Pathetically weak antireligion argument

[Vort]

One argument against religion that, for some reason, I have heard several times in the past few months goes something like this:

"Do you people really believe the superstitious ramblings of a bunch of Bronze-Age shepherds?"

This ad hominem argument fails so badly on so many levels that I'm really stunned that people over the age of about 13 would ever use it, but...they do. Are the people who say this really so shallow and dumb that they don't consider the foolishness of such a thing, or is there something that I'm missing that makes them think this is clever rather than embarrassing?

Anyone else have any favorite "stupid anti-religionist sayings"?

[Lakumi]

I heard someone call the Book of Mormon "Jesus Fanfiction" but most of the people I know have something half intelligent to say for what they believe, I don't associate with idiots lol

religion only really comes up though when I spout off my "fake scripture" (I didn't like throwing the BoM under the bus, so only use quotes amongst serious circles)

[jerome1232]

One friend my mine says "I don't believe in God because I don't need to pretend there is a Magic sky wizard to make me happy". I find that a bit circular.

I've noticed a lot of atheists are convinced that we theists don't actually believe in God on a deeper level, I also find it annoying when some begins telling me that The Big Bang and Evolution by Natural Selection are fact and that they disprove God.

[Anddenex]

This one always puzzles my mind when I hear this anti-religionist statement, "People who believe in a religion are people who can't think for themselves." (Edit: or when asked why they have chosen to be an atheist they respond, "Because I started to think for myself.")

The best part is when the individual says this and then quotes a prominent atheist -- not thinking for themselves.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Anddenex

[Lakumi]

One friend my mine says "I don't believe in God because I don't need to pretend there is a Magic sky wizard to make me happy". I find that a bit circular.

I've noticed a lot of atheists are convinced that we theists don't actually believe in God on a deeper level, I also find it annoying when some begins telling me that The Big Bang and Evolution by Natural Selection are fact and that they disprove God.

I would say they prove God more then disprove him, because those things certainly seem a design by a divine being-to me anyways

[jerome1232]

I would say they prove God more then disprove him, because those things certainly seem a design by a divine being-to me anyways

That's my position as well, I think many think that you must believe every last word of scripture literally and that's where the thinking stems from. They don't get that religious people are just as varied as other groups of people.

[Lakumi]

That's my position as well, I think many think that you must believe every last word of scripture literally and that's where the thinking stems from. They don't get that religious people are just as varied as other groups of people.

indeed, I find a lot just refuse to sit down and talk about their beliefs, as if you saying your different ones, will destroy theirs

or lack of theirs I guess

I enjoy talking about what I believe in, I welcome other people's opinions and idea's, even if I disagree.

[Praetorian_Brow]

Atheism is a religion.

[Lakumi]

Atheism is a religion.

yes and no

one might argue that there is no worship of anything, its the belief there is no God

there's no church or rules or commandments

no books to read, no repentance, baptism

religion is usually classified by worship of a deity

Some people don't really consider Buddhism a religion since there is no worship of a Deity

[Praetorian_Brow]

Noun

1. The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, esp. a personal God or gods.

2. Details of belief as taught or discussed.

https://www.google.ca/#q=religion+definition

Choosing to believe in no God, recognizes that are deities, therefore, they are probably more zealous about it than the actual worshippers.

[Lakumi]

Noun

1. The belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, esp. a personal God or gods.

2. Details of belief as taught or discussed.

https://www.google.ca/#q=religion+definition

Choosing to believe in no God, recognizes that are deities, therefore, they are probably more zealous about it than the actual worshippers.

though like religious people there are serious and less serious atheists

some simply want nothing to do with religion. I know both those sorts

[Dravin]

One argument against religion that, for some reason, I have heard several times in the past few months goes something like this:

"Do you people really believe the superstitious ramblings of a bunch of Bronze-Age shepherds?"

This ad hominem argument fails so badly on so many levels that I'm really stunned that people over the age of about 13 would ever use it, but...they do.

I'd suggest there is also touch of an argument from age, "It's old therefore it's wrong."

Are the people who say this really so shallow and dumb that they don't consider the foolishness of such a thing, or is there something that I'm missing that makes them think this is clever rather than embarrassing?

There are people who make reasonable logical arguments concerning God, for instance the problem of evil is a reasonable logical argument (the problem is primarily in the premise not the reasoning), but I find that by and large when something plays out as:

1) 'Snappy' anti-religion one-liner.

2) Verbal/body language mic drop.

There is a decent chance what just happened was not a brilliant and tight logical argument.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Dravin

[Backroads]

I recall someone on Yahoo who repetidly mentioned the time he came up with proof God did not exist and complained no one acknowledged it. I never saw it, just figured someone teenager couldn't solve what philosophers have always debated.

