Clipmarks | AtlLiberal's Atheism collection

Religious Tests?

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:22:17 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Once again we're presented with examples of outright bigoted prejudice. Perhaps not surprising if it was put forth from a stereotypical Nascar dad but from a contender to the presidency it seems a bit out of line.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

John McCain Wants to Limit the Presidency to Christians... and mabye Jews

Questions about that are very legitimate.... And it's also appropriate for me at certain points in the conversation to say, look, that's sort of a private matter between me and my Creator.... But I think the number one issue people should make [in the] selection of the President of the United States is, 'Will this person carry on in the Judeo Christian principled tradition that has made this nation the greatest experiment in the history of mankind?'"

What, exactly, does "carry on in the Judeo-Christian principled tradition" even mean? It sounds like a phrase that was designed by marketing experts to hit all the right emotional buttons among Christians without saying anything substantive enough to be considered meaningful.

Tags: prejudice, religion, christian, atheism, bigotry

Heard of any Atheist Suicide Bombers Lately?

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 23:05:50 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: My irony meter pegged out after reading this bit of hate speech from one of our "allies".

Clip Source: www.secularism.org.uk

Saudi King wants monotheisms to unite to defeat atheism

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia — head of one of the most oppressive regimes in the world — has said that atheism is a “frightening phenomenon that must be vanquished”. He made the threat during a speech in which he called for dialogue between all monotheistic religions.

"I ask representatives of all the monotheistic religions to meet with their brothers in faith," Abdullah told delegates to a seminar on "Dialogue Among Civilizations between Japan and the Islamic World," according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). “If God wills it, we will then meet with our brothers from other religions, including those of the Torah and the Gospel... to come up with ways to safeguard humanity," he added.

Tags: atheism, muslim, religion, hate, prejudice

Grandpa McCain Don't Like Them Atheists!

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 18:21:47 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Promulgating the idea of bigoted, separatist thought seems to take up a lot of the energies of the Republicans these days. Of course this has been their bread and butter issue for years. Give us someone to hate and forget about the real issues that plague the common man. They're the first to cry foul over class issues but they certainly have no qualms about using them to instill fear and prejudice if it suits their corporate aims.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

John McCain on Secular Atheists: Is John McCain Bigoted Against Atheists?

Atheists are the most despised minority in America; this is demonstrated most clearly by the fact that more people would be willing to vote for any other minority - Muslim, gay, female - than vote for an atheist for president. This discrimination is fueled by bigoted prejudices about atheists' values and morality, and you can tell a lot about a person's character based on whether they promote or oppose this bigotry. Sadly, John McCain is on record as supporting anti-atheist bigotry.

I think the number one issue people should make [in the] selection of the President of the United States is, 'Will this person carry on in the Judeo Christian principled tradition that has made this nation the greatest experiment in the history of mankind?'"

John McCain's opposition to nonbelievers as president is no less bigoted than being opposed to Jews, Catholics, blacks, or Latinos as president.

Tags: conservative, politics, mccain, republican, fear

Religion and Abortion

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:47:20 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: This article makes a cogent argument that religion actually promotes abortions rather than diminishes them. Link to full article for more info.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

Abortions Highest Where Religion is Highest

Given how opposition to legal abortion is almost entirely based on religious dogma, one might think that areas where belief in religious dogma is highest will be areas where abortion is lowest. That, however, is incorrect - abortion rates are highest in places where religiosity is highest but lowest in more secular areas. This is not an incidental correlation: not only does it disprove the popular idea that secularism destroys the moral values which oppose abortion, but it points to how religion itself can make demand for abortion higher.

It's not secularism, secular ethics, or atheism which causes increases in abortion rates; instead, it's the heavy hand of puritanical, patriarchal religion in a society where women are gaining power, equality, and wealth. Regardless of how religious a society is or what the religion is, increasing affluence and increasing female equality leads to desires for lower families.

Tags: abortion, choice, health, women, religion

Religious Dogma Invades Healthcare

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:16:42 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Cline makes a good point that professionals like doctors and pharmacists knowingly enter professions that could compromise their religious beliefs. What could be their justification for then using these religious beliefs to refuse services to certain individuals?

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

Doctors Refuse Pap Test to Unmarried Women, Cite Religious Beliefs

First they came to demand exemptions from abortions, and the government relented. The men in government didn't get abortions and didn't want to make an issue out of it. Then they came to demand exemptions from providing women with contraceptives, and the government relented again. Only unmarried sluts need contraceptives, right? Now doctors want exemptions from providing basic medical tests like pap smears.

