I'm happy to announce that I have upgraded to Mac OS system 10.3
(Panther). I and the computer are doing well, thanks!

Here are the nominations for Atheist Quote of the Month for October
2003. Vote for your favorite by responding to this thread. Votes will be
accepted until midnight, Oct. 31. See rules below. Questions? Comments?
Email me.

* * * * *

1) In response to:

What do you atheists think of Al's sig line (produced by

believing in Spinoza's God])?

What do they think of an atheist who "believed" in the same "god" as
another atheist? Or are you reading Einstein through Christ-colored
glasses?

By: Al Klein
Nominated: Dr. Smartass
Seconded: Harry Leopold

------------

2) In response to old chestnut about the "atheist professor":

You know... they come in here thinking they have something, some gem of
wisdom and Truth®, that we have never heard before. I suppose it's the
nearly universal theistic concept that we evil atheists are entirely
ignorant of their respective religions and the arguments advanced in
favor of those religions (they think we're merely deceived, that no
rational mind could deny their blind faith). I envision our friend Josh
here much the same as I do most of the clueless theists that make their
dark and tortuous way to alt.atheism, bearing what they imagine to be
precious nuggets of irrefutable and awe-inspiring revelation... I see
them sitting at their keyboards, hearts swelling with joy at their
prophetic visions of the coming cries of repentance and understanding
from the wicked infidels infesting this lair of Satan. One or two
silent tears of faith, perhaps, roll down their cheeks as they put the
finishing touches on their death blows to unbelief that, they suppose,
are inspired by God Himself to be spoken through them, His chosen
messengers.

And I wonder, as I read their offerings and laugh quietly to myself,
whether that tear of heartfelt surety turns to a burning flood of angry
weeping, when their fancied students of Godliness inform them that their
nugget of gold is filled with worthless lead. Occasionally they will
stay for a short while, angrily protesting against the flood of
disbelief and outright rejection -- this was not at all as they had
envisioned their victorious entry!

They feel, perhaps, deserted by God, who after all gave them the message
to begin with. Why would he send them out only to fail and come
slinking back in an agony of humiliation? But, O the joy and wonder of
faith, such defeats cannot end Truth® forever!

They will regroup, they will hold long communion with their real friends
and imaginary Friend, and one day they will be back, again bearing some
fresh jewel of Truth® that no man (except the ones they bring it to) has
ever imagined before! Is't not beautiful?

Can you say... ad nauseum?"

By: Mekkala
Nominated:

I see that you people both those for and against God, are still
full of *****. Get over it already. I can't prove that God is,
because you can't get past your five senses.

Actually there's something like 20 human senses...saying 5 senses is
like refering to the 4 elements. There are also countless other
mechanical and chemical ways of detecting something. There are
thousands of ways of finding and investigating millions of types of
evidence. There are also intellectual, logical and philosophical ways
of coming to reasonable conclussions. That gives atheists thousands of
ways of finding evidence for God...and yet it hasn't shown up in any of
them! I dare say that the people who claims that their "gut feeling" is
evidence of a universe sized super being are the ones full of *****!

By: Clayton's So Vain...I Probably Think This Newsgroup's About Me
Nominated: Nemo
Seconded: Mekkala

------------

4) These shootings [in churches] would stop if churches were forced to
display the Ten Commandments.

By: John Hattan
Nominated: Doc Smartass
Seconded: Liz

------------

5) You seem to need some type of cosmic significance in order to
justify your existence. I do not. Certainly, my dying would not be
noticed other than by my friends and those who love me, but I am content
that while I live I am happy and fulfilled as an individual who loves
and lives with a sense of adventure and joy. I have no need for a
supernatural being to confer meaning upon my life.

By: Liz
Nominated: Mark K. Bilbo
Seconded: Harry Leopold

------------

6) (Adding to a list of reasons for theists to share atheist conversion
stories)

Stupidity. All these do is demonstrate how out of touch with reality
they are.

