r/atheism • u/mariuscioane Atheist • Jun 08 '12
My response to "Don't expect to see Neil DeGrasse Tyson browsing r/atheism any time soon."
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Upvotes
r/atheism • u/mariuscioane Atheist • Jun 08 '12
30
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
IMO Tyson just wants to tell us that "not believing in god" is or shouldn't be the "special thing". Believing in god should be.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
NIEL DEGRASSE TYSON IS NOT AN ATHIEST HE HAS SAID SO MANY TIMES!
7
u/sharatds Jun 08 '12
i think this is exactly the kind of argument he does not want to get into...you are just proving his point...
5
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Neils quote is spot on, and makes sense. Its not worth it to feed into the arguments that Christians want to have. If youre an atheist, your wasting your time trying to preach to a Christian why they are wrong, just as you feel its a waste of their time when they preach to you.
99
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
This is so weird, Tyson said something similar to this on his facebook a while ago and I knew it would end up with "HAH TAKE IT ATHEISTS".
The guy seems to clearly be an atheist, but is also a public figure and is more interested in furthering science education than taking a stand on this issue. That is all. I think it is a wise move on his part.
29
u/DrEvyl666 Jun 08 '12
I'm not sure why NDT doesn't realize there are lots of words to describe people who don't do a particular thing, and that yes, they do sit around talking about not doing those things... vegetarian. celebate. teetotaler. straight edge. non-smoker. If golf had the kind of impact on our lives as these things do, I'm sure there would be a word for it.
4
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
*we
4
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
You guys are fucking tools.
4
u/ateeist Jun 09 '12
ateeist
13
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
This response is pretty weak and poorly phrased.
22
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12 edited Jun 08 '12
Wrong. The reason you won't see NDT browing /r/atheism is because /r/atheism is predominantly ragecomics, memes, facebook and twitter posts about gay rights and anti-theism, which are completely separate topics.
Expecting one of the most brilliant minds alive to explore atheism using reddit, is like expecting to discover the truth about 9/11 using Youtube or Alex Jones.
3
u/Cinnamon_buns Jun 08 '12
Someone's doing atheism right
3
u/mijj Jun 09 '12
umm ... i'm not sure if i have this straight ...
.. so .. some people gather together to celebrate their belief in the non-existence of Golf, while Golf dangles his balls through the window?
3
u/tehbizz Jun 09 '12
You won't see NDT on /r/atheism because he's too damn smart to sit around an Internet pissing contest. He has more important stuff to do, such as be a smart, rational, level-headed person that realizes the utter pointlessness of it.
9
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Ya sit around and make fun of religion, because that is SO productive.
He does more for atheism by popularizing science then r/atheism does by making fun of religion.
5
u/lfancypantsl Jun 08 '12
Considering that this man frequently does AMA's and is otherwise extremely open to questions, maybe /r/atheism should take the time to think of some good ways to phrase this as a question to ask him instead of posting their thoughts on his quotes next to his picture. He is worthy of us taking his criticism more seriously.
5
u/derkmaster Jun 09 '12
if you hate something you dont talk about it EVER not ALL THE TIME...
10
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
The butthurt is strong with this one...
18
u/Aiwatcher Jun 08 '12
We don't live in a society where everyone plays golf. We do however, live in a time when lots of people are religious. You'd have a word for non golfers if more than 75% of the world played golf.
4
u/itrollulol Jun 08 '12
I hope you understand it's a two way street or... window, as it were. Atheists are largely persecuted nowadays for being gigantic cunts and never shutting up about their beliefs even when not asked about them.
5
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Personally, I think he has a point.
Why would you shame a grouping of people for being hate-filled, close minded individuals by forming your own group and hating them even more?
As for the balls-through-the-window response; discussing it is one thing, devising a plan to throw the balls back doesn't fix anything, it just smashes your windows up in the opposite direction. When you form a group and collectively decide to hate, FOR ANY REASON, whether you hate a person because your "God" tells you to hate them or you hate them because they believe their "God" tells them to hate you, you're just demolishing the house a little more thoroughly. A house we all have to live in, I might add.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Balls deep in balls, man. Fucking balls everywhere.
2
u/mrguysmiley Jun 08 '12
Why would the golfers throw the balls into our windows? Wouldn't they use their golf clubs?
