phelps??
Does anyone else here get the impression that if these were the days of Cyril and Hypatia, creationist would be first in line with his abalone shell to carve himself some sweet sweet librarian?
If there was one person who introduced me to the wonder and glory of the universe around me it was Carl Sagan. I watched open mouthed at Cosmos, and still found it just as wonderful when I recently got the DVD set. If I had the money I would replace every Gideon bible with a copy of Demon Haunted World.
If (against all logic and reason) there is a god, and if he has put Carl in hell, then he's doing it wrong. Silly god.
Heaven for the climate, Hell for the conversation. - Mark Twain
How about we make religion pro-science rather then make science anti-religion, it would make a lot less fights
"How about we make religion pro-science rather then make science anti-religion, it would make a lot less fights"
BZZZT! Wrong.
http://wiki.cotch.net/index.php/Naturalistic_science_will_miss_a_supernatural_explanation
http://wiki.cotch.net/index.php/Scientists_aim_to_make_God_unnecessary