If they sincerely wanted to convert the heathen, they would take the
trouble to at least find the audience's point of view and use that as
the basis for their advertising pitch.

Instead it's like pitching tampax ads at men and jock itch ads atwomen.

By: Christopher A. Lee
Nominated: raven1
Seconded: stoney

------------

7) As part of a conversation about religious nuts in the Southern US:

It's time for a few thousand gallons of Clorox, some mops and brooms,
and some trucks with hoses on them. The house needs cleaning.

By: Doc Smartass
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: AngryJohn

------------

8) In response to:

I would be happy to know some of your guy's opinions on this topic

[death].

Look at the Christian alternatives. You can spend eternity burning on a
spit, choking on sulphur fumes, or eternity bowing down and telling god
how wonderful he is for not burning you on a spit.

I think I'd get bored with either one fairly quickly.

By: Levy Oates
Nominated: Mekkala
Seconded: John Hattan

------------

9) In the mind of a christer, though, lack of visual confirmation is not
sufficient reason to not believe. You can check, find that "it" isn't
there, state as such, and they'll swear that you are just not having
enough faith because THEY have a book that says the frog is not only in
the garage, but he also loves you.

By: The other Donald
Nominated: Liz
Seconded: maff

------------

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

------------

11) What have you lost if you live out your life in a psychedelic haze
filled with pretty hallucinations? What have you lost if you replace
your innate capacity for moral reasoning with mere obedience to rules,
driven by fear of punishment and desire for reward? What have you lost
if all your relationships with your fellow humans take a back seat to
your relationship with some invisible friend? What have you lost when
you see all humanity as despicable and deserving of infinite torture?
What have you lost when you adopt values which are incompatible with any
sane notion of justice? What have you lost when you support a system
which has been a parasitic blight on humankind? What have you lost when
you cling to a belief system which causes you to undervalue your life so
much that you could even ask such a question in the first place?

By: Kronk
Nominated: Denis Loubet
Seconded: the cutest atheist

------------

12) Silly boy! Didn't you know? It ain't morality unless it was told to
you by a man wearing a dress.

By: JTEM
Nominated: nemo
Seconded: Mekkala

------------

13) Theism is for people with one foot in the grave and the other in
their mouth. Atheism is for people with both feet on the ground, but
with enough brains not to stand in *****.

Bit too wordy for a bumper sticker though.

By: Clayton of Green Gables..Tra la la la la
Nominated: Blast Femur
Seconded: Ron Baker

------------

14) It strikes me as a bit ironic that the denomination whose raison
d'etre was to permit Henry VIII to ignore a clear Biblical prohibition
against divorce and remarriage has its panties in a knot over ignoring a
decidedly unclear Biblical prohibition of loving gay relationships.

By: Ian S
Nominated: Brian Westley
Seconded: Gregory Gadow

------------

15) He's a complete idiot who's looking for God to come down on a
firey chariot and hand him a gold plated soundbite carved into a stone
tablet that explains the truth of evolution to his complete satisfaction.

By: Johnny Bravo
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: the cutest atheist

------------

16) While a human named Jesus bar Joseph may have once existed, there is
no historical foundation for the risen Christ. The fact that he is
2000+ years late for his second coming tells me that the original story
about him is factually in error or maybe he is awaiting his Viagra Rx
from Canada so he may come again soon.

By: go4tli
Nominated: Editor of EvilBible.com
Seconded: sdq

------------

17) To quote! "You shall have no other gods before me."

Not a problem, sez I! I don't have any other gods before him. I don't
have ANY gods at all....I'm covered. No gods before him, no gods after
him, no gods, in fact, at all....

By: Just Jak!
Nominated: Wolf333
Seconded: towelie

------------

18) And the unbrighteous ones will fall into the depths of superstitious
belief, where they will be bound by priests and tormented by their
terror of non existent things. Rationiah 6:66

By: Martin Thomas
Nominated: the cutest atheist
Seconded: Tink

------------

19) Actually, strong atheism isn't even that. It's more like "there's no
Santa Claus".

