j_brisby ([info]j_brisby) wrote in [info]atheism,
2006-01-13 01:34:00
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A Fun Game All Atheists Can Play

This is an exercise in fantasy. Describe something you'd most like to see in an imaginary atheist world.

I'll start: The President of the United States, on being sworn in, pulls some guy out of the crowd and takes the oath with his hand on the guy's shoulder, symbolizing his duty to his fellow Americans. In all subsequent speeches, instead of ending with "God bless America," he/she ends with "Be a blessing to America."

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  • 47 comments

[info]gatsu

January 13 2006, 13:12:17 UTC 6 years ago

Churches--and I mean of the cathedral style, not the cardboard boxes they've been building lately--converted into concert halls, with no admission fee, but maintaining the collection plate tradition to expand operations to "those less fortunate". And of course, concerts every Sunday morning.

[info]hi_i_am_kaya

January 13 2006, 16:37:01 UTC 6 years ago

amen, I saw a church the other day that just looked like and oversized Air Conditioning Vent, its gotten that bad with this so called "Modern" Chruch style, its just plain ugly.

[info]ras_sinister

6 years ago

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[info]jnietzsche333

January 13 2006, 19:36:15 UTC 6 years ago

I think there's a triumphal arch in Italy that concerts are held under.

[info]stiletto_one

January 13 2006, 13:20:58 UTC 6 years ago

Hmm.

National shall-issue CCW.

[info]gentlemaitresse

January 14 2006, 02:52:22 UTC 6 years ago

Why would you even want a permit? How about concealed or open carry, no permission required? :-)

[info]stiletto_one

6 years ago

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[info]ras_sinister

January 14 2006, 04:58:21 UTC 6 years ago

What's that have to do with atheism? Most of the pro-CCW people in this country are religious.

[info]stiletto_one

6 years ago

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[info]ras_sinister

6 years ago

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[info]stiletto_one

6 years ago

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[info]saber_rider

January 13 2006, 13:50:35 UTC 6 years ago

Silly answer, but what the heck, it's a game, right?

A Jew and a Muslim walk out of a church after hearing a sermon. The Jew turns to the Muslim and says, "Interesting way to put it, Jesus being the 'way and the light.' Isn't there something similar in Islam?"

"In our mythology," the Muslim replies, "a prophet named Mohammed had some similar ideas, though there were more tailored to the culture of the time, instead of the culture during which the Jesus mythology was written down."

The Jew responds, "Like so many such mythologies, I hear Christianity has inconsistencies, too. But I think the main message was that by living a virtuous life, we can make up for some of our own misgivings."

"Ah, 'the way' being a virtious life, much like Jesus was written to have held, and 'the light' being a guide to such virtues. But, Mohammed had a slighly different take on such matters, and in some aspects relates better to our socitey today..."

Okay, if the cliches didn't make you puke, good job. My point is, I don't think expunging religion from the world is necessary or even a good thing. An ideal "atheistic" world in my opinion would be one where religion is treated as a cultural and social establishment, perhaps even a philosophical one, but is treated with rationality and critical thought. While some writers probably thought they were channeling dieties, I have a feeling quite a few holy text writers knew damn well they were just making shit up. Their intent, I submit, was to write fables, using stories to make a point and instill values. Many values in holy texts do make sence... if you're wandering the desert 2000 years ago.

[info]lofandar

January 13 2006, 14:01:42 UTC 6 years ago

Re: Silly answer, but what the heck, it's a game, right?

I dig your answer.

[info]ruzzell

January 13 2006, 14:23:57 UTC 6 years ago

Re: Silly answer, but what the heck, it's a game, right?

We are not facists, we do not supress free thought.

I would like to see morals born out of logic, and everybody choosing their own paths.

[info]lofandar

6 years ago

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[info]ruzzell

6 years ago

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[info]lofandar

6 years ago

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[info]ferahgo

January 13 2006, 14:27:20 UTC 6 years ago

Re: Silly answer, but what the heck, it's a game, right?

While some writers probably thought they were channeling dieties, I have a feeling quite a few holy text writers knew damn well they were just making shit up.

Werd.

You for the win.

[info]lofandar

6 years ago

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[info]in_tu_it

January 13 2006, 15:21:47 UTC 6 years ago

Re: Silly answer, but what the heck, it's a game, right?

WHERE IS TEH PUNCHLINE????

[info]ferahgo

6 years ago

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[info]in_tu_it

January 13 2006, 15:26:33 UTC 6 years ago

Imagine all the situations you see in life that have nothing to do with religion; television shows, Wall Street, board games, flowers on a sunny day. Now imagine everything else, which has something to do with religion. Now imagine a world that has nothing but the former.

That.

