Famous atheists

Talon1977

Sorry to back track here, but just found this thread. Wanted to comment on this...

pH wrote:

A pity then your holy books are quiet on the subject of Scientific discovery, if only we saw this in Matthew or Luke:

"And Jesus entered the library and said unto them, cease this senseless study of old texts and in its stead look to the natural world, throw away your superstitions and use logic and experimentation, repeatability and peer review, for with them you will cure and alleviate more of the world's ills you can imagine."

He sort of did say something like this. Once, he said "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

There are several other instances where Jesus used the natural world to make his points. I think the natural world makes a perfect backdrop to the storyline of the Bible. Just my humble opinion.

God has been strangely silent on scientific knowledge, you'd think that as well as bringing back a couple of people from the dead Jesus would have at least give humankind the germ theory of disease.

In fact God's scientific knowledge and understanding of the universe he created seems to be eerily the exact same (or less) as the society that produced his message.

I disagree. Just look at the Old Testament instructions on food preparations and cleanliness. The instructions come centuries before modern understanding of proper food preparation and yet most of the instructions that would have seemed pointless and whimsical to the average Jew of the day, turn out to be good practice to avoid sickness.

Zombrex

Talon1977 wrote: »

There are several other instances where Jesus used the natural world to make his points.

That wasn't pH's point. Jesus and the Bible are largely silent on science, or scientific discovery.

Talon1977 wrote: »

I think the natural world makes a perfect backdrop to the storyline of the Bible. Just my humble opinion.

Not sure what you mean. If taken literally nearly everything in the Bible is contradicted by study of the natural world.

Talon1977 wrote: »

I disagree. Just look at the Old Testament instructions on food preparations and cleanliness. The instructions come centuries before modern understanding of proper food preparation and yet most of the instructions that would have seemed pointless and whimsical to the average Jew of the day, turn out to be good practice to avoid sickness.

So why were they wrapped in nonsense explanations, largely based around if an animal chews cud?

Its almost as if God himself didn't understand why it was not a good idea .... strange

Talon1977

The fact that the animal chewed cud wasn't meant to be an explanation, it was meant to give the people a further way of identifying which animals were being referred to.

Not sure what you mean. If taken literally nearly everything in the Bible is contradicted by study of the natural world.

No it doesn't. Not if you believe that there is a super-natural force apart from the natural world.

That wasn't pH's point. Jesus and the Bible are largely silent on science, or scientific discovery.

PDN's book on motorcycle maintenance also silent on underwater basket weaving. Does that mean it's a bogus motorcycle book??

pH

AC Grayling on Nick Clegg
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/ac_grayling/2007/12/i_dont_believe_it.html.printer.friendly

As to Mr Clegg: apparently, he clarifies that he is "towards the agnostic end of the spectrum" or some such. If he does not believe in the Norse or *******n or any other supposed divine beings, let him say so frankly and clearly, and not equivocate. Agnosticism is a rubbish position: the prior probability that there are fairies at the bottom of the garden is not 50%; it is 0% - and so for all supernaturalistic beliefs.

And it is absolutely risible that the director of Theos, the religious "faith tank", should say of Mr Clegg, "If he is saying that he is agnostic, obviously that is probably not quite so serious politically as saying you are an atheist." Amazing. For I think it is considerably more serious to say, "I believe in God and he told me to go to war in Iraq", which is what a soon-to-be-Catholic recent prime minister of somewhere practically said (as, even more practically, did his born-again big friend across the water). How happy can anyone be about that?

edit : boards.ie apparently do not like the word Olympian

Cactus Col

From now on everytime somebody talks about atheism ... it's gonna hard for me not to think of Chumbawumba ...

He drinks a whisky drink
He drinks a vodka drink
He drinks a lager drink
He drinks a Cider drink

Dave!

Joe Higgins?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0608/breaking2.htm

A native of Co Kerry, Mr Higgins, aged 60, once studied for the priesthood but later became an atheist. His incisive contributions in the Dail made him a thorn in the side of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern from 1997-2007


Didn't know about that

Goduznt Xzst

Good thread (please don't let it be locked due to its age, don't know what the big deal with thread necros around boards is)

Anyway. I'd say a better title might be "Famous free-thinkers", seems more appropriate and opens up the scope to include deists, agnostics and even Christian free-thinkers (they exist although you might as well say Thomas Aquinas and be done with it)

Lately, I've been reading about George Jacob Holyoake.