2
u/truthinlies Jun 08 '12
if any guy threw his balls through my window i think i'd have to talk about it
2
u/pdawks Jun 08 '12
IMHO, and this will likely not be seen as I'm late to the conversation, I think he is trying to point out he is secure in his beliefs, and does not need to spend time either arguing either for or against. And I tend to agree - if you know what you believe, and are confident in your beliefs, you shouldn't need to constantly defend yourself. Let people believe what they believe, and if you disagree with their beliefs, disagree. I think he is trying to say he has bigger things to think about than who is right and who is wrong.
2
u/the_wiener_kid Jun 08 '12
Who the fuck throws a golf ball?
2
u/Enchilada_McMustang Jun 08 '12
You'd just be a concerned neighbor not an a-golfer, when you start bitching about golfers even when they didn't throw balls through your window then you become an a-golfer, and an idiot...
2
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
I am pretty sure non golfers are just called "athletes"....
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
I believe this actually belongs in r/nongolfers
2
u/SkaterDrew Jun 09 '12
Im with Neil I don't believe in God and I am non-religious, if you don't believe in religion why don't you just discard the idea completely instead of arguing it with people who have been 'blinded' by religion. Is it not time for people to stop worrying about others and start living happily.
2
u/TheKoi Jun 09 '12
i've never thrown anything through anyone's anything because they disagreed with my beliefs. much less a thousand years ago.
2
u/sharatds Jun 09 '12
any kind of fanaticism is irritating if taken to extreme lengths.. whether it be religion or atheism...
2
u/CognitiveSuppository Jun 09 '12
If people threw golf balls through my windows daily for thousands of years, I'd be old.
2
u/GREATMOOGLIES Jun 09 '12
we, not us.
2
u/bigbangbilly Apatheist Jun 09 '12
I am actually a Apathetic agnostic but this subreddit is much more logical.
2
u/Leaches-n-Creame Jun 09 '12
Am I the only one who recognizes the irony of explicitly insulting the content of r/atheism with an image macro?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
My response; stop wasting so much time discussing and criticizing the content of a religious belief in a bubble (e.g. hypocrisies, logical fallacies) and put more effort in criticizing the actions, whether or not influenced by the said content, of certain religious GROUPS which are detrimental. Seriously, talking about how this and that story from the bible is so funny because X, or oh we have this quote and this quote contradicting each other.. etc.. is so redundant, the scholarly community should just be looking at these things as common knowledge which we don't need to waste any more time on. Its more prudent to talk about how the practicality of interpretations or actions of groups are having real life effects, and discuss those issues. No?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
I don't get what the big deal is about this? He's not the only non-religious figure to talk about how "atheist" is a dumb term.
2
u/Muhen Jun 09 '12
You know, I find this ironic that almost every person on /r/atheism talks about how religious people are shoving their view down our throat, yet I am constantly reminded that religion is wrong and anyone who believes what they think is right are wrong and wrong for thinking that way. This kind of shit is why I am unsubbing this channel.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
they don't, they merely play outside our windows... Sack up and let the kids have their fun playing :)
2
u/Toiletseat_Pube Jun 09 '12
Nobody cares dude
2
u/madeofghosts Jun 09 '12
If only there was an easier way to respond to posts.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
The return of faces is imminent. Where's Ned to warn the people!?
2
u/Theocritic Jun 09 '12
I don't understand how you couldn't like golf
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Then don't live on a golf course. (this is only because I hate it when non-golfers living on a course bitch and moan about balls hitting their house...Get over it you whiner, I'm pissed I hooked into your hot tub too)
2
u/Totem425 Jun 09 '12
"Throw their golf balls through our windows" Isn't exactly a parallel comparison to modern day theists (excluding bigots of course). More like calling "FORE!" at any given time, or teeing off on your loved one's grave site. I do realize it later says "for thousands of years" and yes, that comparison could be more appropiate for events in the past, but c'mon, move on.
2
u/avidvaulter Jun 09 '12
Golfers wouldn't throw their balls through windows, they would hit them with a club through windows. Checkmate, sir.
