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News & ArtsWednesday, May 19, 2010
Religion / Books / Nerd Today in Dumb Ideas: Atheist Superhero Edition
Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, May 19, 2010 at 4:03 PM
The titular team's acronym stands for the Secular Humanist Occult Obliteration Taskforce, and their mission is to wipe out any and all supernatural entities in the name of atheism.
How do you wipe out something you don't believe in? Unless all they do is pull the rubber masks off of demons and werewolves, Scooby-Doo-style, I think they're missing the point. That isn't atheism; it's supernatural genocide.
1
So is this some ass backwards cautionary tale from some tight ass god fearing socialism hating tea bagger (cuz thats what it sounds like)? It assumes athieism is philosophy that the world SHOULD be devoid of the supernatural, hence the extermination, and not that we simply don't believe due to lack of evidence.
4
Based on the accompanying article (you-all DID read the accompan - oh, why do I even bother anymore?), it would appear this is precisely the central theme the comic will explore: in a world where supernatural beings apparently exist, how does one maintain an atheistic belief system?
5
But it would be stupid to maintain a naturalistic belief system in a world with a supernatural component.
8
@5:
You DO understand the meaning of the word "apparently", right? AND noted the fact I placed particular emphasis on that word by putting it in italics, right?
You DO understand the meaning of the word "apparently", right? AND noted the fact I placed particular emphasis on that word by putting it in italics, right?
9
This has the potential to be hilarious, regardless of the awareness level of the author. I'd imagine it would just change the nature of the humor.
11
Does anyone realize that all the Atheists in LOST are dead?
"All the lonely people, where do they all come from?"
"All the lonely people, where do they all belong?"
"All the lonely people, where do they all come from?"
"All the lonely people, where do they all belong?"
12
Not to dispute the idiocy of the premise of the comic, but atheism wouldn't be impossible in a world with ghosts, demons, leprechauns, and Bigfoot, etc.
If they are part of the observable world, presumably they have a verifiable, scientifically explainable origin. And can therefore be fought and exterminated without a need to believe in God.
Why atheists would particularly go after them, or feel the need to form their own organization to do so - as if Christians wouldn't be hunting down werewolves just because they DO believe in God - is a different glitch in the whole premise.
If they are part of the observable world, presumably they have a verifiable, scientifically explainable origin. And can therefore be fought and exterminated without a need to believe in God.
Why atheists would particularly go after them, or feel the need to form their own organization to do so - as if Christians wouldn't be hunting down werewolves just because they DO believe in God - is a different glitch in the whole premise.
13
In spite of the fact that I can sorta see what they were going for, and even appreciate it to a point, I still have to unequivocally label this the stupidest thing I've seen all day.
16
@14: Thank you for getting me onto TVTropes. Why don't you just toss me into Daedalus's Labyrinth or give me a copy of KOTOR II while you're at it?
17
Remember that X-Men where they went to Africa to fight starvation? And starvation was an actual villain? A big green ugly monster thing and they had to kick its ass? Except after they killed the starvation monster they still had to feed the starving people to end their starvation. I think Chris Claremont wrote that poo.
Would have made a perfect Powerpuff Girls episode.
Would have made a perfect Powerpuff Girls episode.
18
I think all the different reasons that this is a mind-bogglingly stupid premise have already been covered, so I have a question: What is the significance of "first" in the title? Is this the first squad of a larger group? Is there a S.H.O.O.T. Second and -Third? Also, why is that guy from the Prodigy with them?
19
@12: Exactly. It's the argument I use when people tell me atheism is just another kind of religion because it purports to *know* the "non-existence" of God without proof, just another kind of faith, blah blah.
20
@18: I'm not sure if you're being dry, so I'll answer straight: I imagine it's a play on "shoot first, ask questions later."
21
Atheists don't believe in god, but that doesn't mean they don't believe in other supernatural entities. Lack of belief in Jesus certainly wouldn't stop me from shooting a zombie, or driving a wooden stake into a vampire...although it might prevent me from holding up a cross to ward him off.
22
@21: Nah, I'd still use a cross. The point is that if the vampire thinks it'll work, it'll probably work. (Citation: I Am Legend)
23
um, if there's supernatural entities that can be fought and defeated
then they exist and you can't say they probably don't
I think there's an xtain behind this trying to suggest that atheists are as violent as beleivers are
http://ntrygg.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/d…
then they exist and you can't say they probably don't
I think there's an xtain behind this trying to suggest that atheists are as violent as beleivers are
http://ntrygg.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/d…
24
I already tried this. I kept firing my rifle into the air trying to hit god, but all I did was take out a low-flying plane. Fuckin' God...
25
How come if you're asexual or apolitical, people don't accuse you of thinking there is no such thing as sex or no such thing as politics? You can like asymmetry without trying to argue that nothing is symmetrical.
Athesim is somehow treated differently. What's up with that?
Athesim is somehow treated differently. What's up with that?
26
@25 Well, it's a little different because there's hard, repeatable proof of both politics and sex. Atheism is a lack of belief in gods/God, and, in my case, an affirmative belief and assertion that there IS no God.
By and large, atheism means the person in question has come to a decision about the matter, and generally cares about that decision at least somewhat. Whereas most people who are, for example, apolitical, are usually apathetic to the matter entirely.
Anyway, long-winded philosophical minutiae aside, it boils down to connotation and context.
By and large, atheism means the person in question has come to a decision about the matter, and generally cares about that decision at least somewhat. Whereas most people who are, for example, apolitical, are usually apathetic to the matter entirely.
Anyway, long-winded philosophical minutiae aside, it boils down to connotation and context.
27
Lack of belief in god is not the same as saying you know there is no god. Lack of belief in god is equivalent to not being a theist. And if you are not a theist, then you are an a+theist = atheist. Somebody asserts there is a a god, and atheists say "I don't buy it." Saying you don't buy it is not at all the same as having "faith" or fanatic certainty in the opposite of the thing you don't buy.
The accusation that atheists are just like religionists because they have "faith" that there is no god is a straw man, that's all.
The accusation that atheists are just like religionists because they have "faith" that there is no god is a straw man, that's all.
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