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	<title>Comments on: Best wishes to Ms. Dunn and Congratulations to Dr. Pigliucci</title>
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	<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio</link>
	<description>A Blog of Atheist Thought</description>
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		<title>By: Edward</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81371</link>
		<dc:creator>Edward</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81371</guid>
		<description>Why in the world would atheists get married? One thinks the other is merely dust with no reason for existing except to breed. They have no moral foundation to expect either one to be faithful, and if one day he or she goes out for a pack of smokes and never comes back, the saddness and loss are nothing more than biochemical neuronal responses in the synapses of the other one&#039;s gray matter. Nothing to be concerned about.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Oh well, maybe being married will help them see the light. After all, they could have just moved in together like good atheists and mutually parasited off of one another. Maybe being married will help them see the light.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Is my diatribe there a suitable toast? Maybe with a Jameson on the rocks, but I certainly wouldn&#039;t have held up a Chardonnay to say it.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
So, good luck Mr. and Ms. Piglucci (Let me guess, they&#039;re keeping their own last names and separate checking accounts, right?)</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Why in the world would atheists get married? One thinks the other is merely dust with no reason for existing except to breed. They have no moral foundation to expect either one to be faithful, and if one day he or she goes out for a pack of smokes and never comes back, the saddness and loss are nothing more than biochemical neuronal responses in the synapses of the other one&#8217;s gray matter. Nothing to be concerned about.</p>
<p>Oh well, maybe being married will help them see the light. After all, they could have just moved in together like good atheists and mutually parasited off of one another. Maybe being married will help them see the light.</p>
<p>Is my diatribe there a suitable toast? Maybe with a Jameson on the rocks, but I certainly wouldn&#8217;t have held up a Chardonnay to say it.</p>
<p>So, good luck Mr. and Ms. Piglucci (Let me guess, they&#8217;re keeping their own last names and separate checking accounts, right?)</p>
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		<title>By: atomictesting</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81382</link>
		<dc:creator>atomictesting</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81382</guid>
		<description>Congratulations!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Edward,&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;blockquote&gt;Why in the world would atheists get married?&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
For many of us it&#039;s because it&#039;s a civil arrangement that ensures a lot of things get taken care of should one of the two die/become ill/etc.  The law recognizes marraige before next of kin.  Property immediately stays with the remaining spouse.  Like it or not, there are a lot of benefits that come with marraige (including tax benefits).  If there weren&#039;t any, many atheists might not bother with it at all.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Still, those of us that hide our atheism from our families (I&#039;m not one of these) may choose this route to remain inconspicuous.  Others may celebrate it for completely non-religious reasons (a purely social function and excuse for celebration); marraige is practiced throughout the world, and that includes tribal cultures where no beliefs in deities exist.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;blockquote&gt;They have no moral foundation to expect either one to be faithful&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
You can keep telling yourself this if it makes you feel better.  Coming here and telling us this is merely being insulting (directly calling us immoral).  Morality is not the sole province of religion.  We&#039;ve discussed this topic many times, read into it a bit more.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;blockquote&gt;and if one day he or she goes out for a pack of smokes and never comes back, the saddness [sic] and loss are nothing more than biochemical neuronal [sic] responses in the synapses of the other one&#039;s gray matter. Nothing to be concerned about.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Maybe some of us don&#039;t smoke because we know this is the only life we get and we&#039;re not sitting around waiting for an imaginary friend to whisk us away to a better place.  Atheism is not the same as nihilism either.  You really could use a good dictionary (short of a good education).  The lack of belief in your (or anyone else&#039;s) deity has no bearing on humanity - it doesn&#039;t make us unfeeling robots that are incapable of feeling or caring about the loss of loved ones.  By making this claim, you&#039;re insulting us.  You&#039;re calling us inhuman because it makes you feel more secure in your position.  Hitler couldn&#039;t have gassed so many Jews if he couldn&#039;t first dehumanize them.  You can&#039;t keep your head in your ass as long as you can find ways to dehumanize us.  See the corollary?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;blockquote&gt;Oh well, maybe being married will help them see the light.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
If you mean you believe they&#039;ll start rolling around on the floor, speaking in &quot;tongues&quot; and handling snakes all in the name of jebus, I doubt it.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;blockquote&gt;After all, they could have just moved in together like good atheists and mutually parasited off of one another. Maybe being married will help them see the light.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Or they could have been two of a million religious parasites that feed off of society&#039;s indulgence to obtain free cadillacs (compliments of tithing) and free reign to rape our children.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Which atheist organization rapes children and covers it up?  Which atheist organization was responsible for the Inquisition?  Which was responsible for burning people at the stake?  Which accused innocent people of &quot;witchcraft&quot; and hanged them in Salem?  Which meets every sunday to request money to build churches to atheism?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Yep, we&#039;re immoral parasites alright.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Congratulations!</p>
<p>Edward,</p>
<blockquote><p>Why in the world would atheists get married?</p></blockquote>
<p>
For many of us it&#8217;s because it&#8217;s a civil arrangement that ensures a lot of things get taken care of should one of the two die/become ill/etc.  The law recognizes marraige before next of kin.  Property immediately stays with the remaining spouse.  Like it or not, there are a lot of benefits that come with marraige (including tax benefits).  If there weren&#8217;t any, many atheists might not bother with it at all.</p>
<p>Still, those of us that hide our atheism from our families (I&#8217;m not one of these) may choose this route to remain inconspicuous.  Others may celebrate it for completely non-religious reasons (a purely social function and excuse for celebration); marraige is practiced throughout the world, and that includes tribal cultures where no beliefs in deities exist.</p>
<blockquote><p>They have no moral foundation to expect either one to be faithful</p></blockquote>
<p>
You can keep telling yourself this if it makes you feel better.  Coming here and telling us this is merely being insulting (directly calling us immoral).  Morality is not the sole province of religion.  We&#8217;ve discussed this topic many times, read into it a bit more.</p>
<blockquote><p>and if one day he or she goes out for a pack of smokes and never comes back, the saddness [sic] and loss are nothing more than biochemical neuronal [sic] responses in the synapses of the other one&#8217;s gray matter. Nothing to be concerned about.</p></blockquote>
<p>
Maybe some of us don&#8217;t smoke because we know this is the only life we get and we&#8217;re not sitting around waiting for an imaginary friend to whisk us away to a better place.  Atheism is not the same as nihilism either.  You really could use a good dictionary (short of a good education).  The lack of belief in your (or anyone else&#8217;s) deity has no bearing on humanity &#8211; it doesn&#8217;t make us unfeeling robots that are incapable of feeling or caring about the loss of loved ones.  By making this claim, you&#8217;re insulting us.  You&#8217;re calling us inhuman because it makes you feel more secure in your position.  Hitler couldn&#8217;t have gassed so many Jews if he couldn&#8217;t first dehumanize them.  You can&#8217;t keep your head in your ass as long as you can find ways to dehumanize us.  See the corollary?</p>
<blockquote><p>Oh well, maybe being married will help them see the light.</p></blockquote>
<p>
If you mean you believe they&#8217;ll start rolling around on the floor, speaking in &#8220;tongues&#8221; and handling snakes all in the name of jebus, I doubt it.</p>
<blockquote><p>After all, they could have just moved in together like good atheists and mutually parasited off of one another. Maybe being married will help them see the light.</p></blockquote>
<p>
Or they could have been two of a million religious parasites that feed off of society&#8217;s indulgence to obtain free cadillacs (compliments of tithing) and free reign to rape our children.</p>
<p>Which atheist organization rapes children and covers it up?  Which atheist organization was responsible for the Inquisition?  Which was responsible for burning people at the stake?  Which accused innocent people of &#8220;witchcraft&#8221; and hanged them in Salem?  Which meets every sunday to request money to build churches to atheism?</p>
<p>Yep, we&#8217;re immoral parasites alright.</p>
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		<title>By: Rusty Shackleford</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81384</link>
		<dc:creator>Rusty Shackleford</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81384</guid>
		<description>Wow!  Edward is a hateful little Christian, isn&#039;t he?</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wow!  Edward is a hateful little Christian, isn&#8217;t he?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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	<item>
		<title>By: subflea</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81385</link>
		<dc:creator>subflea</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81385</guid>
		<description>Wow, Edward once again uses a straw man argument.  Who would have guessed.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Wow, Edward once again uses a straw man argument.  Who would have guessed.</p>
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		<title>By: septos</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81387</link>
		<dc:creator>septos</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81387</guid>
		<description>Edward&lt;br /&gt;
 Whats the purpose of making up a bunch of stories about people you know nothing about.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Edward<br />
 Whats the purpose of making up a bunch of stories about people you know nothing about.</p>
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		<title>By: karen</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81395</link>
		<dc:creator>karen</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81395</guid>
		<description>My best wishes to the happy couple! I hope they are also living in NYC, and not in some babble belt area, so they can be open in their atheism. It&#039;s great that they had a secular official  for their ceremony. My husband and I used a JP, who owed a favor to my boss, who was, ahem, &quot;connected&quot;. The JP grudgingly left out all references to gawd from the ceremony, but said we wouldn&#039;t last 5 years. That was 1977.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My best wishes to the happy couple! I hope they are also living in NYC, and not in some babble belt area, so they can be open in their atheism. It&#8217;s great that they had a secular official  for their ceremony. My husband and I used a JP, who owed a favor to my boss, who was, ahem, &#8220;connected&#8221;. The JP grudgingly left out all references to gawd from the ceremony, but said we wouldn&#8217;t last 5 years. That was 1977.</p>
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		<title>By: rna2dna</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81399</link>
		<dc:creator>rna2dna</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81399</guid>
