Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Chad · 07-01-2002, 07:00 PM

From this pledge controversy, I have noticed two examples of what I call argument of convenience for the lack of a better name. First, is the argument that we are one nation under god because 96% (according to them) of the population are theists. Never mind that not all theists disagree with the ruling, but the fact that those against this ruling presume to label all theists as allies for convenience when no two theists, even those belonging to the same sect, would agree on everything as it relates to god. In fact, I suspect the odds are infinitely greater that a theist will be killed by another theist than by an atheist over a disagreement about god. And if an atheist did kill over such a disagreement, it would no doubt be in self-defense. Yet, people like Jerry Falwell justify "under god" because the vast majority believe in god even though Falwell would probably disagree with most of these people about god.

The other example is that because the Founding Fathers (some, but not all) were Christians that the United States is a Christian nation. Apparently, all Christians are true Christians when it allows the Falwells of the world to advance a lie that benefits them. At a minimum, the Christian founding fathers agreed to no mention of God, Jesus Christ, or Christianity in the constitution and, at a maximun, may have been strong supporters of church-state separation. That said, I seriously doubt the founding fathers were Falwell's type of Christian, but that does not stop him from presuming to count them as allies simply because they referred to themselves as Christians.

schu · 07-02-2002, 03:16 AM

"The Christian god is a three-headed monster; cruel, vengeful, and capricious. If one wishes to know more of this raging, three-headed beast-like god, one only needs to look at the caliber of the people who say they serve him. They are always of two classes: fools and hypocrites." - Thomas Jefferson - vow against tyranny, letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept. 23, 1800.

They just prove Jefferson correct. At some level all xians are hypocrites because they claim to know things they cannot know.

07-01-2002, 07:00 PM	#1
Chad Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 110	Argument of convenience From this pledge controversy, I have noticed two examples of what I call argument of convenience for the lack of a better name. First, is the argument that we are one nation under god because 96% (according to them) of the population are theists. Never mind that not all theists disagree with the ruling, but the fact that those against this ruling presume to label all theists as allies for convenience when no two theists, even those belonging to the same sect, would agree on everything as it relates to god. In fact, I suspect the odds are infinitely greater that a theist will be killed by another theist than by an atheist over a disagreement about god. And if an atheist did kill over such a disagreement, it would no doubt be in self-defense. Yet, people like Jerry Falwell justify "under god" because the vast majority believe in god even though Falwell would probably disagree with most of these people about god. The other example is that because the Founding Fathers (some, but not all) were Christians that the United States is a Christian nation. Apparently, all Christians are true Christians when it allows the Falwells of the world to advance a lie that benefits them. At a minimum, the Christian founding fathers agreed to no mention of God, Jesus Christ, or Christianity in the constitution and, at a maximun, may have been strong supporters of church-state separation. That said, I seriously doubt the founding fathers were Falwell's type of Christian, but that does not stop him from presuming to count them as allies simply because they referred to themselves as Christians.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

07-02-2002, 03:16 AM	#2
schu Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Texas Posts: 707	"The Christian god is a three-headed monster; cruel, vengeful, and capricious. If one wishes to know more of this raging, three-headed beast-like god, one only needs to look at the caliber of the people who say they serve him. They are always of two classes: fools and hypocrites." - Thomas Jefferson - vow against tyranny, letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, Sept. 23, 1800. They just prove Jefferson correct. At some level all xians are hypocrites because they claim to know things they cannot know.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.