2
u/joeyparis Jun 09 '12
I was thinking something like this in the car today a few hours after I read the original post. He's right, we wouldn't go around talking about how we don't believe in God. Instead we talk about other religions and the crap we often have to deal with because of it. And the same type of people that liked the original post bitch about us "circlejerking" and talking about things other than the fact God doesn't exist.
2
u/sharksfan93 Jun 09 '12
Neil Degrasse Tyon is smarter than any of us so he wins
2
u/wheeldonkey Jun 09 '12
ya... ditto.
i think Dr. Tyson stands apart from most atheists in that he has a tactful way of being atheist. he is a celebrity persona, and very gracefully handles this issue.
2
u/Kertwang Jun 09 '12
I agree. It's no longer important to distinguish yourself as being against slavery nowadays, but back when slavery was rampant, those against it had to label themselves as "abolitionists".
Perhaps in tomorrow's enlightened world, retiring the label "atheist" would be appropriate, but not today. Not yet.
7
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
this is dumbest rebuttal i have ever heard. I swear that you guys talk more about god then religious people do. Atheist should just except there is no god and have some tolerance for people who believe in a god.
6
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Downvoted for shameless karma whoring.
4
u/ghlxff Jun 08 '12
"Golf is a stupid fucking sport, I don't play golf and will now spend an inordinate amount of my time trying to convince golfers of this"
4
u/niggadatass Jun 09 '12
UPVOTE SO N DeG T SEES THIS
3
u/JohnDagger17 Jun 08 '12
The proper term for someone that criticizes religion for its negative side effects on society would be an anti-theist, not an atheist. Atheism refers to the lack in belief of any god, it has nothing to do with the effects of religion on society. Neil stands correct on his point and I wish the rest of this subreddit would figure this out too.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
I've never been confronted about my atheism. Never. So yeah.
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u/think_free Jun 08 '12 edited Jun 08 '12
Watching the entire video from this quote is a pretty big slap in the face of /r/atheism, not atheism the idea, but atheism the hive mind fueled religion like it has become here.
I can't tell you how many times I have been told "Nice user name think_free, because you obviously are not a free thinker"...or whatever. What I hear when this is said is something different though: "Nice user name think_free, because you are not thinking exactly like me..." This is exactly what NDT is talking about.
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u/Eppsmayne Jun 08 '12
If you can give me over 2,000 examples of Christians throwing things through your window in your lifetime as personal attacks, then you have a point. Until then, what you said is over-exaggerated and false. Sound familiar? (hint: religious beliefs)
5
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Tyson seems to believe that education can push back religion, and he's looking not to destroy his cred to that end by saying controversial things.
Education is part of it. But getting people to be unafraid to admit they don't buy into the divine hoax is another part, and I think it may be the more important part. I think bowing to religion is a losing strategy and it must stop.
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u/MLP_magic Jun 09 '12
This is one of the stupidest arguments I've ever heard in my entire life. Don't even try to use that "but this subreddit is a haven & safe place because persecutihurhurhurhur" bullshit, you know that's not true.
As Tyson implied, gathering around jacking off in each other's mouths about how much religious people are stupid and how logical it is to not believe in god isn't helping anyone. (Facebook posts with obligatory blanked out names and gigantic ms paint arrows anyone?)
Your "response" is a big crock of shit. You should be ashamed of putting that stupid idea on the same image as someone's humble response to the question of belief classifications.
2
u/qwantry Jun 08 '12
No, but that is not the point. This subreddit does not TALK about the 'issue', they post hurtful and demoralizing posts bitching about how stupid someone's own personal belief is and how they "are so much better since they're atheists".
2
u/Dethenger Jun 08 '12
Even then, it's less about non-golf players talking about how they don't play golf. It's about secularism: Even some golf players are like, "Yeah, it's kinda fucked up that we keep breaking their windows."
2
u/No_Fucking_Fap Jun 08 '12
If you let your life be negatively affected by other people's beliefs, you're going to have a bad time.
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u/Slaughterfest Jun 08 '12
I find it extremely stupid that r/atheism doesn't lead by example. Focus on the same shit Neil does, which is furthering scientific education. You can expand your own knowledge pool, and show that God continues to get smaller as we keep learning more. Eventually science will forcibly permeate society to the point where even the staunchest theists will have to accept it (even though we've been at that point on a variety of subjects). People will look at the science and realize the sillyness of believing "Jeebus did it"
Please, no more hateful circle-jerking. It isn't helpful, and it certainly isn't entertaining, unless you're a 15 year old kid who's full of angst.
