Last week I read "The Mysterious Stranger" by Mark Twain. It was a good read, very different from Twain's more well-known stories but still very much in his style.
If you haven't read it here's the tl;dr: A few boys from the middle ages get a visit from Satan's nephew.
Satan's nephew (also named Satan) has some very accurate quotes which I feel were Mark Twain's subtle jabs at religion
The first quote takes place after a "witch" gets put to death. Satan is explaining to the main character that only a minority of the people that were attacking the woman actually wanted to, most of the people involved went along because they felt they were alone in not wanting to participate.
The second quote is one of my new favorites. Satan makes a habit of trivializing the human species; this quote is one of his few compliments.
Another favorite quote of mine is by the author of the webcomic Surviving the World: "If you can't make fun of it, it's probably not worth taking seriously."
The more we make fun of religion, the less it will be taken seriously. For all its flaws, that's one thing r/atheism has right. Sure it may be immature at times, and those in the Unites States tend to pick on Christianity more than other religions, but on the whole the atheist community does a good job of keeping the kid gloves off.
So let's keep at it. I look forward to a world where theists will have to admit their believe in a god in the same sheepish manner as someone who admits to liking <insert laughable movie/band/sports team here>.
If you haven't read it here's the tl;dr: A few boys from the middle ages get a visit from Satan's nephew.
Satan's nephew (also named Satan) has some very accurate quotes which I feel were Mark Twain's subtle jabs at religion
The first quote takes place after a "witch" gets put to death. Satan is explaining to the main character that only a minority of the people that were attacking the woman actually wanted to, most of the people involved went along because they felt they were alone in not wanting to participate.
Before long you will see this curious thing: the speakers stoned from the platform, and free speech strangled by hordes of furious men who in their secret hearts are still at one with those stoned speakers--as earlier--but do not dare to say so.The mob mentality is dangerous, which is all the more reason why it's so important to come out to everyone. I haven't noticed as much group-think among atheists, but we are still susceptible and need to watch out for it.
The second quote is one of my new favorites. Satan makes a habit of trivializing the human species; this quote is one of his few compliments.
How many times growing up have you expressed an opinion and had it laughed at by others? Whether it's an opinion on a movie or a life-long dream, if others laugh at it, a person is likely to reconsider their opinion. This can be a bad thing if the majority hold a harmful opinion and use peer pressure and group-think to force their opinion on others. But it can also be used for good.For your race, in its poverty, has unquestionably one really effective weapon--laughter. Power, money, persuasion, supplication, persecution--these can lift at a colossal humbug--push it a little--weaken it a little, century by century; but only laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.
Another favorite quote of mine is by the author of the webcomic Surviving the World: "If you can't make fun of it, it's probably not worth taking seriously."
The more we make fun of religion, the less it will be taken seriously. For all its flaws, that's one thing r/atheism has right. Sure it may be immature at times, and those in the Unites States tend to pick on Christianity more than other religions, but on the whole the atheist community does a good job of keeping the kid gloves off.
So let's keep at it. I look forward to a world where theists will have to admit their believe in a god in the same sheepish manner as someone who admits to liking <insert laughable movie/band/sports team here>.
