The Iron Gauntlet

atheist-overdose:

Truth is not a democracy

Exactly. And that is why we have a huge problem in the “understanding” department here in America. You don’t get to say whether or not you believe in evolution. Evolution is a scientific fact and you don’t get to have a say in whether or not it’s true. Just like you don’t get to have a say in whether or not we breathe oxygen or whether or not the moon exists. These things are just facts and require ZERO belief in order to be true. 

I hate that the question is even asked anymore, “Do you believe in evolution?” It isn’t a valid question. The question should be rephrased as, “Do you accept the truth that evolution is a provable scientific fact regardless of the religious beliefs of some groups?” 

I need to get back into reading his stuff, I love him. 

(via sageoflogic)

divineirony:

Vaccines, antidotes and antibiotics work. Prayer and faith don’t.

And oh dear, you have NO IDEA how much I seriously wish most of the people who doubt it would just actually jump out of a tenth floor window. Please, just fucking do it. 

(via juneof1992)

divineirony:

It’s a fact.

Precisely why the word “belief” is given way too much respect. Beliefs are irrelevant when it comes to scientific fact. Your beliefs mean nothing in the realm of science unless you are performing the scientific method and attempting to predict the outcome. But when you are looking at mountains of data that favor only ONE side of an issue, then that side is correct. There is no “debate” about this, and there is no argument within the scientific community. Evolution is a fact and if you believe otherwise then you are either an ignorant fool or an arrogant prick. 

“Life should be malleable and progressive” 

(via afrofuturisticlingo)

bunnybundy:

As Patton Oswalt says, i refuse to respect your beliefs. i ACKNOWLEDGE them, but they are stupid and i cannot respect them.

This is exactly how I’ve felt for a very long time, and yet I’m always made to feel as though I’ve somehow “gone too far” with it. Like I’m expected to still respect someone’s beliefs even if they are cruel, ludicrous, or just plain ignorant. Why would I respect anything like that? Sure I’ll recognize the fact that you believe them and I’ll try NEVER to bring up religion when I’m around you because I think you’re batshit crazy, but I don’t have to respect any of your bullshit. And the thing about most religions (especially the Abrahamic ones) is that they are all rooted in ancient hatreds, bigotry, misogyny, sexism, and tyranny. All of them. So stop asking me to respect what you believe. I don’t respect it, leave me alone.

(via sexwithgod)

Gotta love Siggy =]

(via lizzieintheskywithbaby)

And let’s not forget “pushing your views on others.”

I was involved in a discussion a few months back involving miracles and whether or not god has his giant fake hands in everything that goes on. These two young ladies go on and on about this and that, how they know god exists, blah blah blah. I then proceeded to address all of the claims they made, explain why I thought they were mistaken, and they both responded (and I’m paraphrasing) with “Look, don’t push your atheist beliefs on us. Just because you don’t believe in god, doesn’t mean we can’t.” I laughed, I just don’t understand these people. I went on to explain how I meant no offense and that I really wasn’t “pushing” anything on anybody. We were discussing the topic, I figured I was entitled to my opinion. Guess not.

This is excellent. I sometimes wonder how my childhood would have been different if I had not been brought up with Catholicism. I’m all for children learning all about different religions, I just don’t like the idea of telling a child what they are or what they believe.

(via sanityscraps)

I know I’ve written about this in the past, but I feel like this is really important.

People are so quick to shun us and hate us for no reason other than they simply do not understand. I may not believe in a god or gods, but there are plenty of things I “believe” in. Atheism does not define a person as to what they believe; it simply lets people know what that person does not believe. I personally do not even like to use the word “believe” because there is almost nothing that I believe without evidence, research, and thinking about for long stretches of time. I prefer to use the words “think,” “assert,” or even in some cases “know.”

But for the sake of argument, I will use the word believe. I believe:

• in myself as a decent human being who will always see things objectively
• in fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves
• in defending what you believe in, and holding true to your convictions
• in the progress of mankind though science and rational thought
• in loving those who respect your freedom to live your life how you see fit
• in hating those who would have you living under their rules and “morality”
• in the questioning of absolutely everything (especially authoritative figures, elected officials, and anyone who claims to be in touch with the supernatural)
• in spreading knowledge and philosophy to all those who would benefit from it
• in the equal rights of all people to live the lives that they want
• in not hurting others who haven’t provoked you
• in the proper education of children; and by that I mean teaching a child how to think, not what to think
• in the freedom to express yourself however you see fit 
• in the rights of all people to dissent and disagree with me so long as they produce compelling arguments for WHY they disagree
• in the fundamental truth that everyone’s point of view is constantly subject to change; (ADAPTATION) when new evidence presents itself, all positions must be reconsidered, no matter how strong your convictions may be.

These are just a few of the things that I believe. I think that they are important and I also believe that they are moral. I need no god or threat of eternal punishment in order to believe these things or to be a decent member of society.

atheism-shitthatblows:

Submitted by: caticorns

I feel like this is how many people view atheists; that we are somehow nihilistic, devoid of feelings, and have no sense of morality. It’s quite unfortunate that we are looked at this way because atheism itself does not reveal what that person believes/thinks/feels, it simply lets others know what that person does not believe. For instance, an atheist who was brought up in a Christian family may indeed still get some of his/her morality from Christian-doctrine (i.e.: the Golden Rule). Atheism is not something that can properly define what you believe personally; it has no doctrines, no dogmas, no divine providence, it simply offers the fact that the individual in question does not believe in a higher being. I am not one to be easily offended by ignorance seeing as how I am constantly surrounded by it, but I do become frustrated when people assume to know what I personally believe. By knowing that I am an atheist you simply can NOT know anything about how I feel about the world or even about spirituality. Do I believe in a god or gods? No. Do I believe in an afterlife? Well, I’m sort of on the fence about it. I’ve experienced some unexplainable things in my past, and I do recognize the possibility that death may not be the definitive end of consciousness. However, if I was proven wrong, I would accept that there is no afterlife. And that is where one can make clear distinctions between the devout and the rest of the world; the ability to adapt when new evidence changes the established “belief”. Most (if not all) atheists place their trust in the scientific method and are always willing to adapt if what they previously believed was proven wrong. Religious people do not embrace the same adaptability or willingness to change. If science was suddenly able to definitively prove that god truly doesn’t exist (this will not happen, by the way), devoutly religious people would not care one iota for the breakthrough.

Anyway, I just thought I’d share my feelings on the issue; I feel bad when people are too small-minded or fearful to see that being an atheist does not define the individual. We deserve the same respect that anyone else deserves. I just feel like people should make more of an effort to understand us, rather than assume we are immoral. I constantly make efforts to understand the religious (and believe me, I do understand), so I wish that we would be extended that very same courtesy.

aishegrace:

part of a project i’ve been working on.

thewakeup:

The Good Thing About Science by chrispiascik

I love Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

This is precisely why I get frustrated when politicians get asked whether or not they “believe” in evolution. There is nothing to believe, it simply is. Your “belief” is not required in order to verify its truth. The same goes for climate change; there is nothing to “believe.” Beliefs have to do with abstract things like philosophical ideas, political spheres, hive-mind theories, religious dogmas, ethical ideals, intellectual schools of thought, etc. etc. etc. Scientific theories fall under the scrutiny of SCIENTISTS, no one else; “belief” has nothing to do with it. Scientific facts (and by that I mean theories that have been proven, like evolution) are true whether you believe in them or not.

(via rasputin)