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top 200 commentsshow all 272

[–]crackeddagger 36 points37 points ago

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I'm pretty sure the direction "back away slowly" has appeared in more simpsons scripts than any other television show.

[–]acemnorsuvwxz 3 points4 points ago

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Also, "shudder".

[–]johnsmithindustries 2 points3 points ago

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Do you know what episode this is from?

[–]thechapattack 8 points9 points ago

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I think it's "Homer Loves Flanders" S5:E16

[–]KinkyShelf 2 points3 points ago

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It is, which makes it more relevant.

[–]Yiggs 31 points32 points ago

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Every once in a while I go over to r/christianity for fun. They're pretty nice, but what makes me walk backwards into the hedge is when I run into the threads where they're asked to justify their belief in Christianity and it boils down to "I believe because I want to."

[–]EmptyAndFrantic 12 points13 points ago

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It's not the way they behave (because most of them are really nice) or how they justify their beliefs (I don't care if they want to have "faith" as long as it doesn't affect me), but the way some of them feel about certain issues that makes me want to back away slowly from it.

I'm not talking about gay marriage or other similar issues; rather, I'm talking about the fact that almost every time I go there, there is someone talking about how they feel bad about, say, watching porn or some other incredibly natural, healthy behavior. They're completely torn up about it because they think that their God really cares if they masturbate. They honestly feel guilty about it.

I'm not saying they shouldn't have the right to feel this way. I'm saying that it is incredibly sad (to me, anyway) that people are taught that their God is against something that is so incredibly... normal (not to mention fun).

There are other things that people say that just kind of make me sad, but that seems to be the popular one. I dunno. Anyone else feel that way?

[–]ZeroNihilist 7 points8 points ago

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It's like a sickly little bird. The door to the cage is open, but it never flies out. It so desperately wants to please its owner that it stays in the cage and shivers slightly. It can see the undomesticated birds outside, flying where they please and eating what they wish, finding other birds with desirable plumage and mating. But it wants none of that, because soon the owner will return.

Any second now...

[–]cheshire137 0 points1 point ago

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X-Files, man.

[–]erythro 0 points1 point ago

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everyone believes what they want to

here

[–]ptsaq 0 points1 point ago

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Faith...can't prove it, can't go to heaven without it.

[–]Leroytankin 88 points89 points ago

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The people in /r/christianity are actually quite more open minded than your average Christian.

[–]prattja8 244 points245 points ago

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And the winners of the special Olympics are pretty athletic compared to the average.

[–]I_RAPE_GUINEAPIGS 53 points54 points ago

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Oh god I laughed.

[–]jakebluu 37 points38 points ago

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HOW THE FUCK DO YOU RAPE A GUINEA PIG?

[–]Kliffoth 18 points19 points ago*

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You have to wrap duct tape around them so they don't explode...

or so I've heard.

*edit: spelling

[–]5in1K 2 points3 points ago

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Mancow?

[–]dietotaku 32 points33 points ago

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very carefully.

[–]Phar-a-ON 12 points13 points ago

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this kills the rodent.

[–]sirus20x6 4 points5 points ago

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HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU NOT RAPE A GUINEA PIG?

[–]DaffyDuck 2 points3 points ago

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They may be consenting and he just doesn't understand them.

[–]confusionion 2 points3 points ago

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Very small penis.

[–]ConstipatedNinja 0 points1 point ago

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[–]Teacup_Kitsune 1 point2 points ago

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That's it, enough internet today. Caio

[–]jakebluu 1 point2 points ago

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WHAT THE FUCK AAHGHAHAHAHHHHH WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST SEE HOLY SHIT!

[–]allegedlyyours 7 points8 points ago

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logged back in to upvote and then feel terribly about upvoting.

[–]prattja8 -1 points0 points ago

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well played sir, well played.

[–]atrocity_exhibition 1 point2 points ago

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Soda-out-the-nose...

[–]d00m3d_d00d 4 points5 points ago

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Its the extremists that we dislike. Most extremists are too dumb to use a computer, thats why they're extremists.

