'Hitler was an Atheist!'

You'll likely all have heard this argument at some point. It's a classic.

Outlined rather well by http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/GodProof.htm, it goes something like this:
"(1) Person X, a well-known atheist, was morally inferior to the rest of us.
(2) Therefore, God exists."

It's just poetic, isn't it?

So... Assuming Hitler was an Atheist* - does this shed any light on the existence of God? Well, no.

There are a few separate points to address here, and I'll take them in turn.

If a bad person believes something, it is wrong because they are bad.

Imagine that no-one knew what water was made of, chemically. Then imagine an utter arsehole suggesting that hydrogen and oxygen played a part, and that he could prove it using reliable, empirical data.

Would the data - the real-world physical indicators of credibility - lose weight because the person presenting them was a bit of a dick? No. Those two things are as unrelated as a person's telephone number and hair colour - i.e one thing simply doesn't effect the other.

If you're unconvinced, consider the flip-side. If a really nice, charity donating, community supporting, Bible-bashing Christian attributed their honest nature to a sincere worship of what they imagine their God to be like, would it shed any light on the question of the existence of that God? Again, no - the same way that the entirely subjective cuteness of kittens doesn't either.

So, moving on... (Read more of this post)

Tags: Atheism, Hitler, Humour, Ignorance, Morality, Nazis, Religion, Theism.

1 member likes this

Comment by Reg The Fronkey Farmer on February 25, 2013 at 5:33pm: Thanks man, I prefer to reason in a civilised manner with some humor and wit to point out the absurdities of certain religious beliefs like becoming an immortal when they die or riding around on the backs of dinosaurs etc. However I can use the heavy duty weapons when needed to protect the children minds against indoctrination or to fight against the oppression of individual freedoms in other countries.

I just had a freaky thought. What if Ann and WLC got it on? Quel timbre!

Here is a good debate...and yes Hitchens is in it too.....with Ann Widdecombe on the other team.

Comment by Carnun Marcus-Page on February 25, 2013 at 6:00pm: Well put. I agree :)

Bloody hell Reg, why would you even suggest that?! The sound D:
(The baby would probably be some sort of Jesus2.0 though... It'd have to be another virgin birth I'm afraid :P )

Ooh. I love that one. Seen it a few times. With Stephen Fry too :)

Comment by Marc on February 25, 2013 at 6:15pm: It was a poor attempt at irony. I can't even get a conversation started on the historical documentation of Hitler's theism because the conversation always becomes why I am trying to deny Hitler's atheism, and not owning up to it and accept him as a member of my club.

Comment by Carnun Marcus-Page on February 25, 2013 at 6:18pm: Then I apologise, mate :P

You need to make it just a touch more obvious...

Comment by Nate Lundgren on February 25, 2013 at 8:07pm: Just tell them that God is an immoral atheist. He doesn't believe in any gods besides himself and he is certainly immoral. He even brags about it in his "holy" book. That shuts them up (pisses them off) rather quickly. hahaha

Otherwise, you have to tell them to just fuck off for being so stupid or ignorant of history. Something to keep in mind >>>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

Comment by Codie L Miller on February 25, 2013 at 9:47pm: Yea hitler stated MANY times his subscription to religion. Whether he was doing so for mass support or genuinely believed it doesn't really matter.

Comment by SteveInCO on February 26, 2013 at 8:34am: Here is a good debate...and yes Hitchens is in it too.....with Ann Widdecombe on the other team.

Quite possibly the best pwnage from a debate I have ever seen, Ann and that bishop must have wanted to slit their wrists afterwards as they had done their best to defend what they thought was the bastion of goodness and light--and failed miserably. Did it cause them to rethink their assessment, for even an instant? One can hope... but probably not.

Comment by Unseen on February 26, 2013 at 6:41pm: So is the Dalai Lama.

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