[Brian Kopp DPM]

ping

[Constantine XIII]

GEEZ, what's up with these people? Some of them think that they are the only one's in the whole friggin' nation who's opinions matter.

[eddie willers]

So are you suggesting that they should be forced to pray?

[riley1992]

Ron Barrier of American Atheists told the Daily Illini that nationally televised prayer services, presidential references to God, and calls to prayer leave atheists feeling forgotten as US citizens. "Nonbelievers were touched by the tragedy just as much as believers were," Barrier said. "All we're doing is asking for a little sensitivity. Just because one does not have religious beliefs does not make one less of a citizen."

First let me preface this by saying that I think that athesits can be every bit as moral and more so than that of Christians. Having said that, the above quote is just plain stupid.

[arielb]

aww we don't want to hurt their feeeeelings! God Bless America :)

[streetpreacher]

I was almost going to write that it is people like this is why judgment has fallen on America... like Falwell and Robertson proclaimed.

But, in truth, the reason is Christians who have lived a worldy lifestyle.

"The greatest single cause of atheism today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelievable world simply finds unbelievable."

[x]

Warning: They're also pissed by how many people call them "athiests."

They have teamed up with the Isreali Defense Forces to eliminate such people.

So watch out!

[breakem]

ATHEISTS REJECT COUNTRY'S TURN TOWARD PRAYER

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!

[Free the USA]

As a former atheist I think these people are off their rocker. My friends were mostly Christians because I could not stand moral relativism or I don't care attitudes. Because most Americans find comfort in religion that is enough reason to support our presidents sincere prayers no matter whether one has faith or not.

[Conservative til I die]

The kind of statements found in the article support my belief that people are atheists just for the attention it draws to themselves.

[isthisnickcool]

I knew someone that was an atheist all his life. Until the last day of his life. On that day a strange thing happened, he changed his mind. I wonder how often that happens?

[VOA]

ATHEISTS REJECT COUNTRY'S TURN TOWARD PRAYER

"COUNTRY REJECTS ATHEISTS TURN TOWARD...NOTHINGNESS?"

[calmseas]

I can understand how someone who is truly seeking for truth can be an agnostic. But it is only a fool who in his arrogance would dare declare that there is no God.

[Constantine XIII]

Here's another example of how these people REALLY view Christians. This was in our school newspaper (Daily Beacon, UT, Knoxville) for crimney's sake! (barf alert!)

Attacks were not product of God's lack of protection
Massimo Pigliucci
Columnist Volume 88 Number 25
Wednesday, September 26, 2001

"In the City of God there will be a great thunder,
Two brothers torn apart by Chaos,
while the fortress endures, the great leader will succumb,

The third big war will begin when the big city is burning"

- Nostradamus, 1654

I can only hope that this horrible hoax was perpetrated accidentally and not by somebody taking advantage of the human tragedy that hit the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. And yet, it shouldn't take a course in critical thinking to realize that the suspicious thing about prophecies is that we realize what they were predicting only after the events. One could reasonably ask what is the point of a prophecy that can only be understood when it's too late.

Similarly, what good are psychics if they can't warn of specific, imminent danger? For example, multimillionaire future-reader Sylvia Browne was on CNN's Larry King Live just a few days before the terrorist attack. She wasted her talent warning skeptic James Randi that he had something wrong in his left ventricle (it is a good bet that an elderly white American male will eventually have something wrong with his heart) instead of warning everybody on live national TV of what was about to happen. It was her chance to prove herself, and she blew it.

The point of the prophecy is to make you realize the power of mystical inspiration, annihilate your pride in reason and open your heart to God (C13 What the heck, what do psychics and Nostradamus have to do with God?!), not merely to save human lives.

And speaking of God, rabid Christian fundamentalist Jerry Falwell was also out immediately after the tragedy. Was he praying for the victims and offering spiritual guidance to the rest of the nation? No, he was busy explaining why this all happened. According to this monster, the reason all those people died was that God has lifted his umbrella of protection and allowed the tragedy to occur. Apparently, God lifted his protection because of too much secularism, not allowing kids to pray or read the Bible in school (which is not true), and allowing porn on the Web.