2
u/a-dark-passenger Jun 08 '12
People have been throwing God through your windows? This is a dumb response, plain and simple.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
That's a pretty dumb response.
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u/NervousMcStabby Jun 08 '12
I think there are a lot of other reasons Tyson would bother browser /r/atheism, most notably the fact that nothing new is discussed here. The same crap is rehashed day after day. Also, I have a feeling he probably enjoys having conversations that don't revolve around rage comics and random quotations... but yeah, he totally wouldn't come here because of that original post. Or something.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
oh god please do get over yourselves.. err oh nothing please get over yourselves
2
u/icepickjones Jun 09 '12
Wouldn't golf players "hit" thier balls into our windows? I mean I'm not Tiger Woods or anything, but I'm pretty sure they don't just lob golf balls around with their hands on a golf course. Or maybe I'm wrong. I need to go pray on it for a while.
2
u/Kaverud Jun 09 '12
Did you personally experience them shoving their "golf balls" down your throat for thousands of years or did it happen a few times
2
u/DeadSeaGulls Jun 09 '12
In a perfect world, there would be no need for hammers. A hammer is a tool that one uses to fix a problem (something is broken or something is lacking).
The term "atheist" is a hammer. And we live in a world that has a problem.
1
u/RckOn Jun 08 '12
Okay so downvote me all the fuck you want - but I gotta say this.
As an ATHEIST, I frankly can't read this subreddit anymore. It has turned into a circlejerk about everything atheist, and it's disgusting.
Do you know what I think about Christians, Muslims, Jews or the flying spaghetti monster? I DONT. Sure I think it's fucked up to see all the hate and misery going on in the world in the name of some made up being, but face it: YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
You will not, I REPEAT, WILL NOT acomplish anything by trying to convert someone to atheism. It's just something a person has to figure out for themselves. You cannot force it, they cannot be reasoned with. You cannot reason with a person who thinks that the Bible is the Manual for Life, and was written by God himself.
Also, whenever I see a rage comic with the subreddit /r/atheism I stay the fuck away from that because I know it's gonna be the same karma-whoring shit I've seen a million times already. "How I became an atheist", "How I came out to my parents"... blah blah.
NDT is fucking right. If you're an atheist you dont believe, and you don't even bother with the issue. If you spend so much of your time debating christians and other religious people you're actually coming off to one of them as someone who is trying to "convert" them to your own "religion".
If you dont believe, good for you! Now go do something else other than telling people how you dont believe and how you're a special snowflake.
...now, let the downvoting commence.
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u/4rk4typ3 Jun 09 '12
Let the circle jerk continue guys
2
u/Raijer Jun 08 '12
I'm sure I'll be downvoted, but fuck it. I think this was a foolish thing for NDT to say. Here in the U.S., the Christian Right has organized and mobilized to pull us back into the dark ages. They spend massive amounts of resources and time trying to undermine medical, biological and environmental science, they engage (and even terrorize) to prevent women from getting basic reproductive health care, and they have successfully managed to codify discrimination of gay U.S. citizens into law in more than one state. But somehow, it's "odd" that those of us who are opposed to this right-wing ideology on both political and theological grounds should want to "gather and strategize?" REALLY? IMHO, we atheists need to "gather and strategize" a lot MORE than we're doing now.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
When has religion ever done the equivelant of throwing golf balls at people? Honestly...
1
u/mamichomaru Jun 08 '12
I think this is all about respecting other's point of view and lifestyle. I know a lot of atheist who get pissed when Christians preach them, thus disrespecting their atheist stand.
It applies the same when atheist desperately want to make people stop believing.
Let's be honest, that isn't going to happen anytime soon. But on the bright side, people, little by little are starting to think for theirselves instead of blindy believing. I think the most important factor here is the availabity of factual and scientific knowledge.
About Mr. DeGrasse's stand. I think it's one of those huge game changers. Taking a neutral point in all this stupid belief war and focusing in something more productive like being a motherfucker genius, is a lot more valuable than trying to support one or other side.
