John Loftus posted the following quote from one of his readers that goes by the name articulett. My comments are in Red.
I think about my believing years, and it would have done me some good to hear people like Harris--or any smart person treating religious beliefs like the crazy delusions they are. When you treat these things with respect, then trusting people assume that there's something worthy of respect there-- that faith is something to be respected. I bet I would have found former preachers and priests turned atheists fascinating-- and there's growing numbers of them.
Not really surprised to observe that:
19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. - 1 John 2:19
"Blind" Faith - believing something without or despite evidence - is not to be respected. This is also confused with the "faith" discussed in the Bible. When I go sit in a chair in my house, I have faith that it will support my weight because it has held up my weight in the past and I haven't seen anyone fall from it. That's how faith in God works. It's an ongoing relationship where we trust God and God continually shows that He is faithful.
I'm glad we don't have to tiptoe around peoples'
magical beliefs any more. I think there is a lot to be said for declaring the emperor naked. Of course believers will rush and swear that the emperor is wearing magical robes and that they saw them and that the silly person calling the emperor naked doesn't know anything deep about magical fabrics-- but the seeds of doubt will be planted in young minds and they will have a choice that many of us didn't have until later in life.
I wonder if articulett was really a believer. I wonder if anyone understands what Christians believe if they think that it has anything to do with magic. The truly sad thing is the mistaken thought that magic is equivalent to the supernatural. They are not.
I do think that religion will mostly be associated with the less educated classes and the poorer in the future.
One day people will wonder how it is that people could have ever really believed such crazy things.
Wow. Of all the most condescending and arrogant and unsubstantiated things that could be written, this one is at the top. To accept thoughts like these, you would have to assume that believers are uneducated and economically disadvantaged. Does that make sense? I mean really? It ignores the fact that there are believers today that are intelligent, educated, and not impoverish. People whom God has reached into their lives and saved them from themselves. He can do the same for anyone who comes to Him.
Debunking Christianity: Quote of the Day, By articulett
Image via WikipediaChad has compiled a nice little summary of links collecting the links for resources of materials that show William Lane Craig's interactions with Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Samuel Harris, and Daniel Dennet - "The Four Horsemen of the New Atheism". Follow the link below
Image via WikipediaHere is a great essay from Elder Harvey Burnett. In this relatively short essay he takes on an often raised objection from atheists. Here it is as stated by Christopher Hitchens.
Image via WikipediaMichael Licona is an excellent scholar. I enjoy his work and his resources. Today, Brian Auten posted links to a good video online series Dr. Licona has made available that walks people through the evidence for Jesus' Resurrection. Follow the link to Apologetics 315 to get the series.
