The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Non-Believer

vurt · 03-19-2008, 06:48 PM

The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Non-Believer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This book is a compilation of religiously critical essays and quotes from renowned writers and scientists throughout history. I wasn't expecting much because I'm not the biggest Hitchens fan, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I found.

There were many names I expected and several that I didn't. Percy Bysshe Shelley, Joseph Conrad, Mark Twain, George Orwell, John Updike, and Sigmund Freud were all profound religious skeptics, unbeknownst to me. Reading their popular work, their views on religion never crossed my mind. I'm glad to know we are in good company.

Of the expected figures, I particularly liked an interview with David Hume in his final days. It was a friendly conversation between James Boswell (a theist) and Hume about his views of the afterlife; it left me with a warm fuzzy feeling.

Jedah · 03-19-2008, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vurt

Mark Twain

Really? Read "Letters From the Earth." That's pure acid from the tip of his pen on the subject of religion (and larger social issues that were intertwined); he didn't even publish it in his lifetime because of how controversial it would have been.

vurt · 03-19-2008, 08:30 PM

I'll take a look!

sachemsiouxx · 03-20-2008, 02:02 AM

If you feel like heavy stuff, there s always "The Antechrist" from Nietzsche.

tad10 · 03-29-2008, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vurt

I'm glad to know we are in good company.

Incoming derail because I'm in a lousy mood from writing.

* * *

Why on Earth would an atheist care whether he was in "good company" as to his belief system? It's not like you need to go to Church regularly.

Now Catholic that I am, I appreciate the fact that I can go to Church almost anywhere (excluding certain fucktard Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia and including fucktard communist countries like China that have a regulated Catholic Church). But if no one else in the world believed what I believed that wouldn't affect my belief system one whit though it would limit my Church going opportunities.

Since one of my favorite Atheist claims is that they have no beliefs why on earth would you care that other people adhere to this same nonbelief?

vurt · 03-29-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tad10

Since one of my favorite Atheist claims is that they have no beliefs why on earth would you care that other people adhere to this same nonbelief?

Hahahaha... hahahahahahaha.

I'm sorry to break it to you, but you got that all mixed up in your head. Atheists believe in all sorts of stuff, but we only believe in things we have a good reason to believe in; God doesn't fit that criteria.

Either I blew your mind on the concept of atheism, or you still don't get it. I'm inclined to the latter.

Asmadai · 03-29-2008, 03:53 PM

Athiests do not have any 'spiritual' beliefs. Would that be a more accurate statement?

tad10 · 03-29-2008, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vurt

Atheists believe in all sorts of stuff, but we only believe in things we have a good reason to believe in.

Such as what? Truth, beauty? That 2+2=4?

niteflyx · 03-29-2008, 05:11 PM

Caring about what other people believe in is irrelevant to -what- is believed in. There are catholics who care what other people believe in (get off of my dick) and catholics who don't care. There are atheists who care what other people believe in, and those that don't.

I don't think you understand what atheism is. Not believing in a God means you don't care what other people believe in? Granted, atheists generally care less about what others believe in than devout followers of other religions, manly because western religions have it in their doctrine to spread the word of God and it's a sin to not do that shit.

When you have to experience a lot of devout religious people, and hear them push their obsolete beliefs, I definitely enjoy being "in good company" with other atheists. But atheists don't care about anything, don't believe in anything, and have no morals and are hedonistic savages, omgomgomg. RIGHT?

vurt · 03-29-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asmadai

Athiests do not have any 'spiritual' beliefs. Would that be a more accurate statement?

Yeah, but an even more accurate statement would be that we have no "supernatural" beliefs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tad10

Such as what? Truth, beauty? That 2+2=4?

For instance. Though, we may not necessarily agree on what exactly is meant by "truth" and "beauty".

Xakk · 03-29-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tad10

Such as what?

Tables, chairs and a few other things.

vurt · 03-29-2008, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xakk

Tables, chairs and a few other things.

See, it's nice to hear people like that and go "yeah! That guy gets it."

Jedah · 03-29-2008, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tad10

Why on Earth would an atheist care whether he was in "good company" as to his belief system?

It's intellectual camaraderie; you should get the same feeling when you read comparable works from theologians and some philosophers. Hell, I'm an atheist, and certain portions of Aquinas still make me smile like a schoolgirl.

niteflyx · 03-30-2008, 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xakk

Tables, chairs and a few other things.

Interesting video, thanks! Gonna check out more about McGinn.

Edit: Apparently he's writing a book called Mindfucking?

