Atheist Bus

[Bazzlad]

Bazzlad, your example there simply doesn't fly because stamp collectors do not push stamp collecting in your face or push their stamp collecting derived morality on the rest of us. It's just a totally broken example.

Be honest - when's the last time a Christian pushed his beliefs in your face?

An advert on a bus for a course could be akin to an advert for a type of stamp (for example).

The example may not work but the point stands - he has too much personal hatred/dislike of Christianity (especially) to be taken serious as a Scientist. The man has no open mind, and uses science to push his view on to others - much like how people twist the words of the Bible/Torah/Guru granth sahib/Quran to their own agenda.

[G4Z]

Be honest - when's the last time a Christian pushed his beliefs in your face?

An advert on a bus for a course could be akin to an advert for a type of stamp (for example).

The example may not work but the point stands - he has too much personal hatred/dislike of Christianity (especially) to be taken serious as a Scientist. The man has no open mind, and uses science to push his view on to others - much like how people twist the words of the Bible/Torah/Guru granth sahib/Quran to their own agenda.

Straight off the top of my head, how about the fact I can't buy booze in a supermarket after 10pm on a Saturday or the opposition to stem cell research that could have major implications for the advancement of medicine or how about the fact that Tony Blair took us to war because 'God told him too'.

I could come up with a lot more if I tried, your point does not stand. It's bollocks.

Just to clarify why it's bollocks, I think you could say with near certainty that if we lived in a truly secular society where religion had no influence then he would never have written the god delusion.

[Bazzlad]

"To me its a shame, there should be no threat of violence for proclaiming the obvious."

This is frustrating.
The obvious?
It was obvious at one stage that the world was flat.

I can't stand people of science stating that something is obvious when there is no proof to the contary.

We've been through this before, you can't prove there isn't a higher being, you can point toward it being very, very, very unlikely, but you can't prove it. Thus acting like there isn't is fine. So is presuming there isn't. But completely writting it off, and stating that it's obvious, is not science.

When I see the unified theory of everything I'll start listening.

[0iD]

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of passion the subject of religion causes. Reminds me of sharing an office with a Sikh, a Catholic, a Mormon, a Muslim and me as a Philosophical Taoist, such as I was. Everyone (bar me) would agree there was a god, and they all worshiped the same one, but they couldn't agree that no one's way was THE way.
I agree that Dawkins is not the be-all & end-all, whether I believe in a higher power or not. But for my part all I see of religion is all the hate it stirrs up, & the trouble it causes, be it religious wars, or the Nazis or Comunists trying to iradicate it. That, to me is the bonkers part, Unilateral intolerance.

Man I sound like a hippy

Peace & love people. Peace & love

[Bazzlad]

Straight off the top of my head, how about the fact I can't buy booze ina supermarket after 10pm on a Saturday

Mainly down to anti-social behaviour, and the choice of the supermarket.
24 hour drinking was bought in - why didn't God affect that?

or the opposition to stem cell research that could have major implications for the advancement of medicine

Last I heard, we passed the bill for the next level of stem cell research.
-----------------
The Government has announced that £100m will be made available for UK stem cell research over the next two years to help develop treatments
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or how about the fact that Tony Blair took us to war because 'God told him too'.

Let's play make up the quotes! The above statement is untrue.

[Bazzlad]

Ironically, I've been dragged back into this despite stating my personal beliefs were not my problem with the advert, rather the religious unequality in this country.

But hell, I'll take the bait.

[G4Z]

Mainly down to anti-social behaviour, and the choice of the supermarket.
24 hour drinking was bought in - why didn't God affect that?

No the reason we have that is because you can't sell alcohol in a supermarket ona Sunday which is an entirely religious issue.

Last I heard, we passed the bill for the next level of stem cell research.

Yes we did, despite religious opposition. In my opinion religion should have zero say in it. None, at all they have no right.

-----------------
The Government has announced that £100m will be made available for UK stem cell research over the next two years to help develop treatments
-----------------

Jolly good to hear.

Let's play make up the quotes! The above statement is untrue.

Check your facts mate : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4772142.stm

[G4Z]

This is frustrating.
The obvious?
It was obvious at one stage that the world was flat.

I can't stand people of science stating that something is obvious when there is no proof to the contary.

We've been through this before, you can't prove there isn't a higher being, you can point toward it being very, very, very unlikely, but you can't prove it. Thus acting like there isn't is fine. So is presuming there isn't. But completely writting it off, and stating that it's obvious, is not science.

When I see the unified theory of everything I'll start listening.

How many times....?

Its not on me to provide proof against the ridiculous.

If you are talking about some deist idea of a non interventionist god well, ok that may not be ridiculous however it is outside the bounds of what we know exists and its just totally pointless to speculate. Besides I would think that the idea of an afterlife is incompatible with a non interventionist deist point of view so I don't see what possible impact believing in this could have on your day to day life.

As Christopher Hitchens says 'extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence and that what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence'.

[Bazzlad]

How many times....?
Its not on me to provide proof against the ridiculous.

It's not on me to provide proof to the sceptics.
I'm not trying to convert you, I have a belief, the belief is mine. My belief does not interfere with you in any way, shape or form.

Yet it is you who is constantly telling me I'm wrong and as such, acting as the aggressor, like you are, it is down to you to provide proof. I'm not closed eyed or minded to any such proof of any kind, be it for or against, I don't believe in the "stories" of the old testament - I believe those to be metaphors, and on the same pattern I have completely rational, logically thinking, so for you to sit there and belittle my beliefs, something you don't know or understand is ridiculous.

[G4Z]

I was tempted to answer your post but I think its getting wildly off topic.

[Bazzlad]

I was tempted to answer your post but I think its getting wildly off topic.

Agreed. We'll leave it at that.

Note to others:
Feel free to continue on topic!

[iranu]

It's not on me to provide proof to the sceptics.
I'm not trying to convert you, I have a belief, the belief is mine. My belief does not interfere with you in any way, shape or form.

Then you shouldn't make deliberations based upon that belief because as soon as you do then it is justified for anyone to question the basis of any conclusions you come to.

[Bazzlad]

Then you shouldn't make deliberations based upon that belief because as soon as you do then it is justified for anyone to question the basis of any conclusions you come to.

Show me one deliberation I've made based upon my belief wise guy?

If you read back you'll find I advocated no religious advertising at all full stop, and religious equality.

Now get back on topic.

[TheAnimus]

Its worth noting that they are not saying god dosen't exist, just that he probably dosen't.

Given the fact many people are brought up brainwashed to think there is a god, by all forms of media, parents and society, they at least claim there probably isn't a god, rather than THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD, IT IS A SIN TO GIVE MONEY, ERM I MEAN WORSHIP ANY OTHER GOD.

As such they don't need to prove that there isn't a god, just that because no one's proved one exists, there quite probably isn't. Thats a fairly safe assumption.

[Agent]

You know what scares me? I mean REALLY scares me?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=UwjlUMoLVvA

People like that.

[Rob_B]

(I thought that'd be a rick-roll)

But it wasn't, it was so much worse...