You could look at the insult either way. Atheists might be insulted that there is religion in the world, and religious people might be insulted if we called it a scam. Kind of like how the Patriots and Jets insult each other just by being in existence. But that video was pretty ridiculous. I understand how Christians can believe in God. It still doesn't make sense why they would, but I understand the reasons for it. What I don't understand is how they try to disprove science. I thought Silverman was very professional actually. It's typical for a lot of atheists to just blow up for being subjected to such terrible logic when arguing with some Christian like O'Reilly, but he handled himself better than I would have lol. O'Reilly kept saying they were being attacked and insulted after numerous times of being told they weren't. Silverman said it was the biggest scam in the history of the world, so basically nobody is at fault for falling for it. Yet Bill still has to take jabs at Silverman for no reason. He's obviously insecure about his beliefs if he has to use such petty tricks. Also, I believe in Puff the magic dragon. It's not a fact that he's not real. It's not a fact.
If i were a scam artist, i'd be offended for being called on it, too XD The world would be better if the religious didn't think they were 100% right all the time. That's the only conceivable reason i can think of that someone would try to disprove science. "Oh well my beliefs can't possibly be wrong, so the facts must be wrong!" Last i checked, only God was supposed to be the perfect one. The rest of us have got to learn some humility. Fear of being wrong taken to the point that they aren't willing to correct their own mistakes. How ironic.
I don't believe in God, but besides Bill O'Reilly's idiotic attempt at trying to show proof God exists, the American Atheist Group president conducted himself with a really douche-y arrogance. He's just as self-assured and self-righteous as many religious people.
I don't think he was being a douche or arrogant. He was speaking his mind in a respectful manner. He was speaking in terms of science, which people should do. Scientifically, God does not exist as far as we can tell. Until some kind of scientific evidence arrives, it does seem silly for the majority of the world to follow some kind of religion. We don't live in a world where we use rocks as tools and sacrifice animals to make it rain. It's ok to change your beliefs as your species evolves into more intelligent beings. Most people are still stuck in the past and/or are afraid of the unknown, so they still believe in this far-fetched idea that is religion. I appreciate the lessons that can be learned in the Bible, or any other book of religion, but take everything with a grain of salt. Teach your kids to live the right way and there's no reason religion is even needed in this world. We don't need some books to teach us right from wrong or make us live in fear of going to hell. Come on, people.
He was hardly being respectful. Being respectful would have been creating signs saying "You don't have to believe in God." or "Faith is a choice." or something along those lines. Bluntly calling religion "a scam" is harsh and abrasive. Religion is a big part of people's lives, whether you agree with it or not. EDIT: As a matter of fact, he's a complete hypocrite as well. At :38 he says that the signs were not insulting because "if people get offended because we're saying what we believe..." An interesting choice of words after feeling the need to blatantly belittle and downplay the beliefs of millions of people.
I take a religious person's claim that atheist X was arrogant and mean with a giant grain of salt. People were so offended by something innocuous as this billboard that they would vandalize it, ask to take it down, and refuse to ride any busses carrying it. Religious people think that atheists are allowed free speech at all is offensive and arrogant. They find the pointing out facts (that could save lives) are arrogant. They find that people protesting the catholic churches for protecting child molesters is arrogant. I'm so tired of the arrogant card. And i'm tired of double standards You know what. People who defend child molesters, or disown gay children, or burn witches don't deserve respect. They deserve to be on the wrong end of as much arrogance the world can throw at them. Sometimes truth is offensive. Too bad. There is nothing inherently arrogant in "Religion is a scam." Just as you wouldn't say that "murder is a choice." because that something is a choice doesn't mean it's not wrong. The most important thing is to do the right thing, which unfortunately the right thing makes many people offended. Learn to deal with atheists, because atheists have to put up with twenty times as much BS. This is a two way street.
