Great article by Penn Jillette

[amuse bouche]

Glad to have found this group, So what do you think? It is common sense to me. What's wrong with everyone else?

Don’t Replace Religion; End It

"Religion cannot and should not be replaced by atheism. Religion needs to go away and not be replaced by anything. Atheism is not a religion. It’s the absence of religion, and that’s a wonderful thing.

Religion is not morality. Theists ask me, “If there’s no god, what would stop me from raping and killing everyone I want to.” My answer is always: “I, myself, have raped and killed everyone I want to ... and the number for both is zero.” Behaving morally because of a hope of reward or a fear of punishment is not morality. Morality is not bribery or threats. Religion is bribery and threats. Humans have morality. We don’t need religion.

Atheism is the absence of religion. We don’t really need atheism. We just need to get rid of religion.

Religion is faith. Faith is belief without evidence. Belief without evidence cannot be shared. Faith is a feeling. Love is also a feeling, but love makes no universal claims. Love is pure. The lover reports on his or her feelings and needs nothing more. Faith claims knowledge of a world we share but without evidence we can share. Feeling love is beautiful. Feeling the earth is 6,000 years old is stupid."

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/01/22/is-atheism-a-religion/atheism-should-end-religion-not-replace-it

[kdmorris]

1. I thought we had cleared this up in Nadine's thread - sit down and shut up

But I LOVE that article!!! and I love this quote: I, myself, have raped and killed everyone I want to ... and the number for both is zero.

[amuse bouche]

2. I guess I'm not good at doing what I'm told

Maybe because I have no fear of being turned into salt: or something

Penn is great. He does weekly Sunday School on youtube.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Whenever someone poses that question

about what would stop me from raping and killing if I didn't believe in god, my answer is always "I guess that I am just a much better person than you are, because I wouldn't ever consider harming another being, even though I have no fear of hell or hopes of heaven". Shuts them up all the time.

[amuse bouche]

4. I find those questions very disturbing.

Are they telling me without the fear of God, they would commit evil acts and crimes?That's a powder keg on the verge of exploding

I'm a golden rule kind of person and believe in Ethics

It's pretty simple to figure out the right way to live

[Curmudgeoness]

5. Yes, those questions are disturbing, but

I don't think it is as bad as you think. I believe that THEY think that they need god to keep them from being sinners. They are trying to justify their beliefs. I doubt that they are any more likely to do evil things than anyone else, but they don't know it.

At least, I hope so.

[amuse bouche]

6. Maybe

but I see the outright hatred towards atheists, so I'm not so sure. A sheriff in a nearby town, here in Fl, is always at war with an outspoken atheist. It's ridiculous

I follow a varied bunch of people on twitter. One @Godless Spellchecker is hilarious, especially his hash tag #thingsthegodlysay. He spars with them daily. A very fun Brit

That is a bunch of crazy religious nuts, so angry that atheists dare to exist

"I believe that THEY think that they need god to keep them from being sinners" ---

I kind of disagree with this. Many love religion because they think they can do anything, ask for forgiveness and all is well. We see this all the time with politicians and the awful religious leaders

It's like a Ponzi scheme

[dimbear]

7. All animals that live in packs or herds have morality, they go along to get along.

That definitely includes us. I don't think zebras have much religion. Or miss it much.

[CrispyQ]

8. Great commentary. Thanks for sharing. I liked this:

Atheism is the absence of religion. We don’t really need atheism. We just need to get rid of religion.


Morality is about how you behave, not what you believe. There are a lot of Christians who just don't get that. They are usually the ones who are great Christians on Sunday morning when they are actually at church, but suck the rest of the time.

[amuse bouche]

9. Now you are getting to the truth

"They are usually the ones who are great Christians on Sunday morning when they are actually at church, but suck the rest of the time. "

This a one of the great loopholes and draws of religion. Pastors and priests love this. They can commit heinous acts and just 'ask forgiveness' and all is well

Illogical, ridiculous and vile

[CrispyQ]

10. "You think because your sins are forgiven, you can act the way you want."

[LisaLynne]

11. This quote:

"Behaving morally because of a hope of reward or a fear of punishment is not morality."

This is what it comes down to for me. I don't need to be threatened to behave.

[amuse bouche]

12. It shows the maturity level of people

Children are told that Santa is watching, so they better do what they're told.

When Santa is discovered to be a fraud, the threat is switched to a different fictional character.

Just think of the millions of people whose brains have remained so undeveloped and stuck in childhood.