The Atheist Next Door

[SteveS]

Hi guys & gals --- just thought I'd post this, CBS ran it on Sunday during their 10 o'clock news.  If you missed it (as I did) and forgot to record it (as I did) you can watch it here on the Atheist Media Blog: http://atheistmedia.blogspot.com/2008/02/cbs-atheist-next-door.html

It was sort of interesting.  A lot of the typical questions/statements, but I was impressed that this topic got major air time.

Cheers all!

[McQ]

Interesting piece, Steve. Thanks. I like the family they profiled, the Low family. Stated their beliefs well. It was interesting to hear the bishop ask what do atheists have to use in times of difficulty, as if it is a given that people must turn to something when bad things happen. Weird and naive. A grown man shouldn't ask such a stupid question.

[SteveS]

Funny - my reaction was almost identical.  I liked the family as well and thought they did good, and the bishop's question made me sort of go "YAK!  What?!?"

[tacoma_kyle]

Cool vid. THanks.

[Edizzle]

Gah, I hate how some believe just because we don't have ten rules written in stone to abide by, we have no morals or sense of right and wrong...It's ridiculous.

[Kona]

Look, if I'm in a bad situation I turn to my good friend, Sam Adams.  He has all the answers!

[McQ]

Look, if I'm in a bad situation I turn to my good friend, Sam Adams.  He has all the answers!

....always a good choice.  

[tacoma_kyle]

Look, if I'm in a bad situation I turn to my good friend, Sam Adams.  He has all the answers!

lol

Oh man, I just accidentally ran across this ...

[SteveS]

So, big surprise, but ditto on the Sam Adams endorsements.....  :wink:  

Gah, I hate how some believe just because we don't have ten rules written in stone to abide by, we have no morals or sense of right and wrong...It's ridiculous.

Yeah - I know what you mean.

Often times I think the believers play a game with this --- believing is moral, not believing is not moral, so how can a non-believer be moral?  That sort of circular definition thing.  Seems to me the politicians like to play this one.

The joke, to me, is that the believers interpret scripture anyhow.  They are applying their own sense of morality to decide what they should take out of scripture and what they shouldn't, what it means and what it doesn't mean, etc.  So - I think many just don't realize that they aren't really getting their morals from their religion afterall.

And what is the attraction to having the rules written in stone anyway?  The only appeal that I can see is that it appears to absolve you of actually having to think about things and figure them out for yourself.  And yet, this will to be subject to an arbitrary authoritarian rule is also disturbing to me.  Its like saying "I don't want to think!  Just tell me what to do!  I did what you said, so I must be a good person, right?!"

Damn, now I want a Sam Adams, too.  But I'm still at work.......stupid alcohol-free workplace rules....  :wink:

[Kona]

So who just so happens to have the same birthday as me? March 10th?

You also share a birthday with my brother....a prison guard.

[Janga]

I think that story makes atheism out to be some wierd cult or something. The way he explained there are some famous atheists was as if he was naming off Scientology celebrities.
Also, the comment at the end about the Lows' children not having trouble making friends at school makes it seem like he's implying children who are from atheist families normally have trouble making friends at school, which is not based on fact at all.

[tacoma_kyle]

Well Kona, make sure you tell him is is Mr Norris's birthday.

Funny, tile now aside from Norris, I havent heard of anyone else with my birthday. Obviously not the only 3 , but just though I'd run into it sooner...

[moosegoose]

Look, if I'm in a bad situation I turn to my good friend, Sam Adams.  He has all the answers!

lol

Oh man, I just accidentally ran across this ...

What ! it's my birthday too. This is the SIGN! END IS NEAR (or just behind the corner)

Just decided to have an action hero name DEAN WEASEL.

[tacoma_kyle]

It is? lol.

Tell all the women to wait til next months! Hold...hold....

[jaymayo]

I was born on March 17! Top that! Hehehe...