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Quotations – Momentous, Memorable, Meaningful

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A place to share the words of others (or your own!) which have been impactful in your life, whether they're serious, poignant, humorous, or just something worth noting.

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I have been a quote collector and quote monger for at least as long as I've been an atheist and probably a good deal longer. My admiration for those who enjoy reputations as wordsmiths extends even further back, whether we're talking about John F. Kennedy's assertion: "We choose to go to the moon," George Santayana's warning: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it," or James T. Kirk's deft observation when faced with the dauntingly huge First Federation ship: "Not chess, Mr. Spock ... poker!"

The realm of atheist activism has had its own share of verbal craftsmen and women, from Madalyn Murray O'Hair's: "An atheist believes that a hospital should be built instead of a church." to Aron Ra's succinct: "If you can't show it, you don't know it."

Regardless of the topic, these are words which are capable of fomenting inspiration, reflection, and sometimes even action. They can educate and illuminate the human condition and allow us to better know ourselves. That said, here is an open invitation to share those words which have been particularly meaningful or impactful or timely or just special to you for one reason or another.

Let's share those words and have fun!

One bit of clerical business: please hold your quotes in the comment area below to 20 lines or 200 words. One comment should not so dominate the Home page of this group that no other comment is visible. That way, the briefer comments and quotes of all participants are more likely to be seen, read, and appreciated. If you have a long quote or commentary, create a post, please.

Discussion Forum

On Emotion, Vulnerability, and a Flawed God

Started by Loren Miller. Last reply by Patricia Jun 2. 2 Replies 4 Likes

On 31 May, 2018, Joan Denoo posted a most excellent quote from David Hume: That quote was well deserving of a response, which is the following:The most preposterous notion that H. sapiens has ever…Continue

Tags: flawed, vulnerable, emotion, god

Tags: communist, authoritarian, leadership, utopia, free-love

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Comment by Loren Miller on May 30, 2018 at 7:53am: I still say a church steeple with a lightning rod on top shows a lack of confidence.
-- Doug McLeod

And it remains among the most humorous indicators of the absence of any form of deity, from where I sit!

Comment by Loren Miller on May 29, 2018 at 5:46am: If he is infinitely good, what reason should we have to fear him? If he is infinitely wise, why should we have doubts concerning our future? If he knows all, why warn him of our needs and fatigue him with our prayers? If he is everywhere, why erect temples to him? If he is just, why fear that he will punish the creatures that he has filled with weaknesses? If grace does everything for them, what reason would he have for recompensing them? If he is all-powerful, how offend him, how resist him? If he is reasonable, how can he be angry at the blind, to whom he has given the liberty of being unreasonable? If he is immovable, by what right do we pretend to make him change his decrees? If he is inconceivable, why occupy ourselves with him? IF HE HAS SPOKEN, WHY IS THE UNIVERSE NOT CONVINCED?
― Percy Bysshe Shelley

Hmph ... why, indeed.

Comment by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on May 28, 2018 at 10:42pm: Good quote, Loren. Thanks!

Comment by Patricia on May 28, 2018 at 12:46pm: Believe it or not, we've never been personally threatened with hell since we were kids. Just don't hang with the ''right'' people, I guess.....hahahaha.

Comment by Idaho Spud on May 28, 2018 at 6:06am: Loren, in the few times I've pointed this out to believers, they don't seem to get the contradiction. Perhaps if we continue to point it out, some will eventually.

Comment by Loren Miller on May 28, 2018 at 5:57am: Idaho, your Barry Hampe quote inspired this one from yours truly:

Possibly the greatest irony of Christianity is that, when a believer finally fails to convince an atheist of the goodness of their god, their last resort is, almost without exception, to threaten him with hellfire.
-- me

And I mean to point this out to believers from this day forward, every time they want to try and convert me.

Comment by Loren Miller on May 28, 2018 at 5:55am: About right, Joan.

Comment by Joan Denoo on May 28, 2018 at 12:42am: One who drinks constantly because of angst,

who doesn't get any work done because of anxiety,

who sleeps with lots of people to flee from nihilistic despair,

and is not an alcoholic,

nor lazy,

nor horney,

is not an existentialist,

but a self-deluded, liar, who throws around a lot of bull.

Comment by Bertold Brautigan on May 27, 2018 at 2:24pm: How to be an existentialist:
1. Drink constantly, but because of angst, not alcoholism.
2. Don't get any work done, but because of existential anxiety, not laziness.
3. Sleep with tons of people, but because you are fleeing nihilistic despair, not horniness.

~Existential Comics