On Jan. 31, CNN held a panel to discuss whether atheists are unfairly discriminated against and how we ought to feel about that. You can watch the segment on YouTube.

Atheist-bashing with Paula Zahn on CNN - Part 1 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=tiyJzWy3CDQ)

Atheist-bashing with Paula Zahn on CNN - Part 2 (http://youtube.com/watch?v=fPHnXrU5JzU)

You can read parts of the transcript here on About.com, which emphasizes some of the parts that have some atheists riled up: http: //atheism. about.com/ b/a/258728 .htm

2 of the panelists completely bash atheism. One of the two, a Jewish woman, argues that "we are a Christian nation."

Also, a collection of links and reactions here: http: //atheism. about.com/ b/a/258735 .htm

They cite a study that found, among other things, that "Atheists are the least trusted minority group in the United States."

A very interesting show. I would love to see more of this on CNN. Strange, though, how they held a panel on atheism without including an atheist on the panel.

con (http://www.caught22.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=294)juror

[This message has been edited by conjuror (edited 02-08-2007).]

No atheist on the panel? Atheists believe nothing? Atheists should just shut up?

What a joke.

US news is sickening, is it NEWS or a biased talk show?

[This message has been edited by boozehound420 (edited 02-08-2007).]

Yeah, atheists do get a lot of fucking shit. In middle school I was labeled a Satanist for not believing in God. Good show, Christians!

Nihilists get it worse, though. http://www.totse.com/bbs/tongue.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/tongue.gif)

OMFG what blatant propaganda!

"Why do atheists inspire such hatred?" <--big sign in the back

WTF

Replace "atheists" with "jews" or "blacks" and CNN would get their fucking ASS handed to them on a silver fucking platter!

God, that black chick needs to STFU and that jew needs to have her vocal cords removed. I now have visual confirmation that Hell does exist, and there are banshees among us.



[This message has been edited by Rizzo in a box (edited 02-08-2007).]

Dawkins is on CNN tonight, The same show http://richarddawkins.net/event,123,CNN

quote:Originally posted by Q777:

Dawkins is on CNN tonight, The same show http://richarddawkins.net/event,123,CNN

Unfortunately he won't be on long. Here is what Richard wrote on the forum on the same site:

quote:I just learned that CNN's plan for this evening has changed. My 20 minute interview will be edited down to about 4 minutes, and it will be followed by a panel discussion involving Christopher Hitchens (representing atheists) and two religious spokesmen.

Richard

That was an informed panel? It seems like they just took three random people off an elevator in the building and asked them to run their gashes for fifteen minutes. "Europe is becoming Islamic because of all the Athiest there!". Oh. What. The. Fuck? She could have said "McDonalds five piece Chicken McNuggets are the only reason why we haven't suffered a major attack from Hawaii!" and it would have made more sense.

On a side note, I don't doubt we are looked down upon as a whole, but I have never suffered any kind of discrimitation like these people have. I work at a company that is owned by Mormons and mostly has Christians working for it. Everyone knows who and what I am and no one has treated me badly or preached at me. I am sure there are many who do lose jobs and friends over it, but that also might be because they are acting like giant douche bags all the time anyways.

If those people were suddenly evicted like that, I doubt it was because of who they were. You can't just get evicted for no reason at all. They were late with the rent all the fucking time or, by the looks of them, letting the dogs and cats shit all over the apartment and the landlord decided not to renew the lease.

quote:Originally posted by specus_meretricis:

I am sure there are many who do lose jobs and friends over it, but that also might be because they are acting like giant douche bags all the time anyways.

If those people were suddenly evicted like that, I doubt it was because of who they were. You can't just get evicted for no reason at all.

Move to a small town in the Bible Belt and see what it's like. People despise atheists around here just for being atheists. You don't have to be a douche. All you have to do is say "I don't go to church" if they ask you what church you go to and BAM! on comes the bigotry. http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

Watching this made me feel an immense disappointment in society.

"What do atheists believe? Nothing." That particular quote just shows the extreme lack of knowledge the general public has about atheists.

But wow, that black woman is really quite the uninformed bitch, huh? And the blond was also quite stupid, pretty much saying that Europe is falling apart due to disbelief in god, and that America remains strong because of it. Puuulease.

The black guy was the only intelligent speaker of the three.

[This message has been edited by bung (edited 02-08-2007).]

That black bitch is a complete moron, how the hell did she win a pulitzer?

-She thinks prayer in school is a right.

-She thinks "under god" is integral to the pledge.

