Top Five things to do on Holy Week!1) Say “God damn” in public as much as possible (any excuse will do)2) Tell people they have “something on their forehead” on Ash Wednesday3) Go to a restaurant or coffee shop and read the Bible while periodically bursting out in hysterical laughter4) Go to church parking lots and put leaflets for an adult web site on cars. Count the hits to that site.5) Dress like a priest and go to strip clubs. Get drunk and rowdy so they throw you out.Got any more?
evil I would do that but if I even get close to rabbits my face swells up and I break out in hives so I’ve always had a kinda thing about rabbits never could stand them
Speaking of disgusting…
I was thinking about the crucifixion, and it occurred to me…when men are hanged, they often get erections and/or soil themselves.
I think an erection would have been unlikely, but wouldn’t it have been likely that jesus would have soiled himself at some point while on the cross?
And why did no objective observer mention this?
Karen,
love your “god-on-a-stick” comment. What is it with some of these xians who try to copy Christ?? I saw someone a couple of months ago walking up and down the main drag in town – he was dressed all in red (to represent blood??), and was dragging a cross.
And how about those people who actually get up ON a cross? and the small group of loonies who actually get themselves NAILED to a cross??
Wouldn’t you think other xians would think this was blasphemous?
Oh, and evil atheist,
I realize you’re trying to live up to your “evil” reputation – but leave the poor bunnies out of it! What did they ever do to deserve being dragged into this whole bloody crucifixion story???
I am reminded of a Heinlein novel (well, okay, almost everything reminds me of one of his stories). In this story, the main character takes trips back in time. He tries to go back to the time of Christ to see if he can verify that Christ actually existed. He keeps going back to different years, trying to pinpoint exactly when Christ was crucified and eventually gives up and decides to call it “The CruciFICTION.”
pixel:
sorry, but you got it wrong. my name has nothing to do with me being evil. go to http://www.carm.org/atheism.htm and look at the section on “Can an atheist be ethical?” my name comes from when i read that section and realized that christians seem to believe that atheists are evil aliens come to try and mix breeds with the so-called “normal” humans (which are all christians, according to them). and the bunny is just because this thread is about things to do during holy week, which may or may not involve easter, including (for some obscure reason) the easter bunny. don’t worry, i’m not one of those creepy assholes that tortures animals. i’m one of those people that beats the shit out of those creepy assholes. just so we’re clear.
pixel,
Heinlein rules.
Karen,
I read some interesting historic accounts of crucifixion. They were probably a lot worse than we imagine. The reality is that most people who were crucified were on very short crosses so that passers by could spit on them. We tend to think of jesus being raised 20′ in the air, while the reality is he would be just high enough so his feet wouldn’t be on the ground. In other words, he was at eye level. Normally they would throw the bodies of those crucified on trash heaps so the wild dogs would eat the remains. One of the worst parts is that, sometimes, and it doesn’t bear much thinking about, they would nail them to the cross by the genitals. ooof. Most of the people crucified died by asphyxiation. They would have a little foot rest to stand on so they would last longer. Try holding your arms outstretched and high for a while. You’ll notice it affects you breathing. Additionally, birds would come and peck out the eyes of those unfortunate enough to last a long time and again (I know I’m coming back to it) would peck out the genitals. eeeewwwwwwww and oooooouch. There is no clear evidence that jesus was crucified right side up or up side down. This is probably a lot more than you wanted to know. The lucky ones had their legs broken by the guards.
pixel
That in turn reminds me of a book by Michael Moorcock (I think) where a traveller goes back in time to verify the whole xian story, and ends up becoming the one to be crucified as a god. (Knowledge of the future and all that.
wdo,
I for one wouldn’t like the theists to all leave this blog, and I think most here would agree.
I respect spanders more with every post of his I read,(though the last one was pretty gross).
And I think some posters would loose all will to live if they couldn’t kick phreedom around every so often.
Ha! Found the book to which I was referring (read it at least 25 years ago):
You seem to insist on reading things that I don?t write. I wrote: ?And yes, I?ve had fun at the expense of others, but I also try to be aware of their individual ?lines? so that I don?t cross them. Of course, you?d be right to point out that this might not a good place to expect those particular lines to be honored (as they relate to Christianity).?
So, 1) I try to be aware of others? lines, and 2) I don?t expect my lines to be honored here, given the nature of this blog.
So much for reciprocal altruism. How will society survive?
Again, where did I tell you that you can or can?t do anything? If I ask for sensitivity, do you interpret that as a demand?
Where did I do that?
Profound. I?ll alert the media. (See, I CAN poke fun. This is great.)
So, you believe in absolute morality, too? We?re more philosophically aligned than I thought.
Why?
I’m always amazed by how simple things look when they’re turned around. It’s a real simple exercise. I think you learn it when you’re in kindegarten or something. “How would that make YOU feel?”
So, in theory: I go to a Christian blog. They’re chilling, talking about God or whatever. And I go in and say “hey, I don’t believe in him, do you think you could honor MY beliefs a little bit, and respect MY point of view? Can we try not to talk about it as a fact? After all, not EVERYONE here believes in him.”
