Comments on: Delusions of Persecution http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html NIGHTTIME IS FOR DREAMING. DAYLIGHT IS FOR ACTION. Mon, 8 Sep 2008 08:14:31 +0000 By: Ebonmuse http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-33010 Ebonmuse Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:24:45 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-33010 John Rule is the right-wing Christian cartoonist affiliated with Hal Lindsey whom I mentioned in my post. <a href="http://www.oneimage.org/index.html" rel="nofollow">This</a> is his website. John Rule is the right-wing Christian cartoonist affiliated with Hal Lindsey whom I mentioned in my post. This is his website.

]]> By: Alex Weaver http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-33007 Alex Weaver Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:00:26 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-33007 Who? And what does that have to do with anything? Who?

And what does that have to do with anything?

]]> By: Wayne Henry http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32999 Wayne Henry Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:35:43 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32999 Did anyone see John Rule's recent cartoon,"Coming to America?" He made a racial slur there against blacks. Check it out! Did anyone see John Rule's recent cartoon,"Coming to America?" He made a racial slur there against blacks. Check it out!

]]> By: Christopher http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32965 Christopher Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:28:28 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32965 Maybe one talk show won't finish this out-dated institution off, but perhaps this is the firstmajor voice of dissent of many: I wouldn't be surprised if this opened the door for other unorthodox points of view to be expressed over the airwaves - ending the Judeo-Christian monopoly on this business. Maybe one talk show won't finish this out-dated institution off, but perhaps this is the firstmajor voice of dissent of many: I wouldn't be surprised if this opened the door for other unorthodox points of view to be expressed over the airwaves - ending the Judeo-Christian monopoly on this business.

]]> By: BruceA http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32950 BruceA Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:03:29 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32950 Christianity won't be wiped out because of one atheist talk show, but James Dobson has reason for concern. In his old age he is watching the empire he built crumble around him. Churches of all types are declining in membership. America is becoming a more secular, more tolerant society. Even the Republican party nominated a candidate who is not overtly religious. What James Dobson recognizes as Christianity is on the way out. Christianity won't be wiped out because of one atheist talk show, but James Dobson has reason for concern. In his old age he is watching the empire he built crumble around him. Churches of all types are declining in membership. America is becoming a more secular, more tolerant society. Even the Republican party nominated a candidate who is not overtly religious. What James Dobson recognizes as Christianity is on the way out.

]]> By: dzho http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32948 dzho Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:10:51 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32948 Maybe these radio preachers have a good reason to worry. They've got a multibillion dollar scam going based on hypocrisy and lies, the last thing they need is somebody telling the truth. And maybe, all it would take is one station consistently offering an alternative to their spiel, and a large portion of their audience would desert. They know this and they're scared of it. Maybe these radio preachers have a good reason to worry. They've got a multibillion dollar scam going based on hypocrisy and lies, the last thing they need is somebody telling the truth. And maybe, all it would take is one station consistently offering an alternative to their spiel, and a large portion of their audience would desert. They know this and they're scared of it.

]]> By: Thumpalumpacus http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32943 Thumpalumpacus Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:26:02 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32943 Wow, I haven't seen a drive-by jackass since I stopped surfing AOL. I'll bet dollars to your doughnuts he doesn't return to read the corrections to his "Argument for Ignorance". Wow, I haven't seen a drive-by jackass since I stopped surfing AOL. I'll bet dollars to your doughnuts he doesn't return to read the corrections to his "Argument for Ignorance".

]]> By: Chet http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32942 Chet Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:50:24 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32942 <i>I mean you're actively fighting something that you don't believe exists!</i> Nonsense. Religious ignorance and backwards thinking really <i>does</i> exist; there's an empty hole in the middle of Manhattan that can testify to that. I mean you're actively fighting something that you don't believe exists!

Nonsense. Religious ignorance and backwards thinking really does exist; there's an empty hole in the middle of Manhattan that can testify to that.

]]> By: Steve Bowen http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32936 Steve Bowen Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:43:45 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32936 <blockquote>However I doubt it is a biological attribute, but rather social/cultural (read meme) knowledge that gets passed on not through genes, but other channels, such as language.</blockquote> Agreed but that is just defining a meme. Memes like "religion" however can co-opt genetic predisposition to certain types of behaviour. Religious experience is very similar (I'm told) to the experience of romantic love. It inspires the same loyalty and the same irrational defence of the loved object. This is another reason why xians over-react to challenges to their beliefs, they invoke emotions evolved to elicit protective behavior. They see any insult, no matter how slight, as a direct and personal attack on their survival.

However I doubt it is a biological attribute, but rather social/cultural (read meme) knowledge that gets passed on not through genes, but other channels, such as language.

Agreed but that is just defining a meme. Memes like "religion" however can co-opt genetic predisposition to certain types of behaviour. Religious experience is very similar (I'm told) to the experience of romantic love. It inspires the same loyalty and the same irrational defence of the loved object. This is another reason why xians over-react to challenges to their beliefs, they invoke emotions evolved to elicit protective behavior. They see any insult, no matter how slight, as a direct and personal attack on their survival.

]]> By: DamienSansBlog http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32927 DamienSansBlog Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:45:32 +0000 http://www.daylightatheism.org/2008/03/delusions-of-persecution.html#comment-32927 <blockquote>I don't think any meme (including religion) can be attributed to evolution, since there is no selection mechanism that would favor the individual. </blockquote> hb531, I think the whole reason we call them "memes" these days is to show that they are influenced by the processes of competition, natural selection, and random mutation. Otherwise we could just use words like "idea" or "fashion" or "belief" or "behavior". In this case, what's competing and mutating and being selected are the ideas themselves, not necessarily the organisms or communities containing the ideas.

I don't think any meme (including religion) can be attributed to evolution, since there is no selection mechanism that would favor the individual.

hb531, I think the whole reason we call them "memes" these days is to show that they are influenced by the processes of competition, natural selection, and random mutation. Otherwise we could just use words like "idea" or "fashion" or "belief" or "behavior". In this case, what's competing and mutating and being selected are the ideas themselves, not necessarily the organisms or communities containing the ideas.

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