It's only those who can't grasp that atheists and theists aren't even
talking about the same thing, who imagine otherwise.

To the atheist it's merly something somebody else believes. He's not
talking about the theists's "supremely important thing [that they are
certain exists]" but about something akin to a character in a story,
which as such is one or more levels removed from reality even though the
story itself is part of reality.

By: Christopher A. Lee
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: Bob White

------------

20) However, instead of actually solving his problems, he chose to
self-medicate with the drug of religion.

By: quibbler
Nominated: towelie
Seconded: Douglas Berry

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Here are the rules for the Quote of the Month Contests.


RULES

1. Only atheists and agnostics may participate in the contests.

2. A quote is a valid entry for the contests if:

a. The quote is a brief piece of text;

b. The quote has recently been written in alt.atheism (verifiable);

c. Nomination of the quote is made by an atheist or agnostic
in alt.atheism

d. Nomination of the quote is supported by at least one other
atheist or agnostic in alt.atheism;

e. The quote is not nominated or seconded by the person who wrote it
in
the first place (no one is allowed to nominate him- or herself,
but a person
can vote for the quote he or she wrote.)

3. There will be two categories: 'Atheist Quote of the Month'
and 'Theist Quote of the Month'. The category for which a
quote must be nominated must be mentioned by the atheist or
agnostic who wants to nominate it.

If a quote is miscategorized (e.g. an atheist quote is mistakenly
nominated in the Theist QOTM category), the quote will be re-directed
to appear in the correct category, with approriate notification.

4. Nominations can be made until five days before the first of the
next month. If quotes are nominated after this period, they will be
considered as entries for the contest of the next month.

* When making a nomination, the word "nomination" MUST appear
somewhere in the subject line!

5. Each atheist or agnostic who visits alt.atheism has one vote to
cast for each category (two votes total).

6. Voting starts 5 days before the end of the month. During the month,
votes will be ignored. This way, all nominees will have equal chance of
winning.

7. The two winning quotes will be published in the QOTM Archive.

SUMMARY

A nomination must contain the following information:

1. The lines of the quote.

2. Who wrote it.

3. Who nominates or seconds the nomination of this quote (that's you!)

4. Which category this nomination is for.

5. The word "nomination" MUST appear somewhere in the subject line!

Publish the nomination or support for a nomination in a designated
thread, preferably called "[T/A]QoTM Nomination for [month]." You can
also e-mail it to me (see below).


VOTING

1. In the last five days of the month you can cast your vote in both
categories.

2. Votes must either be placed in the designated thread.

--
Nemo - EAC Commissioner for Bible Belt Underwater Operations.
Atheist #1331 (the Palindrome of doom!)
BAAWA Knight! - One of those warm Southern Knights, y'all!
Charter member, SMASH!!
http://home.earthlink.net/~jehdjh/Relpg.html
Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
Quotemeister since March 2002

19) Actually, strong atheism isn't even that. It's more like "there's no
Santa Claus".

It's only those who can't grasp that atheists and theists aren't even
talking about the same thing, who imagine otherwise.

To the atheist it's merly something somebody else believes. He's not
talking about the theists's "supremely important thing [that they are
certain exists]" but about something akin to a character in a story,
which as such is one or more levels removed from reality even though the
story itself is part of reality.

By: Christopher A. Lee
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: Bob White

------------

------------

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

------------

------------

4) These shootings [in churches] would stop if churches were forced
to display the Ten Commandments.

By: John Hattan
Nominated: Doc Smartass
Seconded: Liz

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

I'm happy to announce that I have upgraded to Mac OS system 10.3
(Panther). I and the computer are doing well, thanks!

Here are the nominations for Atheist Quote of the Month for October
2003. Vote for your favorite by responding to this thread. Votes will be
accepted until midnight, Oct. 31. See rules below. Questions? Comments?
Email me.