These statements are so outrageously stupid and offensive to the memory of the people who died that you would expect them to be immediately chastised by any reasonable Christian who was listening to Falwell. Alas, millions of people are hooked on the words of a man whose worldview is similar to that of the fringe religionists who rejoiced at the attack. It is frighteningly easy to imagine someone prone to Falwell's thinking style becoming someone like bin Laden under different historical circumstances.

Recently, a typical comment on radio talk shows has been, "We need to turn this nation to God."

Well, wake up people, this nation is turned to God. Constantly. God is all over this nation, from the now ubiquitous signs on our highways to the highest density of churches that ever occurred probably in any time or place in the world. Over 95 percent of the citizens of the U.S. profess belief in a personal God (C13 'believing in a god' ain' the same as Beleving and following GOD. What was that Mark Twain quote...) It ain't, and about half of them hold onto at least some of the most fundamentalist views espoused by the innumerable sects that have developed over the last century. Why would God "lift his umbrella" from one of the most adoring places on the whole planet?

More importantly, what kind of a horrible God allows thousands of innocent people to be wiped out in an instant just because somebody posts pornographic pictures on the Internet? Ah, but I forgot that this is the same sort of God that told the Jews to exterminate entire races because they didn't please Him enough, and added that they should slaughter their enemies' children and - for good measure - rape their wives (see Genesis 34:13-29, Exodus 17:13, 32:27-29, Numbers 16:27-33, 21:35, 31:17-28, Deuteronomy 2:33-34, 3:6, 7:2, 20:13-14, and the list can go on) (C13 Did I mention that this hateful goober writes at least once a week for the school paper?). Is this the sort of God that our nation should turn toward? I suggest instead that we try to nuke Him if we can find where in the Hell He hides! (Before the hate mail starts: I do realize that there are plenty of Christians who are equally horrified at what happened: This column is not directed to them).

As the reader can see, this is an angry column. I rarely allow myself this sort of unbridled frankness, but too much is too much even for somebody attempting to style his life after the moderate advise of Epicurus. These people must be stopped, and I'm no t talking only about the Islamic fundamentalists, but about any sort of fundamentalist - religious or not - who thinks he's got the answer to all the world's problems, if only the world would submit to his iron-fisted rule. It is time for all people of good will and good sense to say "Enough!"

- Massimo Pigliucci is a graduate student in philosophy. Some of his ramblings can be found at his website www.rationallyspeaking.org

(rant)Snarl, grrrrr....It's like this EVERY FREAKIN' WEEK. (sarcasm)Of course, the paper is good about printing dissenting opinons. (/sarcasm). I suppose I shouldn't expect any better from such a left wing rag. These guys regularly sing the praises of the Progressive Student Association, whose primary platorm encourages things like "social justice" and "collective ownership" BARF. er, excuse me.(/rant)

[patent]

Bump.

[FormerLib]

Isn't it amazing that some people only embrace diversity when it means that someone else must accomodate them?

I'm a Christian, but not a Protestant as are most American Christians. If a prayer is offered in a public forum, most likely it will be a Protestant one. Due to theological differences, I often cannot join in the prayer but I find no problem with listening in a respectful manner. If I went into a community with a non-Christian majority, I'd have no problem conducting myself in a similar manner.

I wonder if these folks ever go into a French restaurant and carry on about the lack of Mexican or Greek food on the menu?

[BrucefromMtVernon]

If G*d did not exist it would be necessary to invent Him. If atheists did not exist it would NOT be necessary to invent them!

[xm177e2]

Ron Barrier of American Atheists told the Daily Illini that nationally televised prayer services, presidential references to God, and calls to prayer leave atheists feeling forgotten as US citizens. "Nonbelievers were touched by the tragedy just as much as believers were," Barrier said. "All we're doing is asking for a little sensitivity. Just because one does not have religious beliefs does not make one less of a citizen."

All of this praying, it offends me! Please stop! </hysteria>

[Anonymous2]

oh, brother.

[Storm Orphan]

I am an atheist and I disavow this group and the insensitive, irrelevant
drek in their publicity seeking statements.

Apologies to all believers of all faiths.