[info]the_hawk

January 13 2006, 16:03:38 UTC 6 years ago

The President of the United States, on being sworn in, pulls some guy out of the crowd and takes the oath with his hand on the guy's shoulder, symbolizing his duty to his fellow Americans.

IIRC, the President is entitled to take the oath of office on a copy of the Constitution, which symbolizes his duty pretty well, too.

As for taglines, I could go for "Long live the Republic."

[info]jnietzsche333

January 13 2006, 16:15:53 UTC 6 years ago

How 'bout the 'empire'?

[info]jnietzsche333

January 13 2006, 16:16:50 UTC 6 years ago

I'm sad to think of this as an exercise in fantasy, but...I don't know...maybe people caring for others on a global scale? Yeah, that would be nice.

[info]matrexius

January 13 2006, 16:35:54 UTC 6 years ago

I'd like to see common people take scientific theories like evolution and the Big Bang for granted, and not reject them simply because they disprove their 2,000 year old fables. Imagining 8-year-olds in the southern US start making fun of people for not believing in evolution makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

[info]jnietzsche333

January 13 2006, 19:39:16 UTC 6 years ago

While evolution is a proven theory, the big bang isn't...and it has many holes which seem to be being fixed ad hoc. This is according to an engineering professor I know. Just thought i'd mention this.

[info]matrexius

6 years ago

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[info]jnietzsche333

6 years ago

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[info]virtual_anima

January 13 2006, 18:16:16 UTC 6 years ago

god ; ;

[info]charlycrash

January 13 2006, 18:43:37 UTC 6 years ago

Vast piles of dismembered Christian corpses being skullfucked by zombified tentacled Darwin clones.

Or: everyone just saying 'I believe what I believe, you believe what you believe, and that's fine'.

[info]jnietzsche333

January 13 2006, 19:40:54 UTC 6 years ago

But people ought to be corrected for thinking incorrectly, this is an ethical necessity.

I agree with the idea of Christian corpses being skullfucked...but if anybody goes near my mother's skull...Krishna help them!

[info]charlycrash

January 13 2006, 19:52:22 UTC 6 years ago

But people ought to be corrected for thinking incorrectly, this is an ethical necessity.

Then I think you need to question your ethics. I don't want Christians obliging me by law to live in their little moral fucking fishtank or even trying to brainwash me into believing their fairy stories. I extend the same courtesy to them. I expect them to respect my non-belief and freedom to live my life as I choose, and in return I respect their right to believe.

If you want to force religious people to stop being religious when being so makes no difference to anyone else than you're no better than Baptist ex-gay missionaries. Sorry.

[info]jnietzsche333

6 years ago

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[info]charlycrash

6 years ago

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[info]jnietzsche333

6 years ago

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[info]charlycrash

6 years ago

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[info]jnietzsche333

6 years ago

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[info]jnietzsche333

6 years ago

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[info]charlycrash

6 years ago

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[info]jnietzsche333

6 years ago

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[info]charlycrash

6 years ago

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[info]jnietzsche333

6 years ago

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[info]vaelynphi

January 13 2006, 20:23:17 UTC 6 years ago

Everyone admitting to themselves when they actually don't know. Obviously, this doesn't just apply to religion. It is, however, a fantasy so wild, I've never even thought about it until now.

[info]litreacola

January 13 2006, 23:06:22 UTC 6 years ago

That's the exact thing that I've been thinking for awhile now. It's OKAY to not know something! Imagine that!

[info]gentlemaitresse

January 14 2006, 02:55:57 UTC 6 years ago

Bible stories being taught in schools right alongside other myths. :-)

[info]vegan_goddess

January 18 2006, 03:27:36 UTC 6 years ago

Americans would stop acting like religion and science are on the same playing ground, like the differences are merely a 'difference of opinion' or 'perspective'.

Science is based on observable facts. Peer review weeds out personal bias so the facts of science are not based on personal opinion or bias. Reproducability weeds out personal experience as validation.

This is unlike religion that is based on personal bias, personal experience, and personal opinion. Religion therefore cannot logically be construed as fact by this definition.

When will people realize there is a big difference between facts and fairy tales?

Furthermore, children and young adults will have an eager desire to learn, to investigate questions and answers rather than accepting information on the lazy cop out of 'faith'. Knowledge through investigative learning will be something of great value and will be pleasurable rather than painful or dull.

This would be a large contrast to today's youth. Being ignorant has become fashionable. I have concluded that it's because of the massive infestation of religious doctrine that these children are taught from birth. They don't need to ask questions, or investigate the answers they are given, they are taught that laziness is a virtue as toddlers. They are taught that investigating the answers is outta the question because it isn't suppose to make sense, its about "faith".

So, as children they unflinchingly trust their parents...then they grow up to do as their parents taught them to do, they trust their preachers.

A world without blind, mindless, stagnating faith, that would be a different world indeed.
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