* * * * *

3) In response to:

I see that you people both those for and against God, are still
full of *****. Get over it already. I can't prove that God is,
because you can't get past your five senses.

Actually there's something like 20 human senses...saying 5 senses is
like refering to the 4 elements. There are also countless other
mechanical and chemical ways of detecting something. There are
thousands of ways of finding and investigating millions of types of
evidence. There are also intellectual, logical and philosophical ways
of coming to reasonable conclussions. That gives atheists thousands of
ways of finding evidence for God...and yet it hasn't shown up in any of
them! I dare say that the people who claims that their "gut feeling" is
evidence of a universe sized super being are the ones full of *****!

By: Clayton's So Vain...I Probably Think This Newsgroup's About Me
Nominated: Nemo
Seconded: Mekkala

2) In response to old chestnut about the "atheist professor":

You know... they come in here thinking they have something, some gem of
wisdom and Truth®, that we have never heard before. I suppose it's the
nearly universal theistic concept that we evil atheists are entirely
ignorant of their respective religions and the arguments advanced in
favor of those religions (they think we're merely deceived, that no
rational mind could deny their blind faith). I envision our friend Josh
here much the same as I do most of the clueless theists that make their
dark and tortuous way to alt.atheism, bearing what they imagine to be
precious nuggets of irrefutable and awe-inspiring revelation... I see
them sitting at their keyboards, hearts swelling with joy at their
prophetic visions of the coming cries of repentance and understanding
from the wicked infidels infesting this lair of Satan. One or two
silent tears of faith, perhaps, roll down their cheeks as they put the
finishing touches on their death blows to unbelief that, they suppose,
are inspired by God Himself to be spoken through them, His chosen
messengers.

And I wonder, as I read their offerings and laugh quietly to myself,
whether that tear of heartfelt surety turns to a burning flood of angry
weeping, when their fancied students of Godliness inform them that their
nugget of gold is filled with worthless lead. Occasionally they will
stay for a short while, angrily protesting against the flood of
disbelief and outright rejection -- this was not at all as they had
envisioned their victorious entry!

They feel, perhaps, deserted by God, who after all gave them the message
to begin with. Why would he send them out only to fail and come
slinking back in an agony of humiliation? But, O the joy and wonder of
faith, such defeats cannot end Truth® forever!

They will regroup, they will hold long communion with their real friends
and imaginary Friend, and one day they will be back, again bearing some
fresh jewel of Truth® that no man (except the ones they bring it to) has
ever imagined before! Is't not beautiful?

Can you say... ad nauseum?"

By: Mekkala
Nominated:

18) And the unbrighteous ones will fall into the depths of superstitious
belief, where they will be bound by priests and tormented by their
terror of non existent things. Rationiah 6:66

By: Martin Thomas
Nominated: the cutest atheist
Seconded: Tink

4) These shootings [in churches] would stop if churches were forced to
display the Ten Commandments.

By: John Hattan
Nominated: Doc Smartass
Seconded: Liz

4) These shootings [in churches] would stop if churches were forced to
display the Ten Commandments.

By: John Hattan
Nominated: Doc Smartass
Seconded: Liz

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

------------

2) In response to old chestnut about the "atheist professor":

You know... they come in here thinking they have something, some gem of
wisdom and Truth®, that we have never heard before. I suppose it's the
nearly universal theistic concept that we evil atheists are entirely
ignorant of their respective religions and the arguments advanced in
favor of those religions (they think we're merely deceived, that no
rational mind could deny their blind faith). I envision our friend Josh
here much the same as I do most of the clueless theists that make their
dark and tortuous way to alt.atheism, bearing what they imagine to be
precious nuggets of irrefutable and awe-inspiring revelation... I see
them sitting at their keyboards, hearts swelling with joy at their
prophetic visions of the coming cries of repentance and understanding
from the wicked infidels infesting this lair of Satan. One or two
silent tears of faith, perhaps, roll down their cheeks as they put the
finishing touches on their death blows to unbelief that, they suppose,
are inspired by God Himself to be spoken through them, His chosen
messengers.