-She thinks prayer in school will bring morality to school (so much is just plainly wrong with this one).

quote:Originally posted by Q777:

Dawkins is on CNN tonight, The same show http://richarddawkins.net/event,123,CNN

Bumped to Friday night. They're busy reporting a more important issue - everything Anna Nicole has ever done.

quote:Originally posted by Martini:

Originally posted by Q777:

Dawkins is on CNN tonight, The same show http: //richardd awkins.net /event,123 ,CNN

Bumped to Friday night. They're busy reporting a more important issue - everything Anna Nicole has ever done.

bullshit. I knew that was goona happen as soon as I heard she died.

This is why I laugh when people bitch about the "war on Christmas".

That bitch's claim about atheism in Europe causing Muslim violence made my blood boil! I really wish she would get an education, seeing as there are volumes of scholarly articles written about the poor integration policies of Western European countries causing despondency. It has nothing to do with atheism.

Argh!

quote:Originally posted by Rizzo in a box:

Yeah, atheists do get a lot of fucking shit. In middle school I was labeled a Satanist for not believing in God. Good show, Christians!

Nihilists get it worse, though. http://www.totse.com/bbs/tongue.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/tongue.gif)

OMFG what blatant propaganda!

"Why do atheists inspire such hatred?" <--big sign in the back

WTF

Replace "atheists" with "jews" or "blacks" and CNN would get their fucking ASS handed to them on a silver fucking platter!

God, that black chick needs to STFU and that jew needs to have her vocal cords removed. I now have visual confirmation that Hell does exist, and there are banshees among us.



You can't stand up and claim you're a nihilist. There's no doctrine or creed... That's not the way it works.

The rest of your post is very true though. In a world where a "homophobic" snickers commercial gets taken off the air... we somehow allow this shit to continue unhindered?

Don't get me wrong... I think it should. But I think it should as much as any other kind of bigotry or racism. She's absolutely right. We are a Christian nation.

Where the fuck did we go wrong?

quote:"We are a Christian nation."

Would you fucking dumb as shit yanks kindly learn something about your country's history and foundation before you start spouting off "we're a Christian nation, lolz"? That'd be great, thanks.

quote:Originally posted by Kazz:

We are a Christian nation.



"Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the common law."



--Whether Christianity is Part of the Common Law (1764). Published in The Works of Thomas Jefferson in Twelve Volumes, Federal Edition, Paul Leicester Ford, ed., New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1904, Vol. 1, p. 459.



"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

--Terms of a treaty with Tripoli, drafted in 1796 under George Washington and signed by John Adams in 1797

quote:Originally posted by Elephantitis Man:

Originally posted by specus_meretricis:

I am sure there are many who do lose jobs and friends over it, but that also might be because they are acting like giant douche bags all the time anyways.

If those people were suddenly evicted like that, I doubt it was because of who they were. You can't just get evicted for no reason at all.

Move to a small town in the Bible Belt and see what it's like. People despise atheists around here just for being atheists. You don't have to be a douche. All you have to do is say "I don't go to church" if they ask you what church you go to and BAM! on comes the bigotry. http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

I've lived in a small town now and I grew up in a small town. I have never once had anyone say anything rude to me because I do not go to church or I tell them I am an Athiest. The most I ever get is "So what is the difference between that and an Agnostic?". But then I don't put on black lipstick, carve up my arms, or wear a tshirt that says "Fuck your god!". Bam! Stop being a douche bag.

[This message has been edited by specus_meretricis (edited 02-09-2007).]

Surak and Bung... you guys are fucking idiots.

My point is that the only way that this could ever happen, on a country's national news network, with a panel consisting of not one member of the minority mentioned, while they bash it with little opposition and find it completely okay... is because we HAVE in fact taken a million steps backwards, and become the Christian nation we tried so hard yet failed to avoid.

It makes me sick to my stomach when I think about it... and you posting your Washington quotes from 1796 helps nothing at all... for we were not born into but have BECOME a christian nation.

How much more ignorance and insensitivity does our society need to show, before you realize this reality?

Don't think this is me saying it shouldn't be fought.

They think because atheists don’t believe in heaven or hell they have no morals. I don’t have to be frightened by such bullshit to live a civilized life.

quote:Originally posted by Donny Darko:

They think because atheists don’t believe in heaven or hell they have no morals. I don’t have to be frightened by such bullshit to live a civilized life.

It says more about them as people that they need to be frightened of hell and have a carrot to do good acts than it does about atheists. In fact, it says nothing about atheists at all.

