Who is the most stident about their atheism here?
A while ago (shame on me for not linking to the thread) there was a complaint about Sand being the only recognized atheist on the forum. I then made full use of my dry Canadian wit and made sarcastic remarks about him being the arch-atheist and offender of the faith here. But, in all seriousness, which atheist on Wrong Planet do you think is the most strident about their atheism?
I hope it doesn't seem too arrogant to include myself in this poll.
Last edited by Master_Pedant on 31 May 2010, 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hm. That's a difficult choice. Let's go over the options, shall we?
Awesomelyglorious:
His recent thread about conservative Christianity pretty much automatically puts him in the running, and he's obviously gotten very frustrated dealing with certain religious people lately. However, I have also seen him defending theological arguments before. While he is a pretty strong atheist, I get the impression that he is more concerned with attacking what he views as sloppy arguments than with promoting atheism per se.
DentArthurDent:
Hasn't been around in a while, but he always did criticize religion rather harshly. I would say he was somewhat more civil about it than Sand. I also get the impression that his atheism has something to do with adherence to a specific political ideology.
ruveyn:
Seems to oppose religion on rationalist/scientific grounds. Still, he has on several occasions quoted aspects of the Judaic ethic approvingly, so he doesn't have outright reject all components of religion.
Sand
Probably the winner, he seems to have a personal problem with religion in general and Christianity in particular. Always, without fail, chimes in on any thread related to religion with a sarcastic comment denigrating the intelligence of believers, regardless of whether such a comment is relevant or appropriate to the specific subject under discussion.
Henriksson
I haven't seen him around lately, but if I recall correctly he was always a bit more light-hearted in any mocking of Christianity.
Fuzzy &
Master_Pedant:
Sorry, you're both much too polite to even be in the running.
Based just on recent threads, AG would win on the basis of his "In opposition to Conservative Christianity" thread and clashes with AngelRho, but considering general posting history I'm going to say Sand.
_________________
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
I'd say it's a tossup between ruveyn and Sand. AG has his points but he's not really "strident" so much as methodical. I think ruveyn and Sand have been much more strident and could go either way.
_________________
Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings. ~Heinrich Heine, Almansor, 1823
?I wouldn't recommend sex, drugs or insanity for everyone, but they've always worked for me.? - Hunter S. Thompson
Awesomelyglorious:
His recent thread about conservative Christianity pretty much automatically puts him in the running, and he's obviously gotten very frustrated dealing with certain religious people lately. However, I have also seen him defending theological arguments before. While he is a pretty strong atheist, I get the impression that he is more concerned with attacking what he views as sloppy arguments than with promoting atheism per se.
DentArthurDent:
Hasn't been around in a while, but he always did criticize religion rather harshly. I would say he was somewhat more civil about it than Sand. I also get the impression that his atheism has something to do with adherence to a specific political ideology.
ruveyn:
Seems to oppose religion on rationalist/scientific grounds. Still, he has on several occasions quoted aspects of the Judaic ethic approvingly, so he doesn't have outright reject all components of religion.
Sand
Probably the winner, he seems to have a personal problem with religion in general and Christianity in particular. Always, without fail, chimes in on any thread related to religion with a sarcastic comment denigrating the intelligence of believers, regardless of whether such a comment is relevant or appropriate to the specific subject under discussion.
Henriksson
I haven't seen him around lately, but if I recall correctly he was always a bit more light-hearted in any mocking of Christianity.
Fuzzy &
Master_Pedant:
Sorry, you're both much too polite to even be in the running.
Based just on recent threads, AG would win on the basis of his "In opposition to Conservative Christianity" thread and clashes with AngelRho, but considering general posting history I'm going to say Sand.
Thanks.
He does reject outright, he merely accepts the cultural aspect. He rejects the mysticism and the deity part and those are the important parts to reject.
_________________
Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings. ~Heinrich Heine, Almansor, 1823
?I wouldn't recommend sex, drugs or insanity for everyone, but they've always worked for me.? - Hunter S. Thompson
He does reject outright, he merely accepts the cultural aspect. He rejects the mysticism and the deity part and those are the important parts to reject.
I suppose that is true, but I would still say Sand is more forceful in his rejection of religion.
_________________
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Nonsense, every atheist is just engaged in delusional hatred of God, and this is because they reject Him so that they may sin. To all atheists, God means judgment, condemnation, the fires of hell, and those just stand in the way of their hateful, lust-driven, and degenerate lives.
Also, apparently I am a member of a Dawkins cult. I'm just sayin'.
Also, apparently I am a member of a Dawkins cult. I'm just sayin'.
