Friendly Atheist: Archive

Friendly Atheist

February 2011

January 2011

Cab Driver: Religion applauds delusion and renames... →

cabdriver: The word “faith” is ridiculous. You either understand something or you do not. It’s the same with the word “believe”—it has become so widely abused as to have lost all meaning. A person can say “I believe…” and then whatever foul thing comes out of their mouth a listener is expected to respect,…

Tehrik-e-Taliban claims responsibility for suicide... →

An injured boy lies bleeding in the aftermath of a Sunni suicide attack on a procession of Shiite pilgrims in Pakistan. In taking responsibility, the bombers stressed that the blast was necessary for the advancement of Islam, which they praised as the only religion that “guarantees human rights...

Here is an example of stupidity:

cabdriver: Asking someone to “prove there is no god”. Prove that something does NOT exist? That’s dumber than ad hominem. That’s ad ignorant.

Poverty and joblessness fueling Mideast unrest -... →

“Many people have degrees but they do not have the skill set,” Masood Ahmed, director of the Middle East and Asia department of the International Monetary Fund, said earlier this week. “The scarce resource is talent,” agreed Omar Alghanim, a prominent Gulf businessman. The employment pool available in the region “is not at all what’s needed in the global...

““All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish...”

– Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason, pt. 1, “The Author’s Profession of Faith” (1794)

Cops: Mom Claimed She Killed Son With Oil And... →

For that killing to be justified it had to be because of witchcraft (Exodus 22:18), not demonic possession. Duh!!

I'm listed in Tumblweeds under atheism, religion,...

I’m listed in Tumblweeds, a user-generated community directory that rates Tumblr bloggers by their number of followers. Find me listed in #atheism, #religion, #islam

Free-Thinker Salon: Fucking athiest extremists →

brittanibotulism: chadphillipdiamonds: You make it seem like it’s a cult on it’s own. I don’t understand why you’re so upset about Atheist Extremists. The most an Atheist Extremist will do is get angry, throw some insults, maybe bruise someone’s pride and at worst write a book. The…

Why do Atheists Read the Religion Section? →

atheos: “I must admit that I read the religion section partially for a laugh,” Wilhelm wrote to me, “Why else? To keep an eye on things that I am wary of: anti-intellectualism, pseudo-science, lying to children, extremism, scriptural literalism, anti-blasphemy laws and the like. If you don’t know what you are up against, you can’t fight it as well as you could or should. I am for a free and...

“So, Religion, how does it feel to be reduced to feasting on the scraps left from...”

– PZ Meyer (via existenceandidentity)

Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy: Misconceptions:... →

Astrology is bunk. Period.

World Muslim population doubling, report projects →

The Muslim share of the global population will rise primarily because of their relatively high birth rate, the large number of Muslims of childbearing age, and an increase in life expectancy in Muslim-majority countries, according to the report, “The Future of the Global Muslim Population.” Conversion will play relatively little part in the increase, the report anticipates. It...

The Atheist That Hates: This will probably come... →

hatefulatheist: but I have to say it. I am sick of Muslims that act like being able to read Arabic is some special magic decoder ring. Reading about Muhammad in Arabic he is still the same dick he is if you read about it in English. When learning about the Quran I did due diligence in checking often 2 or 3 other…

The Evil Molecule: The Problem of Evil →

fantasticraig: “The problem of evil” is a philosophical topic, basically wondering why bad things happen. Why wouldn’t they? Should the random movements of atoms moving though space do anyone any favors? I think “evil” is only a problem to people who are thinking in theological terms. Yeah, if you see the universe as created and controlled by a supremely benevolent and all-powerful being, ...

Arizona 'honor killing' trial set to start - U.S.... →

An Iraqi immigrant is due to begin trial on Monday to face charges he murdered his daughter by running her over with a Jeep because he believed she was too Westernized. Almaleki told detectives and witnesses that he was angry at his daughter because she was “too Westernized,” and he felt she was defying Iraqi and Muslim values, said Jay Davies, a spokesman for the Peoria Police...

Thousands Demonstrate in Support of Pakistan's...

helvetebrann: Thousands of people turned out in Karachi Sunday to show their support for Pakistan’s current blasphemy laws and warn the government against changing the laws. Demonstrators demanded Pakistan leave its blasphemy laws untouched. They make it a crime punishable by death to insult Islam, the Quran or the Prophet Mohammed. *Sigh* More Islamic misunderstanders I bet….

So I picked up a bible on my way back from...

Submitted by davidtheboss FREE BIBLE? COOL. One of those vendors at my school was giving away free bibles and books and stuff. So I’m reading genesis. Sounds pretty similar to those native american creationist stories we studied in junior year of high school, except theres no giant turtle involved. As of now. That might change. So far this is my understanding of this first page: In the...

So I picked up a bible on my way back from...

Submitted by davidtheboss FREE BIBLE? COOL. One of those vendors at my school was giving away free bibles and books and stuff. So I’m reading genesis. Sounds pretty similar to those native american creationist stories we studied in junior year of high school, except theres no giant turtle involved. As of now. That might change. So far this is my understanding of this first page: In the...

When many words are used and little is said.... →

Here is my brief response to the verbal diatribe directed at me in the above link. Just a few thoughts. 1) “I think the ‘New Atheists’ are treating religion in a very un-empirical way. One initial simple example is the stereotyping all religious traditions as uniformly stupid and evil”. I never said such a thing. I would take Jainism over Islamism any day. Nothing...

On suffering... →

Anonymous asked: You’re missing the point of suffering. Suffering is a good thing, in a religious sense or not. Suffering lets us know that we are alive and human. Mother Teresa? Is that you? It’s fine to say that suffering is a good thing when you’re not the one suffering. Go to Africa and look in the eyes of children as they starve to death and tell them “Hey, you know you’re...

bigbadsofty asked: If you aim to apply empirical method to religious beliefs and practices, doesn't it make more sense to start by describing the diversity of concepts of the way in which 'God' is claimed to exist *before* examining evidence whether anything could exist *in that way*? I.e. first define your terms, or define the hypothesis(/es) that you're testing.

New governor: Non-Christians 'not my brother' -... →

The fact of the matter is that the Alabama governor is theologically correct. A cursory look at the New Testament makes that clear. -FA

zakysblog-deactivated20110121-d asked: Do you disagree with the fact that there are extremists from every religion? I'm from Sri Lanka and I know the Buddhists too well.The Buddhist monks are the start of every political riot and street violence.I do not blame Buddhism for this.Buddhism is a nice way of life if only one practices it properly.
Isn't this the case for Islam as well? Islam was sent to us by Allah.Islam is...

zakysblog-deactivated20110121-d asked: Do you disagree with the fact that there are extremists from every religion? I'm from Sri Lanka and I know the Buddhists too well.The Buddhist monks are the start of every political riot and street violence.I do not blame Buddhism for this.Buddhism is a nice way of life if only one practices it properly.
Isn't this the case for Islam as well? Islam was sent to us by Allah.Islam is...

wohdilruba asked: i read your post about the drawings of the prohper (pbuh).
and wow. islam is the problem? yeh. calling our religion a problem isnt very respectful either

Another Godless Goddess: Vatican Tries to Hide... →

helvetebrann: A 1997 letter from the Vatican warned Ireland’s Catholic bishops not to report all suspected child-abuse cases to police — a disclosure that victims’ groups described as “the smoking gun” needed to show that the church enforced a worldwide culture of covering up crimes by pedophile priests.