God Destroyer, Part I

[This is part of an ongoing series looking at the anti-religious manifesto posted at GodDestroyer.com. To read the series in its entirety, go here.]

As requested by Phil, before diving into God Destroyer’s manifesto, I’m going to repost some of the original dialogue that brought this whole thing on. Be forewarned: I’m a highly opinionated, emotional jackass, and when I get wound up, I swear a lot. If that’s the kind of thing that offends you, you may want to stop reading right here.

It all started with GodDestroyer beginning multiple threads full of vitriol towards Islam and some current events in the Middle East. He does, however, harbor a lot of anger towards Christianity as well. Here are some samples (copied verbatim):

GODDESTROYER

christians that dominate our country though are so caught up in their own biblical delusions that they feel like if we can all just coexist and respect any religious belief, that it makes their own faith less absurd and more deserving of respect. this is why our media wont show these cartoons [ed: cartoons by a Swedish illustrator depicting Muhammad’s head on a dog’s body which many strict Muslims, understandably, regarded as highly blasphemous and insulting], because they are deluded themselves and want to pretend that religion is worthy of respect, even when its the insane qur’an. this illusion of coexistence really just comes out of utter ignorance of the muslim faith which is entirely intolerant to anyone outside of it.

–

i’ve focused on islam a lot the last couple of years.

they [religions] are all retarded, but islam has really become something direly important that we need to fight

–

[ed: apparently Buddhism isn’t too bad]

its a stretch to consider buddhism a religion as we understand them, and while parts of buddhism are irrational, i evaluate how much to attack religions based on the harm they cause to humanity. last i’ve checked, buddhists are fairly benign. (true, there have been violent buddhist sects..). these guys arent the ones out there opposing science and killing people.

What set me off was him copy/pasting a Sam Harris article and then claiming it as truth:

How to Believe in God
Six Easy Steps

1. First, you must want to believe in God.
2. Next, understand that believing in God in the absence of evidence is especially noble.
3. Then, realize that the human ability to believe in God in the absence of evidence might itself constitute evidence for the existence of God.
4. Now consider any need for further evidence (both in yourself and in others) to be a form of temptation, spiritually unhealthy, or a corruption of the intellect.
5. Refer to steps 2-4 as acts of “faith.”
6. Return to 2.

Keep in mind that every new conversation he starts (daily) he claims is “simply posting to the day’s news articles. Not spamming.” That’s going to be important in the next few paragraphs.

OK, that’s enough of that.

Anyways, what follows below is my response to his posting. Again, copied/pasted verbatim from what I wrote. It’s not going to win any awards for cohesive writing, but hey, it was posted on an internet discussion forum. Pulitzer Prize judges need not read any further.

for all the posts you’ve made, GD, you have yet to say anything to convince me that you’re doing anything but copying/pasting from wikipedia and repeating what other people have said.

you said:
every link given to share current news articles from those days.
not spam.

you know what? fuck off with your “i’m not spamming i’m just linking to articles” bullshit and let’s call a spade a spade: you’re on a crusade, you’re an angry young man, and you’re not going to STFU until everyone’s heard what you have to say.

yes, we get it. you think religion is a crock. good for you. as Voltaire said, “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” you’ve said it enough fucking times over the last week that I think we all get the point.

protip: instead of rehashing and rehashing and rehashing arguments against religion that have literally been around for centuries, try coming up with an original thought.

protip: stop hiding behind ten-dollar words. “it is true, i dogmatically want to exterminate dogmatic thinking.” what the fuck does that even mean? you’re trying to obscure your own lack of cohesive thought by using smart-sounding language. not gonna fly with me dude, sorry.

and before you get the chance to lump me into the “if you don’t agree with me you must be a mindless christian” camp, let me save you the trouble: you can call me whatever the hell you want to. i outgrew labels and boxes a long time ago. i grew up in the christian church, walked away from it two years ago, and have been on what some might call a “spiritual journey” ever since, trying to determine FOR MYSELF what I believe to be true.

i could just go to barnes and noble, pick up the newest book that someone else wrote decrying religion, and rehash their thoughts as my own (as you’re obviously doing), but that’s a cop out. i want to know what I BELIEVE, not what the mass media wants me to think. you said in one of your other threads something to the effect of “9/11 changed my worldview” and I called you out on it, and you brushed me off.

if the events of 9/11 changed your worldview, than you’re a sheep. plain and fucking simple. why? because nobody NOBODY knows the true story of 9/11. all you know is what FOX goddamn news told you, and i’ll bet you a years’ salary that there is so much behind the scenes that we don’t know. if you want to base your worldview on the narrow slices of real truth that you got from what was reported about 9/11, then you’re already flying down one very slippery slope.

i’m done ranting for now.

And that, as they say, is that. My words have yet to receive a response.