[–]unearth52 1 point2 points ago

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We dislike moderates too, if you subscribe to the Sam Harris school of thought.

[–]mopecore 13 points14 points ago

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This is true.

But it isn't really saying much, is it?

[–]Leroytankin 26 points27 points ago

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Actually it is, MOST Christians in my experience are pretty decent people. My entire family is christian and has been ok with my atheism.

[–]mopecore 32 points33 points ago

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"Most christians in your experience" are not "most christians". There are, I'm sure, hundreds of thousands (if not more) perfectly pleasant, reasonable christians. Their decency is largely either unrelated to, or in spite of their superstition.

The disposition of "most christians" is irrelevant, christianity is intolerant, exclusionary, vicious, and, most importantly of all, not a remotely accurate reflection of reality.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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I've heard this so many times, but why exactly is a Christian's positive qualities unrelated to and despite their religion, while all of their negative qualities are because of it?

We're atheists, we love evidence. Is there any reason at all to think that religion causes these things?

[–]mopecore 2 points3 points ago

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I never said all of their negative qualities were the product of their religion. Religion does foster some negative traits though, by it's insular nature and inability to tolerate skepticism.

[–]YesImSardonic 0 points1 point ago

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I'm pretty certain religion fosters the intolerance of a lack of religion. We can also point to the various executions for heresy over the centuries.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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And you would be pointing out correlations, and in no way demonstrating causation. Do religions foster intolerance for the lack of religion, or does everyone have an instinct to dislike people who aren't like them? I can guarantee you more people have been executed for heresy because they practiced a religion differently than the mainstream than were executed because they were an open atheist. Atheists are really good at spotting logical fallacies when it doesn't involve atheism.

[–]YesImSardonic 0 points1 point ago

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And you would be pointing out correlations, and in no way demonstrating causation.

Perhaps for heathens. Monotheism seems to correlate with religious intolerance quite tightly.

Do religions foster intolerance for the lack of religion, or does everyone have an instinct to dislike people who aren't like them?

Without religion, there's no religion to quabble over. It's sort of tautological, but there you have it.

I can guarantee you more people have been executed for heresy because they practiced a religion differently than the mainstream than were executed because they were an open atheist.

This I'll grant you, if only because atheism was at the time nigh unheard-of. It's interesting to note, however, that Christians were condemned in Rome for being atheists, and the obviously-theistic Socrates, as well.

My point about the heretics was that without religion there are no differences in religion to fight over, and no appeals to deity to back up irrational hatred.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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But none of this means that religion actually causes conflicts (even though I always thought the Socrates atheism bit was funny).

Monotheism seems to correlate with religious intolerance quite tightly.

I understand there might be a tight correlation, but even tight correlation doesn't prove causation.

no appeals to deity to back up irrational hatred

The irrational hatred is there, and people back it up however they can. People have fought over lots of things in the past, and again, just because people fight over religion, that doesn't mean people fight because of religion. I know it's really intuitively appealing to think so, but the reason people stress that correlation does not equal causation is because it's really intuitive to think so.

[–]ScizRGaming -3 points-2 points ago

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Super intolerant

"No matter who you are, if you accept the lord as your savior, you will be saved"

Fuck that intolerance!

[–]mopecore 2 points3 points ago

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"No matter who you are, if you accept the lord as your savior, you will be saved"

"But, if you don't accept it, if the whole proposition sounds ridiculous to you, or if you have the misfortune of being born into a time and place where Christianity isn't the accepted superstition, then fuck you in ass. With fire. Forever.

Oh, also, if you don't buy this ridiculous fairy tale, you're the worst kind of person."

Here's an analogue for you: among the interwar (between the first and second World Wars) authoritarian conservative dictatorships, dissent was crushed, but the politically neutral were left alone. You could run a business, raise your kids, etc., if you would just not rock the boat. Germany under National Socialism and the USSR under Stalin changed this, and not only crushed dissent, but demanded that all citizens actively support the ruling party; if you weren't with them, you were an enemy. Now, Hitler had ethnic and racial restrictions (to put it mildly), but in Stalin's Russia, all you had to was accept and support the socialist revolution and the Communist Party, and you would be saved... from deportation and/or execution. I hope you can see the connection here. Are we do consider Stalinism As tolerant?

