Haven't seen this posted yet. If it has been, I apologize.... but this is great. Bill's New Rule from Friday.
Enjoy!
Bill Maher: New Rule - Atheism is Not a Religion and he unbaptizes a dead Mormon
by undercover 16 Replies latest jw friends
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NewChapter
LOL! I think the clip finally got posted yesterday by Poopsie. It was a classic. I saw it Friday night on Maher and was on the watch for the clip, but Poopsie and now you beat me to it. I've been emailing it around. Very funny.
NC
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undercover
Thanks NC... I'm glad it got posted before now. This is good stuff...
*pokes* Poopsie
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james_woods
Well, he is entitled to his opinion - but...
To such Athiests as Madeline Murray O'Hair - it most certainly was a religion. A life altering and life controlling obsessive religion - as much as the JWs are obsessed and controlled. Other examples are people who obsess over "One Nation Under God" and other such everyday sayings enough to start court cases.
Other Athiests just don't believe in a god and really don't give a flip about what other people believe - so one can argue that it is not a religion with them.
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undercover
I agree that some do make it an obsession. But obsession a religion does not make... using the definition of religion ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion ).
Atheism is the lack of belief. There are no atheist 10 commandments. There is no atheist book of scripture. There are no atheist tenants of belief or doctrine.
There is no code of conduct, or moral laws given in atheism.
Some militant atheists may want to rid the government or world of superstitious beliefs to the point of becoming unbalanced themselves. Like Maher said, everyone has blind spots. But when an unbalanced atheist goes off on a tangent, there is no atheist governing body, or pope, or high priest, to rein that one in or punish them. They have free will to say and operate as they wish with no repurcussion from a larger religious body to interfere.
When atheists start keeping records, and making rules of admintance and 'baptizing' people so as to become members...and excommunicating people who don't adhere to the atheist code of beliefs, conduct and moral code, then you can argue that it's a religion.
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james_woods
When atheists start keeping records, and making rules of admintance and 'baptizing' people so as to become members...and excommunicating people who don't adhere to the atheist code of beliefs, conduct and moral code, then you can argue that it's a religion.
That's why I mentioned the crazy old Ms. O'Hair...
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Crisis of Conscience
Awesome! Thanks for sharing undercover!
Although I am aware that Bill Maher's Religulous was heavily edited, I still truly enjoyed it. I've really liked him since.
I don't have HBO so I don't normally watch his show. But I find him funny, and I like how straightforward he is.
CoC
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NewChapter
Atheism is not religion---ever. Are there human tendencies to act in certain ways, whether it is a religious context or not?---of course. People can become overly involved in any cause or pursuit---it still doesn't make it a religion. Simply gathering with people of like mind and discussing ideas is not religion. Pressing for rights of that group is not religion. Obsession does not equal religion--no matter how you want to stress it. Fanatics operate in many different areas, only some of which are religious.
But it is interesting that people equate fanatical, obsessive behaior with religion. Quite enlightening. Oh, they are consumed, obsessed and unbalanced with their cause---therefore they are practicing religion. Actually that's kind of hysterical. I like it.
NC
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undercover
LOL... She's (and American Atheists) to atheism what JWs are to Christianity. A blip on the screen. Of little to no consequence in the major scheme of things.
I'm sure that some unstable people are drawn to some ridiculous notion of organized atheism, just as some people are drawn to JWs. And just as JWs are never going to be anything more than a pimple on the ass of religion, AA, and groups like it will never catch on in a large way. It just goes against the very idea of being free of organized stupidity.
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james_woods
Yup, undercover - exactly.