Have you guys seen this?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/world/europe/16france.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

My girlfriend told me about it yesterday and I only just now got around to reading an article on the topic. Man, this is great stuff!

I'll bet the catholic church is just tossing and turning in their sleep lol

"But the sanctity of marriage! Won't anyone think of the sanctity of marriage!?! If people aren't getting married then they aren't getting married, and that's bad! People have to get married because.. well.. sanctity of marriage!!"

I love the catholics, the stupidity these guys manage to get away with is staggering.

But the French leaning even more toward a secular state is terrific news!!

Hmm, interesting, a christian in California seems to be arguing that any kind of revolt against authority is terrible and that he is in favor of torture, etc. to maintain power. This would make me less worried if we didn't seem to have people intent on turning the country into a theocracy and gutting anything that could offer an opposing viewpoint.

Why was christianity invented.

a: because there really is a god and he loves us all and stuff even though there is absolutely no evidence for a supreme being which validates it because he wants you to have "faith"

b: because a dude decided he wanted to create a religion to help control how people think and make them lean towards his own socialistic thinking. Yea those republicans are following the teachings of socialism (give all your stuff to the poor etc)

Now to specifics, why the hate towards women?

a: Women are less than men because GOD created Adam from the dust of the earth and then created Eve as merely a partner using a rib from Adam. He made women bleed in their no no spot because they are sinful by nature.

b: Because men of old enjoyed holding down women as less and treated them more akin to property, a good modern example is the fact that they have only recent gained the right to vote. Unknown to them at the time the extra rib has something to do with childbearing and again they have a period which explains the blood http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menstrual_cycle 

Might ask some more later

Hi there, long time no speak, so I understand if this is a tad presumptious of me , but I have an old school buddy Christian type who has responded to a few anti christian remarks I have made on facebook by going away for like 2 months and then hitting me with a huge page of text as proof of my iminent damnation and the existance of God...his main beef seems to be my assumption that the Bible is not a historical document, and the justification for the existance of Jesus is unreliable at best. Now because of a very  recent death in my family I have right now limited emotional resources and time to do my own donkey work. Its a big ask, but I know some of you guys will have seen and heard these arguements so many times before that you will be able to ryhme off the answers or connect me up with links right off the tops of your heads, It would save me some time. I have also recommended this site to him so he can look for himself but at the moment he is busy congratulating himself on his coup d'etat , I take umbridge at being referred to as a dressed up Satanist. so if I may be so bold as to copy paste the page, if any of you have a little extra time or can be bothered helping me out I would appreciate it.

there is a lot be warned. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Let me explain the problem science has with religion."

The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand.

'You're a Christian, aren't you, son?'

'Yes sir,' the student says.

'So you believe in God?'

'Absolutely '

'Is God good?'

'Sure! God's good.'

'Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?'

'Yes'

'Are you good or evil?'

'The Bible says I'm evil.'

The professor grins knowingly. 'Aha! The Bible! He considers for a moment. 'Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?'

'Yes sir, I would.'

'So you're good...!'

'I wouldn't say that.'

'But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't.'

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. 'He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Can you answer that one?'

The student remains silent.. 'No, you can't, can you?' the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. 'Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?'

'Er..yes,' the student says.

'Is Satan good?'

The student doesn't hesitate on this one.. 'No.'

True Christianity is atheistic

From Peter Rollins, How (Not) to Speak of God.

"...there is a sense in which Christianity is atheistic because it rejects its own understanding of God...God's name is above every other name that we could ascribe...

This process reminds us that God transcends all earthly names and, as such, escapes our attempts at absolute understanding...

  In opposition to the fundamentalist, who can be defined as one who believes what they believe, the Christian can be said to operate with an a/theistic discourse, which makes claims about God while simultaneously acknowledging these claims are provisional, uncertain and insufficient."