[–]Nosyarg_Kcid -5 points-4 points ago

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I'm going to have to disagree with you. Christianity is very tolerant. It's just that the loudest voices are the ones most often heard. These views do not represent the views of any intelligent Christian I have ever spoken to.

[–]RedAero 5 points6 points ago

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Christianity is very tolerant.

Christians might be very tolerant, but Christianity is as intolerant as any religion, if not more so. Reference: old testament, specifically the role of women.

[–]Nosyarg_Kcid 2 points3 points ago

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You have to remember that many instances of intolerance in the old testament where negated by the new covenant with Jesus Christ. True Christians should realize that Christ spoke a message of tolerance, love, and forgiveness. Personally I believe Jesus would be very unhappy with the intolerance that has been committed in His name...Like flipping over tables and hitting people with a whip unhappy.

[–]Izicata 7 points8 points ago

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“For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18-19 RSV)

"It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid." (Luke 16:17 NAB)

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." (Matthew 5:17 NAB)

"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness..." (2 Timothy 3:16 NAB)

"Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God." (2 Peter 20-21 NAB)

The old testament is still binding, and will be binding until the earth is destroyed. All scripture is literal and should be taught, as it is all inspired by god.

[–]Nosyarg_Kcid 0 points1 point ago*

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I agree with you that the scripture of the old testament is binding, but Christ's orders are binding as well. Humanity does not reserve the authority to judge another's sins for we possess sin ourselves and are unworthy of doing such. This requires us to be tolerant of things we do not agree with.

[–]Izicata 2 points3 points ago

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The Bible requires you to be intolerant. Anyone who worships any gods but your god must be killed.

Exodus 22:20 "He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed."

Deuteronomy 13:6-10 “If there is found in your midst, in any of your towns, which the LORD your God is giving you, a man or a woman who does what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, by transgressing His covenant, and has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, or the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, which I have not commanded, and if it is told you and you have heard of it, then you shall inquire thoroughly. Behold, if it is true and the thing certain that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, then you shall bring out that man or that woman who has done this evil deed to your gates, that is, the man or the woman, and you shall stone them to death. On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness. The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Not only that, but Leviticus 18:22 states "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."

You are commanded by the bible to be intolerant.

[–]mopecore 1 point2 points ago

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Matthew 5:18-19 Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.

So, it seems pretty clear that all of the hatred and violence of the OT is still in play, no?

[–]Nosyarg_Kcid 0 points1 point ago

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shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.

In the Kingdom of Heaven, not on Earth. Humans are not the judge, Jesus is. Humans are required to be tolerant because we do not have the authority, or wisdom to judge others.

[–]YesImSardonic 1 point2 points ago

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That sentence follows from the first, which is to say that Mosaic law is still effective.

[–]mopecore 2 points3 points ago

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These views do not represent the views of any intelligent Christian I have ever spoken to.

Right, because your average, intelligent, compassionate christian doesn't actually take their religion very seriously, or explore its tenets very deeply.

Let's assume the core of christianity is correct, there is a heaven and a hell. "Good" people go to heaven, and the only way to get to heaven is through devotion to and acceptance of christ as savior. Therefore, christian doctrine is infinitely intolerant of everyone who doesn't accept its dogma.

Modern christian sects have softened their deity, and have created a fuzzier, cuddlier god, but their bible, the source of their belief system is extremely clear: those who do not accept the dogma as literal truth will burn, and they will deserve it.

That isn't terribly tolerant to me.

Also, consider groups like WBC. Of course, their views don't align with mainstream christians, but what label would you apply to people the WBC? What modifier is most commonly applied to describe their brand of christianity? They aren't called "anomalous christians" or "divergent christians," but "fundamentalist" or "extremist" christians, and for good reason.

[–]nigganigga -2 points-1 points ago

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I find their reflection of reality is the least important of all actually...

