tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post922878779347661648..comments2023-09-24T07:53:50.826-05:00Comments on The Atheist Experience™: Building your mental immune systemUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-9877180354929446632011-04-15T18:24:19.935-05:002011-04-15T18:24:19.935-05:00:\ I find Mark to be just a bit frightening. His e...:\ I find Mark to be just a bit frightening. His emotional responses when asked direct questions, and redundant answers make me think that he might not be completely stable.Daemon6https://www.blogger.com/profile/06379313038024703056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-8531689506107256632011-04-14T16:45:08.957-05:002011-04-14T16:45:08.957-05:00I think Mark is great for the show, it seems to be...I think Mark is great for the show, it seems to be gaining noteriety. Good job of being patient with Mark and giving him every opportunity to try to defend why he believes what his church teaches him. The fact that he can't is doing great damage to the Christian message, and all the more since the kids are watching!simontomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07700353281175215487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-63205832668132790672011-04-13T07:52:49.803-05:002011-04-13T07:52:49.803-05:00@LadyAtheist
I wouldn't compare criticisms of...@LadyAtheist<br /><br />I wouldn't compare criticisms of religion with criticisms of relatively harmless activities like eating apple pie or watching baseball. <br /><br />Personally, I would compare it to criticizing someone for not wearing a seat belt. Believing in things for bad reasons is harmful, and I am doing a disservice if I pretend otherwise.<br /><br />I agree with you on the social aspects, and I think there are quite a few atheist groups striving to do exactly what you are suggesting. We are still quite a minority, in the U.S. at least, and it will take quite some time to be as effective as the religious counterpart.John K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11579041716600940838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-35698934683557316032011-04-13T07:28:20.999-05:002011-04-13T07:28:20.999-05:00Enzo said "You can't apply mathematical f...Enzo said "You can't apply mathematical formulas and laboratory testing on something like God as he's not a scientific subject."<br /><br />I can change this to say:<br /><br />"You can't apply mathematical formulas and laboratory testing on something that is imaginary as it's not a scientific subject."<br /><br />So how would we tell the difference between god and something that is imaginary if we can't examine either one?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00756094405743120595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-47167924996140767662011-04-13T07:04:00.060-05:002011-04-13T07:04:00.060-05:00I try to look at believers as victims, and tat'...I try to look at believers as victims, and tat's how I can interact with them civilly. I have debated a few of them and cornered them into "Well, it's a matter of faith" (which I consider a victory)<br /><br />Religion is part of culture so criticizing people for believing is like criticizing them for liking baseball or apple pie. Even a small cult is a culture of sorts and it's terrifying for members to contemplate leaving the comfort of the group.<br /><br />I wonder how many people attend church every week and really don't believe any of the theology of their religion.<br /><br />We need to have spaghetti dinners, phone trees for when people are in distress, and a softball league. That would help more people come out of the closet.LadyAtheisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12132821431322748921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-58498165463075981892011-04-13T05:37:56.461-05:002011-04-13T05:37:56.461-05:00Nice hermetically sealed bubble analogy. Also grea...Nice hermetically sealed bubble analogy. Also great to see my two favourite hosts on TAA together.hannanibalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15815450273674807034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-22405822164370579062011-04-12T19:20:33.691-05:002011-04-12T19:20:33.691-05:00Tom,
I personally find Mark to be barely more list...Tom,<br />I personally find Mark to be barely more listenable than Cesar.Mark Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12082856602483276803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-47217034536642138322011-04-12T19:02:53.463-05:002011-04-12T19:02:53.463-05:00Yeah, I find the concept of nonoverlapping magiste...Yeah, I find the concept of nonoverlapping magisteria difficult... especially when people insist on developing policy, changing curricula, and making scientific claims based on their religious beliefs.Carlos O.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07701270322375313745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-15028922429505574132011-04-12T18:38:52.174-05:002011-04-12T18:38:52.174-05:00I just discovered an easy way to talk to people wh...I just discovered an easy way to talk to people who hold a different opinion than yours:<br /><br />You don’t have to track missionaries down on the street or wait for them to knock on your door to ask them a question any more. Use this feature to speak with a missionary online. They’ll chat with you in real time <br /><br />http://mormon.org/chat/<br /><br />This is new to me - has ths already been around the atheist blogosphere?Cay Borduinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16192013735489622678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-83712640072860029842011-04-12T17:42:22.617-05:002011-04-12T17:42:22.617-05:00@pessimist: please don't give this guy half a ...