This author goes on to posit that those Christians who equate their beliefs and theological systems with God as conceptual idolators who really worship their objectification of God rather than God.  Idolatry is the attempt to make accessible either aesthetically (statues, icons, etc. or conceptually via a theological system or dogma the essence of God.  

While we might not agree with the author and see perhaps more of a practice of Christian agnosticism an interesting observation is apparent about most theologians (Craig et al) and theists in general ( for example Muslims as well ).  They really believe in their conceptual construct rather than the god they profess

Because you're self motivated into your beliefs.

You're insecure.

You don't have the courage of your thoughts and convictions, to call them your own.

You're cowards and hypocrites.

Weak.

Atheists don't expect you to be honest about it.

Because you're incapable of being honest.

You're compulsive liars.

That's the 'Truth' about you.

You're all completely immoral, and it's sickening to hear you condescendingly drone on and on and on about 'absolute morals', when you're lacking in morals.

You're just 'absolute morons'.

Get spell check already...

Bill Maher confronts hypocrites

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt9Qs7P7h2A&feature=related

The god that's talked about in the bible certainly is manic, and prone to severe mood swings.

He comes off as a petulant tyrannical infantile.

What's with all his out of control rage issues?

He'd get arrested in this world.

And he would be a piss poor designer of anything practical.

Is that why he's supposedly jealous of other gods?

Because he just couldn't measure up in comparison?

So he'd create a band of fanboys and groupies that elect him #1?

Ya, that's some champ.

Whadda hero!

If he wanted his creations to follow a pattern, why would he design in a mechanism that could arbitrarily override his original pattern?

Just so he could get pissy over something?

That's retarded.

Ya, talk about working in 'mysterious' ways.

Is that an apologists euphemism for being drunk, or retarded?

What a drama queen.

Who would want to put up with that ch1t, let alone sign up for that?

And why is it that he wouldn't be able to control his emotions, and just 'get over it', when we do what we like?

What would have been his issue?

We didn't ask to be born, and we certainly didn't ask for free will. So why get pissy over something he would have been responsible for making us have?

As Hitchens says, "Of course I have free will. I had no choice!"

Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution?

Atheists, by speaking out, are trying to be part of the solution, to the problems (actions) that stem from religious beliefs.

No one 'cares' what you 'believe' in.

No one should care what someone else doesn't believe in, or does believe in.

Why should anyone care?

Your beliefs are personal.

Until they manifest themselves as something towards others.

Gods apparently don't care about your individual rights.

If you think you're spirituality, moderation and tolerance of others is being 'moral' and 'ethical', towards human kind, you may need to reevaluate your beliefs, and consider rejecting religion, and becoming atheist.

Gods, and their agents, as (as Hitchens says) 'Not Great'

Why?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLE835UZf-M

Creationist Wendy Wright is the perfect example of "You can't fix stupid"

Creationist Wendy Wright is spearheading another campaign to get American schools to teach (what they've attempted to label) "The Controversy" (Intelligent Design) as a legitimate theory that is on equal scientific footing with Darwin's Theory of Evolution.

Creationist Wendy Wright is insidiously trying to culture (indoctrinate) her religious beliefs into new generations of American children, and dishonestly claims otherwise. That the religious beliefs she has, should be categorized as 'science', and 'based on facts'.

Which if course is a non sequitur, since all religious beliefs (that contradict hers) claim exactly the same, based on the same naked assertions, which they falsely categorize as 'evidence'.

She advocates that science has created a bias against 'religious evidence of a creator' (non sequitur), and that she wants it removed from the schools.

Creationist Wendy Wright is a perfect example of the insidious passive aggressive religious automaton.

And she wants more of America to be just like her.

Here she debates with evolutionist Richard Dawkins, in a 7 part series, in a display of obtuse, oppositional, and trancelike drone behaviour, eerily reminiscent of a 'Stepford Wives" character, where she clearly reveals her religious agenda.

A truly brainwashed individual. A religious fanatic.