What was I saying about theists in foxholes?
Offline PALERMO (Reuters) - A Tunisian pilot who paused to pray instead of taking emergency measures before crash-landing his plane, killing 16 people, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail by an Italian court along with his co-pilot.
So, yeah. The pilot of the Hudson River crash did the right thing. He acted in a crisis. Someone who actually believed the religious nonsense got a bunch of people killed. Prayer doesn't work, folks. Action does.
Incidentally, this past monday, I ran into a pilot friend of mine who had just put a plane down without landing gear. He's been flying 40 years, and this was the first incident he's ever had, by the way. His landing gear malfunctioned, and he skidded his plane to a stop on the runway, thanks to his astute judgment of the situation, corroborating evidence from the tower when he did a fly-by, and well trained reflexes when he set the plane down.
Of course, his girlfriend was also there, and she kept jabbering about the miracle that had happened. I couldn't stand it after about the fourth time, and I asked her why she was not giving her man credit for his own actions. The only miracle was the miracle of 40 years experience, lots of training, and attention to detail.
So the lesson is clear: When you're plane's about to crash, don't pray. It doesn't accomplish shit, and you might end up in jail. Do the right thing, and use your own brain and your own body, and do the best you can to stay alive.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
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It's March so I just got my Brittannica Book of the Year: inside is a listing of air disasters for the year of 2008, they record 13 crashes with at least one fatallity. For 2008 there were 13 around the world with a loss of life for 517 passengers and 40 victoms on the ground; total 557 humans without a miracle.
Could you ask your friends girlfriend why there was no miracle for the dead ones. I would like to hear her answer, wouldn't you?
"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."
VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"
If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?
We all know how this is going to go, god doesn't answer all prayers, he didn' t know how to pray, he prayed to the wrong god, etc, etc, etc, etc, all the same BS people give for prayer never working. I rather someone do their job that pray that they can do their job.
After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him.
The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
MySpace
That's a sweet pic. I haven't seen it before.
*Saves*
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
So, three trainee pilots, a Muslim, a Christian, and an atheist, are all passengers on an airplane. During the flight, the both the pilot and co-pilot die of food poisoning. As the plane nose dives, the Christian says, "Oh Lord Jesus, please save us. In Jesus name I pray. Amen." The Muslim says, "Great Allah, may this plane land safely, Inshallah." The atheist gets up, goes to the cockpit, and takes control, saying, "This is your new pilot speaking. I'm going to try to land this plane." With great effort and skill, he manages a bumpy but safe crash landing. No one dies. The Muslim and Christian trainee pilots both shout, "Thank God! It's a miracle!"
I'm not much of a joke writer, but you get the idea.
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If you just made that up, that was actually really good.
It sounds sort of familiar, though. Maybe I'm getting it mixed up with one of those "a plane is going down with a Priest, a Rabbi and a Minister" jokes. Been YEARS since I heard one- but that stuff does tend to stick with you. Why, I have no idea.
...and then they start punching and kicking and headbutting in a heated battle over whose god was the true deliverer. The Christian pulls out a zippo and tries to set the Muslim on fire, whereas the Muslim tries to behead the Christian with a dull swiss army knife. After a few minutes, both are lying dead in a miserable heap of blood, ashes, and shameful stupidity.
Meanwhile, the atheist uses the story behind his new scar to chat up a sexy brunette.
A place common to all will be maintained by none. A religion common to all is perhaps not much different.
And somehow, the joke gets even better.
How did she respond when you told her that?
ciarin.com
She just looked at me with this weird confused look, and said, "No. It's a miracle!"
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
That makes me die a little bit inside.
Nobody I know was brainwashed into being an atheist.
Why Believe?
On the bright side, there's a potential for natural selection to do its work here.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
I think the problem with atheists/theists in foxholes is there is an assumption that anyone being in foxhole is a good thing. Patriotism/nationalism is every much a mental illness as religion is