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A place to post favorite quotes about atheism and other significant topics
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I have been a quote collector and quote monger for at least as long as I have been an atheist, and likely much longer. There is a fascination in me of those who are sufficiently skilled in language that they structure words into concepts and ideas and proposed actions which grab my attention and interest, whether it is John F. Kennedy's unabashed statement: "We choose to go to the moon and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard," Robert A. Heinlein's blunt expression: "If you've got the truth, you can demonstrate it. Talking doesn't prove it. SHOW people," or Captain Kirk's subtle yet important tactical observation, having encountered and been challenged by the dauntingly huge First Federation vessel: "Not chess, Mr. Spock ... Poker!"
Certainly, atheism has had its share of skilled spokespeople, whose words have inspired and driven us, whether it was Madalyn Murray O'Hair, saying: "An Atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church," or Sam Harris, who noted that: "The only problem with Islamic fundamentalism are the fundamentals of Islam," or Aron Ra's far more succinct: "If you can't SHOW it, you don't KNOW it."
Consciously or unconsciously, I suspect all of us have learned and grown from such words and many others, becoming stronger and more mature, not just in our atheism but in ourselves, having heard such words as these, and that is the point of this group: not to just deal in quotes which praise and promote atheism but which advance the cause of knowledge, self-understanding and self-ownership. Each of us have likely heard someone say something and think, "Wow!" and resonated to the significance of what they heard.
That's what I want to do here: share, learn, and grow, not just from THEIR words, but our own.
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One suggestion for the main comment area of the group: Please keep your quotes to under 20 lines or 200 words. That way, one entry won't dominate a given page of the comment area. If you have a longer quote or speech which you think is significant, create a separate post in the group.
Please enjoy!
Started by Loren Miller. Last reply by Mrs.B Jun 11. 2 Replies 1 Like
Since there has been such interest in the comments Liz Cheney made during the first public hearing held by the House Select January 6th Committee, I thought I would post it here for those of you who…Continue
Tags: Trump, hearing, insurrection, "Donalld, committee
Started by Loren Miller. Last reply by Andy Stout May 4. 5 Replies 3 Likes
Lately I have noted an increase in rants, diatribes, and otherwise potent and declamatory statements by Democrats, in the defense of the LGBTQ+ community, responding to overblown claims about…Continue
Tags: LGBTQ+, Critical Race Theory, sexualizing, grooming, Mallory McMorrow
Started by Loren Miller. Last reply by Mrs.B Apr 22. 5 Replies 3 Likes
Besides being a brilliant comedian and practiced public ranter, George Carlin was a adept student of humans and humanity – likely among the reasons why he was so accomplished at those first two…Continue
Tags: humanity, human, well-being, George Carlin
Started by Loren Miller. Last reply by Andy Stout Mar 28. 8 Replies 4 Likes
To be honest, I have NO idea who Brandi Carlile is (though I suppose I could Google her), but the following brief story of her illness, coma, and recovery are pretty striking. As my friends from…Continue
Tags: Jesus, coma, Baptist, Catholic, meningitis
Nice Comment
Yes, big time.
The very concept of religion lends itself to bigotry doesn't it
Exactly.
I have found it an amusing strategy, when asked whether I am an atheist, to point out that the questioner is also an atheist when considering Zeus, Apollo, Amon Ra, Mithras, Baal, Thor, Wotan, the Golden Calf and the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I just go one god further.
-- Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion
So do I, Richard. So do I.
It’s the strangest thing about this church - it is obsessed with sex, absolutely obsessed. Now, they will say we, with our permissive society and rude jokes, are obsessed. No. We have a healthy attitude. We like it, it’s fun, it’s jolly; because it’s a primary impulse it can be dangerous and dark and difficult. It’s a bit like food in that respect, only even more exciting. The only people who are obsessed with food are anorexics and the morbidly obese, and that in erotic terms is the Catholic Church in a nutshell.
-- Stephen Fry, from the 2009 Intelligence Squared debate
Fry's comparison between eating disorders and the Catholic Church is so on point that it's amazing, but with an important difference. Anorexics and obese people are suffering from a psycho-physiological disorder. What those in the Church struggle with is their own hubris.
Although the far territory of the extreme can exert an intoxicating pull on susceptible individuals of all bents, extremism seems to be especially prevalent among those inclined by temperament or upbringing toward religious pursuits. Faith is the very antithesis of reason, injudiciousness a crucial component of spiritual devotion. And when religious fanaticism supplants ratiocination, all bets are suddenly off.
-- Jon Krakauer, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
Or, to put it in four simple words:
Faith is no reason. -- Ken Peters, California, winner of the 2009 CFI Blasphemy Contest
No one can sit at the bedside of a dying child and still believe in God.
-- Bertrand Russell
No one with an ounce of empathy or working mirror neuron in 'em, anyway.
Yup, it do.
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