Definitions by Submitters of Words
Fundamentalist atheism
While some atheists can certainly be annoying and intolerant as fuck, there is actually no such thing as "fundamentalist" atheism.
The definition of a fundamentalist is someone who won't be swayed by evidence - someone who relies on "faith". This is in contrast to the nonbeliever, who relies on hard evidence and reason.
And believe me, the second an intelligent nonbeliever finds a good enough reason to believe in any particular deity, he will do so immediately.
But what sort of evidence would convince a religious person that his faith is false?
The definition of a fundamentalist is someone who won't be swayed by evidence - someone who relies on "faith". This is in contrast to the nonbeliever, who relies on hard evidence and reason.
And believe me, the second an intelligent nonbeliever finds a good enough reason to believe in any particular deity, he will do so immediately.
But what sort of evidence would convince a religious person that his faith is false?
"fundamentalist atheism"
Look up the definition of fundamentalism in dictionary, folks. "Angry" atheists are preaching for rationality and a respect for evidence, not faith.
Look up the definition of fundamentalism in dictionary, folks. "Angry" atheists are preaching for rationality and a respect for evidence, not faith.
Fundamentalist atheism by Submitters of Words June 15, 2011
Personal responsibility card
Similar to the race card, but used by conservatives.
Something they tout as an answer to every single social issue in existence. Such reasoning is fallacious, however, because in actuality life is much more complicated..
Conservative: If people don't want babies, they shouldn't have sex. That way, abortion wouldn't even be necessary. Think, liberals, think! Personal responsibility, people!
Liberal/Moderate: Ok, so if abortion was banned, it's true that less people would have irresponsible sex, and there might be far fewer abortions. You're right on that one. But what about in cases of rape? You can't mount the "personal responsibility" defense there - people don't choose to get raped.
Conservative: Make abortion legal only in cases of rape then.
L/M: Well how are you supposed to know when the hell she's lying then? You'd be encouraging women to lie. Same problem as before, she just has to employ a different method of getting around it. How are you supposed to distinguish between the liars and the true victims?
Conservative: Polygraph.
L/M: In a perfect world, those things are fully reliable. But they're clearly not. Since we don't live in a perfect world, and polygraphs sometimes fail, we may as well legalize abortion considering that there are many cases where it's very necessary. Of course there are whores who will use it as birth control. But that's unavoidable.
Something they tout as an answer to every single social issue in existence. Such reasoning is fallacious, however, because in actuality life is much more complicated..
Conservative: If people don't want babies, they shouldn't have sex. That way, abortion wouldn't even be necessary. Think, liberals, think! Personal responsibility, people!
Liberal/Moderate: Ok, so if abortion was banned, it's true that less people would have irresponsible sex, and there might be far fewer abortions. You're right on that one. But what about in cases of rape? You can't mount the "personal responsibility" defense there - people don't choose to get raped.
Conservative: Make abortion legal only in cases of rape then.
L/M: Well how are you supposed to know when the hell she's lying then? You'd be encouraging women to lie. Same problem as before, she just has to employ a different method of getting around it. How are you supposed to distinguish between the liars and the true victims?
Conservative: Polygraph.
L/M: In a perfect world, those things are fully reliable. But they're clearly not. Since we don't live in a perfect world, and polygraphs sometimes fail, we may as well legalize abortion considering that there are many cases where it's very necessary. Of course there are whores who will use it as birth control. But that's unavoidable.
"personal responsibility card"
Personal responsibility is important but it doesn't take into account factors that are outside of the person's control. For instance, conservatives are operating under the assumption that welfare discourages the work ethic and personal responsibility. But what about people with Parkinson's, or similar diseases? What about valuable workers that have been laid off en masse by struggling companies and need aid to get that back on their feet? Are they necessarily lazy and lacking personal responsibility?
Personal responsibility is important but it doesn't take into account factors that are outside of the person's control. For instance, conservatives are operating under the assumption that welfare discourages the work ethic and personal responsibility. But what about people with Parkinson's, or similar diseases? What about valuable workers that have been laid off en masse by struggling companies and need aid to get that back on their feet? Are they necessarily lazy and lacking personal responsibility?
Personal responsibility card by Submitters of Words June 15, 2011
Neuroscience
Something which seems to have rendered the existence of a soul very, very unlikely, unfortunately.
Looks like this is the only life we're going to get folks.
Looks like this is the only life we're going to get folks.
Neuroscience
Recent work on the brain has shown no evidence for souls, spirits, or any part of our personality or behavior distinct from the lump of jelly in our head.
Recent work on the brain has shown no evidence for souls, spirits, or any part of our personality or behavior distinct from the lump of jelly in our head.
Neuroscience by Submitters of Words June 14, 2011
Death penalty
I just wanted to clear up some misconceptions people have about liberals and the death penalty. Many conservatives, with their usual black and white thinking, suppose that every single American liberal alive opposes the death penalty, and not only that, but feels sorry for the criminal to boot. This is balderdash however. We despise criminals just as much as you do, and only a very small but vocal minority of liberals actively opposes the death penalty.
To the main point: Why do some liberals oppose the death penalty?
A) It's very, very expensive. Yes, a lot more so than just shoving the bastard in prison for the rest of his life. Huge pull on our tax dollars
B) The number of people who have been wrongfully convicted, sentenced to death, and then found to be innocent is disturbingly high.
C) Statistically, minorities are far, far more likely to be put to death largely because of preconceived biases among the jury. Also, poorer minorities have to deal with shitty public defenders that can't put forth a good case, unlike far wealthier white criminals who can hire the best of the best.
To the main point: Why do some liberals oppose the death penalty?
