Today I was made aware of a Facebook group called — are you ready? — "catholics against 'the atheist experience'". That I know of, this is the first expressly anti-AETV Facebook group yet formed. Not that it's a big thing or anything, with only 55 members at this point, the vast majority of whom appear to be atheists. The Wall posts are a blast to read.
Saith the group's creator, Nathan Boucher, who is only two years out of high school...
so i came across this video today on youtube about these atheists who have a show...Now it is freedom of speech but what really annoyed me was the host was totally bashing catholics and he actually gave out the audience consecrated hosts or what he said were.
its not right to make fun and mock that which you don't understand!
Which I do believe can be roughly summarized as "hurr de durp durrr." I suspect Mr. Boucher is referring to this clip here.
First, the fact that students in this country continue to graduate from high school with writing skills as abysmal as the above remains this country's greatest shame. Secondly, we don't make fun of and mock the church and its practices — both spiritual, like communion, and material, like boy-fucking — because we do not understand them, but because we do. Religion promulgates ignorance, medievalism, tribalism, and anti-intellectualism, and protects the grossest immorality under the shield of its authority. Frankly, mockery of such vile filth is fairly light treatment. What we should be doing is arranging to have Pope Ratzo arrested and imprisoned for life. We've been letting the Church off lightly if all they can whine about is mockery and ridicule.
It was weird and amusing getting on Facebook today and discovering new posts on year-old boards in the group...and when the only pro-Catholic comment on the wall was from some girl I argued with back then I lol'd.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete[W]e don't make fun of and mock the church and its practices [...] because we do not understand them, but because we do.
ReplyDeleteNo, Matt, don't you remember? You can't understand a practice unless you've experienced how profound and rich and beautiful it is, and once you've done that you can't possibly fail to see the value in it, therefore anyone who criticizes Catholicism doesn't understand it! \notruescotsman \equivocation
Actually, I think I'm going to point out equivocation fallacies more often. You get them when people describe "faith in [my spouse of 30 years who I know intimately]" as being like "faith in [a particular religious doctrine which I have no evidence to support]". Or with "Religion is bad, but this set of beliefs and practices based on nothing but ancient texts is great!"
(Note: I screwed up my last post, hence deletion.)
"Now it is freedom of speech but...."
ReplyDeleteWhenever they start out that way, watch out! Don't you know they'd love to take our freedom of speech?
"Now it is freedom of speech but...."
ReplyDeleteWhenever they start out that way, watch out! Don't you know they'd love to take our freedom of speech? "
Eh...I disagree with him entirely, but to be fair, there's a difference between wanting to take away someone's right to free speech and saying that while you are free to do it, I don't think it's appropriate.
It's like that great atheist saying, "If you don't want peeps making fun of your silly beliefs, then don't have silly beliefs."
ReplyDeleteCongrats on making it to the 'big time.'
K
I'm not suggesting there's no distinction, magx01. I just doubt his sincerity. I suspect that, given the power, he'd be glad to take away our right to speak freely.
ReplyDeleteI actually thought about attending a eucharist and eating one of their 'Jesus crackers' to see if I felt any different or if I felt the spirit of god in me. What a simple way to easily desecrate something considered so sacred and offend the catholic church. An atheist is forbidden from eating and drinking the eucharist offering from what a religious friend told me.
ReplyDeleteI think all us atheist's should attend a local catholic church and eat/drink the eucharist's offering to see if any of us find or feel the spirit of god in us? Maybe you have to eat the offering before god enters you?
A little humor. South Park - Jesus is crackers? http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/152220/jesus-is-crackers
ReplyDeleteCatholics , and not just any Catholics but LEADERS of the catholic church hide child rapists from justice.
ReplyDeleteUntil Catholics actually show some real moral leadership and bring the child rapists being protected by their church and funded out of their own pockets, they should get used to being deservedly ridiculed.
I remember Matt talking about attending a Catholic function (funeral or wedding, I don't remember) and commenting on how many times the word "mystery" was used in the sermon.
ReplyDeleteApparently Catholics don't understand Catholicism either.
The problem with magical thinking is that when the cracker stays a cracker in the unbeliever's mouth, it is because the lack of faith does not allow the miracle to happen. It is like the psychic claims that skeptical negative energy blocks communication with the dead. The true believer can always come up with more nonsense to support their position. When confronted with such arguments, ridicule is appropriate since reason just will not work in the face of delusion.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, do faithful, devout Catholics understand anything about Catholicism? Even non practicing but still believing ones? They often even gloat, or used to anyway, that it has to be believed but cannot be understood.
ReplyDeleteThe true believer can always come up with more nonsense to support their position
ReplyDeleteWell, when you're allowed to just make shit up and don't have to worry about reality, explaining things becomes quite easy.
Seriously, do faithful, devout Catholics understand anything about Catholicism? Even non practicing but still believing ones? They often even gloat, or used to anyway, that it has to be believed but cannot be understood.
ReplyDeleteI am a former Catholic and I definitely did not understand Chatholicism growing up. Although, I'm not sure if all young Catholics have the same trouble accepting certain aspects of it or if that was just an early sign of freethinking on my part.
Specifically, I remember thinking that a lot of the stuff I was being taught didn't make any sense, but my parents, grandparents, teachers at my Catholic school, and a LOT of people I respected (and considered a whole lot smarter than me) "got it". So I figured they must have seen some logic that I missed. So I went along with it. I didn't want to ask for clarification. Then they would KNOW I was actually that stupid and didn't get it. I figured I'd get it evenrually if I stuck with it long enough.
I'm amazed at the apologists who don't get it, claiming that to talk about another person's religion makes you somehow a troll. That to have any sort of criticism makes *you* wrong. That's just crackers (heh).
ReplyDeleteIn our progress to being accepting of people, we've ironically regressed into perceiving any sort of legit commentary (as irreverent as it may be) as mere "bullying" by people who "have nothing better to do" therefore "should just be ignored".
It's a shame.
@Kait82-I am a former Catholic myself. I pretty much started doubting my faith when I tried to understand it. Before this, it was pretty much a given to me: I did not try to understand, there was no need for it, one just had to accept it.
ReplyDeleteI love that this FB group has revived (or perhaps resurrected?) CrackerGate. I sometimes re-listen to old episodes of AE & NP or watch YT clips, but I didn't see (and don't recall even hearing) this one.
ReplyDeleteI do recall, though, sending Matt an email about the Eucharist Challenge. Among other bon mots (the rest forgotten), I suggested the term EuchaRitz.