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Michael Smith's Discussions

What Are Your Values?

Started Sep 5, 2011 0 Replies 0 Likes

Tags: diversity, similarities, morality, ethics, atheist

A Thoughtful Review of Atlas Shrugged

Started this discussion. Last reply by Hiram May 9, 2011. 3 Replies 0 Likes

I know. I am a naive fool, and about to get whalloped by posts that usually go on for pages with little of value actually being discussed. I don't care. I watched Atlas Shrugged (Part 1) and I want…Continue

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Daniel young commented on Michael Smith's blog post Praise, Blame and Sam Harris's "Confluence"

"I view this from a slightly different perspective, I feel that our "nobs" are already being tuned by the culture and their governments. This is still being accomplished because of the ignorance of the layman, the citizen. The more people…"

Dec 17, 2011

Michael Smith posted a blog post

Praise, Blame and Sam Harris's "Confluence"

In a forthcoming article in the New Statesman, Sam Harris states that not only is the idea of god a delusion, but so also is the idea of free will. He states that "we can find no room for it in the causal order" and that "all of our behavior can be traced to biological events about which we have no conscious knowledge." Finally, he states that "every person represents a confluence of forces that he did not will into being - and we can be lucky or very unlucky in this respect."While all of this…See More

Dec 15, 2011

1 Comment 0 Likes

Michael Smith posted a discussion

What Are Your Values?

I found this list of keywords on the internet and I thought it might be good to share it and get an informal sense of what our values are as atheists. What sorts of values do we share as atheists, and how are we different? What are the varying degrees of criteria by which we judge ourselves and others? http://www.stevepavlina.com/articles/list-of-values.htm Read this list and write down 4 or 5 values that you identify with…See More

Sep 5, 2011

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Michael Smith replied to eric stone's discussion Agora - movie

"I went into the movie (which is on netflix) expecting a mediocre film with an axe to grind. It definitely had an axe to grind, but was moving all the same. Atheists need more hero(in)es."

Aug 28, 2011

Sentient Biped commented on Michael Smith's blog post What Bothers me About Atheism

"Frequently people who reveal themselves as atheist wind up bombarded by family and associates who criticise them for being atheist, preached at, nagged, rejected, put down, and otherwise abused for being open in their atheism. In addition,…"

Jul 13, 2011

Napoleon Bonaparte commented on Michael Smith's blog post What Bothers me About Atheism

"I'll tell you if you are wrong on the issue of arrogance if you can explain the 'Tall Poppy Syndrome' which exists in the United States in relation to arrogant people. I mean, as soon as someone gets too arrogant, they get…"

Jul 13, 2011

Napoleon Bonaparte commented on Michael Smith's blog post What Bothers me About Atheism

"Whats so wrong with being arrogant ? It means having or revealing an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilitities. It doesn't necessarily imply defective reasoning. It's better than being ignorant. What is the…"

Jul 13, 2011

Michael Smith commented on Michael Smith's blog post What Bothers me About Atheism

"Well, I know that if someone approached me and tried to convince me of their religious beliefs, that it would be counterproductive for him to negatively react to my irreligious stance. I know that the stereotype of atheism is that we are jerks,…"

Jul 12, 2011

Jim Hoerst commented on Michael Smith's blog post What Bothers me About Atheism

"Cliff, Why would you call yourself a Christian if you don't subscribe to any Christian beliefs?"

Jul 12, 2011

Jim Hoerst commented on Michael Smith's blog post What Bothers me About Atheism

"Do you have any evidence that: Negative reactions to the religious are counter-productive?"

Jul 12, 2011

Michael Smith posted a blog post

What Bothers me About Atheism

Last week I was having dinner with a fellow atheist and he was talking about a mutual acquaintance who was preaching to him about creationism. I expressed my views on the subject, being a former creationist, but he said that he wasn't in a hurry to respond because as far as he was concerned, this person was his enemy.This, I am afraid, is an all too common response among atheists. Our behavior towards the religious is in need of a makeover. Yes, we are the targets of bigotry and hatred, but if…See More

Jul 11, 2011

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Michael Smith commented on Kim D's blog post My husband wants my child to say grace.

"My first piece of advice: Do not deceive your child about your views to please your husband. Honesty is a good moral value, and if your child is ignorant of your views, bowing your head at prayer sends the wrong message. Beyond that, I would point…"

Jul 11, 2011

Michael Smith commented on Monica S.'s blog post So I run faster, but he caught me here

"The fact that people read this and want to help may be unfortunate, so feel free to delete this if it doesn't help. Ironic that people telling you your private parts are dirty might have been more abusive than any physical abuse heaped upon…"

Jul 2, 2011

Michael Smith replied to Keith Brian Johnson's discussion Atheism's Harm vs. Religion's Harm

"I regard the argument to be basically useless. I would only ever bring it up in response to any point made in the opposite direction. Millions may be good without god, but millions are good with one as well (my mother), and millions more are good…"

Jun 28, 2011

Michael Smith replied to Brent Feeney's discussion BRUTALLY HONEST: Obama Must Own This Albatross

"Too many caps. His answer seems to be: Blame the President. Also, while I agree that we need to fix TBTF, it has very little to do with how the economy is doing right now. And honestly DOES HE HAVE A CLUE HOW JOBS ARE CREATED (see how annoying that…"

Jun 7, 2011

Michael Smith replied to Alice's discussion The Meaning of Life - what's yours? in the group Hang With Friends

"What he said."

May 26, 2011

Michael Smith's Blog

Praise, Blame and Sam Harris's "Confluence"

Posted on December 15, 2011 at 10:04pm 1 Comment 0 Likes

While…

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What Bothers me About Atheism

Posted on July 11, 2011 at 7:53pm 7 Comments 0 Likes

Last week I was having dinner with a fellow atheist and he was talking about a mutual acquaintance who was preaching to him about creationism. I expressed my views on the subject, being a former creationist, but he said that he wasn't in a hurry to respond because as far as he was concerned, this person was his enemy.

This, I am afraid, is an all too common response among atheists. Our behavior towards the religious is in need of a makeover. Yes, we are the targets of bigotry and… Continue

On Being More Fully Human

Posted on May 14, 2011 at 8:09am 2 Comments 1 Like

Here's my three-word rebuttal to Hume's is-ought gap: "Get over yourself."

A lot of people seem to think that not having ethics that are sourced outside ourselves is a problem, and that it requires a well-thought-out solution. This is not the case. It has become increasingly obvious that our ethical sense is built on the bedrock of biology and natural selection, and that guilt, compassion, fear, and anger, emotions commonly associated with being ethical, are instincts dictated by… Continue

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At 2:19pm on February 2, 2011, Dr. Terence Meaden said…: Hi Michael, and welcome to the world of common sense that is atheism on Atheist Nexus----far from the beliefs of the masses with their superstitions and fictional god.

We invite you to make good friends by joining the busy group "ORIGINS: Universe, Astronomy, Life, Earth, Humans, Religion, Evolution, Darwin..." with its 400 discussion topics and 2350 members.
http://www.atheistnexus.org/group/originsuniverselifehumankindanddarwin

Terry Meaden

At 11:12pm on January 30, 2011, Atheist Princess said…: Welcome Fellow Heathen ( :

At 6:33pm on January 30, 2011, Catherine Piske said…: Welcome to Nexus, Michael :)

I am so glad to hear that the Hitchens/Dembski debate helped sway your beliefs, or lack thereof. I was also at the debate, it was something to behold.