[This message has been edited by Hare_Geist (edited 02-09-2007).]

quote:Originally posted by Kazz:

Surak and Bung... you guys are fucking idiots.

My point is that the only way that this could ever happen, on a country's national news network, with a panel consisting of not one member of the minority mentioned, while they bash it with little opposition and find it completely okay... is because we HAVE in fact taken a million steps backwards, and become the Christian nation we tried so hard yet failed to avoid.

It makes me sick to my stomach when I think about it... and you posting your Washington quotes from 1796 helps nothing at all... for we were not born into but have BECOME a christian nation.

How much more ignorance and insensitivity does our society need to show, before you realize this reality?

Don't think this is me saying it shouldn't be fought.

When people say "We are a Christian nation," they generally mean (at least this is how it usually seems to be implied, at least to me, anyway) that this country was founded upon Christian principles, that that was where our laws were established from, and that our founding fathers endorsed the idea of Christianity.

I know that we seem to have 'turned into' (or actually, always have been) a nation that is primarily composed of Christians, but I would hardly call us a "Christian nation" because of that, but instead, a nation composed primarily of Christians. There's a difference.

This is, of course, just my opinion--how I happen to interpret the issue. No need for the 'fucking idiots'. When you leave what you say open to interpretation, people are bound to come up with different interpretations other than your own.



[This message has been edited by bung (edited 02-09-2007).]

quote:Originally posted by specus_meretricis:

I've lived in a small town now and I grew up in a small town. I have never once had anyone say anything rude to me because I do not go to church or I tell them I am an Athiest. The most I ever get is "So what is the difference between that and an Agnostic?". But then I don't put on black lipstick, carve up my arms, or wear a tshirt that says "Fuck your god!". Bam! Stop being a douche bag.

I don't put on black lipstick, carve up my arms, or wear offensive tshirts, either. I'm a 21 year old university student, you fucking retard. I dress and conduct myself respectably in public. What part of the states is your small town in? Note that I specifically said "in the Bible Belt". I know it's hard to believe, but some people out there actually are bigots and discriminate against people just for their beliefs without any instigation whatsoever.

I like how not one of the 3 "panelists" brought up seperation of church(ANY church) and state as well as the nation being built on classical liberalism, not christianity.

quote:Originally posted by Elephantitis Man:

Originally posted by specus_meretricis:

I've lived in a small town now and I grew up in a small town. I have never once had anyone say anything rude to me because I do not go to church or I tell them I am an Athiest. The most I ever get is "So what is the difference between that and an Agnostic?". But then I don't put on black lipstick, carve up my arms, or wear a tshirt that says "Fuck your god!". Bam! Stop being a douche bag.

I don't put on black lipstick, carve up my arms, or wear offensive tshirts, either. I'm a 21 year old university student, you fucking retard. I dress and conduct myself respectably in public. What part of the states is your small town in? Note that I specifically said "in the Bible Belt". I know it's hard to believe, but some people out there actually are bigots and discriminate against people just for their beliefs without any instigation whatsoever.

The town I grew up in was in Northern Michigan and I am now in a small town in West Michigan. Very conservative places to live and I have never once felt singled out or persecuted. Know why? Because I don't fucking cry like a little pre-op tranny everytime someone looks at me cross eyed. Those lump shaped fuckwits were evicted because they were bums. No fucking landlord can evict you because of your religion, or lack thereof. Try this one on for size: How about people don't like you, or cunts like you, because of how you behave and not who you are? Gosh! Could it be that you have no one to blame but yourself for being treated badly? I understand you want and need to be offended, and you are getting exactly what you deserve/want everytime you run around like your wig is on fire if people don't kiss your ass.

I know I like living in small towns to avoid mincing little assholes like you. I get to sleep in every Sunday morning and not hear you yell in your megaphone at church bells.

quote:Originally posted by specus_meretricis:

Try this one on for size: How about people don't like you, or cunts like you, because of how you behave and not who you are? Gosh! Could it be that you have no one to blame but yourself for being treated badly? I understand you want and need to be offended, and you are getting exactly what you deserve/want everytime you run around like your wig is on fire if people don't kiss your ass.

I know I like living in small towns to avoid mincing little assholes like you. I get to sleep in every Sunday morning and not hear you yell in your megaphone at church bells.

I don't know if you're a troll, or if you're just blazingly retarded. Michigan isn't the Bible-belt. Tell you what: try coming to a small town in southern Missouri and behaving the same way you do there in Michigan. 15 minutes away from here is the biggest megachurch in the state. You think you know

"conservative"? Michigan...pfft.

