How religion can harm young minds...

[Ned]

Not quite, but if you and I were driving through Oklahoma,....)

Oklahoma?

Why didn't I guess that?

[Ned]

They did teach you well in your PhD-school.

I am sure they told you:

When you argue with atheists, make sure that you come across as a reasonable man.

- Make small concessions when pushed in a corner,
- admit inconsequential little problems with the bible,
- argue that you don't have to take things literally,
- give them really convoluted gobbledygook that sounds like logical arguments,
- make sure they give up trying to understand (confusion is on your side)
- joke in good nature about your opponents' character,
- tell them how loving and just 'god' is
- but never waver about the basic assumption of 'god's existence.
- suck them into arguments, because as long as they argue about god, they subconsciously accept the foundation of christianity:

BELIEF WITHOUT EVIDENCE

[ReliStuPhD]

Oklahoma?

Why didn't I guess that?

For where I live? No. Texas.

[ReliStuPhD]

- give them really convoluted gobbledygook that sounds like logical arguments,

I thought it was "give them logical arguments that they call convoluted gobbledygook."

[Ned]

Oklahoma?

Why didn't I guess that?

For where I live? No. Texas.

That's even worse!

[ReliStuPhD]

For where I live? No. Texas.

That's even worse!

Than Oklahoma? Not by a long shot. We look sane compared to OK.

[Ned]

- give them really convoluted gobbledygook that sounds like logical arguments,

I thought it was "give them logical arguments that they call convoluted gobbledygook."

Is that the only comment about that deep insight I posted above, about your tactics and strategies you employ in your arguments with atheists?

I thought you would congratulate me on how incisively I am on to you?

[ReliStuPhD]

Is that the only comment about that deep insight I posted above, about your tactics and strategies you employ in your arguments with atheists?

I thought you would congratulate me on how incisively I am on to you?

Is that what qualifies as "deep insight" among theoretical physicists? And here I thought you all had no sense of humor.

[Ned]

Is that the only comment about that deep insight I posted above, about your tactics and strategies you employ in your arguments with atheists?

I thought you would congratulate me on how incisively I am on to you?

Is that what qualifies as "deep insight" among theoretical physicists? And here I thought you all had no sense of humor.

I have been laughing at you whole day --- what do you mean no sense of humour?

[ReliStuPhD]

I have been laughing at you whole day --- what do you mean no sense of humour?

At least I can take comfort in knowing we're laughing at each other.

[Ned]

I have been laughing at you whole day --- what do you mean no sense of humour?

At least I can take comfort in knowing we're laughing at each other.

There is a thread in "The Lounge" called "Collection of religious jokes"

You should look at it some day.

Here is a sample -- your 'arguments' reminded me of it:

A drunk man is pissing at the wall on a public street.

A priest, coming along, starts scolding a drunk: “Are you not ashamed of yourself?” he cries.

The drunk thinks about it for a minute and then replies: “Yes, it is true – but by tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be a priest!”

[SpheresOfBalance]

Now that I have done it -- it's all yours!

So are you done patting yourself on the back?

I don't think he ever will, you know the idea, old dogs and new tricks. But then I guess many of us here are old dogs. At least I hope that we can still learn new tricks.

[SpheresOfBalance]

Oklahoma?

Why didn't I guess that?

For where I live? No. Texas.

That's even worse!

Only fools attribute ones particular abilities to a particular place of current residence.

[Ned]

A corollary to the drunk man and the priest joke:

The priest yells at the drunk: "put it away, immediately!"

The drunk complies, but starts laughing.

The priest yells at him again: "What's so funny?!"

The drunk says, grinning from ear to ear: "You think I stopped???"

[SpheresOfBalance]

I have been laughing at you whole day --- what do you mean no sense of humour?

At least I can take comfort in knowing we're laughing at each other.

There is a thread in "The Lounge" called "Collection of religious jokes"

You should look at it some day.

Here is a sample -- your 'arguments' reminded me of it:

A drunk man is pissing at the wall on a public street.

A priest, coming along, starts scolding a drunk: “Are you not ashamed of yourself?” he cries.

The drunk thinks about it for a minute and then replies: “Yes, it is true – but by tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be a priest!”

I have one!

Ned comes along and says something, anything, as if it's necessarily definitive, and a wise man that happens by hears it and says, "I'm sorry!"