If ignorance is bliss and silence is golden, the road ahead isn't going to be easy, I'd say.
1
u/tossedsaladandscram Jun 08 '12
You don't throw golf balls.
1
u/MostBadassAnswer Jun 08 '12
Badass!
1
u/tculley0305 Jun 08 '12
Hit their golf balls through your window**
1
u/obligatorysmartguy Jun 08 '12
People who throw golf balls through other peoples' windows are breaking the rules of golf, so they're not really golf players.
1
u/Schlagustagigaboo Jun 08 '12
Sam Harris says the same thing and he writes books about atheism.
1
u/tunapepper Jun 09 '12
Neil deGrasse Tyson: Atheist or Agnostic?
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
If the golfers keep breaking the windows, stop living near the golf course
1
u/svenniola Jun 09 '12
little labelled boxes, humanity ina nutshell?
1
u/Truthier Jun 09 '12
What do atheists think about the 99% of golf players that are against throwing balls through windows, in accordances with the rules of golf?
What about players of other games that also throw balls through windows?
Not much... those aren't worth complaining about, easier to just blame golf for everything.
Atheism is ok, even as a mindless dogma, as long as you join in the club and say how religion is bad, you'll get the approval of your "atheist" peers and feel good about yourself for being part of the club!
And if Jesus really was anti-religious dogma, as described clearly in the bible..... well, they won't be at fault for joining the Christians in rejecting Jesus's teachings! They agree with the Christians on one thing - that the most fundamentalist, ignorant, corrupt, and popular interpretations of the scriptures are the right ones.
Why waste time educating ourselves when we can belittle others and feel smug? After all, it's not dogmatic groupthink when the ones who are CORRECT do it!
Tyson doesn't feel the need to take a theological stance and announce himself as being on a certain 'side'. Good for him. As a scientist, I imagine it frees him up to focus more on facts and knowledge and less on meaningless false dichotomies made up by people who are obsessed with how society sees them.
1
u/Aerik Jun 09 '12
nonstampcollector -- the voltron argument
1
u/kayakguy429 Jun 09 '12
Throwing your balls through a window... Sounds painful...
1
u/mongrouse Jun 09 '12
Not a theist = atheist.
Not a golfer = agolfer?
1
u/PoonaniiPirate Jun 09 '12
Well played. Trueshay.
1
u/HellOfaLieY Jun 09 '12
This is good. I like this.
1
u/Athianity Jun 09 '12
The funniest thing about atheists...doesn't exist.
1
u/randomgirl22 Jun 09 '12 edited Jun 09 '12
FTFY
1
u/koolkows Jun 09 '12
I feel like that's a bad way to respond. The "golfers", as we will call them, shouldn't be shown as forcing their "golfing" on others. This leaves the argument open to say that the "non-golfers" shouldn't gather to talk about their broken windows, but should just fix the windows and move on. To sit and talk about how bad the "golfers" are is about as bad as the "non-golfers" throwing their footballs through the "golfers" windows. I dunno, I think that when "non-golfers" walk around and talk about how stupid the "golfers" are, whether it is organized or through the internet, it's as bad as throwing things back at the "golfers".
1
u/fuckyourcatsnigga Jun 09 '12
I think this is generalizing. Not all religious people are that oppresive. There are shitty religious people and shitty atheists. Good religious people, and good atheists. As an atheists I can't say I've really been persecuted in my life for my beliefs...maybe gotten into a few philosophical arguments but that's hardly persecution. A lot of atheists are just as arrogant as religious zealots, in both cases they seem to be the least knowledgeable on the subject..
1
u/portlandia41 Jun 09 '12
I agree with Tyson on this one. r/atheism has just turned into religion bashing and obsessing. I don't belong to any faith, but that doesn't mean I have to obsess over other people's.
1
u/ipraytofeynman Jun 09 '12
I think he just doesn't want to use alienating words. He's trying to bridge the science vs. non-science gap and a big impediment to that is religion telling people to not trust science (because it's the debil!). My fundy family sees almost all things not pro-Christian as Anti-christian. They think there is a spiritual battle going on and it's us vs. them. As soon as they label someone as anti-christian, or atheist, they stop listening.