And quit with the needless insults. You aren't from where I'm from. You don't know anything about me other than that I'm an athiest who claims to live in an area where being openly atheist can get a guy ostracized and discriminated against. What about that is so hard to believe? Why are you so hostile to the idea that there are religious bigots in the US?

Edit: Furthermore, I'm no longer discriminated against. Want to know why? Because I have to pretend that I'm a fucking believer. Yes, that's right, asshole. I exposed the fact that I was an atheist to people in my hometown and was treated poorly because of it. So not only do I not "shout through my megaphone at church on Sunday morning", I pretend that I believe just to keep from getting discriminated against at my workplace. My own father would probably disown me if he found out I was an atheist. And I've talk to other exChristians who've had their entire families shun them, just for not believing anymore. So watch what you say. You don't know shit. http://www.totse.com/bbs/mad.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/mad.gif)

[This message has been edited by Elephantitis Man (edited 02-09-2007).]

quote:Originally posted by bung:

When people say "We are a Christian nation," they generally mean (at least this is how it usually seems to be implied, at least to me, anyway) that this country was founded upon Christian principles, that that was where our laws were established from, and that our founding fathers endorsed the idea of Christianity.

I know that we seem to have 'turned into' (or actually, always have been) a nation that is primarily composed of Christians, but I would hardly call us a "Christian nation" because of that, but instead, a nation composed primarily of Christians. There's a difference.

This is, of course, just my opinion--how I happen to interpret the issue. No need for the 'fucking idiots'. When you leave what you say open to interpretation, people are bound to come up with different interpretations other than your own.



This is true... and I apologize for the harsh words. It was intended more towards Surak, who came on with a much more offensive stance than you... and the whole point of that post was in order to try and defend that "No, I don't believe this country was made for Christians", but rather "I think we've become a Christian nation".

So I never really meant to strike at either of you guys. I was merely trying to clear my name, while frustrated by the concept that you guys thought that I, an atheist myself, felt this should be some kind of Christian nation.

And in response to your above comment... I do believe that traditionally the term "Christian Nation" suggests that a country was adopted with Christian morals and codes.

However it is just my personal observation, that modern America is a rare case where we ARE (frighteningly) overcoming our secular foundation... and replacing it with a very scary theological fundamentalism. My term Christian nation was not meant to resemble or match the traditional idea of the concept.

quote:Originally posted by Elephantitis Man:

Originally posted by specus_meretricis:

Try this one on for size: How about people don't like you, or cunts like you, because of how you behave and not who you are? Gosh! Could it be that you have no one to blame but yourself for being treated badly? I understand you want and need to be offended, and you are getting exactly what you deserve/want everytime you run around like your wig is on fire if people don't kiss your ass.

I know I like living in small towns to avoid mincing little assholes like you. I get to sleep in every Sunday morning and not hear you yell in your megaphone at church bells.

I don't know if you're a troll, or if you're just blazingly retarded. Michigan isn't the Bible-belt. Tell you what: try coming to a small town in southern Missouri and behaving the same way you do there in Michigan. 15 minutes away from here is the biggest megachurch in the state. You think you know

"conservative"? Michigan...pfft.

And quit with the needless insults. You aren't from where I'm from. You don't know anything about me other than that I'm an athiest who claims to live in an area where being openly atheist can get a guy ostracized and discriminated against. What about that is so hard to believe? Why are you so hostile to the idea that there are religious bigots in the US?

Edit: Furthermore, I'm no longer discriminated against. Want to know why? Because I have to pretend that I'm a fucking believer. Yes, that's right, asshole. I exposed the fact that I was an atheist to people in my hometown and was treated poorly because of it. So not only do I not "shout through my megaphone at church on Sunday morning", I pretend that I believe just to keep from getting discriminated against at my workplace. My own father would probably disown me if he found out I was an atheist. And I've talk to other exChristians who've had their entire families shun them, just for not believing anymore. So watch what you say. You don't know shit. http://www.totse.com/bbs/mad.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/mad.gif)



Why should I watch what I say? Because I refuse to cater to anyone's need to be offended all the fucking time? Fuck that! I find your over use of emoticons offensive. Are you going to stop using them or are you going to keep indulging your inner 12 year old girl's AIM persona? Oh and bullshit that you have it so fucking bad in the so-called "Bible Belt". You live there? Oh so that is giving you some internet street cred? Your family and your community hate you because you are a dick. That is all. Of all the people they could hate and "shun" they picked you over say... some sister-fucking cow shit catcher with one tooth and gout. Yes you. Your fussy little ass won the "heap our collective hate upon" award forver!