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

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That tolerate some looney ideas and acts

[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–]tracerbullet__pi 1 point2 points ago

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I've always wondered whether or not religion is the cause of this. Do their beliefs cause this hatred? Or is religion just an excuse for people to be hateful?

[–]CodeRedFox 0 points1 point ago*

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Depends if your religion for example says rape is ok because woman are things and should have no rights then yes its religion. If your religion say homosexuals are bad in one tiny area of a huge book and you make it the main point of your presidential bid then no its because that person is a piece of shit.

[–]BigTimer5 0 points1 point ago

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Which many times is the result of brainwashing and social conditioning.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago*

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Both. Our morals are shaped by societal pressures and parental upbringing. If you hated group X for whatever (ir)rational reason, and everybody told you that belief was despicable, or if it was like murder and rape where everybody being disgusted by it is taken as red, then you're going to be more likely to reevaluate that line of thinking or at least keep it out of polite conversation.

Meanwhile, if your society encourages this thinking (race-based apartheid laws), or at least doesn't stop it ("love the sinner, hate the sin") then you're fostering this sort of belief.

Religion in many parts of the world is still a major force in the morals and values of a society. For example, even moderate Christianity in the United States still teaches that homosexuality is wrong (and then weasels out of it by saying homsexuals aren't evil, just the sex) which means that there isn't really any backlash or admonishing of holding bigoted beliefs against them and these beliefs are allowed to remain and grow.

Granted, this doesn't make bigotry an exclusively religious thing, and I don't think any rational person would argue that it does, but religions aren't helping things any given their inherent focus on tradition and source-books that contain some pretty vile stuff.

[–]strategosInfinitum 0 points1 point ago

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They are decent in spite of their Christianity not because of it

[–]HPDerpcraft 2 points3 points ago

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Reddit is typically more progressive and educated than the average internets. It makes them nice people, but it doesn't make their beliefs any less absurd. I would retreat into shrubbery too, and I'm a recovering Catholic.

[–]Tself 3 points4 points ago

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The last conversation I just had in there involved people thinking homosexuality is a choice and that death is unnatural.

[–]aijoe 0 points1 point ago*

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Can you demonstrate that the average person in r/Christianity is more open minded than Christians in general? I'm just curious to know what the methodology is for determining what the openmindedness of a group of people is and what your sample size was. Note: Not claiming you are wrong or right till I know how you arrived at this conclusion.

[–]Mordred19 7 points8 points ago

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that's basically what I did when a theist said that god was an example of a great scientist.

[–]themcp 24 points25 points ago

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I remember when I was a kid, some friends took me to church to try to get me converted. I made the mistake of thinking it was a conversation, in which people discuss and care about factual correctness, and I talked back to the preacher who was trying to convert me. At one point I quoted Asimov about something (I forget what but it was a pretty tame point of fact) and I was told very firmly that Asimov was a liar and wrong about everything he said about anything and I was NOT PERMITTED TO MENTION HIM AGAIN IN THAT CHURCH.

I will remember it forever. That was the very moment I realized that religion is a form of mass insanity and that religious zealots are dangerous people regardless of what religion and vowed that I will never ever be religious like that.

I stood up and walked out of the place, in genuine fear that these nutballs might harm me if I stayed and tried to talk to them.

[–]shawnpeps[S] 9 points10 points ago

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I don't know everybody seems to think I think the people there are shitty or bad people. All I did was post the photo as a joke. I thought it was funny.

What made me post it were the first two threads I saw - one more or less talking about how the Plan B pill is bad and the other how atheists are annoying and don't let them explain themselves.

I'm sure they're fine people and I'm sure the subreddit is fine - just not for me. Please don't take what I posted so out of context.

[–]6ix5hooter 5 points6 points ago

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Upvoted for using my favorite Simpsons moments.

[–]johnsmithindustries 0 points1 point ago

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Do you know what episode this is from?

[–]joeknowswhoiam 3 points4 points ago

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1F14, Season 5 Episode 16, "Homer loves Flanders".

