UK Atheists Hope to Eliminate Jedi Population

[Gerkuman]

While I don't mind the fact that they're trying to make the census more accurate (which is a good thing), it's for an ulterior motive. Which is not a good thing.

Any other response may be manipulated into a response in favour of religion and publically funded religious organisations.

That's from their website. How paranoid do you have to be to assume that religious institutions are going to use a joke religion to get money? Saying stuff like that only makes people turn against you.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

You could almost say they're trying to execute order 66 maybe? Get it? Geddit?


...Yeah I'll get my coat.

I got it. And I pictured The Emperor saying it after the results from the last consensus came in. Quite funny.
OP: Maybe some do honestly follow Jedi teachings. I don't see how it differs that much from other religions. Don't be a killjoy.

 

[Mr C]

Annihilating the Jedi makes sense to me. Historically speaking we managed to get the biggest Evil Empire going. All this time worrying about crazed terrorists. I'm on the look out for suspicious looking cute furry animals now; they'll surely be the end of us!

 

[Sandytimeman]

Honestly, shut the fuck up people (the guys in that "movement", not Tom, obviously).

It's all the same nonsense. It should never matter for any government functions whether people have any religion at all, so the fact that it's included in a census is rubbish anyways.

Personally I say go for the high score guys. 50% Jedi or bust.

Pastafarians or Adeptus Astartes also acceptable.

But it does.

It's stuff like this that gives the government an idea of what to do in the local area. This is also the kind of stuff used to justify more religious faith schools.

And your telling me a Jedi academy wouldn't be AWESOME. See Jedism vs. Regular religion is different because Jedi Religion teaches you how to move shit with your mind. Religion teaches you that if you pray hard enough, someday, somewhere, something will be moved but it may or may not be what you had in mind.

 

[Mad1Cow]

Wait up a min here chief. The census is supposed to be a check of whether an area needs help and anything. WHY DON'T we say that Jedi=Nerd. Now, bare with me folks. It's safe to say that a nerd is pretty much lacking in defending themselves but are riddled with money. Now if an area has a high nerd population, it could also be deemed that it would be a high crime area, because criminals will see them as easy to pick off yet loaded. I'd say that's pretty good statistics to want to up local law enforcement in an area.

Either that or if they're so adamant in the belief that Jedi=A joke of atheism, can't they just assume that when everyone puts down Jedi it goes to a vote of atheism? Seems more logical to me instead of pissing everyone else off.

 

[Conor147]

and when did i say it was, if at all?

He refers to this scenario as an example of lack of humorous sense with atheists in general (considered hes saying this in this spesific topic), and you defend the "attack" by saying atheists are "capable of prioritising real, tangible, important issues over jokes". In context that implies that this scenario is very real, tangible and important.

Now, if you werent refering to this scenario, why qoute him at all? If you feel the urge to qoute, at least state its not the scenario the qouted one talks about that you disagree with.

In short, Partezan makes a little pun, and by your reply he/she proved his/her point

And I still rest my case that this issue is a laughing matter compared to real serious issues atheists should be working to achieve.

i was referring to your juvenile red herring about numbers on paper. the one where you misconstrued the issue by pretending we care about numbers on paper and not what they denote.

I rest my case

EDIT: Damn man, you gotta get your quote-skills straight! That was a mess you made there

not as urgently as you need to get your spelling-skills straight.

is this you trying to subtly abandon your argument? better sooner than later.

 

[Conor147]

(apart from the God-bothering brigade who hate the fact that rational people have their own ideas)!

I find it amusing that people view me this way, because I got faith

faith. lol. what is that good for? faith doesnt distinguish between one religion or another. it doesnt do anything to differentiate truth from bullshit. if you genuinely care whether or not your beliefs are true, faith is something to be avoided.

"Faith means not wanting to know what is true."
? Friedrich Nietzsche

"Faith is believing what you know ain't so."
? Mark Twain

"Faith is a cop-out. If the only way you can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it can't be taken on its own merits."
?Dan Barker

etc. etc.....

 

[alinos]

Either that or if they're so adamant in the belief that Jedi=A joke of atheism, can't they just assume that when everyone puts down Jedi it goes to a vote of atheism? Seems more logical to me instead of pissing everyone else off.

well then any religion that has minor support should be considered a joke of atheism and should be put as atheism.

I mean i still think scientology is the biggest joke by an atheist ever, do we mark that as atheist.

The Fact is there are people who legitimatly put jedi down as there religion, your saying that we should discount there true belief

 

[Hamster at Dawn]

Haha I filled out my census form yesterday and when I saw the religion question, I was definitely tempted to write "JEDI" but I take these things seriously so I just ticked "No Religion". Although it's funny that so many people put Jedi down before, I think that it's been done now and we should let the government know how many people are not religious. It's going to be the basis for a lot of statistics over the next 10 years, so it's actually quite important.

 

[Goody]

snip

Oh if they genuinely believe it then fair enough, put it down. The thing is most of the people doing it is for a joke, and knowing our government, we probably will end up with this bigger problem you mentioned.