Why don't you just fucking move to a place that doesn't know what a total cunt rag you are and start all over? I will tell you why you wont. You love to be the martyr too much. It's always adorable when a so-called Athiest jumps right up on that cross first chance he gets.

^^If there is a God, I'm sure he loves it when people act like that. http://www.totse.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif)

quote:Originally posted by Martini:

Bumped to Friday night. They're busy reporting a more important issue - everything Anna Nicole has ever done.

CNN has rescheduled the Dawkins piece for Monday, 2/12 (Darwin Day). I hope this wasn't done as a lame attempt to associate Darwin with 'the Atheist god'. Hopefully Darwin Day won't be mentioned at all.

Anyone else think specus_meretricis is a troll? I don't know how any athiest can show such complete disregard for fellow athiests in situations they, themselves, could very easily be in at some point and time. I have some bad news for you, specus. Nearly every atheistic/secular humanist organization recognizes that atheists and agnostics are unjustly mistreated by religious people in some religious communities. Your idea that atheists are only discriminated against "because they act like cunts" has absolutely no factual basis and is a complete delusion. Not only that, but it's also bigotry towards fellow atheists. If you hate us so much for trying to stand up for our (and your) rights, why don't you just grab a fuckin' Bible and become a fundie while you're at it. At least then you'll have some people on your side.

[This message has been edited by Elephantitis Man (edited 02-09-2007).]

specus_meretricis is a cunt.

quote:Originally posted by Elephantitis Man:

Anyone else think specus_meretricis is a troll? I don't know how any athiest can show such complete disregard for fellow athiests in situations they, themselves, could very easily be in at some point and time. I have some bad news for you, specus. Nearly every atheistic/secular humanist organization recognizes that atheists and agnostics are unjustly mistreated by religious people in some religious communities. Your idea that atheists are only discriminated against "because they act like cunts" has absolutely no factual basis and is a complete delusion. Not only that, but it's also bigotry towards fellow atheists. If you hate us so much for trying to stand up for our (and your) rights, why don't you just grab a fuckin' Bible and become a fundie while you're at it. At least then you'll have some people on your side.



Awww...I love how you need back up to feel any kind of justification for your giant, throbbing hurt feelings. Do all of us a favor and never fucking tell anyone you are an Athiest. All you do is make the rest of us look like convulsing emo bitches. Stay underground and in the closet as much as possible. Well unless you need to do a giant "reveal" that would give you some kind of dramatic upperhand when seeking pity. But in the mean time, go to SG and start a poll on who is on your side, since you need numbers and consolation to know you are right about anything at all. I'll be happy just sitting here poking at you on my own and watching you twitch.

quote:Originally posted by FunkyZombie:

specus_meretricis is a cunt.

Yes I am. Nothing I love more than to hurt your ever so sensitive feelings. Could you please save a few of your tears in an air tight tupperware container so I can sip them with my morning Mimiosa later on? Thxs!

He's a fucking moron, not a cunt.

Who cares of Atheists are discriminated agaisnt? Well see whose right when everyone dies and there is no god...well no we wont...but it wont matter because these religous retards are wrong...

The guy out of those 3 is the least moronic.

The black woman doesnt know what she is talking about, the blonde idiot probably hasnt ever even been to Europe "becoming islamist" WHAT THE FUCK....there are only around 2 million muslims in the United kingdom alone and a percentage of those announced themselves as a "non-practising muslim" so it is even less than 2 mil.

Atheism is more wide spread in the US than most want to believe, the US has an appalling crime rate compared to more secularised countries, Sweden for example is within the top 3 countries with the best living standards including such things as health and crime and they have a MINORITY of religion not a majority like the US.

"They need to shut up, stop imposing their beliefs on others"

This quote really annoyed me because they need to look up the "intelligent design" case in the USA where they wanted intelligent design taught in schools as a valid and equal theory for how we are, now, if this isn't also imposing beliefs on others AND forcing prayer and such in schools then i don't know what is.

I can NOT believe a news show first of all would try to run figures that are in one poll, many other polls show atheists in much higher numbers and much lower down on the "hated" list, and secondly that they wouldn't have an atheist on the panel, they could've picked anyone from the street that would've given more valid arguments than those three.

Devoting a 5 minute slot to discuss such a topic is laughable, Christians mostly try to impose their beliefs, they also never shut up about muslims and as the blonde Jew showed "becoming more islamist" shows their intolerance for ANYONE who doesn't believe what they believe.