Homer: Hey! What's up for today, Neddy?

Ned: Uh, er, Homer, we're gonna visit the boys' grandmother. Family only, you know?

Homer: Right! No reporters. Ned: No, I, I...I mean just the Flanders family.

Homer: [slowly] Oh, OK. [goes back through the hedge]

Todd: Oh boy! Grandma!

Ned: We're not goin' anywhere.

Todd: But you said --

Ned: Er...sometimes to keep from hurting someone's feelings, you have to say things that aren't exactly --

Rod: Lies make baby Jesus cry.

I wonder if the OP meant to post it knowing the context of this scene and the last line ;)

[–]shawnpeps[S] 0 points1 point ago

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I think it's this one

Not 100% sure though.

[–]joeknowswhoiam 0 points1 point ago

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Pretty sure it's not, I've just verified :) But that's not the first time I see this one mentioned for this GIF :)

[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–]yossariancc 6 points7 points ago

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how many people have been tortured or killed over GameofThrones or doctorwho so far in history? Granted Christianity has had a head start, but I still don't see the others catching up.

[–]h00pla 0 points1 point ago

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I read some pretty intense hyperbole about Joffrey on r/gameofthrones. I wonder sometimes if they're unable to distinguish between Joffrey and the actor who portrays him.

[–]moronic_comment 1 point2 points ago

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Fuck that little shit, craven little fuc...I think I see your point.

[–]YesImSardonic 1 point2 points ago

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The actor was bloody perfect. I've only seen one other person able to extrude shit from his pores and pull that kind of hatred out of people.

[–]stinkyp00t 1 point2 points ago

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Pls explain how Doctor Who fans are fighting tooth an nail to prevent us from dealing with climate change? And the Game of Thrones guys... they must be the ones telling starving Africans not to use condoms.

[–]hungrierdave 1 point2 points ago

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Neddy? Neeeeddy!

[–]tHeSiD 1 point2 points ago

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You should go check out r/islam.

[–]Tactic11 1 point2 points ago

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Nothing is as bad as r/conservative. They're extremely Christian, hateful, and ignorant.

[–]moneyeagle 1 point2 points ago

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after I saw this I was quite suprised to find this

[–]Xok234 1 point2 points ago

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Okay, just went in there to see what it was all about. Not to sound disrespectful, but holy crap. I cringed. This is so true.

[–]fuzzymechy 1 point2 points ago

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you know what's funny? I've begun to enjoy r/christianity because it challenges me to think past shitty straw-man type arguments. and most people there are really nice

[–]PackOfHighly 1 point2 points ago

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So you backed into it and found yourself quickly absorbed by it?

[–]MegaZeusThor 2 points3 points ago

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Ask them an open ended question about the bible and see how many answer you get. Or about gay rights.

[–]prattja8 1 point2 points ago

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agreed, there are a lot of people in that subreddit. But the most vocal are just as apologist towards immoral behavior as any other idiotic cult when you push them.

[–]mopecore 0 points1 point ago

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Yeah, its pretty fucking scary in there.

[–]ukstubbs 2 points3 points ago

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my first reaction was laughter then realisaition im the same species then dissapointment

[–]mattj7 0 points1 point ago

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seeing this made me aware that there was an r/christianity, so naturally I checked it out out of curiosity. Then I did that^

[–]LionSlayer 0 points1 point ago

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I would say a majority of Christians are very open minded - its just the shitheads from places like Westboro that get the most attention.

[–]pablothe 0 points1 point ago

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I just went to r/christianity and most of the posts are about people doubting about their faith :)

[–]Tyrant84 0 points1 point ago

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If you play it backwards you can see your only trip out of it as well.

[–]Valknut 1 point2 points ago

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I laughed very hard at this! +1 Internets to you, sir!

[–]The_Meek -5 points-4 points ago

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I disagree with this. r/Christianity is actually a fantastic and open minded subreddit.

[–]Tself 36 points37 points ago

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I was told yesterday on there that to live a better life I should never have sex again. I'm a homosexual.