Ah, so you're disqualified on the basis of making Dawkins into a God. Also, like all other self-deluding atheists trying to cover up the self-evident truth, you are deifying yourself and putting yourself in God's place. Sorry, no candy for you.
_________________
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Hasn't been around in a while, but he always did criticize religion rather harshly. I would say he was somewhat more civil about it than Sand. I also get the impression that his atheism has something to do with adherence to a specific political ideology.
I'd say he's less sacrastic. Whether you regard blunt, vitrolic, literal assualts on religious belief (DentArthurDent) or PZ Myers-style sarcastic jabs at it (Sand) as more disrespectful is a matter of taste, I suppose. I voted for DentArthurDent, but, on second thought, think that may have been ill-advised.
Seems to oppose religion on rationalist/scientific grounds. Still, he has on several occasions quoted aspects of the Judaic ethic approvingly, so he doesn't have outright reject all components of religion.
Friedrich Nietzsche was also a pro-Semetic values yet radically anti-theological religion fellow. I'm starting to think ruveyn's contention that nuclear strike against the Muslim world is neccessary makes him the most militant atheist imaginable - someone actually in favour of using military force against to eliminate or reduce religious doctrines.
Probably the winner, he seems to have a personal problem with religion in general and Christianity in particular. Always, without fail, chimes in on any thread related to religion with a sarcastic comment denigrating the intelligence of believers, regardless of whether such a comment is relevant or appropriate to the specific subject under discussion.
While Sand may enjoy belittling religion, I think Dent and ruveyn surpass him for reasons stated above.
I haven't seen him around lately, but if I recall correctly he was always a bit more light-hearted in any mocking of Christianity.
Agreed, I put him in the poll for filling.
Master_Pedant:
Sorry, you're both much too polite to even be in the running.
With Fuzzy, I agree - he's for filling this poll as well. As with yours truly, there have been a fair number of Christians (usually fundamentalist) who are deeply offended by what I say - either on this forum, on another (less civil forum), or in reality. Example: I said a sign proclaiming "Jesus has a gift for you - eternal life" was crude and vulgar due to its intellectual hollowness and appeal to hedonism. Another person (an accomdationistic, very weak atheist) was greatly offended by how I would say something so offensive to the cherished beliefs of her friends.
Am I getting soft with age?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
* On the other hand, I tend to be much more outspoken and less nuanced, more verbally impulsive, in reality then on the Internet. The event in question happened three weeks ago, by the way.
Last edited by Master_Pedant on 31 May 2010, 11:02 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Under the web definition of "strident" I'm afraid i have to go with Sand.
I never really thought of the word in such derogatory terms as the definitions I've found state... Though i've accepted the word as such since when Dawkins was called that.
I think many others on the list are truer atheists though.
Sand appears more like Dawkins and myself, an anti-theist.
AG might lean a bit in that direction too.
Ruveyn wold be the most rational atheist.
There are names on the list that being new here, i'm not 100% familiar with though.
Long Live the Richard Dawkins Foundation!
I have a perpetual machine that produces free energy. It runs on quantum-mechanical principles and is subject to quantum logic. Once you win this poll, all you need is to ship $4000 to me, I will buy the plane tickets to the undisclosed home of the device, and mail them to you.*
_____________________________________________________________________________________
*Less there are lawyers out there, I am being sarcastic.
I have a perpetual machine that produces free energy. It runs on quantum-mechanical principles and is subject to quantum logic. Once you win this poll, all you need is to ship $4000 to me, I will buy the plane tickets to the undisclosed home of the device, and mail them to you.*
Oh... why didn't you tell me about that earlier... I just sent my last $4000 to the Pat Robertson Ministries...
And i SOOOOO would buy that machine off you.. but i'm broke now... Darn Darn Darn.
I have a perpetual machine that produces free energy. It runs on quantum-mechanical principles and is subject to quantum logic. Once you win this poll, all you need is to ship $4000 to me, I will buy the plane tickets to the undisclosed home of the device, and mail them to you.*
Oh... why didn't you tell me about that earlier... I just sent my last $4000 to the Pat Robertson Ministries...
And i SOOOOO would buy that machine off you.. but i'm broke now... Darn Darn Darn.
Just sign away your house and possessions to me & I'm sure we'll be able to make an arrangment!

I find candy upsets my stomach these days but I would much appreciate a fragment of the True Cross if I can outsnarl ruveyn. Unfortunately, I am not a cold blooded as ruveyn and I do not favor outright murder of silly people since they are rather useful in keeping the world in function. Education and perhaps a piece of candy, where that is acceptable, is a far more kind solution.