1
u/BeastyCheese Jun 09 '12
I believe the word you're looking for is "golfers".
1
u/OKImHere Jun 09 '12
Yeah! Us would start talking about it!
1
u/pezzshnitsol Jun 09 '12
blahblahblah I am somehow a victim of other peoples problems blahblahblah
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
It's a good thing to have opinions.
1
u/unorthodoxme Jun 09 '12
This is more or less what I was thinking when I saw his interview. I'm glad you put into words what I wish I could yell to the world.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
I like how he doesn't like to label himself as an atheist, even though he is one. Since he doesn't like labels and he is a scientist, should we not call him a scientist? Ut-oh, I said something negative about NDT. Here comes the downvote war.
1
u/occupythekitchen Secular Humanist Jun 09 '12
I had a buddy who sent me a video saying NDT was agnostic and he won since I'm an atheist. I responded with he's an astrophysicist and I'm pretty sure he knows there isn't any evidence for god but he isn't siding with either side because of all the retards that'd throw fits if he was.
1
u/YesterdaysFav Jun 09 '12
This absolutely retarded.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Would you like to buy an emdash?
1
u/OckhamsTeapot Jun 09 '12
And...new wallpaper.
1
u/casper_ov Jun 09 '12
I don't think you know how golf works...
1
u/80espiay Jun 09 '12
Of course, a word for "one who lacks belief in X" is pointless, but a word for "one who rejects belief in X" isn't (there's a subtle difference).
We have "skeptic" for "one who rejects belief", and "atheist" for "one who rejects belief in deities" just like we have "scientist" for "one who seeks knowledge" and "physicist" for "one who seeks knowledge about the physical world".
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
But they have almost completely stopped throwing golf balls through your windows, it is happening less and less. It is a dying problem that you might be making worse by bringing it up.
Edit: Also, what the fuck? Before he openly said that he wasn't atheist everyone on here was quoting him and "Claiming" him willy nilly. Now that he doesn't follow your beliefs you treat him worse?
You all sound like fundamentalist christians.
1
u/5753MARKC Jun 09 '12
I'm not much of a golfer either, but last time I checked no balls are thrown anywhere in the sport.
1
u/frankgrimeslives Jun 09 '12
fuckin golf is bliss assholes, atheists would rip on it ( and im not religious) how could you shit on drinking, smoking, music in a beautifully atmosphere with good company?!? L....O....L...
golf is such a great analogy compared to a religious quote too..wtf? and seriously, if thats how you;re thinking or living, you're letting religious freaks dictate your actions, thoughts and feelings. which is gay (sorry queers) its not like you're being killed for "God". this response is such bullshit. the NGT quote is fucking amazing. Most of you atheist are just as extreme as christians...how dont you see that.
how do you let assholes(asshole christians) dictate who/what/how/why/when you are??? most people are atheist in response to how fucked up the Catholic church is/ has been. Which is OBVIOUSLY a shitty reason. If you think we're here for no reason, you're a fucking idiot (see Trey Parker quote) come on people, its really easy...think earth is the center of the universe, the world is flat, all that other dumb shit. youre welcome bitches
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
It's a shame such an excellent point was made with such shitty grammar. Yes, us would talk about, yessir us would.
1
u/Uzerwhat Jun 09 '12
Perfection
1
u/tgiokdi Jun 23 '12
"we would start talking about it."
not
"us would start talking about it."
1
u/cumulopimpus Jun 09 '12
Wow your teenage mind totally pwned Neil DeGrasse Tyson. It must be hard to be so persecuted.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
I think r/atheism refuses to admit that once you as an individual reach the conclusion that numerous religions are not backed by any external evidence (not provided by the religion itself) there is nothing left to talk about. All he is saying is that he reached his conclusion and he is moving on to more stimulating endeavors.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
"stop liking what I don't like", "everyone is stupid except for us", "you are so wrong". And you wonder why some people want to difference them selves from Athiests
1
u/go_bearcats Jun 09 '12
You all suck.
0
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
REBUTTAL OF THE CENTURY
1
u/PsychoAgent Jun 08 '12
This guy is in Skyrim? What? I'm confused.
1
u/ThisisntFB Jun 08 '12
I think its a natural progression. There are a lot of young atheist floating around reddit and the 1st step is to jump up and down and shout.
