Stumbling around the web, I came across a page at lukeprog.com titled
The Arrogance of Atheism. I almost moved on, but then I saw the subtitle: Why I'm an atheist, not an agnostic. Luke writes a page that is simple and concise, yet totally makes sense. I contacted him and asked him if I could share it with you. So here it is in its entirety:
The Arrogance of Atheism
Why I’m an atheist, not an agnostic.
When I tell people I’m an atheist, they say, “How can you be so arrogant to think that you know God doesn’t exist? At least say you’re an agnostic and admit that you can’t know for sure one way or the other.”
Atheism! How arrogant!
But is it?
I’m an atheist because I haven’t heard any good reasons to think that gods exist, and I can think of lots of good reasons to think they don’t. I’m in exactly the same position with regard to Zeus, Apollo, invisible pink unicorns, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Are you agnostic about Zeus? Are you agnostic about invisible pink unicorns? Do you feel arrogant about disbelieving in the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
Sure, I can’t prove that gods don’t exist anywhere in the universe. But because there’s no evidence for them, and lots of evidence against them, I feel confident saying, “Gods don't exist.” Just like you feel confident saying, “Invisible pink unicorns don’t exist” and “Santa Claus doesn’t exist.”
Actually, I can do even better.
If you define your god precisely enough, I might be able to prove that your god cannot exist, in the same way I can prove a square circle can’t exist, in any universe. Here’s how.
Atheism isn’t arrogant, just like invisible-unicorn-disbelief isn’t arrogant.
Atheists tend to think it is arrogant of believers to assert their claims without any evidence.
Great entry. "Are you agnostic about invisible pink unicorns?" LOL.....I love that.
ReplyDeleteI luv that LOLcats pic.
Arrogant? I'm Atheist and far from that. I just like proof and logic. Until there's scientific proof that there is a god I'm an Atheist. If whoever wants to see real arrogance try speaking to a born again Christian. They make my blood boil. Their holy then thou attitudes.
Thanks, Colleen. :D
ReplyDeleteI think I found that lolcats pic through your group on Atheist Nexus... Ceiling Cat vs Basement Cat. Which I LOVE by the way! WOOT!
Yeah, it's funny how christians are always labeling us with their own "sins"... like militant, arrogant, angry, mean, unethical, immoral....
That might make a good post, actually, but it might take awhile to dig up the facts. :P
So true. LOL @ Christains. That reminds of George Carlin - Defrags the 10 Comandments. Christains don't seen to have a problem with murdering people.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyWEBbFwU1o
I have a new blog. You inspired the first post.
ReplyDeletehttp://sheisgod.wordpress.com/
Nice. I'm an atheist and arrogant, but the latter has nothing to do with the former. ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, Colleen, you're right, George Carlin fixing the 10 commandments is perfect here. I have it on the videos page, thanks to you. :) And yeah, christians really don't mind killing. I read it in the bible.
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm honored that I inspired you! I commented over there! Yay YOU! You go girl! LOL :D
Mark, you're too funny. :P LOL... :D :D :D :D :D :D
That really sums it up perfectly for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting, James. :) Yes, that's why I wanted to post it. It really does state the case for atheism in a nice neat little package. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks for the entry! It was nice to see my feelings put so succinctly.
ReplyDeleteNice entry, too bad I found it this late.
ReplyDeleteAs an agnostic, I'll try to answer some questions, actually to all of those that are "are you agnostic about [insert god here]. I'd say yes and no. First of all, I see all the stuff around and think that this might have come from somewhere... or maybe someone, the same one Aristotle called "the first motor" or something like that. However, we will never know who or what that is. So the idea that it's an invisible bearded old man who lives in the sky is as ridiculous as the spaghetti monster or the pink unicorn and should never be taken seriously, since it's not provable.
Hi Diego, thanks for commenting. Hey now, the bearded old grumpy man in the sky might be ridiculous, but don't be disrespecting the invisible pink unicorn. That's totally believable.
ReplyDeleteI always wonder how people who go to school, grow up, pay bills, have jobs, have kids, etc, etc, find it totally plausible that a grumpy old man is sitting in the clouds watching them. That it's also numbingly comforting to them is beyond crazy, if you ask me.
I maintain that people that call themselves agnostic but aren't deists are simply atheists. They just don't have the balls to accept it. But the intellectual foundation of this segment of agnosticism and the basic atheist declaration "there is not enough evidence to posit a god," Though I would go further and say "there is no evidence," is the exact position of people who call themselves agnostics.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Kamran. :)
ReplyDeleteTheists piss me off to no end. Let me break this into 2 parts:
ReplyDelete1. You *can't* prove something DOESN'T exist. You can only prove something that DOES exist.
2a: These people have been (mostly) brainwashed since birth by their parents to believe this superstitious bs. The same parents that tell them about Santa Claus. (I think telling kids about Santa Claus is just a primer for them, so they can get used to the fact that everyone lies, especially the government.)
2b: They are so reluctant to accept the fact that we're all mortal that they'd actually give credence to these fantastic fairy tales known as 'religion.'
I know I'm going to die some day. Hell I nearly did in 2001 after a very serious motorcycle accident. Yes, I was drunk; yes, I was broken up over a girl; yes, I'd used illegal drugs before, and realized they are not the threat our own government makes them out to be. After all, they all grow right out of the ground without any help from mankind.
Then I discovered the reason behind the 'war on (some) drugs' after my 5 month coma (where I broke 2 ribs having at least one of them puncture a hole in my lung, broken collar bone, broken shoulder blade, and *musical flourish* 5 skull fractures.)
But I still don't believe in god. it wasn't god that put me back together to keep me alive, it was the awesome doctors at HUP (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.)
it's ARROGANT of theists to assume they have a god because they've been brainwashed since birth to believe this bs their parents fed them, because there parents are so unwilling to accept the fact that they're mortal and will die one day.
Oops, forgot the reason I was going for: In 1865 the civil war ended with the north winning, and outlawing slavery. Then corrupt, racist politicians wrote 'grandfather clauses' (which I learned about in grade school, but if you're unfamiliar with the term just google it, but in a nutshell grandfather clauses were written to unnecessarily restrict the voting rights of the newly freed minorities.)
ReplyDeleteAfter 'grandfather clauses' were struck down as unconstitutional, corrupt, racist uncle sam outlawed the drugs that minorities were using, instead of drinking the white man's alcohol. Asians smoked opium, so opium was outlawed. Mexicans smoked cannabis, so cannabis was outlawed.
Read tinyurl.com/1mn and tinyurl.com/potconviction for more information. It's not a war on (some) drugs, it's a war on minorities.
Hi Phil and thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteInteresting perspective. I agree that theists are brainwashed since birth, and yes, it's true you can't prove a negative.
Well thanks for this interesting information. Not sure what that has to do with atheism vs. agnosticism vs. theism, but ok.
ReplyDeletemy most hated archenemy of reason is joel osteen.
ReplyDeleteIck. Add him to the pile of hated christians that need to shut up.
ReplyDelete