A bullet point synopsis of his wiki:

• Last person convicted for blasphemy in a public lecture
• Coined the term "Secularism" as an inoffensive way to describe his opinions
• Coined the term "Jingoism" also

pts

Dave! wrote: »

Joe Higgins?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0608/breaking2.htm

A native of Co Kerry, Mr Higgins, aged 60, once studied for the priesthood but later became an atheist. His incisive contributions in the Dail made him a thorn in the side of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern from 1997-2007


Didn't know about that

That one surprised me too. Posted that info in the "Religion in Irish politics" thread before I saw your post. Apologies for the cross-posting.

legologic

It's becoming annoying that in the Atheism & Agnosticism board you cant start a single thread without it turning into a massive debate with a bunch of people trying to argue the merits of theism.

If we went into the christianity board and told them in every single thread how wrong they are we'd be banned. I've no objection to them starting threads here if they want to ask questions but this board has become a chore to enter. You cant have a rational discussion of a topic of interest to secularists without having to defend your non-theist beliefs.

On an on-topic note: Heisenberg & Woddy Allen QED

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_atheists

Dades

legologic wrote: »

If we went into the christianity board and told them in every single thread how wrong they are we'd be banned

Different forum... different rules.

legologic wrote: »

I've no objection to them starting threads here if they want to ask questions but this board has become a chore to enter. You cant have a rational discussion of a topic of interest to secularists without having to defend your non-theist beliefs

In a nutshell, we welcome challenges wholeheartedly. This place would be awful boring if it was just a bunch of non-believers agreeing with each other. The busiest or most interesting threads nearly always have Christian input. Yes, stuff gets derailed here a lot, but if it didn't, most threads wouldn't get beyond two pages.

aidan24326

SubjectSean wrote: »

Compared beside the genius calibre of candidates in the God-accepting group Carl Sagan and the other fellow you mention are strictly B list I feel. I feel bound to mention therefore that so far the Atheist candidates have been somewhat sub-standard. Is it true to say that Athiests have contributed virtually nothing to the greater good?

Carl Sagan and Richard Feynman B-list???!! You really don't know what you're talking about.

Mickeroo

legologic wrote: »

It's becoming annoying that in the Atheism & Agnosticism board you cant start a single thread without it turning into a massive debate with a bunch of people trying to argue the merits of theism.

If we went into the christianity board and told them in every single thread how wrong they are we'd be banned. I've no objection to them starting threads here if they want to ask questions but this board has become a chore to enter. You cant have a rational discussion of a topic of interest to secularists without having to defend your non-theist beliefs.

On an on-topic note: Heisenberg & Woddy Allen QED

In fairness a lot of us do go onto the christianity board and criticise their beliefs too.

dvpower

Dades wrote: »

This place would be awful boring if it was just a bunch of non-believers agreeing with each other.

I agree.

... Em.

... Ok. Bye then.

Zillah

legologic wrote: »

If we went into the christianity board and told them in every single thread how wrong they are we'd be banned.

It's very easy to engage in debate when you're right. Hence why atheists are often quite eager to start an argument and the religious are very touchy.

Goduznt Xzst

doesn't really deserve it's own thread:

http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/07/06/shock-horror-harry-potter-star-daniel-radcliffe-is-an-atheist/

Not surprising really seeing as how he's been acting alongside Richard Dawkins in every Harry Potter movie

pts

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

doesn't really deserve it's own thread:

http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/07/06/shock-horror-harry-potter-star-daniel-radcliffe-is-an-atheist/

Not surprising really seeing as how he's been acting alongside Richard Dawkins in every Harry Potter movie

Brilliant, my estimation of young Radcliffe has gone up another notch.

Dades

I'm more pleased to see Jim Broadbent speak out. It lends more gravitas when an elder and respected actor, such as his good self, muses about how it's all a lot of tosh.

Spectacular, spectacular!

GLaDOS

We agnostics got Neil Peart, thats all i care about :cool:

Gear9992

Yay, Golem is an athiest! I always knew
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Serkis

The Mad Hatter

Gear9992 wrote: »

Yay, Golem is an athiest! I always knew
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Serkis

Er...Gollum?

