Morality is not determined by the church you attend nor the faith you embrace. It is determined by the quality of your character and the positive impact you have on those you meet along your journey
Monday, August 20, 2012
George Carlin knew it all along.
Just in case you wonder why the Republicans are trying so hard to vilify teachers, dumb down our schools, and insert religion into all facets of our lives.
Believers do as they are told, thinkers question everything.
George certainly had it right, his voice would be loud during this election season...bullshit. One of his best observations was on "stuff" which of course Americans are obsessed with, Walmart quality stuff, all from China/India. I never hear about the Dems having all these special conventions...I guess that's where they come up with all these long term goals to take over the country. Grover has said many times, we only need a prez with enough digits to sign whatever we send him. I firmly believe allowing Bush to steal 2 elections screwed us up so bad, we need Obama for longer than 2 terms. It amazes me that so many people are disillusioned with Obama considering Congress.
Where can I get a full size poster of this? I teach at a public high school and if you know anything about adolescents, you tell them they can't do something and they will want to prove you wrong. This would be an excellent poster to use to push critical thinking skills. God knows we need more of this. Thanks, Gryphen!
OT: Have you heard what Akin, the Republican running against Claire McCaskil in Missouri thinks about rape and pregnancy? What rock did this joker crawl out from under? He thinks that women can't get pregnant if they are raped, therefore there is no need for abortions or the morning-after pill. A doctor told him this! These people need a sex education class at their local tech school or a subscription to Cosmopolitan magazine. Yea, just like his mom told him to keep spanking his monkey if he wanted it to lay down. What a dumbass!
Actually, what this neanderthalic nitwit said was that when a woman is being raped, the female body has "stuff that shuts those systems down" so she can't get pregnant.
Seriously, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND how anyone is willing to publicly brand themselves a republican when this shpos and the Sea of Gallilee Streaker are among their leadership.
Only in a Republican Congress of today would a shallow inbred like Todd Akin land an assignment to the Science, Space & Technology Committee. What a joke these Tea Baggin fools are making of the GOP.
Now he wants a promotion to serve in the Senate? I hope the good people of MO have different plans for this shit-kicker.
"Believers do as they are told, thinkers question everything."
*eyeroll*
It's this simple idea that keeps being repeated on this site ad nauseum that's causing problems - just adding a qualifying "most" or "many" would make the statement at least defensible. Instead, it's become a supposedly rational atheist's talking point.
I suppose someone like Martin Luther King Jr. was an idiot who clutched to his religion because he was too dumb to think for himself? Malcolm X was the same, correct? People who convert from one religion to another are all just dumb individuals who don't examine theology and intellectually consider the different religions they have access to?
Fine, if we accept the premise that many if not most so-called religious people today believe blindly and are low-information and stupid... that's still not 100% of all believers. If atheists do think that - anyone who believes is automatically an idiot, or that "religious thinker" is an oxymoron - then they are the ones accepting a talking point simply because it sounds nice/feels comforting/supports a particular worldview.
If you as an atheist have not met a single religious person who you can admire as a thinker or who you can see has intellectual chops... then you need to meet more people. Just because you have no personal experience with one doesn't mean it doesn't exist (basic logic, correct?). And for supposedly being all fact-based and rational and free-thinking, there are some glaringly ignorant comments made on this site regarding those who practice a religion. Again, adding a simple qualifier like "most" or even "almost all" would help make those statements at least slightly reality-based.
Well I'm older than Gryphen and I haven't met one. Some nice people-yes, but critical thinkers, no. Martin Luther King Jr. wasn't motivated by his god, he was motivated by the suffering of his people. Ghandi too for that matter. George Bush didn't create havoc in the Middle East because he was engaging in critical thinking - he thought his god was talking to him. Believers insisted the sun revolves around the earth - critical thinking taught us the truth. Critical thinkers have set us free from voodoo dolls and volcano gods. Lack of critical thinking is now keeping us from saving our own planet.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson's quote in an earlier post is most appropriate.
Often times it is the ability to "have faith" that people without often find troubling, as if it is a sign of mental weakness to put aside critical thinking and accept ANY notion as faith. If a person is willing to do that regarding spirituality then in how many other situations might a person be willing to cast critical thinking aside? Many see "faith" as a sign of extreme vulnerability that can lead to the acceptance of other unfounded and untested principles. On a personal basis I can see how this wouldn't be a problem, friendships can be nurtured through all kinds of differences, however for an employer I could see this a being a possible point of contention, depending on the requirements of the job that a person is applying for.
Looking critically at "Governments don't want …". It's arguably better phrased as "The self-serving powerful don't want …", for they control the REAL power structures.
@Gryphen: In the current context, the main effect of the poster is just another criticism of "Government" -- not helpful.
@dorkenergy You mean it is like people getting angry at "Congress" for inaction -- when it is specifically a strategy of the Norquist and the Republicans to obstruct any action?
I'm a huge fan of George Carlin. He pushed the envelope and paved the way for comedy and politics to co mingle. I don't think we'd have Colbert and Maher had it not been for George. His sentiment is right, it can apply to all organizations, governments, corporations, crime syndicates, the boy scouts, girl scouts, religions etc, etc, etc....
And SOMETIMES, Gryphen- THINKING BELIEVERS do only what they desire and question that which needs answers.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete"I think, therefore I am!" says it all, doesn't it?
"I believe, for I was told!" does as well, until and unless free thought arrives.
