Anti-Theist Quotes

[hugsandmarxism]

I've been feeling a little frustration lately concerning my mother. She's recently become quite the bible-thumper, and I can't have a conversation with her without her going "Jesus said..." then going on with some biblical quote. I'd like to have a couple of pointed quotes against religion to pop out whenever she, or any other theist, brings "God" and "Jesus" into the conversation. Thanks in advance.

(Note: I didn't know where to put this thread, so I threw it in learning; I would have put it in religion, but I don't really care what the OI'ers think about it, and in Chit-Chat, people would break into agreed trains. Feel free to move this where it would be most appropriate, mods ;) )

[Nwoye]

Pretty much any debate I have with a "bible thumper" just becomes a repetition of the same circular reasoning fallacies.

"How do you know the bible is true?"

"Because it says so, right here in the bible, and the bible is true"

"But how do you know the bible is true?"

"Because it says so..."

My advice is to not even argue with them. If they are that blind to any form of logic or rationality then they will not be persuaded or convinced of anything. Just let them be.

[CommieCat]

The only church that illuminates is a burning one.

[hugsandmarxism]

Pretty much any debate I have with a "bible thumper" just becomes a repetition of the same circular reasoning fallacies.

"How do you know the bible is true?"

"Because it says so, right here in the bible, and the bible is true"

"But how do you know the bible is true?"

"Because it says so..."

My advice is to not even argue with them. If they are that blind to any form of logic or rationality then they will not be persuaded or convinced of anything. Just let them be.

Well, I realize the futility of debating a die-hard, but It'd be nice to have some quotes for those "Jesus said..." moments, but whatever. Having useful quotes handy can make conversations more fulfilling, and it would be nice to have some athiest/anti-theist ones for people's reference.

[el_chavista]

"If you want to save your soul give all your wealth away, Give it to the poor."

"It is easier that a camel passes through the eye of a needle than a rich enters the kingdom of heaven."

Poverty is a social sin. We must redeem the sinful capitalist society with a socialist revolution.

[hugsandmarxism]

"If you want to save your soul give all your wealth away, Give it to the poor."

"It is easier that a camel passes through the eye of a needle than a rich enters the kingdom of heaven."

Poverty is a social sin. We must redeem the sinful capitalist society with a socialist revolution.


True that.

[mikelepore]

I'd like to have a couple of pointed quotes against religion to pop out

I think the forum at atheistnetwork.com has a long thread on the many self-contradictions in the bible.

[Rjevan]

The only church that illuminates is a burning one.
Yes, this is a good one. :lol: Durruti, or am I wrong?

You could answer her that the bible caused terrible things like the crusades, inquisition and the witch-hunt, which were justified by the pope through bible qoutations.
Or (if you can stand it) study the bible and answer her with "Yes, but in Matthew 12, 21-25 Jesus says..."
This isn't an atheist way but it works; you can refute almost everything the bible says with bible quotations. ;)

[Bitter Ashes]

I cant remember who did this one:
"Has anybody else noticed that all church spires have lightning conductors on them? Doesnt it just scream "lack of confidence"?"

And my own one:
"Only a creationist would ever get upset about bieng told that thier ancestors were not brother and sister"

[Black Sheep]

I have kept these awesome quotes... dont remember from who though.. :((shitty format is due to copy/paste, sorry)

Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.

dont pray in my school, and i wont think in your church

people who don't like their beliefs being ridiculed and laughed at shouldnt have so ridiculous funny beliefs

every man thinks god in on his side. every rich man knows he is

dawkins: i am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world

religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful

if the ignorance of nature gave birth to gods, then knowledge of nature is calculated to destroy them

faith is the determination to remain ignorant in the face of all evidence that you are ignorant

religions are like fireflies.they require darkness in order to shine

Morality is doing right, no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right.

the fact that a believer is more happier than a sceptic is no more to the point that a drunk person is happier than a sober one

the child brain, due to darwinian reason is set up to believe everything it is told. if it was skeptical to such as "dont go near the cliff edge" etc, th child would be dead
there isnt enough time to experiment on its early life and learn everything on its own.Thus the 'there is a god' is implanted into our ROM.

[Leo]

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" ~Epicurus

[Black Sheep]

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" ~Epicurus
I wouldn't use that,since the christians have developed the stupid thing about 'freedom of man' to choose what he will do in his life.

They say love can only be chosen willingly,so people have to willingly accept god instead of sin in order to be saved.So god is kinda letting evil exist so that we can freely choose.

And all the bullshit about 'sin is a creation of man' due to eve biting the apple after been lured by the snake with legs, blah blah blah..

[Leo]

I think the part that says "Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent." does address what you said. The "freedom to chose" argument basically turns into malevolence when there is this allegedly omnipotent being watching evil people do horrible things to good people and doing nothing about it.

[Rjevan]

I wouldn't use that,since the christians have developed the stupid thing about 'freedom of man' to choose what he will do in his life.
God, how I hate this answer! We're doing this stupid "question of evil" topic the 3rd year in a row in religious education (why on earth haven't I switched to ethics??? :cursing:). The answer you get is "Well, men would not be really free if God would take their ability to decide for evil. Only through commiting evil deeds one realises that he followed the wrong way and can truly come back to God. Besides, God has a plan and a purpose."
I lately had a massive argument with my teatcher about this, because i just couldn't stand it anymore. He ended the argument with the words "Why are you complaining anyway? People who suffer here on earth will be rewarded with joys and eternal delight in Paradise." ... :crying:

[hugsandmarxism]

(long list of wonderful quotes)

Thanks for rescuing my thread with these! Much appreciated. :D


"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" ~Epicurus

I think I heard on David Harvey's lecture on Capital that Marx did his doctoral thesis on Epicurianism. Thanks for your addition :D

[Leo]

Well, Marx's doctoral thesis was about "The Difference Between the Democritean and Epicurean Philosophy of Nature": http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1841/dr-theses/index.htm

He did have writings dealing with other aspects of Epicureanism as well though: http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1839/notebook/index.htm

[Revy]

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?”


- Epicurus (Greek philosopher, 341-270 BCE)

[Black Sheep]

another great one:

Good people do good deeds,and bad people do bad deeds, but in order for good people to do bad deeds,well, that requires religion.