See, this right here is exactly what is wrong with both religious people AND atheists. Arrogance and ignorance. Not every atheist is a jerk with no sense of how to live morally. Not every religious person defends child molesters. Are you kidding me? That has to be some of the most one-sided stereotypical stuff I've ever read. Not every Christian disowns gay children. I have a friend who is a lesbian with pretty staunch Christian parents. They still love that girl to death. Your "they deserve it, fight fire with fire" mentality is exactly the kind of attitude that religions take when they get into these holy wars over nothing, and is the kind of behavior that makes me feel ashamed to be an atheist. "There is no God, the truth hurts"? Forcing your beliefs on someone else because you *know* it's the truth? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. You're not being any better than the religious crazies are when you think that way.
Calling religion a scam is only abrasive to certain people because those people actually think they've fallen for it. Would somebody who spent money on a really nice TV who really loves it and thinks it's in working order care if someone said they got scammed? They'd just blow them off and say, "Whatever, man. This thing is dope. See for yourself." The problem with religion is that it's not as evident as a TV. There should be no debate after you show that person how good your TV really is. They'd be like, "Oh, you're right. That is an awesome TV." But when atheists take a look into the religious world and don't see the joy and flowers and bubbles that believers do, they start to wonder what is going on with humankind. Then the believers wonder how the atheists can't see how awesome their TV really is.
So let them believe their TV is awesome. To them, it probably is, in its own way. The number one thing I have against religious people is that they try to push their beliefs on people. As an atheist, I like to practice what I preach so to speak, and do the opposite. I'm tolerant. And to clarify on the whole billboard thing, I don't even see how Christianity, Atheism, Buddhism, Jainism, or any other type of following belongs on a Billboard. We're advertising beliefs like TV shows now? I wish people would just keep it to themselves. It's a personal choice, it shouldn't be about proving everyone right or wrong.
Right. I don't care that people believe in things I don't. I care when people argue about religion like Bill O'Reilly. I don't want to convert any Christians into atheists. I just have a problem when religion is still a big part of our social world. I feel like religion is holding us back from being a more peaceful society. Maybe even from being a more intelligent society.
That's true. If he felt the need to touch on the subject, he probably just said have said "I think it was an insulting thing to say" and moved on. Bringing the guy in for the argument only ended with Bill making a fool out of himself. Whoops.
And no, i don't mean all religious people. But you wouldn't believe how often the arrogant card crops up. What did you want me to do, List the name of every christian who did so? That's not feasible for me (as the intolerant is still the majority of the population), and it's not worth my time to do so. Free speech and violence are not the same. Holy wars entail killing people. That is principally against ... well everything. Free speech spreads ideas and pits one idea against the next. If you are prepared to vote, to make decisions for your community and your family, then you are obligated to research the facts, watch the battle between ideas and make the best decision based on its outcome, regardless of whether or not you feel warm and fuzzy over it. When we have the freedom to call each other doofuses and live the lives the way we choose to, then violence is never necessary. And since i cannot be 100% right, i need to continue watching this war of ideas, choose the very best one and fight against harmful and wrong ideas. Religious people refuse to do so, choosing the first idea they come across instead. Poverty, illness, war, and social ills is a much worse trade off for just not being offended. I rather just be offended and offend other people if it helps save lives. Fun fact: There's no possible peace until the part written in holy books against atheists is removed. Are religious texts edited? No. Then religious people will continue to infringe the rights of non-believers, and we are left with no choice to fight back with words or let ourselves be raped. The seeds of intolerance are in the bible. Identify those who push verses those who push back. Any peaceful animal backed into a corner will push back. I wish the world were simple enough such that being nice to people i disagree with solved problems. Alas, it's just better to be truthful so that less bad things will happen in the long run.
He sounds like some religious nutjob I had an argument with a few weeks ago: Me: Prove god exists Him: The bible says he does Me: How do you know the bible is truth? Him: Because god wrote it Me: So can you prove god exists? Him: Yes, the bible says he does I shit you not, that was the conversation. And that sort of logic is the type of crap Bill O'Reily gets paid millions and millions of dollars to preach on TV. And before I head off to bed for the night, I leave you with this graphic for anyone who claims Christians are being oppressed by us evil godless atheists.