That’d be a little ridiculous, eh? It might be one thing for me to go there for a little innocent debate, or for the conversation in general. But to just show up and demand that everyone respect my beliefs, just because I happen to be different, seems a little crazy.
Seems I should know what I’m getting into.
HeatheNZ,
Along this same line is a short story I read years ago by Harry Harrison where two space explorers landed on a planet inhabited by a race of peaceful, simple creatures who took everything told them literally.
One explorer was an Atheist, the other an evengelical Christian. The Christian convinced the aliens he was right and was promptly crucified. Unfortunately they crucified the Atheist also if memory serves me right.
I can’t remember the title and I loaned the book to an ex-girlfriend and never got it back.
Have I made any demands? I was asking for sensitivity (and then pointed out that I probably shouldn’t expect it). Is it inappropriate to ask?
Would it be inappropriate of me to ask?
Normally a little bit of sensitivity could be expected. But in my theoretical situation, I step into a conversation that by nature “offends” me somehow, and my request for respect of my beliefs means the whole NATURE of the discussion changes.
Would it be inappropriate of me to ask?
I’m interested. Tell me. How did it happen for you?
evil alien atheist,
That bunny comment was funny as hell. Where do you come up with that stuff?
esperdome,
Harry Harrison is amazing. I’ve read his “West of Eden” series.
wdo,
No, you’re not wrong to ask for understanding. And yes, I do read your posts all the way through. My entire point is that to come onto a joke thread (of all threads) on an atheist website (of all websites) and ask for sensitivity is like a muslim entering a hardcore southern church during christmas and asking for his beliefs to be tolerated. Okay, bad analogy, but I couldn’t think of any better.
Reciprocal altruism? Please. That’s an oxymoron. Feel free to make fun of science all you want, and I’ll make fun of christianity all I want. The difference is, I can back up my claims.
Evil Alien-
Oh, I know you’re not really trying to be evil – I know you were just kidding about the bunny, and I was just teasing you back!
Deadly-
It makes me happy to hear you say that!!
Heathen & Esperdome-
Those stories sound interesting – I’ll have to look for them!
pixel,
I did some research and found the name of the story I was refering to is “The Streets of Ashkelon”.
The story was difficult for him to place because it featured an Atheist as the protagonist.
Harry Harrison is listed as a Famous Atheist, and while not as recognized as Heinlein,( also one of my favorites), he’s a personal favorite of mine and has the advantage of stil being alive.
I?m not asking for my ?beliefs to be tolerated.? If they weren?t challenged, I wouldn?t be interested in participating. I?m merely saying that some vulgarities seem deliberately aimed below the belt. That?s not philosophically challenging, it?s just undisguised hostility offered up for its own sake. I noted earlier that it benefits no one, but it does effectively alienate some. And despite the context, a few people agreed that some of it was a bit over the top for their sensibilities.
Anyway, I understand your point, which is why I said earlier that I shouldn?t expect much sympathy.
I think so, too, but it?s not according to r4d et al.
It?s a novel idea that has its origins in evolutionary ethics. Look it up.
Hmm. I don?t recall having done that here. But which science are we talking about? If it?s psychology (definitely a SOFT science), I will reserve the right to criticize it at my leisure. Sometimes spontaneously. Oh, and I?ve not asserted anything here that I haven?t been willing to support. You may not accept my evidence, but it?s compelling for someone with my obvious intellectual limitations. Besides, I have every confidence that these discussions will soon produce a strong consensus on questions like: ?Why is there something instead of nothing?? and ?How did nothing produce something??
I think we’re all applying a different meaning to the word “Altruism”.
Dictionary.com:
Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness.
“Reciprocal” implies “something in return for something else”. Which would not be unselfish at all. So yes, reciprocal altruism is an oxymoron.
Never much liked the idea of altruism anyways.
“it benefits no one, but it does effectively alienate some”
You’re wrong. It benefits me; I was having a downright rotten day until I read some of these posts, at which point I smiled and began to have a decidedly better attitude. Yes, it’s over-the-top vulgar humor in some cases. Yes, such humor is sometimes necessary; are you looking for a complete ban on “unpleasant” jokes?
Er. . . that dictionary.com thing is about “Altruism”. Forgot to label it.
Lol. DD, I don’t personally disagree with you. But look it up on Wikipedia for starters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocal_altruism) and you’ll see that it’s a concept that supports a Darwinian explanation for the natural development of morality in society. In other words, it will make you a better atheist if you know this stuff.
Nah, that wouldn’t be any fun at all.
I’ll take a look, but as far as I can see (which, speaking in metaphysical terms, isn’t very far) altruism of any kind has nothing to do with evolution. If you’re implying that our morality comes from a God, then obviously I will refute. Maybe I’ve been affected a bit too much by Ayn Rand to take altruism seriously.
It’s good that you’re not completely against a bit of dirty humor. Anyways, it seems we’re the only ones left on this thread.
Yeah, probably time to bail on this one.
Like this: