The most wonderful video from Cable News about the folly of religion

[Dan Ken]

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/21134540/vp/51669331#51669331

Religion and modern weaponry... a toxic combination.

I think religious folks who post here, in the religion forum, need to re-think the value of religious beliefs, and how they are really NOT "beliefs" but a symptom of a deadly and destructive sickness among supposedly "logical" thinking human beings.

I never knew of a primate, an ape, a Neanderthal, a Hom-Erectus, who was the result of evolution, that gave the powers to destroy that moden human beings now have available to them.....only since the last century in the history of human evolution, did humans have the power and the rights and the opportunity to wipe out so many thousands of human being's lives, all in the name or one religion or another religion.

Now, religious folks: tell us how religion benefites us human foliks, and give specific examples, where in the last 500 years did religion SAVE a single life NOT endangered by a human with a certain religious set of beliefs?

Examples, Examples, Examples... give us a few hundred thousand examples, please!

[Deep13]

1. So natural disasters or violence at the hands of atheists only, then? nt

[Dan Ken]

2. Sorry, don't understand your post, please explain!

Are the bombings in Boston "natural disasters" or the one in a town called "West" Texas, (east of the center of Texas, but I know Texas doen't do well with geography).

Please, post an explanation, or maybe just a "sarcasm" icon?

Or are you one of a few hundred million still on this planet that actually believed there was a god that put us here?

[IrishAyes]

5. Did you roll out of bed this morning with nothing else to entertain yourself?

Besides picking a totally useless fight about religion? Seems to me that's most of the problem - people unwilling to let others go their own way w/o stirring up trouble. And that goes for atheists same as everybody else.

[Act_of_Reparation]

9. This is a discussion forum, not an echochamber

If a diversity of ideas gets your knickers in a twist, perchance you should head over to the interfaith group.

[IrishAyes]

10. Oh, NOW I understand!

In a discussion forum, it's okay for you to say anything but - in the name of free speech - anyone who disagrees with you had better keep his trap shut. My bad.

[struggle4progress]

12. This group permits a wide variety of opinion, from a wide variety of personalities,

and you are as welcome to post your views here as anyone

My general advice is: try to ignore any bullying, which often seems merely intended to disrupt honest conversation by provoking knee-jerk reactions

[Act_of_Reparation]

13. No, you clearly don't.

Part of participating in a discussion forum is accepting the possibility someone may say something with which you disagree. If you are not mature enough to deal with differences in perspective or opinion without resorting to ad hominem drivel (which, it would seem, you are not), there is a group specifically tailored to your needs, where no "militant atheists" dare question the authenticity of religious belief.

[IrishAyes]

14. Fortunately your opinion does not control reality

And the only thing I don't understand is why you feel free to disrespect me (in the name of free speech) in the same breath that you squawk about my disagreeing with you. Are you the only one entitled to free speech? I'm not out of my lane because the group is titled Religion, not Anti-Religion for Atheists Only. Were it the latter, I wouldn't trouble you. But it's not.

Matter of fact, since I have made my point already, regardless of your refusal to see or accept it, I'm moving on for now. Got better things to do. Dad always said only a jackass answers every donkey that brays.

[mr blur]

16. No, you really don't.

You can say whatever you like within the 'rules' but you cannot insist on not being offended. Offence cannot be given, only taken.

[okasha]

22. I think I'll bookmark your post

and quote it to The Usual Suspects as occasion warrants.

Thanks.

[IrishAyes]

25. So following that line of 'reasoning',

If a person goes farther and injures someone, it's not the aggressor's fault? It lies all in how the recipient reacts?

Actually what's going on here is a lame attempt to justify dishonorable behavior and avoid MY question of why one person's right to speak overrides that of another person.

In dog terms, it's backfilling. But no matter how deeply buried, the turd remains.

[Act_of_Reparation]

28. You really have no idea what you're talking about, do you?

Your right to speak was never questioned. The content of your post was.

The OP made an argument you found distasteful. You replied with an ad hominem attack, accusing him/her of seeking conflict, rather than directly addressing the arguments raised. It was therefore suggested that if you found yourself incapable of discussion--that is, an exchange of ideas, not personal insults--that you seek out a safe haven group where your virgin eyes need not be exposed to inflammatory material you are clearly incapable of addressing directly.

Or, you can continue to post here, yelping like a dog scraping its ass across the pavement whenever somebody says something you find personally upsetting. I for one won't be paying any further attention to it.

[No Vested Interest]

15. Actually, it is mostly an echo chamber

Each day when I click on the Religion(Group) I sort of laugh to myself that the majority of postings on the "Religion" group are in fact "anti-religion".

The same posters day after day, and really, what do they have to gain from it? The names become well-known for their stance against religion, and, therefore, their statements become predictable - i.e., uninteresting. Are they trying to make converts to their cause?

The attitude here - picking a fight when others are just going going about their daily business- makes one want to move quickly on.

I don't enjoy being in the company of unpleasant people, and don't come to DU for that purpose.

[mr blur]

17. "just going going about their daily business"?

This is a group for talking about religion, from all points of view - not a safe haven for believers. If you want that, look elsewhere on DU. And try getting over yourself before you become one of those "unpleasant people" who dare to think differently from you.

[No Vested Interest]

21. Thank you for your input. nt

[IrishAyes]

26. I think I'll take a page from your book and give this place a wide berth for the most part

It's sad that a group with such an interesting title turns out to be swarming with snakes.

[Deep13]

7. You wrote...

"...where in the last 500 years did religion SAVE a single life NOT endangered by a human with a certain religious set of beliefs? "

So religion would have to save a life that was not endangered by persons with religious beliefs. You did NOT say that the beliefs of the third persons had to be why they put our hypothetical victim in danger. So as long as the danger is coming from persons who hold some religious beliefs, it does not count as an answer.

[IrishAyes]

3. Back with longwinded personal examples later;

However, right now, might I suggest you rethink blaming the song even though most of the choir's tone deaf?

[struggle4progress]

4. Is it your thesis that religion is responsible for modern weaponry?

[rug]

6. Interesting video, ludicrous commentary.

[IrishAyes]

11. Beyond ludicrous. Bellicose. Unworthy of further attention.

[Goblinmonger]

31. And your attitude in this thread isn't bellicose?

If it isn't, then it is patronizingly dismissive. Neither of those options paint you in a positive light.

[edhopper]

18. Maddow's commentary

or the OP's?

[rug]

23. The OP's.

She's not saying what he is.

[cleanhippie]

8. but a symptom of a deadly and destructive sickness among supposedly "logical" thinking human beings

Bingo.

[cbayer]

19. Lol, Dan Ken. Welcome to the religion group.

[okasha]

20. The full moon brings them out.

nt

[cbayer]

32. Mission accomplished. This thread has done exactly what was intended.

[Meshuga]

24. This video is not even about religion

There is a huge disconnect between the video and your questioning. I don't see how the "religious folks who post here" can even address this post without a "wtf?"

The post shows similar ignorance and stupidity as posts demanding answers from atheists after offering material about atrocities commited by Stalin. It is a non siquitur and a painfully dumb one.

What is the point of being a "free thinker" devoid of "religious shackles" if you are unable or unwilling to exercise your own noodle?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

27. I think you've clumsily stated something Christopher Hitchens said.

He said "Name me one thing that a Christian has done that could not have been done without religion."

So far, nobody has come up with an answer to that.

[Leontius]

29. Why should there be or need to be something done by a Christian that could not be done

without religion?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

30. Hitchens is showing how unnecessary religion is to good works.

The larger point is that you can have morality and good works without religion. So there is nothing unique that religious people can do that the non-religious cannot.