[–]The_Meek 4 points5 points ago

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There will always be those people. But to me, as an atheist, I get a great deal of respect and I have had numerous productive discussions.

[–]Tself 9 points10 points ago

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Well yes if you show respect you will get it back, but that doesn't mean their answers are open minded. I agree the conversation is polite, but a lot of the things they say are just ridiculous.

Obviously both are just generalizations though.

[–]The_Meek 2 points3 points ago

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Yes, there are a lot of ridiculous things. But there are also a lot of not ridiculous things(Pro-choice, separation of church and state, anti-capital punishment, anti-Hell, etc.)

[–]Tself 0 points1 point ago

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Aye, that is CERTAINLY not all of them though. Those would be quite a small portion of Christians right there. Especially since all of those points directly go against the bible (possibly besides abortion).

[–]YummyMeatballs 1 point2 points ago

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Perhaps they meant with a woman. Y'know because you're gay and you'd not like that.

They were just looking out for you!

[–]Tself 1 point2 points ago

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Already well aware, those things can give you babies n shit.

[–]YesImSardonic 0 points1 point ago

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Well, the shit you can get from a partner of any sex.

[–]achingchangchong 0 points1 point ago

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Was that really the most upvoted answer?

[–]Tself 0 points1 point ago

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Well I had a few answers since my question was just a reply to another comment. All of the responses at least said homosexuality was a choice. Of course this doesn't encompass ALL the people on r/christianity, but shows there are definitely some ignorant people on there.

[–]achingchangchong 0 points1 point ago

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You might have better luck submitting your question as its own post. The more ignorant fundamentalist types tend to enter threads late.

[–]Tself 0 points1 point ago

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Really the point of my question was to make a point actually heh. It was off some other fundies' comment comparing homosexuality to murder and stealing. So I used the Socratic method but then got even more ignorant responses.

[–]IConrad 1 point2 points ago

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Unless you state you're an atheist, or just object to the mythos in a defineable way. In which case you'll be banned from the subreddit. Seen it happen more times than I can count.

[–]The_Meek 0 points1 point ago

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I have an atheist flair....its all about being polite

[–]shawnpeps[S] 3 points4 points ago

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Disagree with me on what?

[–]The_Meek -2 points-1 points ago

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Your post implies that r/Christianity is bad. I disagree.

[–]shawnpeps[S] 6 points7 points ago

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How? It's just not for me. The first few posts I saw really turned me off.

[–]The_Meek -5 points-4 points ago

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I have had numerous extremely productive discussions on r/Christianity. I skip the bible thumping ones and go for the philosophical ones.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

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Open minded as in they are open minded to facts, or are they open minded like accepting Allah as their lord, or visnu as lord? How open minded?

[–]The_Meek 0 points1 point ago

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Open minded about facts and non Christian ideas.

[–]Minxie -1 points0 points ago

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r/christianity seems to be a lovely community to me, where they talk about Christianity. You think your subredit is better?

[–]r3dd1t0r77 1 point2 points ago

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I'm sure r/ibelieveinsanta is a pleasant place, as well, but some people like to stick with reality.

[–]helphowdoilogin -2 points-1 points ago

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Yeah? This is my first time checking out the Atheism subreddit and unfortunately its pretty much exactly what I expected - mindless circlejerking and meme pictures like this one. I've been an atheist all my life and their subreddit comes across a fraction as pathetic as this one does.

[–]DiversityOfThoughts 1 point2 points ago

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Lemme guess, you're stuck on the hot page. Advice from a regular, avoid it. Stay in new. When the influx of new people calms down the quality of the posts will increase. I am here for the threads asking for debating help. I like to hear new arguments.

[–]Zer0xDae -5 points-4 points ago

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I like how - similar to most Christians - most Atheists couldn't defend their positions on not believing any better than just using B.S examples like evolution to support their arguments. Yet! They are perfectly willing to insult Christians as if they possess more sound arguments. Every belief system is going to have people who abuse it; and every belief system is bound to contain blind-followers and morons.