A) It's very, very expensive. Yes, a lot more so than just shoving the bastard in prison for the rest of his life. Huge pull on our tax dollars
B) The number of people who have been wrongfully convicted, sentenced to death, and then found to be innocent is disturbingly high.
C) Statistically, minorities are far, far more likely to be put to death largely because of preconceived biases among the jury. Also, poorer minorities have to deal with shitty public defenders that can't put forth a good case, unlike far wealthier white criminals who can hire the best of the best.
If it were up to me, the death penalty would be applicable only in cases of definitive guilt (hard evidence that the perpetrator is the right dude). Also, he'd have to be at least 18, of course, and above a certain IQ threshold.
Death penalty by Submitters of Words June 14, 2011
Conservatives
People who tend to have black and white opinions on nearly every issue in the universe. Don't realize the importance of situational ethics. This is most likely the result of a fundamentalist religious upbringing.
A nine year old girl, tragically, is raped and impregnated by her stepfather. What to do? According to the religious absolutist, abortion is, under all circumstances, 100% wrong. Unless the birth is life-threatening, she can't abort.
Moderates: I don't normally support abortion, but here it's necessary.
Liberals: I think abortion is a right that belongs to the mother. I would support her right to choose if this girl was nine or twenty nine, raped or non-raped. (although i would personally disapprove of it in the latter).
Conservatives: Fucking baby killers! It's an innocent fucking BABY we're talking about!
(as opposed to a non-sentient cluster of cells, lacking a nervous system and the ability to feel pain)
Moderates: I don't normally support abortion, but here it's necessary.
Liberals: I think abortion is a right that belongs to the mother. I would support her right to choose if this girl was nine or twenty nine, raped or non-raped. (although i would personally disapprove of it in the latter).
Conservatives: Fucking baby killers! It's an innocent fucking BABY we're talking about!
(as opposed to a non-sentient cluster of cells, lacking a nervous system and the ability to feel pain)
Conservatives by Submitters of Words June 13, 2011
Conservative Takeover
The incredible shift to the right this website is currently undergoing. Historically, most of the authors here have tended to lean left-wing or libertarian. But it's changing.
Evolution, an established scientific theory, is now ridiculed.
The front page for Liberal is now under attack by angry, frustrated right wingers.
Abortion has undergone similar attacks.
Don't even bother with the page for Barack Obama.
The liberals on this site need to wake up, we're getting buried.
Evolution, an established scientific theory, is now ridiculed.
The front page for Liberal is now under attack by angry, frustrated right wingers.
Abortion has undergone similar attacks.
Don't even bother with the page for Barack Obama.
The liberals on this site need to wake up, we're getting buried.
Conservative Takeover
It's not all that bad, though. Global warming is now frequented more by people who know what the hell they're talking about. Pages like God and Bible are still clearly dominated by the non-religious too.
It's not all that bad, though. Global warming is now frequented more by people who know what the hell they're talking about. Pages like God and Bible are still clearly dominated by the non-religious too.
Conservative Takeover by Submitters of Words June 13, 2011
Black and white thinkers
Conservatives. They tend to think largely in terms of absolutes. Now don't get me wrong, absolute values are important - by no means do I support moral relativism - but it's necessary to recognize the many shades of grey involved in individual cases too. That is, after all, what situational ethics is all about.
I suspect that many of the conservatives I've met don't recognize these gray areas largely because of their absolutist religious upbringing.
A few scenarios:
A nine year old girl, tragically, is raped and impregnated by her stepfather. What to do? According to the religious absolutist, abortion is, under all circumstances, 100% wrong. Unless the birth is life-threatening, she can't abort.
Moderate: I don't normally support abortion, but here it's necessary.
Liberal: I think abortion is a right that belongs to the mother. I would support her right to choose if this girl was nine or twenty nine, raped or non-raped. (although i would personally disapprove of it in the latter).
Conservative: Fucking baby killers! It's an innocent fucking BABY we're talking about!
(as opposed to a non-sentient cluster of cells, lacking a nervous system and the ability to feel pain)
I had a much better example but the stupid character limit fucked me over.
See my future definition, Conservative Black and White Thinking Disorder for that one.
I suspect that many of the conservatives I've met don't recognize these gray areas largely because of their absolutist religious upbringing.
A few scenarios:
A nine year old girl, tragically, is raped and impregnated by her stepfather. What to do? According to the religious absolutist, abortion is, under all circumstances, 100% wrong. Unless the birth is life-threatening, she can't abort.
Moderate: I don't normally support abortion, but here it's necessary.
Liberal: I think abortion is a right that belongs to the mother. I would support her right to choose if this girl was nine or twenty nine, raped or non-raped. (although i would personally disapprove of it in the latter).
Conservative: Fucking baby killers! It's an innocent fucking BABY we're talking about!
(as opposed to a non-sentient cluster of cells, lacking a nervous system and the ability to feel pain)
I had a much better example but the stupid character limit fucked me over.
See my future definition, Conservative Black and White Thinking Disorder for that one.
I blame religion for turning so many conservatives into black and white thinkers.
And this is why I dislike religion - it so often stops people from thinking. If people were encouraged to think in terms of individual cases as opposed to coming to each and every unique situation with a preconceived bias (abortion is MURDER!)...well, I don't know. We might have a better world. Just maybe.
And this is why I dislike religion - it so often stops people from thinking. If people were encouraged to think in terms of individual cases as opposed to coming to each and every unique situation with a preconceived bias (abortion is MURDER!)...well, I don't know. We might have a better world. Just maybe.
Black and white thinkers by Submitters of Words June 13, 2011