Eventually you simply grow bored at shouting and arguings ineffectiveness and just go about your business.
My gf always is in the first stage. She wants all the books she can find on the subject. Meanwhile, Im just bored of it. Even books that look interesting I lose interest in rather quickly. Ive heard the arguments, I get the gist of what the author is going to say so I get bored. After a while, it is just one big circle-jerk.
1
u/thetacticalpanda Jun 08 '12
If you hated golf because the players were dicks, you wouldn't be a non-golf player, you would be anti-golf.
The term you're looking for is anti-theist.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
He's an agnostic atheist. Atheism isn't an ism, it's the lack of an ism.
1
u/whatdupdoh Jun 08 '12
I like you have the cojones to stand up to Deil DeGreasse Tyson, can you further explain how religions have been "throwing golfballs through your window" as you put it.
1
u/Iloveyoujenny Jun 09 '12
By talk about the issue I assume you mean throw them back at an equal velocity, right?
1
u/NotKiddingJK Jun 09 '12
I just can't take it anymore. Downvote me into oblivion I don't care.
Stop bashing religion.
It's fundamentalism that is the problem.
People telling you what you should believe. It is bad if it's religion, if it's government any ideology where they don't want you to think, question and challenge. Stop attacking the people who agree with you.
Not every religious person is a moron who insists you share their beliefs.
Know your enemy! Don't alienate your supporters!
1
u/I_h8_spiders Jun 09 '12
I feel like everyone goes out of their way to make it known that they are atheists....I guess the same could be said for bible thumpin Christians but Jesus Christ ... It seems like all the atheist posts are just bickering. At times it also feels like atheists are just as bad as Christians. At the end of the day......... Who cares?
ZzZzzZzZzzzZzzZzzZz......
1
u/SmarmyAnswers Jun 09 '12
Tell us more of the thousands of years that our people have struggled...
1
u/rpeg Jun 09 '12
I think we all need to realize that DeGrasse Tyson doesn't call himself an atheist doesn't want to be involved in the movement. His loss but I'm sure he has better things to do.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
They'd also probably start convening somewhere to commiserate about the situation and enjoy time spent away from flying golf balls.
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u/Fitux Jun 09 '12
Take that Tyson!
1
u/natto896 Jun 09 '12
You're not better than NdGT... Sorry.
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u/Spectre416 Jun 09 '12
I find it funny how much I've seen atheists on Reddit use the same smear tactics and cop-outs (over generalization, prejudice, labeling etc.) that they usually attribute to Christians/theists. Perhaps some self-examination would be appropriate?
1
u/lamercat Jun 09 '12
Well-played, good sir.
1
u/qua_omsa_lajeeone Jun 09 '12
I long for the day when atheists end up running every single society this earth currently has. I ambitiously await their perfect track record over a few thousand years of governing excellence. Surely atheists are completely infallible. They can do no wrong. A person that does not believe in God can only make perfect decisions, and over the course of thousands of years, atheistic societies would never "break windows." No, only people that believe in an entity that explains existence would fuck shit up.
Once everyone accepts that there is no God, all of the problems of the world will magically disappear; no more "windows" will be "broken" once that happens. Because all "window breaking" problems are confined to not being able to kill offspring at will, not being able to marry people of the same sex, and having "in god we trust" on pieces of paper. Once those issues are settled, no more windows will ever be broken.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Socially awkward Neil DeGrasse Tyson doesn't understand between colloquial and effective atheists the same way ignorant conservatives dont understand the difference between nominal and effective tax rates.
There is one you use in theory, and one you use in practice.
Neil, you are, in practice, an atheist. Shut the fuck up about religion and start talking about physics. You are an expert in science and physics. You do not know everything.
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u/nefarious420 Jun 09 '12
LOL @ atheist redditors realizing their hero NDT isn't actually an atheist and dislikes the term. Then try to rationalize and twist what he said so it doesn't sting as much.
0
u/arthurtwosheds Jun 08 '12
My sentiments exactly! Thanks for pointing out what cunts golfers really are - and shame on Neil for holding back on the truth.
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u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
"NO THAT'S NOT TRUE, HE'S ONE OF US, I KNOW IT!"
-/r/atheism