[ConsistentLibertarian]

One might think the world might have been a better place if Osama bin Laden had been an atheist. Ie, maybe atheists think of atheism what you or I might think of a condom: It doesn't do much for you, and might even cut down on your pleasure or enjoyment. But it can protect you from really nasty things.

[BRL]

And the millions of Chinese and Russians killed in the twentieth century were killed under the banner of what?

Well, lets go into denial and say it was done under the name of uh.... how about ... uh... martian worship! yeah - that's it.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

Condoms, of course, have a dismal failure rate, both at preventing pregnancy and at preventing "nasty things." So has atheism a dismal failure rate, every time it has been used as the foundation stone of any government.

[JoeSchem]

But it can protect you from really nasty things.

Communism killed thirty-five million people in China alone.

It's not that I want to defend a false religion like Islam, but atheism is a lie as well.

[Blade]

Yeah...atheism did a bang up job protecting the tens of millions slaughterd by atheistic communism.

Go atheism.

[Pistias]

maybe atheists think of atheism what you or I might think of a condom: It doesn't do much for you, and might even cut down on your pleasure or enjoyment. But it can protect you from really nasty things.

This seems to me the theme of modernity--choosing "safe" rationalism over "dangerous" belief. But Nietzsche and Rousseau made a compelling attack on living for rationality and safety: Is man's life enough without any cosmic support of goodness or justice? What is self-preservation for?

[mlocher]

one might think that the world might be a better place if osama bin laden was an atheist

two points. first, atheists have been known to murder and kill -- hitler, stalin, genghis khan, pol pot, etc. i doubt bin laden actually believes in the religion he espouses of a god that wants martyrs. he uses religion to gather followers; he is not a believer himself.

second point is that if allah is not the real god as many christians and jews would suggest, then following islam is like being atheist, except that you do have a set of philosophies of life that when applied correctly are for the betterment of mankind.