And I wonder, as I read their offerings and laugh quietly to myself,
whether that tear of heartfelt surety turns to a burning flood of angry
weeping, when their fancied students of Godliness inform them that their
nugget of gold is filled with worthless lead. Occasionally they will
stay for a short while, angrily protesting against the flood of
disbelief and outright rejection -- this was not at all as they had
envisioned their victorious entry!

They feel, perhaps, deserted by God, who after all gave them the message
to begin with. Why would he send them out only to fail and come
slinking back in an agony of humiliation? But, O the joy and wonder of
faith, such defeats cannot end Truth® forever!

They will regroup, they will hold long communion with their real friends
and imaginary Friend, and one day they will be back, again bearing some
fresh jewel of Truth® that no man (except the ones they bring it to) has
ever imagined before! Is't not beautiful?

Can you say... ad nauseum?"

By: Mekkala
Nominated:

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

14) It strikes me as a bit ironic that the denomination whose raison
d'etre was to permit Henry VIII to ignore a clear Biblical prohibition
against divorce and remarriage has its panties in a knot over ignoring a
decidedly unclear Biblical prohibition of loving gay relationships.

By: Ian S
Nominated: Brian Westley
Seconded: Gregory Gadow

------------

8) In response to:

I would be happy to know some of your guy's opinions on this topic

[death].

Look at the Christian alternatives. You can spend eternity burning on a
spit, choking on sulphur fumes, or eternity bowing down and telling god
how wonderful he is for not burning you on a spit.

I think I'd get bored with either one fairly quickly.

By: Levy Oates
Nominated: Mekkala
Seconded: John Hattan

------------

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

I'm happy to announce that I have upgraded to Mac OS system 10.3
(Panther). I and the computer are doing well, thanks!

Here are the nominations for Atheist Quote of the Month for October
2003. Vote for your favorite by responding to this thread. Votes will be
accepted until midnight, Oct. 31. See rules below. Questions? Comments?
Email me.

* * * * *

1) In response to:

What do you atheists think of Al's sig line (produced by

believing in Spinoza's God])?

What do they think of an atheist who "believed" in the same "god" as
another atheist? Or are you reading Einstein through Christ-colored
glasses?

By: Al Klein
Nominated: Dr. Smartass
Seconded: Harry Leopold

------------

2) In response to old chestnut about the "atheist professor":

You know... they come in here thinking they have something, some gem of
wisdom and Truth®, that we have never heard before. I suppose it's the
nearly universal theistic concept that we evil atheists are entirely
ignorant of their respective religions and the arguments advanced in
favor of those religions (they think we're merely deceived, that no
rational mind could deny their blind faith). I envision our friend Josh
here much the same as I do most of the clueless theists that make their
dark and tortuous way to alt.atheism, bearing what they imagine to be
precious nuggets of irrefutable and awe-inspiring revelation... I see
them sitting at their keyboards, hearts swelling with joy at their
prophetic visions of the coming cries of repentance and understanding
from the wicked infidels infesting this lair of Satan. One or two
silent tears of faith, perhaps, roll down their cheeks as they put the
finishing touches on their death blows to unbelief that, they suppose,
are inspired by God Himself to be spoken through them, His chosen
messengers.

And I wonder, as I read their offerings and laugh quietly to myself,
whether that tear of heartfelt surety turns to a burning flood of angry
weeping, when their fancied students of Godliness inform them that their
nugget of gold is filled with worthless lead. Occasionally they will
stay for a short while, angrily protesting against the flood of
disbelief and outright rejection -- this was not at all as they had
envisioned their victorious entry!

They feel, perhaps, deserted by God, who after all gave them the message
to begin with. Why would he send them out only to fail and come
slinking back in an agony of humiliation? But, O the joy and wonder of
faith, such defeats cannot end Truth® forever!