P.S: I'm a Christian who believes in evolution, doesn't give a flying damn if you're a homosexual, doesn't think religion should be forced on kids, and agrees that religion shouldn't be used as a tool to gain support in a political sense.

[–]man_gaga 7 points8 points ago

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I think the problem with the assertion that most atheists couldn't defend their not believing is the implicit assumption that we have something to defend. Lacking belief in anything is the default position, whether it be evolution, religion, or the superiority of your favorite sports team. Until evidence is provided, it's just conjecture.

[–]IConrad 4 points5 points ago

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  1. Evolution has nothing to do with atheism; and atheism predates all notion of evolution by several centuries if not millennia.

  2. Atheism is not a belief system.

  3. There is no meaningful method of defending an absence of a position.

  4. Re: your "PS" -- you do realize how much of the scripture you're stating you hold positions in direct contradiction of, yes? Why bother with the label at all if you're going to redefine it into something wholly unrelated to what its doctrinal texts demand it be?

[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–]IConrad 0 points1 point ago

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I never stated that evolution was directly tied to Atheism. I was just pointing out that it was one of the more frequently used examples to 'ridicule' Christianity.

You claimed that atheists 'defended their positions' with evolution. I noted the lack of correlation between the two.

It is a belief system. You believe that there is no God, you don't know that there is no God.

Leaving aside the fact that I am a gnostic atheist, everything about your statement here is wrong.

A specific belief is not a belief system.

The absence of a belief is not itself a belief.

Atheism is not a belief system: it is a term denoting the conditional state of failing to believe in a deity.

Not sure how to reply.

So I gather. And yet you continue as though the statement had not been made to you: there is no eaningful method of defending an absence of a position.

The Bible is merely people's interpretations,

No. The Bible is a specific collection of texts which were specified as of the Nicene Council.

there are a lot of inconsistencies and seemingly ridiculous stories.

That is absolutely true, and absolutely not my problem -- it's yours. The mere fact that you must engage in cognitive dissonance to affirm that you are a Christian has little to nothing to do with my paradigm or life, aside from how you and others like you interfere with it (it being my life).

When I say I don't give a flying damn if you are a homosexual, that is not because I think it is OK, it's because it's stated that you are not suppose to lay judgments on others (John 8:7 states it pretty well).

Heh. It's amusing you would go to that one, considering it's pretty widely recognized that the "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" parable is a forgery that was inserted centuries later.

It's just the (relatively) rare fundamentalist Christians that are stupid enough to ignore the evidence provided to them.

Cute. You're the one doing most of that from where I can see, but then, it's only an extra 10% over what those 'fundamentalists' are doing.

I'm not sure where exactly I'm contradicting the scripture, would you mind showing me?

There are too many places to even begin listing.

  1. You are not hating all those who refuse to put Jesus first in your life.

  2. You are not a slave owner, nor have you beaten any slaves who disobeyed you sufficiently severely that they died three days later.

  3. You wear modern clothing.

  4. You own material wealth several orders of magnitude greater than the poor of today possess.

  5. You do not advocate becoming a Christian to anyone who gives you the slightests opportunity.

  6. You support gender equality.

  7. You do not live your life in accordance with "Old Testament" laws, despite Jesus's specific admonition that they would continue to apply until the end of time.

Etc., etc., etc.. This conversation is boring to me now, however, so I'm not going to bother responding again.

[–]heres_the_video_clip -1 points0 points ago

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[–][deleted] -1 points0 points ago

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I knew what was coming and I still laughed. Thank you. :)

[–]Tritonio -1 points0 points ago

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I didn't have to know that there is a /r/christianity... Cannot resist now...

[–]nightzirk 0 points1 point ago

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Please don't go there to troll. Either just lurk or post constructive comments. Don't be an asshole.

[–]samisbond -2 points-1 points ago

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I felt this way for the "new" and "what's hot" comments. I think the top posts>all time are very civilized and thoughtful.

[–][deleted] ago

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[deleted]

[–]fuzzymechy 0 points1 point ago

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that's HILARIOUS, in a sort of "ugh, damn it, that shouldn't be funny, but is" sort of way.