"Ten percent of Americans are Atheists; 0.2 percent of prisoners are Atheists"
Some Christians counter this particular statistic with "Yes, but they're not *true* Christians". The problem with this, is that it's Ad Hoc or postdiction. See: No true Scotsman fallacy.
Another argument is that many are simply lying and saying they are Christians, to avoid persecution. Well, sure, it's likely that some are, but that leaves them with the uncomfortable fact that the Christian majority are the persecutors.
Anyway, it's a good read. Witty as always.
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4 comments:
A good find Mike. Have you seen Gervais's stand up on the Bible mainly Genesis? It is sure harder to throw away your life over a petty crime when you know that you only have one life to live.
Its always dumbfounding to me when someone you believes in "majic" a.k.a. good tries to explain that life is cheapened if its not designed. It is for that very reason that life is truly awesome and us all the more fortunate to partake in its splendor.
As a bit of a tangent I was thinking the other day if i were to be able to ask the candidates a question at the presidential debates in October, I would ask them why they deserve the Atheist vote.
Hey Mike it's Zack your sites look very professional. I haven't had time to read any of articles but i will any way here is my email - cvskeptics@att.net I will be in your neck of the woods in about 2 week maybe we can have lunch. Keep up the good work my friend.
I saw this concert Owen, it was great.
The "one life to live" argument is a good one, but I've been pondering another thought on this. That is,
1) If there is no cosmic punishment for "sins" and,
2) If there's no "reward" for not exploiting others,
Then why should someone who is disparately poor not forcibly take wealth from the rich? If a man has but one life, why wait for an eternal reward that will never come? I think this may be a the root of what religious people are worried about when they imagine a world without a god. That chaos would reign.
If the faceless poor masses believe that their suffering will be rewarded by some cosmic justice in the afterlife, then they will be more docile. And the rich feel better about themselves, because the poor will get their "eternal" reward later.
I think this just shows that religion acts to increase the gap between rich and poor.
This was the teaching of "Mother" Theresa of Calcutta. She pushed the idea that suffering not only would be justified, but even that the greater the suffering, the greater the post-life reward. Brilliant. Evil, but brilliant.
Awesome! I can't wait for the movie he's writing with Merchant.
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