The Atheist's Golden Rule

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Image: orphan [larger size].

The Atheist's Golden Rule: Don't do the dumb shit that religious people do to each other.

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The rule is in violation of itself: belittling others' points of view is one of the things religious people are most guilty of.

The poster is spot-on !
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The previous comment is in violation of itself.

Thanks for brightening my day.

By 1hen2ducks (not verified) on 08 Mar 2008 #permalink

I've decided that this comment should also be in violation of itself.

Oh, and my previous comment wasn't aimed at Grrlscientist - I agree with the poster, but I hope we do do the sensible shit religious people do to each other (like being kind and helpful).

It is true that there is a lot of "dumb shit" that gets carried on in the name of religion - and it grieves me. But graphics, sayings, etc like this only focus on the negative side, while ignoring the positive. As Bob said, there is much good that comes from religion as well. This world would be a much better place if everyone, religious and non-religious alike, tried to live by the original golden rule.

This poster has been making the rounds. It's a takeoff on one that looks similar and that depicts the golden rule as articulated by other major world religions.

As to self contradicting itself, ... well. ...

As an athiest, I am personally ticked off with some flavors of Christians (not all Christians) depicting my absence of religon as a direct threat to their faith. The truth of the matter is that I am not proselytizing my absence of faith and petitioning the legislature to make my [absence of] religion the law of the land. I am reacting to these religous demagogues and their hate, anger, fear and delusional psychosis.

I just wish they would STFU so I don't have to pay attention to their oppressive unconstitutional actions.

Whew! I feel much better now.

You could argue that the slogan denigrates the actions of the people, not the people themselves--? People have to stand by their actions, after all. I could think of more tactful wordings to express the same point, though.

I'm reminded of some threads on a community forum I'm on. One way or other a pro- or anti-religion thread starts. The (fundamentalist) Christians pile in and set themselves up against everyone else. Eventually they swamp the thread with their posts. Then something interesting happens--they all start arguing against eachother. It happens every time and its quite bizarre to watch.

By DeafScientist (not verified) on 08 Mar 2008 #permalink