They will regroup, they will hold long communion with their real friends
and imaginary Friend, and one day they will be back, again bearing some
fresh jewel of Truth® that no man (except the ones they bring it to) has
ever imagined before! Is't not beautiful?

Can you say... ad nauseum?"

By: Mekkala
Nominated:

I see that you people both those for and against God, are still
full of *****. Get over it already. I can't prove that God is,
because you can't get past your five senses.

Actually there's something like 20 human senses...saying 5 senses is
like refering to the 4 elements. There are also countless other
mechanical and chemical ways of detecting something. There are
thousands of ways of finding and investigating millions of types of
evidence. There are also intellectual, logical and philosophical ways
of coming to reasonable conclussions. That gives atheists thousands of
ways of finding evidence for God...and yet it hasn't shown up in any of
them! I dare say that the people who claims that their "gut feeling" is
evidence of a universe sized super being are the ones full of *****!

By: Clayton's So Vain...I Probably Think This Newsgroup's About Me
Nominated: Nemo
Seconded: Mekkala

------------

4) These shootings [in churches] would stop if churches were forced to
display the Ten Commandments.

By: John Hattan
Nominated: Doc Smartass
Seconded: Liz

------------

5) You seem to need some type of cosmic significance in order to
justify your existence. I do not. Certainly, my dying would not be
noticed other than by my friends and those who love me, but I am content
that while I live I am happy and fulfilled as an individual who loves
and lives with a sense of adventure and joy. I have no need for a
supernatural being to confer meaning upon my life.

By: Liz
Nominated: Mark K. Bilbo
Seconded: Harry Leopold

------------

6) (Adding to a list of reasons for theists to share atheist conversion
stories)

Stupidity. All these do is demonstrate how out of touch with reality
they are.

If they sincerely wanted to convert the heathen, they would take the
trouble to at least find the audience's point of view and use that as
the basis for their advertising pitch.

Instead it's like pitching tampax ads at men and jock itch ads atwomen.

By: Christopher A. Lee
Nominated: raven1
Seconded: stoney

------------

7) As part of a conversation about religious nuts in the Southern US:

It's time for a few thousand gallons of Clorox, some mops and brooms,
and some trucks with hoses on them. The house needs cleaning.

By: Doc Smartass
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: AngryJohn

------------

8) In response to:

I would be happy to know some of your guy's opinions on this topic

[death].

Look at the Christian alternatives. You can spend eternity burning on a
spit, choking on sulphur fumes, or eternity bowing down and telling god
how wonderful he is for not burning you on a spit.

I think I'd get bored with either one fairly quickly.

By: Levy Oates
Nominated: Mekkala
Seconded: John Hattan

------------

9) In the mind of a christer, though, lack of visual confirmation is not
sufficient reason to not believe. You can check, find that "it" isn't
there, state as such, and they'll swear that you are just not having
enough faith because THEY have a book that says the frog is not only in
the garage, but he also loves you.

By: The other Donald
Nominated: Liz
Seconded: maff

------------

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

------------

11) What have you lost if you live out your life in a psychedelic haze
filled with pretty hallucinations? What have you lost if you replace
your innate capacity for moral reasoning with mere obedience to rules,
driven by fear of punishment and desire for reward? What have you lost
if all your relationships with your fellow humans take a back seat to
your relationship with some invisible friend? What have you lost when
you see all humanity as despicable and deserving of infinite torture?
What have you lost when you adopt values which are incompatible with any
sane notion of justice? What have you lost when you support a system
which has been a parasitic blight on humankind? What have you lost when
you cling to a belief system which causes you to undervalue your life so
much that you could even ask such a question in the first place?

By: Kronk
Nominated: Denis Loubet
Seconded: the cutest atheist

------------

12) Silly boy! Didn't you know? It ain't morality unless it was told to
you by a man wearing a dress.

By: JTEM
Nominated: nemo
Seconded: Mekkala

------------

13) Theism is for people with one foot in the grave and the other in
their mouth. Atheism is for people with both feet on the ground, but
with enough brains not to stand in *****.

