Wielding a blow-dryer, a leading atheist conducted a mass “de-baptism” of fellow non-believers and symbolically dried up the offending waters that were sprinkled on their foreheads as young children.
[...]
Kagin, who is American Atheists’ national legal director, firmly believes that regardless of one’s religious beliefs, each person has the right to say or do what he or she wants, provided it is within the law. In the past, he has reportedly called out parents who subject their children to strict fundamentalist religious education, referring to it as child abuse.
[...]
“They are practicing child abuse in teaching that the world operates in ways other than it does,” he told the convention crowd. “And in my opinion, they are engaged in terrorism by weakening our nation and our understanding of science and things with which we can defend ourselves and progress. If it had not been for these fools we could have been at the stars 2,000 years ago.”
[...]
Kagin said he thought some people might get overly offended by his poking fun at religion. “If someone is so secure in their faith, why are they the least bit concerned about some little atheist mocking them?” he asked. “I think the reason they are worried and concerned is the very deep fear that if everyone doesn’t believe it, maybe it isn’t so.”
In vaguely unrelated religious news, Hindu gods are now prohibited from trading in the stock market.
This crackpot is obviously out to offend as much as possible, in order to get the attention he craves. Just like gays who are merely satisfied with being left alone. But who have to parade around and dance (like a certain Tv show host) like some fool. In order to be the face of those who aren’t. They’re not about expressing their life choices. They’re about making a spectacle of themselves. Which is just vanity. And exploiting whatever issue they’ve latched onto, to make their pathetic life more seem important.
So this clown has written a book. Big deal. All the books, written and sold, by all the atheists, who ever lived. Amount to a drop in the bucket, compared to all the Bibles and Korans printed and sold.
This clods justification for atheism is “been to the stars 2,000 year ago”, because science wouldn’t have been persecuted for so long. Well clearing this idiot knows nothing about science history, or the history of anything. Those he really think the Pagans would have worked out the sciences any faster. Oh wait a minute. Paganism is a religion too. There were no atheists 2,000 years ago. They didn’t know they need to stand out from all the Pagans, in order to get media attention. Back then, they’d have been crucified along with the Jews and Christians. 2,000 years ago, nobody could afford the luxury of pretending to believe in nothing. They’d have been thought to be crazy.
And human civilization isn’t based on “survival of the fittest”. It’s been based on some form of law, for millenniums. Laws the animal kingdom would never have devised, to protect the weaker. And none of these so-called atheists would risk being tossed in jail, refusing to obey these laws. Or swear to tell the truth in court. So they’re a pack of hypocrites. That only practice their atheism, when it’s not too inconvenient to buck the majority.
And if they really want to reach the stars sooner. I say fine, ship them all off to there, now. Bet they’ll chicken out of that too. What atheist has ever sacrificed anything important in their life, for what they believe in? Or rather, what they don’t believe in?
Apparently, only by railing against all established religions, is any part of their existence validated. Which is their wacky way of claiming, “yes, we can prove a negative.” Sorry. The world just doesn’t work that way.
“When he starts de-musliming muslims in whatever whimsical way (glue around the neck maybe?) I’ll take him seriously in his “atheism”. So far he is just anti-christian.”
Why would he do a PR stunt attacking Muslims in a predominantly Christian country. Besides, I have the perception from mainstream media news reports that public mocking of the Muslim religion can have “life altering” consequences. He may be taking that into consideration.
The blow-drier of reason is followed by the styling mouse of atheism.
#21—-Gee, can anyone get Glenn E his meds? By getting up today on the wrong side of the bed, I think he skipped his morning routine.
So much wrong there, we cannot cover each point. Just the ones that perhaps will have universal agreement?
1. This crackpot is obviously out to offend as much as possible, in order to get the attention he craves. /// I thought he was too silly to watch. Is something this silly really that offensive? Maybe to those who really need exactly that kind of balance?
2. There were no atheists 2,000 years ago. /// Your basis for this is what? Absent a poll, the surviving written record is pretty sparse. Excellent for wombats to project their own prejudices into.
3. And human civilization isn’t based on “survival of the fittest” //// Yea, thats why hunter gatherers and subsistence farming civilizations are still competing for number of Nobel Prizes won.
Actually just about EVERY sentence you wrote is pretty idiotic==just the very justification any atheist would reasonably pay attention to before drawing your attention.
Whaddadope.
The guy was obviously seeking media attention and if he has a book I guess that explains why. Of course these people leave the Muslims alone. They are afraid but I’m afraid they miss the point. If you read the Koran all Atheists should be killed. They oppose the will of Allah. They aren’t members of one of the monotheist religions that can be permitted to live if they pay the tax. Game over.
What the Greek/Roman Philosophers thought is a little hard to determine because neither the Christians nor the Muslims recorded it but based on what I’ve been able to find out it did make a lot more sense than what many headline seeking modern atheists are pushing.
Most didn’t actually buy into the traditional pantheon but then many thought the something, perhaps a guiding force or intelligence was out there. They believed in right and wrong and tried to teach how to live a good, useful, and productive life.