@pessimist: <b>please don't give this guy half a show again.</b><br /><br />Haven't listened to the latest episode, but I'd rather hear a dozen half-episodes dedicated to Mark than another sentence from Cesar.Tom Fosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13796424725228769265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-79749697907569317002011-04-12T16:28:56.363-05:002011-04-12T16:28:56.363-05:00@Enzo. The burden of proof lies with whoever is ma...@Enzo. The burden of proof lies with whoever is making a positive claim - especially if they want other people to believe it. The nature of the thing being claimed to exist is irrelevant. You either have a good reason to believe something exists or you don't. If you don't, don't act surprised when you're dismissed by others.<br /><br />If I say "I have a unicorn" and you say "show me", it's childish for me to respond with "Sorry, it's invisible to people named Enzo". Religion, and those who accommodate it, play the same games all the time. It's tiresome.<br /><br />Don't tar science as being inadequate or inapplicable if religious people are asserting the existence of something that can't be tested. After all, if you can't test or support your claim, why would you believe it in the first place? Faith? Then why expect others to believe it?<br /><br />The whole point of evidence is that it should appear the same, whoever looks at it. If religious evidence is, as you say, personal and subjective, it's practically useless in determining the existence or nature of anything. As such, any claims based on that "evidence" are going to be worthless and people are justified in dismissing them.<br /><br />And giving religion its own special versions of "logic and evidence" is just special pleading - it's related to that awful religious cliche, "another way of knowing". It doesn't work like that. Logic and evidence must be equally applicable for all fields of inquiry, or they're meaningless.hank_sayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18406469261027721291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-24988825456362947652011-04-12T16:20:06.401-05:002011-04-12T16:20:06.401-05:00Enzo said " You can't apply mathematical ...Enzo said " You can't apply mathematical formulas and laboratory testing on something like God as he's not a scientific subject."<br /><br />I would suggest that a claim such as "god answers prayer" is a real world claim and could be subjected to 'mathematical formulas and laboratory testing'.<br /><br />If claimant is correct then the effect should be measurable in some way, otherwise the statement that 'god answers prayer' has no real meaning.Raymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16439248183580550162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-39657907878391650782011-04-12T16:15:43.895-05:002011-04-12T16:15:43.895-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.hank_sayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18406469261027721291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-36800842428963770562011-04-12T15:49:42.901-05:002011-04-12T15:49:42.901-05:00@Raymond. Religion has logic and evidence but the ...@Raymond. Religion has logic and evidence but the logic is philosophical and the evidence tends to be on the personal and subjective side. You can't apply mathematical formulas and laboratory testing on something like God as he's not a scientific subject. The burden of proof only applies to something that falls within the realm of science.Dark Onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344553164036882310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-57997855831734153422011-04-12T15:09:37.083-05:002011-04-12T15:09:37.083-05:00@Enzo. I am not a great fan of non overlapping mag...@Enzo. I am not a great fan of non overlapping magisteria. Where science is science, religion is religion and never the twain shall meet.<br /><br />You cannot go roping off a small area and say "logic and evidence" shall not pass beyond this point.<br /><br />If a religion makes a real world claim that claim is certainly deserves to be open to rigorous scrutiny.Raymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16439248183580550162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-52646068287393860102011-04-12T14:32:35.040-05:002011-04-12T14:32:35.040-05:00Excellent post, RusselExcellent post, RusselJCDClarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01427655725499458583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-43160535886840443222011-04-12T14:08:04.084-05:002011-04-12T14:08:04.084-05:00Am I the only one who thought Mark sounded like Da...Am I the only one who thought Mark sounded like Dane Cook? I was waiting for 'Mark' to say he was just playing and how could anyone actually believe that garbage. Oh wait, people actually do believe this mess, sad.Matt Potterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11341658614372037977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-2883722629010859152011-04-12T11:59:26.186-05:002011-04-12T11:59:26.186-05:00Cont. Conservatives don't believe in trying t...Cont. Conservatives don't believe in trying to save your soul from hell like fundies but instead believe it's a personal decision or god's decision. They believe a person should exercise proper restraint, discipline and sternness to earn a rightful pass to heaven.