Comment by Diane on September 19, 2013 at 9:23pm

It is certainly preaching to the choir, but it is still edifying.  It is clear and to what should be an uncontested point.  Sadly, the point would be completely lost on many fundamentalists out there.

Comment by Doug Reardon on September 19, 2013 at 11:16pm

is anyone or anything's existence subjective?

Comment by Suzanne Olson-Hyde on September 20, 2013 at 8:41am

Smart lad - Ricky Gervais - it is a classic quote - not stale at all, and needs to be stated as often as possible - to inspire new Atheists. Same with Sam Harris quotes, Christopher Hitchens quotes, etc. etc. - they are all good.

Thanks for reminding us Sophie :)

Comment by Suzanne Olson-Hyde on September 20, 2013 at 5:40pm

I mean, they know that 'religion is the opium of the masses right? -
There ya go - hit it right on the head - if religion gives solace to mothers watching their babies die in front of them - if they need to think that there is a better after life - that is sooo OK, I do not, in any way shape or form, have any problem whatsoever with this - it is the money making hypocrites, the mormons, the catholics the scientoliigsts, the exclusive brethren, the Jehovah witness, raking in millions, that is my problem. I don't care if people want to worship a rock - or stones found in the ground ala Joseph Smith - the ones who abuse the naivety, the plight, the only thing they hear is that 'Jesus loves you - have never read a book, that is my problem.

Education is the key, get religion and its bloody creationists out of secular schools.

Our fabulous new Prime MInister is cutting Science and Climate Change portfolios. That's progress.

These 'Jump for Jesus' people know that critical thinking, evaluation, evolution, and logic are their enemy, so get rid of them. I cannot look at the news anymore here, with this knuckledragging moron now in power. His nickname is the Lizard King - he is setting Australia back at least 50 years.

No, Angela, I don't berate poor, disenfranchised, people from third world countries, I don''t berate or think stupid, impoverished people who can't get a job, I don't berate or think inferior people with no education, it is called Empathy - but I do despise with vehemence, the hierarchies of all these religions that make money out of western people, 'cause the poor just can't afford to do it - to prop up multi millions dollars empires, businesses - so they can swan around, live in protected mansions, while babies are skeletons, while women can't use contraception, the televangers making millions out of peoples fear.

Abhorrent, criminal, cowards, charlatans - they are the ones - It is people like Ricky Gervais, Stephen Fry, George Carlin etc, the scientists, the educated - who keep the message going - that is the difference - the intelligent who can put a sentence together - to pick apart the bullshit - people like Archy, H3, Strega, RobertPiano - who know their bible, who are logical, and can explain, and with a sense of humour, and can dissect the rubbish that theists put forward.

Get a bit better informed Angela - read about the Benevolent Society of Australia - I have only heard of them recently - where abused, tortured children from heterosexual couples are being adopted by Gay couples - start reading about the Secular groups helping in war torn counties, read about the Australian women in Iran - Atheists, getting girls into schools. As with anything, do even just a little bit of research is an eye opener. And everybody here, who is an Atheist, in their country, the same good works are happening - just without the money making con jobs that xians have - and without needing a "Jump for Jesus", just doing it quietly.

Comment by onyango makagutu on September 21, 2013 at 3:14am

Angela, so you think religion is useful to those living in the third world and that they need an alternative. No we don't need. People need to be freed from this madness of some middle Eastern god created by men in exile several eons ago and solve the current problems facing us.

Education is it's own reward. We don't need coloured glasses to look at reality. And I have met quite a number of atheists and they are seem to me to be doing very well for themselves. So cut the crap and tell me why you think people in the developing countries need religion.

Comment by onyango makagutu on September 21, 2013 at 3:49am

In your response to archy where he mentioned me, you said he only knows one person and that his knowledge can not be true of the group. It is in that light that I told you there are several atheists I know here who are doing good for themselves and need no religion to hang on.

Ah, so you can't talk about empathy without mentioning Jesus? that is if I get you correctly? 

Comment by onyango makagutu on September 21, 2013 at 4:14am

So Angela, are you implying the Chinese or Japanese who is not into this Jesus business can't have empathy or can't know it? Or in which way is Jesus and empathy very similar or same? 

As to whether increasing secularism has created a hole, I don't know, there is a bigger hole where I live created by religion. It follows from us against them mentality that runs deep in religious texts, which over time has made it hard for those around me to rise above religious bigotry and ignorance and so something to improve their lot.

Comment by Suzanne Olson-Hyde on September 21, 2013 at 8:16am

Benevolent Society - Secular, working with the Uniting Church - christian - just brilliant.

http://www.benevolent.org.au/

http://www.burnside.org.au/content/MR%2520Same%2520sex%2520adoption...

And this is happening all over the world.Tortured, malnourished, babies not bathed for six months, burnt with cigarettes, smashed against walls, are taken from parents, who sometimes end up in jail, and adopted by Gay couples, male and female . Truly inspiring.

About the Ricky Gervais stale quote - the people I speak of in third world countries aren't lucky enough to be able to see any quotes from any Atheist - no computers, no internet, never heard the word Atheist - just go to church on a Sunday, maybe, to hear the word of god. Motivational Posters - if only that were possible. These quotes are for mainly western countries. The enlightened, educated, access to information people in these third world countries can at least have a choice. Of course, as Archie mentioned, onyango makagutu, an inspiration- educated, articulate, just not enough of him in uptown Kenya. He is just one on this site - who knows about third world countries, and the devastation caused through religion coupled with no education - as is happening here, in Australia, a supposed enlightened country.

@onyango - how many people would have access to a computer, the internet, differing points of view, debate, in your lovely country? How many would see or be interested in an Atheist site - or quotes?

http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/voice/tags/kenya/kenya_ru...

Education is always the key - take away poverty, for women to be able to feed their children - they may see other things to help, instead of hoping jesus will help them.

Women pulling together, to get water tanks, to get microbamk loans - community spirit - as in any western society, take away community, take away concern - put in dumbing down techniques, limit education except for the rich, capitalism, greed, money at anybodies expense - that is when things have and do fall apart.

Comment by Suzanne Olson-Hyde on September 21, 2013 at 8:37am

@Angela - You don't explain empathy to a child - you show them - I don't think there is too much of anything to teach a baby before 12 months old, maybe your kids were a lot brighter than mine - mine were as dumb as a rock - but from the age of around two, they recognised pain in someone else, and tried to comfort them - even a dog will do that. Give money to the poor or someone who is busking, play with gladness kids with Ceribal Palsy, never exclude anyone, and tell the bully to fuck off. My kids had some Down Syndrome kids at their school, nobody was excluded, and if anyone dared to look at one of these kids disparagingly,the result was not a good look. You show them with actions- that's how all kids learn anything, Everyone grows into a better human being - pretty simple really.

Comment by onyango makagutu on September 21, 2013 at 12:37pm

Suzzanne, access to internet has improved greatly since any internet enabled phone allows you to do that. However, not so many people, and this includes the educated have met an atheist live alone hearing about atheists. We have an active atheist groups that have organised 2 debates on the existence of god which I wasn't able to attend.

A man struggling to survive may not have time to philosophize and to consider such existential issues. The education system is such that it produces people who only care about how to get a job and that's it. Not many of them think and it's sad.

Comment

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• …
• 5
• Next ›
• Page