I agree with Marcus A. and others that you can hang on to whatever shreds of your personal dignity still exists no matter how bad your circumstances or how much physical or spiritual pain you may be in. You can always decide to do the right thing whatever you see that as being. Rich or poor, free or slave you can do the right thing.
Marcus was not a fan of either the Jewish or Christian faith but he was a fan of what seems to have amounted to the golden rule: Show others the same courtesy, concern, and respect you would wish them to show you even if they are powerless before you. Maybe especially if they are powerless before you.
A tendency to actively abuse the powerless may been one of man’s least endearing traits.
God bless Kagin and his wacky performance art. Get that man a grant!
>> Kagin said
>> some people might get overly offended by his poking fun at religion.
>> “If someone is so secure in their faith, why are they the least bit concerned about some little atheist mocking them?
That logic cuts both ways — secure, mature atheists don’t mock religion.
In my observation, atheists who are anti-religion typically have emotional or psychological problems — often related to unresolved parental issues.
(And this cuts both ways too.)
#3 Scott M. said:
“Monk’s robes and a hair dryer indeed.”
If it’s any consolation, later that evening, bobbo defrocked him.
# 12 Shubee said:
“The “blow-dryer of reason” is unreasonable.”
That was dry humor.
# 17 matt said:
“methinks there’s no difference at all between an atheists proselytizing and someone from any other religion proselyting.”
Let me point out the difference then. The conversation with the atheist won’t end with “and that’s why you should give me 10% of your income and obey my every command.”
Unless he’s a communist like bobbo. Then he’ll ask for 90%.
somebody = Ha, ha. But really: from ZERO to 90%, and I don’t think those in a position to set the rate ever “ask” for the amount. Caps or Comms = a request at the point of a gun is hardly asking.
So close to slavery? Ha, ha. Yes indeed. And even the differences sometimes seem illusory?
When you introduce liturgical clothing (his brown robe) and a ritual cleansing that changes your religious beliefs (the blow drying) then you have formed a religion. The Buddhists don’t have a god, so a deity isn’t required to form a religion.
Besides, maybe he should have researched this baptism thing before forming his ritual. Baptism doesn’t make you a Christian; faith in Jesus Christ makes you a Christian. Baptism is merely a public testimony of your faith and requires that you are completely immersed in water, not sprinkled on the forehead, and is only done to those who are already saved.
#29 Somebody said, “Let me point out the difference then. The conversation with the atheist won’t end with ‘and that’s why you should give me 10% of your income and obey my every command.’”
So there are no atheists in the IRS? Or in the entire Democrat party.
#5 dusanmal said, “When he starts de-musliming muslims… …I’ll take him seriously in his ‘atheism’. So far he is just anti-christian.”
Agreed. However, Christians will pray for you and forgive you if you insult Jesus or Christianity. Muslims will kill you or riot for insulting Islam or Mohammad.
Anyone know of an atheist ritual to get me my foreskin back?
#21 – Glenn E.,
Taking your points out of order a bit. I’m not going to bother to try to state whether science might have been farther along if we’d stopped killing scientists. That’s a moot point now.
This clods justification for atheism is “been to the stars 2,000 year ago”, because science wouldn’t have been persecuted for so long. Well clearing this idiot knows nothing about science history, or the history of anything. Those he really think the Pagans would have worked out the sciences any faster. Oh wait a minute. Paganism is a religion too. There were no atheists 2,000 years ago. They didn’t know they need to stand out from all the Pagans, in order to get media attention. Back then, they’d have been crucified along with the Jews and Christians. 2,000 years ago, nobody could afford the luxury of pretending to believe in nothing. They’d have been thought to be crazy.
Actually, atheism goes back farther than Christianity and was one of the main influences on forming a religion based on belief rather than based on obedience to ritual. Prior to verbalized and widespread doubt, there was no reason to place so much emphasis on belief and faith as Christianity does but Judaism does not.
Epicurus and Siddharta Guatama (the first Buddha) were among the first full fledged atheists.
http://tinyurl.com/6hpbne
http://tinyurl.com/247ggyk
So this clown has written a book. Big deal. All the books, written and sold, by all the atheists, who ever lived. Amount to a drop in the bucket, compared to all the Bibles and Korans printed and sold.
Atheists from Epicurus and The Buddha and into the present have written many books. The fact that the masses didn’t buy them in great quantities as they did with bibles does not change the fact that there were many books written. Nor does popularity indicate quality. Your argument makes the Bible and Koran the literary equivalents of McDonald’s and Burger King. Try reading the literary equivalents of a fine restaurant some day, you might learn something new.
#31 Benjamin said
“So there are no atheists in the IRS? Or in the entire Democrat party.”
That’s why I had to add this:
“Unless he’s a communist…”
Communists are also purveyors of mysticism and thus not members in good standing of the Anti-Bullshit Coalition.
I personally don’t grant atheist status to those lesser beings that worship the state.
#32 Misanthropic Scott said:
“Anyone know of an atheist ritual to get me my foreskin back?”
Chances are, you are already doing it.