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Permalink Reply by Umbra on January 29, 2013 at 4:38pm

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Permalink Reply by Teri G on January 30, 2013 at 5:10am

+1

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Permalink Reply by Gary Longsine on January 29, 2013 at 7:10pm

Slacktivist Fred Clark notices that evangelicals don't do scholarship, humor, or philosophy.  Consider sharing this link with your mirthless friend.

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Permalink Reply by Brian Daurelle on January 29, 2013 at 11:00pm

Seems reminiscent, even self-consciously reminiscient, of the old Catholic line on homosexuality (first it was a disease, then a choice...).  There's not much that can be said for someone who's simply decided to believe in a higher power no matter what.  There's always a tenuous 'you don't know that for sure' that can be used to cling to that belief.

As far as 'their beliefs', though, someone should tell him that atheism is manifestly NOT a belief or a religion, but rather a lack therof, just as non-stamp collecting is not a hobby, or as abstinence is not a sex position.  The phrase 'drop their beliefs' is somewhat meaningless here; converting to a religion would not require the rejection of any belief, but rather the assumption of new (ridiculous) ones. 

Tell him also that you'd be happy to discuss anything, there's nothing you don't want to hear.  The only people who are afraid of hearing things are those who are at some level aware that their beliefs are threatened by the nature of the world, and who have a desire to cling dogmatically to things that are very likely wrong.  Tell him you're open to new ideas and will judge them on their merits, that you're not afraid of hearing things that you might disagree with, and beyond that, you're not even afraid to change your mind in the face of the evidence. 

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Permalink Reply by Val Wuthrich on January 31, 2013 at 12:10pm

Very well stated.

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Permalink Reply by onyango makagutu on January 30, 2013 at 3:20am

I think a great majority of neuroscientists consider religion a disease. I think this is a situation of mad man calling every sane man mad and insisting they are sane!

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Permalink Reply by Umbra on January 30, 2013 at 5:40am

A darker notion I get from this kind of reasoning is that this person is trying to rationalize and justify action to eradicate a disease. By which means is open to interpretation and I'll leave it at an "unpleasant" manner.

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Permalink Reply by Peta M on January 30, 2013 at 5:54am

I would probably humourously dismiss it with  a 1 liner like .....

Oh wow how is it diagnosed blood test brain scan ? I don't know 1 credible Dr or peer reviewd scientific paper that supports  that Extraodinarily and might I add not very Christian  claim.

Empirical evidence ! and Source please?

Or did you make it up like some people do with Gods and that (love thy neighbour) crap they pretend matters but don't actually practise?

Like talking to a bald man about his hair really when ya think about it lol at Atheism being a religion

Good luck !

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Permalink Reply by James Cox on January 30, 2013 at 7:06am

Atheism can cause dis-ease in theists! I think this could be a fact. For atheists, atheism is a cure for the dis-ease of theism. For me, 'scripture' and 'church' makes my dis-ease worsen, with often times a need for issolation, good food, classical music, and a science program to reduce the symptoms. For me to become a theist, I would need some type of full immunization, like brain damage, psychotropic drugs, or dementia.

While it might be nice to think that atheists are diseased, this is only because the theist infection is not as obvious to them as to us. If they could just take one step back from their icons, prayer vigils, speeking in tounges, and rationalizations for a young earth, it might appear that something is wrong, and seek professional help. Sadly, a flu shot will not quiet cut it.....LOL

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Permalink Reply by Kris K on January 30, 2013 at 9:40am

Now he posted this... My response: "So Catholicism = Dark Side? I approve" I'm expecting an argument now.

And Umbra, in light of this new picture he posted, I think your interpretation might be damn appropriate and dead on

Attachments:

• image.jpg, 58 KB

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Permalink Reply by Dale Headley on January 30, 2013 at 3:25pm

   I have THOROUGHLY read scripture, cover-to-cover, and it failed to cure my "disease."  In fact , if anything, it exacerbated it, to my eternal gratitude and good fortune.

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Permalink Reply by Val Wuthrich on January 31, 2013 at 12:21pm

The same thing happened to me. I read the Holy Bible, instead of turning me into a born again Christian, it turned me into a born again Atheist.

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