Handsome Bob

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

doesn't really deserve it's own thread:

http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/07/06/shock-horror-harry-potter-star-daniel-radcliffe-is-an-atheist/

Not surprising really seeing as how he's been acting alongside Richard Dawkins in every Harry Potter movie

Aw no you son of a bitch, why did you have to do that!:(

Coriolanus

I don't think Deists and Theists and Atheists alike should be able to "claim" anyone born before espousing agnostic and atheistic beliefs became non-burnable offences.
Copernicus say, you only need to look at the ****storm he brought down on himself for merely suggesting earth wasn't the centre of the universe (and yes, I know he wasn't the first. :P) Can you imagine if there'd been an appendix to his published work ala: Oh, and not just that, but I'm pretty certain that God doesn't exist. Nah nah!

I'm not saying he was an atheist, just saying that someone's published works aren't necessarily going to prove them a Theist in that kind of environment. Just as I think that anyone claiming to be an atheist in company that was hostile to religion should be taken with a grain of salt. We're all social animals after all.

Anyway, famous atheists... anyone who calls Sagan a B-lister needs to read his work before casting aspersions. I only mock and deride the parts of the Bible that I've read thoroughly after all.

ZorbaTehZ

SubjectSean wrote: »

Compared beside the genius calibre of candidates in the God-accepting group Carl Sagan and the other fellow you mention are strictly B list I feel.

I realise this post is 2 years old, but I must say this is probably the single most ignorant statement I've ever seen on boards.
Sagan is excusable perhaps, but to call Feynman "B list" is so staggering :eek:

igotone

Wow, this is SO amazing. Its further compounds my lack of faith that other famous people dont believe in a God.

This post wasn't a pointless subjective'attempt to make others feel less alienated by their lack of belief in a certain God.

Who are you trying to fool?

Zillah

igotone wrote: »

Wow, this is SO amazing. Its further compounds my lack of faith that other famous people dont believe in a God.

This post wasn't a pointless subjective'attempt to make others feel less alienated by their lack of belief in a certain God.

Who are you trying to fool?

What?

Tar.Aldarion

im pretty famouse dont believe in god, apart feom my man jameson ehat a man, amen

Zillah

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

im pretty famouse dont believe in god, apart feom my man jameson ehat a man, amen

Still getting to grips with that new ergonomic keyboard then?

Tar.Aldarion

look man ive had too much to know what ergonomic means but il will when ive got better you know. religipn ahah, what the ///? you nknow??

Since whn are you in canda, do you stil eat meat?, id like to live in canada, it a nice acce nt and poeple you know

Zillah

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

look man ive had too much to know what ergonomic means but il will when ive got better you know. religipn ahah, what the ///? you nknow??

Since whn are you in canda, do you stil eat meat?, id like to live in canada, it a nice acce nt and poeple you know

Awesome. Quoted for posterity. Yes I still eat meat but thank you for the quorn advice none the less. I'm in Canada since, er May or so? For a year, I'll be home.

CDfm

I dont know why Atheists never want Stalin and Pol Pot.

They touched so many peoples lives.

Dades

Ah, Stalin and Pol Pot.

The red-headed step-children of the atheist wall of fame.

CDfm

Dades wrote: »

Ah, Stalin and Pol Pot.

The red-headed step-children of the atheist wall of fame.

Yes and James Joyce - ya dont want him either.

Coriolanus

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

im pretty famouse dont believe in god, apart feom my man jameson ehat a man, amen

Pretty sure he's been sampling Mr Jamesons' fine green bottled wares.

crotalus667

The reason why people don’t mention Stalin and pol pot is very simple firstly Stalin’s atheism is very questionable secondly idiots always seem to think (with out any evidence at all) it was atheism that made them monstrous killer’s no dictator in the history of the planet has killed in the name of atheism ,

Wacker

Regarding Pol Pot and Stalin; I know it's Boards, and therefor repetition is inevitable, but is it really time to have that discussion again? Really?

Anyway, here's a link to a website that I look at from time to time:

http://www.askmen.com/top_10/celebrity/top-10-unknown-atheists.html

Not particularly exciting stuff, but it's ten more names to add to the list.

