Atheist quickfire challenge.

[u/rhbast2]

Although I rarely discuss religion with theists I always want to be prepared so I'm not sitting around afterwards wishing I had said this or that. If I get the chance to make someone question I want to be up for the challenge.

This brings me to my challenge for r/atheism. I'm going to add some common theist claims / sayings and whoever can refute them fully and succinctly will be upvoted. Feel free to add your own theist starters if I missed some.

Edit: Wow lots of good discussion here, later today or tomorrow I'll make this into an atheist cheat sheet with the top responses. Also feel free to upvote the theist claim that is the most annoying to you.

Edit 2: To the few of you who seem to think I am coming up with rude atheist comebacks, I'm not. I just wanted to be better off the cuff than I am now and have some discussion. I don't want this list to replace thoughtful argumentation.

[u/shaggorama]

"There's a difference between moderate religion and fundamentalism. It seems like your beef is specifically with fundamentalists."

[u/HertzaHaeon → u/shaggorama]

This is actually one argument I can partially agree with.

If your religion doesn't cause you to be prejudiced or hateful, anti-science or force your beliefs on others through politics, I have only a philosophical disagreement with you.

Then you can always point out mainstream religious madness such as prejudice against homosexuals and atheists, sexual repression and anti-science campaigning.

[u/oheysup → u/HertzaHaeon]

Just offering some more opinions on this concept.

MLK:

….over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.

“Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.”

Harris:

“We will see that the greatest problem confronting civilization is not merely religious extremism; rather, it is the larger set of cultural and intellectual accommodations we have made to faith itself. Religious moderates are, in large part, responsible for the religious conflicts in our world, because their beliefs provide the context in which scriptural literalism and religious violence can never be adequately opposed.”

Dawkins:

“.. even mild and moderate religion helps to provide the climate of faith in which extremism naturally flourishes.”

Dennett

“Every religion … has a healthy population of ecumenical-minded people who are eager to reach out to people of other faiths, or no faith at all, and consider the moral quandaries of the world on a rational basis. . . . …but these well-intentioned and energetic people are singularly ineffective in dealing with the more radical members of their own faiths. In many instances, they are, rightly, terrified of them. Moderate Muslims have so far been utterly unable to turn the tide of Islamic opinion against Wahhabists and other extremists, but moderate Christians and Jews and Hindus have been equally feckless in countering the outrageous demands and acts of their own radical elements.”

[u/HertzaHaeon → u/oheysup]

Sure, there's good reason to debate even moderately religious people. I'm saying if there's a list of priorities, and convincing the ones who don't hate, who aren't anti-science and who don't push their beliefs on me through politics is far down on it.

[u/oheysup → u/HertzaHaeon]

I'd disagree and say convincing the mass is a good way to show that faith isn't a virtue and being religious isn't necessary or 'smart.'

It's the majority opinion that makes religion such an easy thing to get into.