Bit too wordy for a bumper sticker though.

By: Clayton of Green Gables..Tra la la la la
Nominated: Blast Femur
Seconded: Ron Baker

------------

14) It strikes me as a bit ironic that the denomination whose raison
d'etre was to permit Henry VIII to ignore a clear Biblical prohibition
against divorce and remarriage has its panties in a knot over ignoring a
decidedly unclear Biblical prohibition of loving gay relationships.

By: Ian S
Nominated: Brian Westley
Seconded: Gregory Gadow

------------

15) He's a complete idiot who's looking for God to come down on a
firey chariot and hand him a gold plated soundbite carved into a stone
tablet that explains the truth of evolution to his complete satisfaction.

By: Johnny Bravo
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: the cutest atheist

------------

16) While a human named Jesus bar Joseph may have once existed, there is
no historical foundation for the risen Christ. The fact that he is
2000+ years late for his second coming tells me that the original story
about him is factually in error or maybe he is awaiting his Viagra Rx
from Canada so he may come again soon.

By: go4tli
Nominated: Editor of EvilBible.com
Seconded: sdq

------------

17) To quote! "You shall have no other gods before me."

Not a problem, sez I! I don't have any other gods before him. I don't
have ANY gods at all....I'm covered. No gods before him, no gods after
him, no gods, in fact, at all....

By: Just Jak!
Nominated: Wolf333
Seconded: towelie

------------

18) And the unbrighteous ones will fall into the depths of superstitious
belief, where they will be bound by priests and tormented by their
terror of non existent things. Rationiah 6:66

By: Martin Thomas
Nominated: the cutest atheist
Seconded: Tink

------------

19) Actually, strong atheism isn't even that. It's more like "there's no
Santa Claus".

It's only those who can't grasp that atheists and theists aren't even
talking about the same thing, who imagine otherwise.

To the atheist it's merly something somebody else believes. He's not
talking about the theists's "supremely important thing [that they are
certain exists]" but about something akin to a character in a story,
which as such is one or more levels removed from reality even though the
story itself is part of reality.

By: Christopher A. Lee
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: Bob White

------------

20) However, instead of actually solving his problems, he chose to
self-medicate with the drug of religion.

By: quibbler
Nominated: towelie
Seconded: Douglas Berry

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Here are the rules for the Quote of the Month Contests.


RULES

1. Only atheists and agnostics may participate in the contests.

2. A quote is a valid entry for the contests if:

a. The quote is a brief piece of text;

b. The quote has recently been written in alt.atheism (verifiable);

c. Nomination of the quote is made by an atheist or agnostic
in alt.atheism

d. Nomination of the quote is supported by at least one other
atheist or agnostic in alt.atheism;

e. The quote is not nominated or seconded by the person who wrote it
in
the first place (no one is allowed to nominate him- or herself,
but a person
can vote for the quote he or she wrote.)

3. There will be two categories: 'Atheist Quote of the Month'
and 'Theist Quote of the Month'. The category for which a
quote must be nominated must be mentioned by the atheist or
agnostic who wants to nominate it.

If a quote is miscategorized (e.g. an atheist quote is mistakenly
nominated in the Theist QOTM category), the quote will be re-directed
to appear in the correct category, with approriate notification.

4. Nominations can be made until five days before the first of the
next month. If quotes are nominated after this period, they will be
considered as entries for the contest of the next month.

* When making a nomination, the word "nomination" MUST appear
somewhere in the subject line!

5. Each atheist or agnostic who visits alt.atheism has one vote to
cast for each category (two votes total).

6. Voting starts 5 days before the end of the month. During the month,
votes will be ignored. This way, all nominees will have equal chance of
winning.