Surlok TP · 03-30-2008, 12:07 PM

As an atheist the only time I am concerned with other peoples beliefs is when it directly affects my life.

In particular Politicians that use Religion to garner votes,and use religious beliefs to influence laws in my country, that and people like that Jack Thompson character that wage war on intellectual freedoms and such and use their religion as a veil for their own personal agendas.

I also have problems with parents dictating the lives of their children based on the parents beliefs but this is more personal ; My father was a Christian Scientist and I'd be dead today if he had his way when I was afflicted with Cancer as a child. Ignoring medical help as an Adult because you believe in something is fine, have at'er , subjecting your children to this is asinine.

Children are not capable of believing in God the way and Adult does. Anyone that wants to argue this might want to ask a Child about Santa Claus of the Easter Bunny. Kids believe what their parents tell them, and a responsible adult should be able to identify that and take a certain bias to how the child is raised until it is of an age where the child develops a mindset of being able to question things.

But then, I doubt we would have as many religious people in the world if children were not brainwashed into believing in it at an early age. So a few innocent children die of disease because god didn't save them, greater good I guess.

03-19-2008, 06:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
vurt vurtvertvirtvyrtvort Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: FSJ, BC Posts: 1,256 -4 Internets	The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Non-Believer The Portable Atheist: Essential Readings for the Non-Believer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This book is a compilation of religiously critical essays and quotes from renowned writers and scientists throughout history. I wasn't expecting much because I'm not the biggest Hitchens fan, but I was pleasantly surprised with what I found. There were many names I expected and several that I didn't. Percy Bysshe Shelley, Joseph Conrad, Mark Twain, George Orwell, John Updike, and Sigmund Freud were all profound religious skeptics, unbeknownst to me. Reading their popular work, their views on religion never crossed my mind. I'm glad to know we are in good company. Of the expected figures, I particularly liked an interview with David Hume in his final days. It was a friendly conversation between James Boswell (a theist) and Hume about his views of the afterlife; it left me with a warm fuzzy feeling.

03-29-2008, 05:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
niteflyx Fuckin' 07er Join Date: May 2007 Location: Philly Posts: 337 +0 Internets	Caring about what other people believe in is irrelevant to -what- is believed in. There are catholics who care what other people believe in (get off of my dick) and catholics who don't care. There are atheists who care what other people believe in, and those that don't. I don't think you understand what atheism is. Not believing in a God means you don't care what other people believe in? Granted, atheists generally care less about what others believe in than devout followers of other religions, manly because western religions have it in their doctrine to spread the word of God and it's a sin to not do that shit. When you have to experience a lot of devout religious people, and hear them push their obsolete beliefs, I definitely enjoy being "in good company" with other atheists. But atheists don't care about anything, don't believe in anything, and have no morals and are hedonistic savages, omgomgomg. RIGHT? __________________

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03-19-2008, 08:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
vurt vurtvertvirtvyrtvort Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: FSJ, BC Posts: 1,256 -4 Internets	I'll take a look!

03-20-2008, 02:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
sachemsiouxx Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Paris Posts: 97 -3 Internets	If you feel like heavy stuff, there s always "The Antechrist" from Nietzsche.

03-29-2008, 03:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
Asmadai Monolith - Area 52 Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Sealab Posts: 2,349	Athiests do not have any 'spiritual' beliefs. Would that be a more accurate statement?

03-30-2008, 12:07 PM	#15 (permalink)
Surlok TP Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 1,584 +9 Internets	As an atheist the only time I am concerned with other peoples beliefs is when it directly affects my life. In particular Politicians that use Religion to garner votes,and use religious beliefs to influence laws in my country, that and people like that Jack Thompson character that wage war on intellectual freedoms and such and use their religion as a veil for their own personal agendas. I also have problems with parents dictating the lives of their children based on the parents beliefs but this is more personal ; My father was a Christian Scientist and I'd be dead today if he had his way when I was afflicted with Cancer as a child. Ignoring medical help as an Adult because you believe in something is fine, have at'er , subjecting your children to this is asinine. Children are not capable of believing in God the way and Adult does. Anyone that wants to argue this might want to ask a Child about Santa Claus of the Easter Bunny. Kids believe what their parents tell them, and a responsible adult should be able to identify that and take a certain bias to how the child is raised until it is of an age where the child develops a mindset of being able to question things. But then, I doubt we would have as many religious people in the world if children were not brainwashed into believing in it at an early age. So a few innocent children die of disease because god didn't save them, greater good I guess.