<br /><br />If conservatives are challenged that science conflicts with their religious views they will state they don't believe that,ignore it or that they've 'heard it all' and will just make a personal decision anyway based on faith.Gods_misled_children87110https://www.blogger.com/profile/11653377626574661051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-41546382772446200022011-04-12T11:11:37.538-05:002011-04-12T11:11:37.538-05:00@Enzo. Your post made me think of a few things. ...@Enzo. Your post made me think of a few things. I've learned from conservative christian's(catholics) around here(Albuquerque) that they view science as dealing with the physical world and religion as dealing with the spiritual world. In their mind they are both equally viable and important complementary areas in their lives which aren't meant to compete with one another. So if the atheist experience asks for physical proof they are asking for the two beliefs to compete/come in conflict which they aren't meant to do..as far as I understand.<br /><br />Conservatives(catholics) believe in a loving god of moderation and forgiveness while fundies(baptist's.,etc) are more fear based(fire and brimstone). Conservatives generally don't seem to believe in wasting time debating their religious beliefs or even stating them but they just secretly hold them dear to their belief system. It's probably very unlikely conservatives will engage with atheist's although I find their points of view's more balanced or interesting than fundies.Gods_misled_children87110https://www.blogger.com/profile/11653377626574661051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-87864672154895667872011-04-12T10:17:57.141-05:002011-04-12T10:17:57.141-05:00The problem is that you can't really a treat r...The problem is that you can't really a treat religious belief as you would treat a scientific belief. When asking for proof you're asking for specific scientific proof which no religion was ever based on, unless you count Scientology but that's a scam of course.Dark Onehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07344553164036882310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-6964930258906455412011-04-12T08:38:35.783-05:002011-04-12T08:38:35.783-05:00The next time he calls, I'd like to hosts to l...The next time he calls, I'd like to hosts to line up a very simple "why do you believe this" question: don't clutter it up with "what if JW's or Mormons come to your door" add-ons, since that makes it too easy for him to dismiss them as "cults" or "not really Christian" or whatever convenient statement presents itself. Just point out there are 30,000 + Christian demonominations and hundreds of thousands of individual churches preaching different interpresetation of Christianiry every week - WHY does he believe this one preacher and this one Church?Gerrymanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04538740183906066528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-63239884095588661622011-04-12T07:27:40.727-05:002011-04-12T07:27:40.727-05:00I think I need to clarify my statement; the hosts ...I think I need to clarify my statement; the hosts did make these points, but in a roundabout way as they tried to follow Mark's meandering trail of thought.<br /><br />It was my impression that Mark has been calling in to chastise AETV for seducing the children of Stone Church's congregation. My feeling was that he needed to have the law laid down on him in no uncertain terms, that we don't need to feel the slightest guilt that the message of reason is influencing young minds that might otherwise be mired in ignorance, and that if their kids can see the weakness in Christianity's message, what's the parents' excuse?Mark Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12082856602483276803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-80709142269793713782011-04-12T05:47:24.950-05:002011-04-12T05:47:24.950-05:00I thought that the hosts of the last show should h...I thought that the hosts of the last show should have pointed out that a) the show is being broadcast as free speech so that b) anyone who wants to watch it has the right to and that if the parents of these kids have a problem with their kids being seduced by the message they should c) present convincing counter-arguments against these messages, and if they can't d) make some intellectual concession that their beliefs might not be true.Mark Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12082856602483276803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-59914961534510480152011-04-12T05:35:29.763-05:002011-04-12T05:35:29.763-05:00I think what we aren't addressing is the other...I think what we aren't addressing is the other obvious conclusion that Mark was more loyal to his church than to his alleged belief system. To a degree I can identify with this as in the past I was more loyal to the church I grew up in in Kuala Lumpur than my actual beliefs. <br /><br />To Mark, and presumably many other 'fundamentalists', the church IS the religion. Which is why despite the obvious disintegration of his arguments he still kept on focussing on this pastor and the members of his church.Aaronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08825977981711476037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33241741.post-83959650813908260112011-04-12T04:28:58.372-05:002011-04-12T04:28:58.372-05:00@graingert - No, it's an inert extract from th...@graingert - No, it's an inert extract from the virus that stimulates the same immune response, not a weak strain.BloggytheBloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15373977167347907630noreply@blogger.com