Atheists: No prayer for disaster victims

M

Mind Over Matter

Registered Senior Member
Looks like praying for the victims of Katrina is unconstitutional (at least for public officials) according certain athiest groups:

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46159

Perhaps same thing with Japan's current crisis... :shrug:

However, I find it ironic one quote in the article:

Dave Silverman, communications director for American Atheists, went even further – blaming God for taking thousands of lives both in the Asian tsunami lat year and again in the Gulf Coast.
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They do not believe in God, yet they blame God? Is there something wrong with this picture?
 
the prayer police? do they have mind control weapons? i really don't see how a prayer can be effectively policed, not if you're any good at praying anyway. haha.
 
Mind Over Matter said:
Looks like praying for the victims of Katrina is unconstitutional (at least for public officials) according certain athiest groups:

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46159

Perhaps same thing with Japan's current crisis... :shrug:

However, I find it ironic one quote in the article:


They do not believe in God, yet they blame God? Is there something wrong with this picture?
Click to expand...

They don't sound like any Atheists I know. How can you blame something that you don't believe in? And praying is unconstitional? I don't remember the constitution saying anything about prayer.

As much as I support Atheism for their use of logic and reason, it seems that this group lacks both qualities.
 
I've always thought American Atheists sometimes went a bit too far in their push. It's one thing to protect the rights of atheists, but they also tend to want to attack, directly or indirectly, believers as well, who, given the same Constitution they bring up, have the same rights of belief and speech.

Now, I do support their main point, that prayer, while fine and good, doesn't help anyone but the praying. Pray all you want, but give donations or directly help those in need too. Just praying and assuming all will be okay is putting blinders on while patting yourself on the back.

Silverman's comment is why I don't like AA all that much. Attack the idea, fine, but using insults professionally to make your point is too much. It's not much different from the theist who condemns those who disagree to hellfire.
 
Mind Over Matter said:
However, I find it ironic one quote in the article:

"They do not believe in God, yet they blame God? Is there something wrong with this picture?"
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Why did you quote the article quoting Silverman, rather that quoting his quote directly?
This is what he said:
"It appears that despite all of the outbursts of public religiosity and prayer, 'God' was once again asleep at the wheel," he said. "Only human beings can deal with the calamities of the natural world. God doesn't seem to be much help when it comes to rushing food, water, or antibiotics when people are suffering."
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That's a big difference from what you implied.
 
It is more important to try and help these victims of this catastrophe with real aid, food, clothes, water etc, rather than praying for them . That said we should each do whatever it is we feel we need to do that will help them out an if you think prayers are helping them that's fine.
 
Mind Over Matter said:
They do not believe in God, yet they blame God? Is there something wrong with this picture?
Click to expand...

Below is what Dave Silverman actually said (apparently):

"It appears that despite all of the outbursts of public religiosity and prayer, 'God' was once again asleep at the wheel," he said. "Only human beings can deal with the calamities of the natural world. God doesn't seem to be much help when it comes to rushing food, water, or antibiotics when people are suffering."
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Being that he is indeed an Atheist, it's rather obvious that he is simply throwing around the old "If God exists, why doesn't he put an end to all the suffering in the world?" argument. I'm sure you're insightful enough to have figured that out for yourself, so why are you pretending that he's an atheist who believes in God? If you'd like to avoid looking like someone who doesn't even have the most basic of deductive reasoning skills, cut the bullshit.

Aside from all that, militant atheists who campaign against something as benign as a call for prayer in the aftermath of a natural disaster are fucking idiots who really need to take a good hard look at themselves in the mirror. If it brings people comfort in a time of need, it's a good thing.
 
It only brings comfort to those doing the praying from the other side of the world, not those in actual need of help.

The Japanese, who are mostly Shintoist, Buddhist and irreligious, are not going to see anything from your prayers.



But yeah, a daft thread from misreading an outdated quote.
 
drumbeat said:
It only brings comfort to those doing the praying from the other side of the world, not those in actual need of help.

The Japanese, who are mostly Shintoist, Buddhist and irreligious, are not going to see anything from your prayers.



But yeah, a daft thread from misreading an outdated quote.
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Agreed. The best anyone can do, within or out, of Japan is to simply help. Prayer has little effect on them, emotionally or spiritually.

And yes, the OP committed a grave injustice when falsely quoting the article. But hence his bias in the matter. One will do most anything to further their own ideologies.
 
drumbeat said:
It only brings comfort to those doing the praying from the other side of the world, not those in actual need of help.
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The OP was about Hurricane Katrina. Like you I believe that prayer is ultimately useless but most of the US population believes (or at least hopes) otherwise. Where's the harm?
 
Mind Over Matter said:
Looks like praying for the victims of Katrina is unconstitutional (at least for public officials) according certain athiest groups:

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46159

Perhaps same thing with Japan's current crisis... :shrug:

However, I find it ironic one quote in the article:


They do not believe in God, yet they blame God? Is there something wrong with this picture?
Click to expand...

Some atheists.

Just like all religious people cannot be lumped together, neither can all atheists.

~String
 
there are dishonest people in every religion and among the non-religious.

the issue with religions that are inherently lacking any reason tend to attract more people who are corrupt or dishonest at heart. that's why they are so intent on spreading their religion more than others so they won't be usurped by those who can see through them or those people become fewer in number so have less power. lol

that's the main difference.
 
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I totally agree, there should be no public prayer offered by any public official in their official capacity. There should be no prayers in congress before a session, there should be no chaplains in the armed forces, and we should not be giving out Qurans to our prisoners in Guantanamo.
 
Mind Over Matter said:
Looks like praying for the victims of Katrina is unconstitutional (at least for public officials) according certain athiest groups:

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46159

Perhaps same thing with Japan's current crisis... :shrug:

However, I find it ironic one quote in the article:


They do not believe in God, yet they blame God? Is there something wrong with this picture?
Click to expand...

Like most Athiest. There expressed disbelief in the existance of God is a lie. Of course the statement reveals the person not to be a true Athiest.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days
 
Adstar said:
Of course the statement reveals the person not to be a true Athiest.
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Great. Another person who is lacking basic deductive reasoning skills (or who is at least too lazy to read the original article before commenting).
 
Mind Over Matter said:
Looks like praying for the victims of Katrina is unconstitutional (at least for public officials) according certain athiest groups:

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46159

Perhaps same thing with Japan's current crisis... :shrug:

However, I find it ironic one quote in the article:


They do not believe in God, yet they blame God? Is there something wrong with this picture?
Click to expand...

"Shit happens." -all the Athiests in the world

I don't mean ill will, I mean end of thread.
 
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M*W: There is no atheist rule that says we can't wish disaster victims good will. It doesn't have to be called 'prayer.'
 
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