 

[CrimsonBlack]

I think it's a perfectly reasonable campaign, I support it.

The religious statistics from 2001 were used amongst other things to fund faith schools and give religious charities a tax break. I for one am dead against madrassas (or any kind of faith-based school) in my neighbourhood, as every single one of them teaches unsubstantiated drivel as revealed fact. Last week an Iman (who is also a biology professor) in London spoke up for evolution, for example - he got death threats from nutcases and was forced to retract his statement. This is in LONDON. LONDON, people, not Pakistan. Nobody can deny that religion causes untold misery, death, persecution, bigotry, homophobia etc.

The 3rd biggest group of people in the world right now are people of no religion, if stats are to be believed ("The New Atheism", Victor Stenger, p.22). It's important to make your voice heard, and that is done not through thinking "oh it'll be HILARIOUS to put down Jedi when I'm actually not", it's by being somewhat serious and thinking "what I put down here will have consequences for many people, even though I'm just one person".

Sorry for being seriouscat but atheists/secularists are right in being serious about this.

EDIT: Hamster at Dawn got it in a oner.

 

[Kyoufuu]

I would put "the Holy Light". Or "the Greater Good". Or "Genestealer". Or "Tzeentch". Or "the Lich King". Or "Sargeras". Or "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!!!"

If I were in England.

And weren't Catholic already.

 

[Frostbyte666]

Soon the Jedi will be eradicated.
Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen.

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I'm with the majority here, I think, if you genuinely believe in whatever Jediism is, then go for it, but if you're just screwing around, please don't. Cameron already is trying to cut libraries and other public services and I don't want him making statement that he's shutting down my local library to invest the saved money in research into Jedi culture, because the census demands it.

As for atheism isn't a religion, when I got to the question about what I drive, I just ticked the 'do not drive' box, it's the same deal. No it's not a religion, but it's a fair option when asked what religion you are.

Seriously, if you're kind of sick of churches, church school and the like getting tax breaks just because they have a combined belief in an imaginary friend, if you think they deserve to get off light while everyone else is getting hit with cuts and higher taxes, write jedi, or metal, or 'I worship a big red balloon' or whatever. If you're not religious tho, put in 'no religion' and maybe we can send the message that there's a sizable proportion of the UK populace who don't follow a God.

 

[Conor147]

but i cannot conceive of how believing in an invisible sky daddy can make someone a better person. atheist are typically better educated, less likely to go to jail, happier, less likely to be divorced etc. just contrast sweden (where almost nobody believes in god) with mexico (where everyone everyone believes in god). theres a direct positive correlation between religiosity and corruption, and with irreligosity and societal success.

That's a false correlation, unless you can prove that atheism causes these differences, as opposed to average income or employment. Hell, you could even make the argument that since Sweden has a higher number of white people per thousand that the non-white races are genetically predisposed towards crime.

But doesn't that sound silly?

i know correlation doesnt imply causation, but its definitely not a "false correlation", as you said.

if these differences arent caused by atheism, they are caused by whatever causes atheism. the correlation is very strong, and cannot be rationalized away. the only country that deviates at all is america, and thats because christianity in america is a very unique phenomenon.

even if i was to capitulate ultimately, and admit that the atheism is only the result of better education (which is the result of the better society) and that being well educated leads strongly to atheism, and not the other way around, i would be fine with that. if atheism doesnt cause better societies, better societies causes atheism, and that would be enough for the argument im making, if not, its more to the point im trying to make.

 

[Conor147]

but i cannot conceive of how believing in an invisible sky daddy can make someone a better person. atheist are typically better educated, less likely to go to jail, happier, less likely to be divorced etc. just contrast sweden (where almost nobody believes in god) with mexico (where everyone everyone believes in god). theres a direct positive correlation between religiosity and corruption, and with irreligosity and societal success.

That's a false correlation, unless you can prove that atheism causes these differences, as opposed to average income or employment. Hell, you could even make the argument that since Sweden has a higher number of white people per thousand that the non-white races are genetically predisposed towards crime.

But doesn't that sound silly?

This guy hates religion for unknown reasons, and arguing him into accepting it is like making a racist like a black guy

unknown reasons? well obviously. because religion is completely benign and hasnt stunted the progress of humanity by several centuries, at all? has it? so, what reason could i possibly have to hate religion (which is btw, just a baseless assertion on your part. yet another one.)

unlike you, who admits believes things without evidence and doesnt care about whether or not his beliefs are true (ironically, by the way, like the racist you compared me to), im willing to change my mind. if you can convince me that religion isnt cancer by.... hmm... proving that it spares people from eternal suffering (because it certainly condemns them to unimagineably horrific suffering in this world), then im willing to change my mind.

EDIT: also he clearly loves to sound superior in every way possible. Watch your grammar!

EDIT: uhh, what? are you a moron? have you really, actually, seriously failed to notice that in every post ive completely neglected orthodox grammar? and where, if at all, have i EVER alluded to caring about grammar?

holy. fuck.