I don’t think you guys get that most of us who are agnostics, atheists and humanists (who may be either of those things or even religious) don’t give a damn what religions or Gods in which you guys believe. We care that such thinking–faith, which requires the suspension of critical thinking on most if not all conflicts related to your various and sundry dogmas– leaves your minds open for the most pernicious manipulation. I know you won’t accept the Republican party is playing you like a fiddle–that would be too much to ask–so you leave the rest of us no choice but to devote ourselves–with fervor easily matching yours for religion–to disabling, blocking, undoing and otherwise derailing your efforts to institutionalize by law mandatory relinquishment of the right to deny what Ms. Simpson so delightfully described as beliefs about a “sky fairy” (damn, that’s funny) being the founder of our country.

Let me see if I have this time-honored canard straight: Anyone who denies the existence of God is categorically claiming to have the answers to every unsolved scientific and philosophical mystery there is, and is positing that he’s never wrong and is perfect in every imaginable way.

If I notice that someone is consistently adding 2 + 2 and getting 5 and point this out to him, does this mean I’m claiming to be a mathematical genius? Given the equal amount of evidence for the validity of the above summation and the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient deity, it’s a valid comparison. Denying that the moronic Christian god construct has any place in useful discussion isn’t tantamount to advertisting knowledge of the origins of the cosmos.

Look, pal, I know it’s inconvenient to recognize that plugging human knowledge gaps with God is frivolous, and that with this metaphorical band-aid taken out of the equation we’re forced to confront the fact that not everything is as cut-and-dried as religious fanatics past and present wish it were so their brains wouldn’t be taxed by concepts like natural selection and plate tectonics. But the easy way out usually isn’t the truthful one, and that’s certainly true in this case.

“And note that I did not call you a name while saying any of this.”

Except for arrogant, self-righteous, etc. I take it your attention span isn’t the best? (Not that it matters; maintaining a veneer of politeness doesn’t make you any less wrong, nor would me being rude invalidate my points. You act as though truth and bearing are interdependent.)

It goes a little further than that. The FF were not simply deists, but ardent opponents of the very brand of “Christianity” currently in vogue among more backward citizens of modern-day America. History — look into it.
…

Arrogance, repent of it. Thomas Jefferson was a fundamentalist? I think not.

The rest of your post? I’m not going to work with it, simply say that since you have no (refuse to have?) experience with the Numinous, we have no common ground to discuss things. Life Reality and the Universe is bigger than you imagine, or can imagine. I hope you come to know that someday.

Well, genius, you “stupidly” just made our point.

Despite your ego, you are not an all-knowing, all-seeing genius, no matter how atheist you are. You are no closer to explaining the great mysteries and questions of existence. You are still a human being, and are still capable of being wrong, incorrect, humbled and malicious.

So sit down and let the ACLU get a taste of its own medicine.

And note that I did not call you a name while saying any of this.

It goes a little further than that. The FF were not simply deists, but ardent opponents of the very brand of “Christianity” currently in vogue among more backward citizens of modern-day America. History — look into it.

“One of the great losses incurred by humanists is the realization that human beings and “nature” are not the moving spirit which moves all things.”

Actually, “humanists” very much recognize that there is no greater “moving spirit” than the material forces of the universe. Perhaps you meant to write that humanists have lost sight of the fact that God is in charge, which is an entirely vacuous assertion.

“People try to deny that God does these things until they are struck by tragedy and reflexively know they truth, ‘Why did God do this to me??!!!’”

It’s not difficult from the standpoint of basic human psychology to recognize why people like to believe that there’s an ineffable purpose behind seeming iniquities such as the suffering of innocents and all of that. This doesn’t validate the existence of a supernatural higher power, but merely posits it a priori.

“Atheism is the ultimate ego trip, assuming you are wiser than anyone else and denigrating the wisdom of the ages.”

This is so stupid as to defy analysis. Not buying into a whack-job concept just because it’s been pounded into a lot of people’s heads at early stages of their lives is egomaniacal and presumes superior intelligence? Please. It’s the morons who justify their solecistic behaviors and viewpoints on the basis of the superstitions of ancient desert wanderers who epitomize egocentricism.

“Frankly whether you agree with Louisiana or not, the process they are using is the correct one, they are legislating from the legislature not from the bench.”

Nice cliche. The trick will be getting those with brains not chained to wingnut doctrine to agree with you.