Have we finally had enough? Can we finally call a halt to so-called medical "professionals" who are trying to undermine women's health care on the basis of ancient religious dogma? No one is conscripted into the ranks of pharmacists, physicians, or nurses, and those who voluntarily join these professions are not forced into the specialties where they might become involved with women who might annoyingly exercise reproductive autonomy.

Tags: religion, science, prejudice, bigotry, healthcare, dogma

Gimme That Ole Time Religion

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:13:08 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Some of us look back on this tragedy and discount it as due to ignorance. Yet it is more than that. Think of the present day belief in satanic possession that exists 316 years after this hysteria overtook the town of Salem. As far as I'm concerned they have much in common and display a disappointing lack of rationality in a large segment of the population.

Clip Source: www.history.com

March 1, 1692

Salem Witch Hunt begins

In Salem Village in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, an Indian slave from Barbados, are charged with the illegal practice of witchcraft. Later that day, Tituba, possibly under coercion, confessed to the crime, encouraging the authorities to seek out more Salem witches.

In June 1692, the special Court of Oyer, "to hear," and Terminer, "to decide," convened in Salem under Chief Justice William Stoughton to judge the accused. The first to be tried was Bridget Bishop of Salem, who was found guilty and executed by hanging on June 10. Thirteen more women and four men from all stations of life followed her to the gallows, and one man, Giles Corey, was executed by crushing. Most of those tried were condemned on the basis of the witnesses' behavior during the actual proceedings, characterized by fits and hallucinations that were argued to be caused by the defendants on trial.

Tags: religion, witch, saten, devil, superstition, history

Atheist Quotes

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:48:31 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: I love quotations. Click on the link for many more.

Clip Source: atheistblogger.com

101 Atheist Quotes

The fact that a believer is happier than a sceptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one. The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality. - George Bernard Shaw

I believe in God, only I spell it Nature. - Frank Lloyd Wright

We must question the story logic of having an all-knowing all-powerful God, who creates faulty Humans, and then blames them for his own mistakes. - Gene Roddenberry

To surrender to ignorance and call it God has always been premature, and it remains premature today.

A man is accepted into a church for what he believes and he is turned out for what he knows. - Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)

Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. - Seneca the Younger

Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned. - Anonymous

Not only is there no god, but try getting a plumber on weekends. - Woody Allen

Scientific Icon Found

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:19:23 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: As often happens following one of these scientific miracles expect a spat of similar instances to follow. Just this morning I found a forgotten bag of bread covered with Rhizopus stolonifer that suspiciously resembled the image of Charles Darwin. I'm thinking perhaps a shrine is in order.

Clip Source: www.satireandcomment.com

Atheist Sees Image of Big Bang in Piece of Toast

(ACPA-london) Excitement is growing in the Northern England town of Huddlesfield following the news that a local man saw an image of the big-bang in a piece of toast. atheist donald chapman, 36, told local newspaper, "the huddlesfield express" that he was sitting down to eat breakfast when an unusual toast pattern caught his eye.

"i was just about to spread the butter when I noticed a fairly typical small hole in the bread surrounded by a burnt black ring. however the direction and splatter patterns of the crumbs as well as the changing shades emanating outwards from this black hole were very clearly similar to the chaotic-dynamic non-linear patterns that one would expect following the big bang". "it's the beginning of the world" he added excitedly.

Tags: science, humor, miracles, satire

Religions "Tolerance"

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:25:37 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal

Clip Source: www.hubhive.com

Tags: cartoon, religious, christian

Jesus in My Oatmeal

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:53:01 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: For those of you out there who have recently been awed by the appearance of Jesus or Mary in your marmalade here's a more rational explanation for you to try on.

Rationality. It's really a good thing.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

Where is the Virgin Mary Today? Pareidolia: Seeing Religious Faces Everywhere

Why Do People Think They See Mary or Jesus on Windows and Toast?

Sometimes it seems that every other week, someone is claiming to see images of religious figures (Mary and Jesus are the most common) on walls, in windows, or in their breakfast foods. What prompts these visions? Why would Jesus or Mary wish to make an appearance on someone's toast some morning? There's a curious disconnect with such incidents because the people can believe in them fervently, but religious authorities and institutions tend to be much more skeptical and critical. What's really going on here?