[applepansy]

One argument against religion that, for some reason, I have heard several times in the past few months goes something like this:

"Do you people really believe the superstitious ramblings of a bunch of Bronze-Age shepherds?"

This ad hominem argument fails so badly on so many levels that I'm really stunned that people over the age of about 13 would ever use it, but...they do. Are the people who say this really so shallow and dumb that they don't consider the foolishness of such a thing, or is there something that I'm missing that makes them think this is clever rather than embarrassing?

Anyone else have any favorite "stupid anti-religionist sayings"?

Yes

[andypg]

My favorite is equating God to a "Flying Spaghetti Monster."

Coming from a Catholic background, I've always understood God as something more than a super controlling old guy in the sky. I once heard a priest say, "The god atheists claim to not believe in, I don't believe in either."

And in full disclosure, since my conversion to the LDS Church, my idea and image of God is still developing.

[mnn727]

I am always disgusted by the "invisible man in the sky" and the "flying spaghetti monster' arguments.

When I asked an atheist co-worker of mine to describe the God that he didn't believe in, guess what - I didn't believe in that either. He was not interested in hearing what I did believe in (but that didn't surprise me with this guy)

[andypg]

I am always disgusted by the "invisible man in the sky" and the "flying spaghetti monster' arguments.

When I asked an atheist co-worker of mine to describe the God that he didn't believe in, guess what - I didn't believe in that either. He was not interested in hearing what I did believe in (but that didn't surprise me with this guy)

It's great that atheists and Christians can agree on what God is not.

Though let me ask as someone who's only been LDS a month, wouldn't the idea of God as a man in the sky be a little more similar to the LDS belief of God having a physical body with a throne near Kolob?

(just curious)

[Lakumi]

It's great that atheists and Christians can agree on what God is not.

Though let me ask as someone who's only been LDS a month, wouldn't the idea of God as a man in the sky be a little more similar to the LDS belief of God having a physical body with a throne near Kolob?

(just curious)

what exactly is Kolob

[Vort]

what exactly is Kolob

"Kolob" is a word found in the book of Abraham, in the Pearl of Great Price. It is the name of the star "nearest unto the throne of God." It was occasionally used in the early Church as a reference to God's heavenly home, e.g. the hymn If You Could Hie to Kolob. The word is seldom used today, and when it is used, it's primarily by anti-Mormons who wish to mock LDS theology by trying to portray it as weird.

[prisonchaplain]

I love the innocence of youth. We're acquainted with a middle-schooler. She is very intellgent. When asked about her religion she says she's an atheist. Then she says she believes there probably is a God, but that she's not religious.

My take away from this is not merely that the intelligent child is a bit weak in the theology department. Rather, it's that she believes that atheism is sophisticated--a marker of intelligence.

The adult version of this thinking is to say, "I wish I could have faith like you do..." [read: I know better, but find your naive adherence to ancient fantasy touching and nostalgic.]

[Lakumi]

"Kolob" is a word found in the book of Abraham, in the Pearl of Great Price. It is the name of the star "nearest unto the throne of God." It was occasionally used in the early Church as a reference to God's heavenly home, e.g. the hymn If You Could Hie to Kolob. The word is seldom used today, and when it is used, it's primarily by anti-Mormons who wish to mock LDS theology by trying to portray it as weird.

I hear it all the time from anti-Mormons

yes many people do see religion as a lack of intelligence, citing the lack of pure fact and the idea of faith, a silly idea

also a lot of them go to the extremes when they think of Christians (thinking of the Westbro Baptist Church) for example

they don't think of those who aren't as serious as others.

I am not a serious religious individual, and there are things I don't agree with that the LDS church says.

Maybe that's because I am a convert or just me, but even before, before all this I couldn't prove the absence of some sort of divine being.

One can attack the dogma but cannot attack the idea of divinity, really...

[Jamie123]

Whenever Richard Dawkins talks about the Book of Mormon (which seems to be quite often) he always says it is "obviously and clearly a fraud". However the only justification he gives for saying this is that it's written in 16th Century English rather than the English of the early 19th Century.

Not that I believe in the book of Mormon any more than Dawkins does, but I've never understood how the style of language it's written in proves it is a fraud.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Jamie123
spelling

[prisonchaplain]

Richard Dawkins trying to pontificate on the BoM is akin to me trying to ponticate about darwinian evolution on a purely scientific basis. See my collar--of course I'm qualified! :-)

[Jamie123]

Richard Dawkins trying to pontificate on the BoM is akin to me trying to ponticate about darwinian evolution on a purely scientific basis.

You'd be surprised at the number of religious fundamentalists who try to do exactly that.

[prisonchaplain]

Jamie...no...I wouldn't...I grew up hearing that stuff...thus the reference. :-)