This is the statement that got me is so much trouble the other day.

“In my opinion, people who state with absolute certainty that there IS no God are every bit as annoying and obnoxious as people who state with absolute certainty that not only IS there a God, but HERE is what he THINKS!”

Let’s take a little test.  See if you can tell if the following quotes come from an Atheist site or Fundamentalist Christian site.

1.  ATHEIST or FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

Well you chickened out supplying evidence. Maybe you need to ask for forgiveness. Lying that you had it. Deceiving the internet with false hope. Just like you are wrong with all of the above mentioned, you are wrong about ______ and morality.

2.  ATHEIST or FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

I’m unconcerned about bruising the sensibilities of those who prefer we remain contrite in our acceptance of ______________, or that we remain invisible to the ________________. We must embrace confrontation.

3. ATHEIST or FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

After the presentation, I stayed in the lobby to answer questions.  Since I had presented a very strong case that ___________ alone is rational and scientific (in a firm, but polite way), I was expecting that a lot of people would want to argue with me.  But only a few of the ___________ came to ask me questions (and none of the ones that were scoffing during the presentation, interestingly).  Some of the students had very good follow-up questions.  Two or three attempted a counter-argument, but none were able to successfully refute ____________.

4.  ATHEIST OR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

As I’ve said elsewhere, methinks the ____________ doth protest too loudly. My suspicion is that our _____________ friends aren’t really all that sure of themselves. _______________ is not just a sober conclusion based on evidence or lack thereof… Rather, ______ is a _______, and its god will allow no rivals. Neither will it consider evidence that it might be mistaken.

5.  ATHEIST OR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

These authors should be pressed to tell why their moral conclusions are superior. Although they typically avoid this question by changing the subject, thoughtful readers will not be tricked. They write as if an absolute standard of goodness and duty exists–one they have special access to. They want to tell us that such a standard is possible … but they really don’t offer a well-reasoned explanation for this view.

6.  ATHEIST OR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

So as we go into a new decade of Debunking ___________, keep in mind that the ___________ are not the same as science. Science is attempting to figure out the theory of the world, ______________ are attempting to push their own worldview, agenda, or… religion.

7.  ATHEIST OR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

Maybe _____________ wouldn’t be so unpopular if they stopped beating the drum until the hide splits on their second-favorite topic: How stupid people are who________ . This is a favorite ______ theme. … “They feel uneducated, which they are; often rather stupid, which they are; inferior, which they are; and paranoid about pointy-headed intellectuals from the East Coast looking down on them, which, with some justification, they do.”

8.  ATHEIST OR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

You’re hard at it, my friends – some of you; but you need a more vigorous recruiting method if you’re to have a hope of turning the world___________ . For all the efforts of a number of your champions, you’re falling behind on a number of fronts. Ought you not perhaps to disown some of your more prominent up-front spokespersons – who only seem to be turning out the well-worn slogans and boring cliches of many centuries?

9.  ATHEIST OR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN?

For the past several weeks, _______ has experienced a series of attacks from various _____ groups. Like moths to a flame, they are endlessly fascinated with what we _____  wackos are up to. They manifest their presence by logging onto the message board and sending me nasty emails.

10.  ATHEIST OR FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN

To give these people immunity from condemnation as well as their rightful immunity from violence, is to morally sanction their behavior, and to be a co-contributor to the maiming and killing that comes from that type of behavior.

So, let’s see how you did.

1.  ATHEIST!  In fact, this blog is operated by my sweet new brother-in-law, the one who threatened to shove my walker up my ass for disagreeing with him.  Do a search on this guy, read some of his replies to comments that challenge him (and his spelling/punctuation skills) and you get an idea of just how tolerant he is of other peoples’ opinions.  If you click and comment on this darling lad’s blog, tell ‘im Parky Bill sentcha!  And tell him my walker is waiting for him.

2.  ATHEIST!  The header of this blog talks about being in a “desert of theist ignorance.”  Not really the picture of tolerance, is it?

3. FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN! This blog is run by the ridiculous “Creation Museum” which maintains men and dinosaurs co-existed.  It’s their right to reject science if they so choose.  But this article talks about a mass visit by nearly 300 atheists who descended on the “museum” for no other reason than to mock and humiliate.

4.  FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN!  This blog points towards the intolerance of atheists toward any viewpoint but their own.

5.  FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN! This blog declares the Bible the real truth and attempts to shoot down atheists with the book they reject.

6.  FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN! This blog prides itself on “debunking” the atheist argument by declaring, cuz they say so, that God exists.

7.  FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN! This guy declares atheism “absurd.”  Because he said so.  That’s why.

8.  FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN! This guy offers advice for atheists to be taken more seriously.

9.  FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIAN! This blogger wraps up by saying, “The ultimate doom for atheism is coming very shortly. When the rapture takes place, only non-believers with the hardest of hearts will be able to still say there is no God. For those few people who still hold out, they will meet their invisible enemy face to face at the Great White Throne judgment.”  So we’re pretty sure HE’S pretty sure…

10.  ATHEIST!  How charming.  An atheist “ethicist” claiming that not only is name-calling “not wrong,” it’s NECESSARY!

What is the one thing these 10 blogs have in common?

A smug sense of self-assuredness that THEY have the true answer and THEY know what the truth is and only THEIR philosophy is scientific, makes sense, and should be adopted by more people.

They’re ALL…

Annoying.  And Obnoxious!

And thus, I make my point!  ANYONE who claims with absolute certainty that HE or SHE has ABSOLUTE KNOWLEDGE about something that no mortal human could POSSIBLY KNOW, and they INSIST on YOU believing it TOO…

Annoying!  Obnoxious!

Case closed!

Now… TAKE THE POLL!

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