Atheists, shut up!

This week on CNN's Paula Zahn Now, a show that has been enjoying prurient sensationalism by digging into various bigotry, has apparently gotten around to Atheists. Here is the video of it.

It starts out being about a family is being ostracized for their...lack of belief. For instances, days after confiding to a friend that the wife was an atheist, their friends started distancing themselves, and then their landlord evicted them. In school the kids are isolated, at home and work they get harassing calls and treatment.

It takes me back to earlier comments.

Tell [Christians] you are [Jewish], they will nod (Presuming they are not far out nutters.) Tell [them] you are an atheist, and they ask if you had considered embracing [Jesus]. It can't be that you can live, move, and breath, without it.

Now add on the further point of being damned, by people, to hell. Being ostracized.


So the show looks to start well. But as the sad story ends, they bring in a fellow of First Things, a Christian media group, who quickly needs to make the point that it is all the fault of militant atheists. They are the problem. Some people don't want God on money, or in a pledge. So that is why atheists are kicked around. It is not as if atheists were put upon before, say the God was put on the coin, or before even the pledge was written. Heck, no. If that were so, then this argument would point to the nastiness and cruelty coming more from the insult/fear of someone questioning/denying divinity. They can't handle that, at least the more intelligent of the belligerent can't. They can't have it that way, they just got to have a rational reason, not some primal rage at the strangers in their midsts.

To quote one of the many threads on this show:

"Nobody" likes to be challenged, uncovered, and exposed as idiotic. Especially people who consider themselves intelligent movers and shakers.

{Also my skeptics have it so hard at times. No one likes to have the dream disrupted. DOn't tell people their are no fairies/unicorns/alien probes/dragons/gods. Even an old jaded skeptic can get no rspect for standing up for empiricism.]

And so begins the rest of the show (from Pharyngula). Also known as, now that they are down crowd around and kick the shit out of them. Is this how the rest of her shows of bigotry have gone?

Listen, we are a Christian nation. I'm not a Christian. I'm Jewish, but I recognize we're a Christian country and freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion.

-Debbie Schlussel, Paula Zahn Now

One of many charming lines from the show's panel.

Three people on the panel. Two Christians, and one Jew (quoted above).

Good round group, hmm. No Atheists, not even an agnostic. Why? No atheists wanted to show up? What about all those screaming psycho atheists? You know the ones just alluded to. And they will alluded to again and again for the rest of the show.

Why do atheists inspire such hatred?

From here on in it is all about why Atheists are nasty. THEY won't let us pray (Anyone unable to pray?). THEY won't let us say the pledge (Anyone there?). THEY won't let us have our particular money (Oh wait, we do.). THEY cry wolf. And so on, and so forth.

More on Effect Measure. As they quote on.

ZAHN: ... So do you think atheists should keep their religious beliefs secret? What's their beliefs period?
HUNTER: What does an atheist believe? Nothing. I think this is such a ridiculous story. Are we now going to take "In God We Trust" off of our dollars? Are we going to not say "one nation under God?" When does it end? We took prayer out of schools. What more do they want? ...

So Zahn asks a dumb question, as imagine that question with Jews as they subject...Disturbed yet? In fact watch the talk and imagine, a religion or a race instead of atheist. Do you imagine Mel Gibson and Michael Richards on the panel to?

And what is the answer, quick dismissal and on to the attack. Is there some atheist front calling for this stuff? No.

Does she not know prayer is allowed in school? It is. MANDATORY prayer is out. You think that is what she really missed.

If they had hallmark cards, maybe they wouldn't feel so left out.

Maybe if we had Winter holidays, but I wonder if these very upset people are also flustered over "HAPPY HOLIDAYS".

I think that the real discrimination is atheists against Americans who are religious.

Geez, if their is a higher power, strike me now. Once again the 90 some percent are the victims...victims of hearing contrary positions. Where do I send the relief donations.

Look where there are more atheists and where they've lost God, where the church is not that strong. Europe is becoming Islamist. It's fast falling and intolerance is increasing. That's the one reason our country has not become like Europe because we have strong Christians and because atheists are not strong. And I think that's a good thing.

Yeah, I'm sure this was well thought out, and not remotely sensationalistic or unfounded.

...but I recognize we're a Christian country and freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from religion.

More brilliant thinking. Actually, freedom religion DOES mean freedom from it. How else can it be free? How...eh!

The only one in the group able to consider something other than his victimization. That is the ESPN analyst...why is a sports guy there...to discuss religion and atheists? What? I guess they needed a fourth in the room, who had an once of sense in his head. Not the most brilliant thinking, but he didn't feel all that victimized and had some sympathy.

I don't think they need to shut up. The reason why I don't think they need to shut up is because there's a whole bunch of people in this world that we can look at and say they need to shut up and they certainly don't. You got everybody fighting for their own individual cause. This is their cause. We might not like it. I don't agree with it at all, but they do have a right. ...

Yes atheists have a right to fight for...whatever. But why even go there? Do atheists need to have their rights enshrined more? Maybe in Texas.

Some more quotes.

..I really believe that they are the ones who are the intolerant ones against Christians. ...

They are on the attack. It's obnoxious and they do need to shut up. ...

...

And on it went.


So why are atheists put upon, picked on, mistreated. Because they deserve it. Apparently atheists victimize and use everyone around them. Do they steal children in the night as well?

That's what Paula Zahn taught me.


Wow, CNN... I really feel informed about the issues now.