“Mock them, ridicule them in public.” – Richard Dawkins addressing the atheist-sponsored “Reason Rally”, on believers.
Oh yeah…really tolerant there. I mean, that is SO different
from abusing people verbally/psychologically/emotionally for being atheist. SO different.
Well, no.
“the only ones with true morality are us, the atheists” – Penn Jillette (he used to be famous), same rally.
Penn Jillette is one of your “top speakers”??? Wow…sad. And since when are magicians (that is to say, ILLUSIONISTS…specialists in THAT WHICH IS NOT REAL) considered great philosophical thinkers? He does have that Tasslehoff Burrfoot topknot going, though, so he’s kinda cute.
And let’s examine this “logical” statement…because, of course, atheists at the “Reason Rally” MUST make logical statements. Otherwise, why would they gather together at something called the “Reason” rally, to tell untruths/half-truths/fallacies?
“the only ones with true morality are us, the atheists”
equivalent to: Only atheists have true morality
Therefore, logically: NO theist, not a single one, has true morality.
Fact: There are BILLIONS of theists in the world.
So, Penn Jillette is saying that, out of the BILLIONS of theists in the world, it is a logical FACT that NOT A SINGLE ONE is a truly moral person. There isn’t a SINGLE theist who believes in SOME form of afterlife/rebirth/etc…BUT who also happens to live a good, decent life purely because they BELIEVE THEY SHOULD…the two things are IMPOSSIBLE to have together, without a doubt, without exception.
Sounds like ‘The Penn Delusion’.
And yes, I UNDERSTAND what he’s saying. He’s saying that if you only act in a moral fashion out of fear of punishment/anticipation of reward, that isn’t true morality. But he’s suggesting that applies to EVERY theist. Which is absurd. Some theists, I’m sure, act morally for those reasons. Some theists, I’m sure, act morally for those reasons AND because they believe they should, in some percentage combination depending on the individual. And some theists, I’m sure (well…I’m 6.9 on this) act morally because they, themselves, in their own PERSONAL belief system, believe it is the right thing to do. They just also happen to be theistic.
BTW, supposedly around 20,000 people attended. Wow…that’s almost as many as a Sox game late in the season, when they’re out of contention. WOOHOO! You a-go!
-Puppy >.< Yip!
4/22/16: I think Penn Jillette might finally be leaning towards the probability of climate change being real. Since his credibility is sky-high anyways, that’s a serious gain for the CA/A movement.