CDfm

crotalus667 wrote: »

The reason why people don’t mention Stalin and pol pot is very simple firstly Stalin’s atheism is very questionable secondly idiots always seem to think (with out any evidence at all) it was atheism that made them monstrous killer’s no dictator in the history of the planet has killed in the name of atheism ,

OK - but Nell McCafferty - I believe in the vengeful old testament atheist

crotalus667

CDfm wrote: »

OK - but Nell McCafferty - I believe in the vengeful old testament atheist

WTF ??? Try elaborating :rolleyes:

DiarmaidGNR

Stop miss-quoting Einstein, he was an atheist.

CDfm

crotalus667 wrote: »

WTF ??? Try elaborating :rolleyes:

ONe of your atheist mob and dont deny it and Einstein was influential as the Arabs say in developing technology for the nucleur arms race.

DiarmaidGNR

CDfm wrote: »

ONe of your atheist mob and dont deny it and Einstein was influential as the Arabs say in developing technology for the nucleur arms race.

Your point being?...

CDfm

DiarmaidGNR wrote: »

Your point being?...

Evil atheists are targeting children.Has it always been so?

DiarmaidGNR

I don't know how you you came to hold this view. And I don't know what you mean by it.
If you mean that atheists are grooming children to become future atheists you are wrong. Atheists tend to educate their children on all aspects of religion and let the child choose, we are open minded and don't have dogmatic views like religious people do.
And another thing, we don't indoctrinate children at birth like religious people do, - with baptism, circumcision, communion, confession, etc. etc. etc. - and you do most of this before the child can even read, - nevermind make an educated choice.

Tar.Aldarion

Zillah wrote: »

Awesome. Quoted for posterity. Yes I still eat meat but thank you for the quorn advice none the less. I'm in Canada since, er May or so? For a year, I'll be home.

Haha, I'm glad I managed to get some random questions out at least.
Saw a funny video with dawkins and peter singer on youtube where Dawkins is going on about agreeing with vegetarianism but goes along with eating meat like he goes along with celebrating christmas, heh. Enjoy Canada. /Jealous

Nevore wrote: »

Pretty sure he's been sampling Mr Jamesons' fine green bottled wares.

I blame my brother, "let's make some cocktails"
10 hours later...

Daniel Radcliffe is a famous one, my input. :pac:

crotalus667

CDfm wrote: »

ONe of your atheist mob and dont deny it

I am just wondering what your point is ?? Is it a case that you just don’t get sarcasm ??

CDfm wrote: »

and Einstein was influential as the Arabs say in developing technology for the nucleur arms race.

firstly explain the whole Arab thing ?? Secondly are you trying to say it was a bad thing that Einstein helped win the war ???

CDfm

You conveniently forget Microsoft the Evil Empire of Atheist Bill Gates and his quest for World Domination .

Tar.Aldarion

CDfm wrote: »

You conveniently forget Microsoft the Evil Empire of Atheist Bill Gates and his quest for World Domination .

When I quest for world domination I too create a transparent charity and give it all my money. :pac:

CerebralCortex

crotalus667 wrote: »

I am just wondering what your point is ?? Is it a case that you just don’t get sarcasm ??


firstly explain the whole Arab thing ?? Secondly are you trying to say it was a bad thing that Einstein helped win the war ???

Methinks tis a waste of time asking such questions of CDfm, I get the feeling he doesn't take this forum altogether to seriously.

CDfm

CerebralCortex wrote: »

Methinks tis a waste of time asking such questions of CDfm, I get the feeling he doesn't take this forum altogether to seriously.

Marquis de Sade,Jeffery Dahmer was during his killings,Ted Kaczynski,Ted Bundy, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris.

Lots of these were Serial Atheists.

Ive done my research.

CerebralCortex

CDfm wrote: »

Marquis de Sade,Jeffery Dahmer was during his killings,Ted Kaczynski,Ted Bundy, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris.

Lots of these were Serial Atheists.

Ive done my research.

Good don't doubt it for a second but that's not my point.

crotalus667

CDfm wrote: »

Marquis de Sade,Jeffery Dahmer was during his killings,Ted Kaczynski,Ted Bundy, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris.

Not one of them commeted a crime in the name of atheisism (dahmer tryed to shift the blame after the fact ,) Interesting you should of listed serial killers having studied them in my younger days , I came across not a single one that killed in the name of atheism however there are many that claimed to of killed because god told them to , in essence listing serial killer’s from your arguments point of view is an EPIC FAIL

CDfm wrote: »

Ive done my research.

If you don’t understand the fundamentals of the argument how can you expect to be able to research effectively ???