Exploration vs. Indoctrination. Think about it!
fromthediagonal
George certainly had it right, his voice would be loud during this election season...bullshit. One of his best observations was on "stuff" which of course Americans are obsessed with, Walmart quality stuff, all from China/India. I never hear about the Dems having all these special conventions...I guess that's where they come up with all these long term goals to take over the country. Grover has said many times, we only need a prez with enough digits to sign whatever we send him. I firmly believe allowing Bush to steal 2 elections screwed us up so bad, we need Obama for longer than 2 terms. It amazes me that so many people are disillusioned with Obama considering Congress.
ReplyDeleteWhere can I get a full size poster of this? I teach at a public high school and if you know anything about adolescents, you tell them they can't do something and they will want to prove you wrong. This would be an excellent poster to use to push critical thinking skills. God knows we need more of this. Thanks, Gryphen!
ReplyDeleteOT: Have you heard what Akin, the Republican running against Claire McCaskil in Missouri thinks about rape and pregnancy? What rock did this joker crawl out from under? He thinks that women can't get pregnant if they are raped, therefore there is no need for abortions or the morning-after pill. A doctor told him this! These people need a sex education class at their local tech school or a subscription to Cosmopolitan magazine. Yea, just like his mom told him to keep spanking his monkey if he wanted it to lay down. What a dumbass!
ReplyDeleteActually, what this neanderthalic nitwit said was that when a woman is being raped, the female body has "stuff that shuts those systems down" so she can't get pregnant.
DeleteSeriously, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND how anyone is willing to publicly brand themselves a republican when this shpos and the Sea of Gallilee Streaker are among their leadership.
Only in a Republican Congress of today would a shallow inbred like Todd Akin land an assignment to the Science, Space & Technology Committee. What a joke these Tea Baggin fools are making of the GOP.
DeleteNow he wants a promotion to serve in the Senate? I hope the good people of MO have different plans for this shit-kicker.
Stalin and Mao both knew this. It's why they had the murderous assaults on the intelligentsia and then moved into the schools and taught crap!
ReplyDeleteGee. Now where is that happening now?
Religion was the tool of the aristocracy to control the working classes - who would get their reward - in the next life.
ReplyDeleteIt was used to explain the inexplicable pre 19th-20th century science.
It was also used to castigate women who had babes out of wedlock
Gosh - all the things the GOP do today - no wonder they hate education, science and women.
"Believers do as they are told, thinkers question everything."
ReplyDelete*eyeroll*
It's this simple idea that keeps being repeated on this site ad nauseum that's causing problems - just adding a qualifying "most" or "many" would make the statement at least defensible. Instead, it's become a supposedly rational atheist's talking point.
I suppose someone like Martin Luther King Jr. was an idiot who clutched to his religion because he was too dumb to think for himself? Malcolm X was the same, correct? People who convert from one religion to another are all just dumb individuals who don't examine theology and intellectually consider the different religions they have access to?
Fine, if we accept the premise that many if not most so-called religious people today believe blindly and are low-information and stupid... that's still not 100% of all believers. If atheists do think that - anyone who believes is automatically an idiot, or that "religious thinker" is an oxymoron - then they are the ones accepting a talking point simply because it sounds nice/feels comforting/supports a particular worldview.
If you as an atheist have not met a single religious person who you can admire as a thinker or who you can see has intellectual chops... then you need to meet more people. Just because you have no personal experience with one doesn't mean it doesn't exist (basic logic, correct?). And for supposedly being all fact-based and rational and free-thinking, there are some glaringly ignorant comments made on this site regarding those who practice a religion. Again, adding a simple qualifier like "most" or even "almost all" would help make those statements at least slightly reality-based.
TL;DR
DeleteTHANK YOU! Co-sign times a thousand.
Delete@Anonymous 6:38. Too bad you didn't read Anonymous 6:17. S/he makes some good points.
DeleteWell I'm older than Gryphen and I haven't met one. Some nice people-yes, but critical thinkers, no. Martin Luther King Jr. wasn't motivated by his god, he was motivated by the suffering of his people. Ghandi too for that matter. George Bush didn't create havoc in the Middle East because he was engaging in critical thinking - he thought his god was talking to him. Believers insisted the sun revolves around the earth - critical thinking taught us the truth. Critical thinkers have set us free from voodoo dolls and volcano gods. Lack of critical thinking is now keeping us from saving our own planet.
DeleteNeil DeGrasse Tyson's quote in an earlier post is most appropriate.
Often times it is the ability to "have faith" that people without often find troubling, as if it is a sign of mental weakness to put aside critical thinking and accept ANY notion as faith. If a person is willing to do that regarding spirituality then in how many other situations might a person be willing to cast critical thinking aside? Many see "faith" as a sign of extreme vulnerability that can lead to the acceptance of other unfounded and untested principles. On a personal basis I can see how this wouldn't be a problem, friendships can be nurtured through all kinds of differences, however for an employer I could see this a being a possible point of contention, depending on the requirements of the job that a person is applying for.
DeleteNicely stated 12:36
DeleteI believe that this sentiment came from Noam Chomsky
ReplyDeleteLooking critically at "Governments don't want …". It's arguably better phrased as "The self-serving powerful don't want …", for they control the REAL power structures.
ReplyDelete@Gryphen: In the current context, the main effect of the poster is just another criticism of "Government" -- not helpful.
@dorkenergy You mean it is like people getting angry at "Congress" for inaction -- when it is specifically a strategy of the Norquist and the Republicans to obstruct any action?
ReplyDeleteExactly --
ReplyDeleteNorquist, et al., couldn't be any happier with any criticism of "Government".
I'm a huge fan of George Carlin. He pushed the envelope and paved the way for comedy and politics to co mingle. I don't think we'd have Colbert and Maher had it not been for George.
ReplyDeleteHis sentiment is right, it can apply to all organizations, governments, corporations, crime syndicates, the boy scouts, girl scouts, religions etc, etc, etc....