7. The two winning quotes will be published in the QOTM Archive.

SUMMARY

A nomination must contain the following information:

1. The lines of the quote.

2. Who wrote it.

3. Who nominates or seconds the nomination of this quote (that's you!)

4. Which category this nomination is for.

5. The word "nomination" MUST appear somewhere in the subject line!

Publish the nomination or support for a nomination in a designated
thread, preferably called "[T/A]QoTM Nomination for [month]." You can
also e-mail it to me (see below).


VOTING

1. In the last five days of the month you can cast your vote in both
categories.

2. Votes must either be placed in the designated thread.

--
Nemo - EAC Commissioner for Bible Belt Underwater Operations.
Atheist #1331 (the Palindrome of doom!)
BAAWA Knight! - One of those warm Southern Knights, y'all!
Charter member, SMASH!!
http://home.earthlink.net/~jehdjh/Relpg.html
Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
Quotemeister since March 2002

I'm happy to announce that I have upgraded to Mac OS system 10.3
(Panther). I and the computer are doing well, thanks!

Here are the nominations for Atheist Quote of the Month for October
2003. Vote for your favorite by responding to this thread. Votes will
be accepted until midnight, Oct. 31. See rules below. Questions?
Comments? Email me.

* * * * *

------------

11) What have you lost if you live out your life in a psychedelic
haze filled with pretty hallucinations? What have you lost if you
replace your innate capacity for moral reasoning with mere obedience
to rules, driven by fear of punishment and desire for reward? What
have you lost if all your relationships with your fellow humans take
a back seat to your relationship with some invisible friend? What
have you lost when you see all humanity as despicable and deserving
of infinite torture? What have you lost when you adopt values which
are incompatible with any sane notion of justice? What have you lost
when you support a system which has been a parasitic blight on
humankind? What have you lost when you cling to a belief system which
causes you to undervalue your life so much that you could even ask
such a question in the first place?

By: Kronk
Nominated: Denis Loubet
Seconded: the cutest atheist

------------

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland province
in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any third rate
magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total obscurity,
unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period, leaving behind
only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the paltry rumors are
indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace myths that humans
think up in abundance. Does that really make sense to you? Does that
sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie

4) These shootings [in churches] would stop if churches were forced to
display the Ten Commandments.

By: John Hattan
Nominated: Doc Smartass
Seconded: Liz

11) What have you lost if you live out your life in a psychedelic haze
filled with pretty hallucinations? What have you lost if you replace
your innate capacity for moral reasoning with mere obedience to rules,
driven by fear of punishment and desire for reward? What have you lost
if all your relationships with your fellow humans take a back seat to
your relationship with some invisible friend? What have you lost when
you see all humanity as despicable and deserving of infinite torture?
What have you lost when you adopt values which are incompatible with any
sane notion of justice? What have you lost when you support a system
which has been a parasitic blight on humankind? What have you lost when
you cling to a belief system which causes you to undervalue your life so
much that you could even ask such a question in the first place?

By: Kronk
Nominated: Denis Loubet
Seconded: the cutest atheist

17) To quote! "You shall have no other gods before me."

Not a problem, sez I! I don't have any other gods before him. I don't
have ANY gods at all....I'm covered. No gods before him, no gods after
him, no gods, in fact, at all....

By: Just Jak!
Nominated: Wolf333
Seconded: towelie

I'm happy to announce that I have upgraded to Mac OS system 10.3
(Panther). I and the computer are doing well, thanks!

10) Think about it. A being capable of flinging hundreds of billions
of galaxies into existence comes to one microbial blue speck in the
cosmos, assumes the form of a human animal in a minor scrubland
province in a primitive age, performs unremarkable tricks which any
third rate magician these days can surpass, and he dies in total
obscurity, unnoticed and unrecorded by any chronicler of the period,
leaving behind only rumors that he was ever here at all--and even the
paltry rumors are indistinguishable from the ordinary and commonplace
myths that humans think up in abundance. Does that really make sense
to you? Does that sound like the modus operandi of an omnipotent god?

By: Kronk
Nominated: stoney
Seconded: towelie