In the company of new people, I suspect most of us would have no reservations in uttering the following statement:
“There are actually people who believe the Earth is flat.”
However, I suspect that many would not feel comfortable in stating:
“There are actually people who believe in resurrections and virgin births.”
I like to think we are evolving towards a new communication default in society in where there is no apprehension in invalidating overtly unrealistic beliefs. Any thoughts? Where do you draw your own limits? I am particularly interested in international responses to see if there is any variation by culture.
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There are actually people who believe that the universe, all the laws of nature, and ourselves with conscious awareness included sort of fell into existence by accident, and that no further questions need be asked.
The idea is patently ridiculous, but believe it or not, some of them are lurking out there. 
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Sep 13, 2019
0
Yes they are called followers of Abrahamic religions.
God came in to existence because he always existed by accident and created the universe because of reason, sound like a freaking big accident to me.
The one group of people for the most part who never contend this "the universe, all the laws of nature, and ourselves with conscious awareness included sort of fell into existence by accident, " bullshit are educated and serious atheists
I would go so far as to say all sane atheist totally disregard are fecking stoopid the statement "no further questions need be asked."
“Most scientists believe there is no mystery that needs explaining. Life, mind and consciousness are a big fat statistical accident. Given infinite time, the improbable is bound to occur. We're here because of pure, dumb luck. There are no patterns or meaning behind the scenes. This dour position reminds me of the puckish comment of Gertrude Stein: "There ain't no answer. There ain't going to be any answer. There never has been an answer. That's the answer." (9)
The difference is that only a tiny minority believe in a flat earth while huge numbers still believe in resurrection and virgin birth, or at least they give the ideas lip service. “There are actually people” is an opener that would be sure to offend, but you could simply give your personal opinions in a polite way and few would care.
That reminds me of an Easter dinner with kin. We were drinking wine, and I raised my glass and said, “Here’s to the resurrection if it really happened”. I was roundly ignored.
WilliamFleming
Level 8
Sep 13, 2019
0
Offending people is sometimes the best way to get them to listen to ideas they would otherwise politely ignore.
Besides which, offence is only a defence mechanism for the wilfully stupid, and such people deserve all the mockery and offence the they get.
@LenHazell53 Well, I politely disagree. I like MLK’s philosophy:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
—Martin Luther King, Jr.
In England, many people classify themselves as christian (multiple branches of same tree,, but attendance of most churches is at very low levels and still falling .... even weddings and funerals in a church are becoming less common.
Christian religion is simply not part of everyday life ... same is not true for muslims ... am unsure of other religious groups.
It is perfectly acceptable to openly declare that gods are a figment of past imaginations, adopted by some today ... except with devout muslims ... they take offence ....not sure if there is a fatwa on me yet
ShadowAmicus
Level 8
Sep 13, 2019
1
That is quite interesting, because the percentage of people who identify as Christian in the UK is comparable to that in the US. Even though the ones in the US are more extreme, I would have thought that an open declaration of all gods being mythical might offend British believers.
I would be very comfortable stating the ludicrousness of people believing in virgin births and resurrections.
If there is no reference to religion at all, I don't bring it up or seek to offend. If someone does, or starts making crazy assertions or nonfalsifiable claims, I draw no lines.
It's on.
Athena
Level 8
Sep 13, 2019
1
“There are actually people who believe the bible was written by an invisible "GOD"!
Daco2007
Level 7
Sep 13, 2019
2
Invisible? Ha that would be stupid, we all know god lived outside of time and space and that THAT is why we can't see him.
(NB For the hard of thinking....The above is sarcasm!)
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