There is a name for this phenomenon: pareidolia. It's not limited to religious figures, either. Humans are pattern-seeking animals and sometimes we see patterns that we think are real objects when, in fact, they are not patterns at all.

Tags: religion, rationalism, science, christian

Muslim Bullying

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:10:14 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: How absurd for any religious group to expect for persons of differing faiths or no faith at all to adhere to their quaint religious practices. It reminds me of the resistance to teach evolution in public schools or the attempts to force religion into the public arena. Both spheres have a similar lack of credibility and rationale. Kudos to Wikipedia for not kowtowing to religious fanatics.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

Wikipedia Islam Entry Is Criticized

An article about the Prophet Muhammad in the English-language Wikipedia has become the subject of an online protest in the last few weeks because of its representations of Muhammad, taken from medieval manuscripts.

In addition to numerous e-mail messages sent to Wikipedia.org, an online petition cites a prohibition in Islam on images of people.

A Frequently Asked Questions page explains the site’s polite but firm refusal to remove the images: “Since Wikipedia is an encyclopedia with the goal of representing all topics from a neutral point of view, Wikipedia is not censored for the benefit of any particular group.”

The notes left on the petition site come from all over the world. “It’s totally unacceptable to print the Prophet’s picture,” Saadia Bukhari from Pakistan wrote in a message. “It shows insensitivity towards Muslim feelings and should be removed immediately.”

Tags: atheism, religion, muslim, christian

Dueling Billboards

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:57:24 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: A bit of fun for today...

Clip Source: gretachristina.typepad.com

[Video]

Tags: religion, christianity, humor, video

Those Noisy Atheists

Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:16:32 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: Cultural taboos against religious criticism are deeply ingrained. But are they justified? Apparently they are not. What happens is that generally people take criticism of their religious beliefs personally. It's as though religious beliefs hold some sort of position that is materially different from other beliefs that they hold. Except for the fact that religious beliefs are not reality based they are still simply ideas that a person has come across and decided to adopt.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

Criticism of Religions is Not Free Speech

One of the most pernicious forms of attempted censorship of unwelcome views isn't overt repression, but rather to convince people not to express those unwelcome views in the first place. It's always much better to head off the wrong thoughts before they are expressed rather than clamp down on them after they are already out in public. Why employ the blunt instrument of state repression if people can be convinced to repress themselves?

Believers insist that they and their religion should be respected and, therefore, that attacks on religion are not a valid use of one's free speech rights.

Beliefs which are true and valid cannot be harmed by criticism, even by unfair and incorrect criticism. Beliefs which are not true or valid will only be revealed through criticism. What this means is that if we care about the truth, we should welcome criticism of even our most treasured beliefs

Tags: religion, atheism, belief

You Gotta Have God in Brazil

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:57:40 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: I'm not surprised in the least. A significant number of people hold the belief that believing in a deity is a necessary condition when judging a person as being moral. Although this belief is unfounded and easily disproved it continues to influence opinions.

Clip Source: www.angus-reid.com

Brazil Would Shun Atheist Presidential Candidate

Few Brazilian adults would cast a ballot for a presidential contender with no religious beliefs, according to a poll by Instituto Sensus published in Veja. Only 13 per cent of respondents would vote for an atheist candidate.

In addition, 32 per cent of respondents would vote for a homosexual candidate, 57 per cent would support a woman, and 84 per cent would vote for a black person.

Polling Data

Would you vote for a presidential candidate with the following characteristics?

Yes

Depends

Black

84%

14%

Woman

57%

12%

29%

Homosexual

32%

34%

32%

Atheist

13%

59%

25%

Evangelical Playbook

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:32:42 GMT

clipped by: AtlLiberal
clipper's remarks: This pretty much sums it up.

Clip Source: atheism.about.com

Evangelist Tatics on Atheist Sites

Step one: Post off topic. Show total disregard for the purpose of the comments section.

Step two: Make sure you give a gloss of politeness to your post.

Step three: Be sure not to actually read anything on the site

Step four: When you get a response, make sure you point out how puzzled you are that they are not yet totally convinced.

Step five: If asked a direct question, ignore it.

Step six: If they are still not convinced, repeat steps four and five.

Step seven: If anyone calls you up on any of our incoherence, poor reasoning, dishonesty or blatant lies; ignore step two.

Step eight: Leave, never to be heard from again, shaking the metaphorical dust from your metaphorical sandals as you go.

Tags: religion, evangelicals, christian, proselytizing