		<description>Congratulations!&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Christians, do notice that weddings are happy occasions if no god-ideas are referenced.&lt;br /&gt;
</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Congratulations!</p>
<p>Christians, do notice that weddings are happy occasions if no god-ideas are referenced.</p>
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	<item>
		<title>By: alexatheist</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81417</link>
		<dc:creator>alexatheist</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81417</guid>
		<description>&lt;blockquote&gt;the saddness and loss are nothing more than biochemical neuronal responses in the synapses of the other one&#039;s gray matter. Nothing to be concerned about.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Just because we understand the neurochemical process that creates feelings like love and sadness does not invalidate them or make them any less real.  As Shakespeare penned &quot;A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.&quot;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote><p>the saddness and loss are nothing more than biochemical neuronal responses in the synapses of the other one&#8217;s gray matter. Nothing to be concerned about.</p></blockquote>
<p>Just because we understand the neurochemical process that creates feelings like love and sadness does not invalidate them or make them any less real.  As Shakespeare penned &#8220;A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>By: Antigone</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81421</link>
		<dc:creator>Antigone</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81421</guid>
		<description>Edward: &lt;br /&gt;
Separate banking accounts are a MUST. Smart women know this. Idiots lose their shirt in divorce settlements. Marriage is a crapshoot. You are exceedingly naive. </description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Edward: <br />
Separate banking accounts are a MUST. Smart women know this. Idiots lose their shirt in divorce settlements. Marriage is a crapshoot. You are exceedingly naive.</p>
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	<item>
		<title>By: Antigone</title>
		<link>http://atheists.org/blog/2008/04/22/best_wishes_to_ms_dunn_and_congratulatio/comment-page-1#comment-81423</link>
		<dc:creator>Antigone</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">#comment-81423</guid>
		<description>Biblical Marriage (Ahem, Edward): From the Godless Geeks of Silicon Valley:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
1.Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she&#039;s yours. (Deuteronomy 21:11-13) &lt;br /&gt;
2.Find a prostitute and marry her. (Hosea 1:1-3) &lt;br /&gt;
3.Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock. (Moses -- Exodus 2:16-21) &lt;br /&gt;
4.Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal. (Boaz -- Ruth 4:5-10) &lt;br /&gt;
5.Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife. (Benjaminites -- Judges 21:19-25) &lt;br /&gt;
6.Have God create a wife for you while you sleep. Note: this will cost you. (Adam -- Genesis 2:19-24) &lt;br /&gt;
7. Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman&#039;s hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That&#039;s right. Fourteen years of toil for a wife. (Jacob -- Genesis 29:15-30) &lt;br /&gt;
8. Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law&#039;s enemies and get his daughter for a wife. (David -- 1 Samuel 18:27)&lt;br /&gt;
Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you&#039;ll definitely find someone. (It&#039;s all relative, of course.) (Cain -- Genesis 4:16-17) &lt;br /&gt;
Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest. (Xerxes or Ahasuerus -- Esther 2:3-4)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, &quot;I have seen a ... woman; now get her for me.&quot; If your parents question your decision, simply say, &quot;Get her for me. She&#039;s the one for me.&quot; (Samson -- Judges 14:1-3) &lt;br /&gt;
Kill any husband and take HIS wife (Prepare to lose four sons, though). (David -- 2 Samuel 11) &lt;br /&gt;
Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. (It&#039;s not just a good idea; it&#039;s the law.) (Onana and Boaz -- Deuteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth) &lt;br /&gt;
Don&#039;t be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity. (Solomon -- 1 Kings 11:1-3) &lt;br /&gt;
Separate banks accounts??? HELL YEAH!!!</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Biblical Marriage (Ahem, Edward): From the Godless Geeks of Silicon Valley:</p>
<p>1.Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she&#8217;s yours. (Deuteronomy 21:11-13) <br />
2.Find a prostitute and marry her. (Hosea 1:1-3) <br />
3.Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock. (Moses &#8212; Exodus 2:16-21) <br />
4.Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal. (Boaz &#8212; Ruth 4:5-10) <br />
5.Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife. (Benjaminites &#8212; Judges 21:19-25) <br />
6.Have God create a wife for you while you sleep. Note: this will cost you. (Adam &#8212; Genesis 2:19-24) <br />
7. Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman&#8217;s hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That&#8217;s right. Fourteen years of toil for a wife. (Jacob &#8212; Genesis 29:15-30) <br />
8. Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law&#8217;s enemies and get his daughter for a wife. (David &#8212; 1 Samuel 18:27)<br />
Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you&#8217;ll definitely find someone. (It&#8217;s all relative, of course.) (Cain &#8212; Genesis 4:16-17) <br />
Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest. (Xerxes or Ahasuerus &#8212; Esther 2:3-4)</p>
<p>When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, &#8220;I have seen a &#8230; woman; now get her for me.&#8221; If your parents question your decision, simply say, &#8220;Get her for me. She&#8217;s the one for me.&#8221; (Samson &#8212; Judges 14:1-3) <br />
Kill any husband and take HIS wife (Prepare to lose four sons, though). (David &#8212; 2 Samuel 11) <br />
Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. (It&#8217;s not just a good idea; it&#8217;s the law.) (Onana and Boaz &#8212; Deuteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth) <br />
Don&#8217;t be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity. (Solomon &#8212; 1 Kings 11:1-3) <br />
Separate banks accounts??? HELL YEAH!!!</p>
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