Sunday, November 28, 2010

American Atheists' David Silverman on Fox News


November 28, 2010 on Fox & Friends
Visit American Atheists at http://Atheists.org

18 comments:

  1. Spot on... mark for mark... Silverman knocked down every stupid trick criticism and counter-argument this little prick threw at him. Nice try, Fox & Friends... when are you going to learn that having intelligent non-Christians on your network is like opening the window to clean out the air of your repugnant ignorance?

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  2. He seems nice enough. And the anchor was more polite than what I've come to expect of Fox. Still, I can't shake the feeling that they're trying to justify a bad decision with this billboard. 

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  3. I really really appreciate the interviewer reminding the audience that the 1st amendment applies here. It's interesting, though, that he didn't ask "Why is it a myth?".

    As for all the atheists who're down on their knees, I'd sure like to see some data.  The billboard didn't mention them at all and was addressed, basically, to everyone--most especially, to all Xns. Also, there's nothing about the Winter Solstice on the billboard. Nor is there anything about the season belonging to everyone. So,  I can't see where they're specifically going after those who want to make this a "Christian only" holiday; it sure looks like they're going after Xn believers with doubts, the Christmas story itself, and the religion itself. Frankly, if we want a day to celebrate reason, I certainly wouldn't want it to be Christmas.

    A billboard like this is not a philosophic discussion; I see it more as a psyop. The two Christmas stories in the Bible (Mathew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 1:4-2:40) are quite different and both are silly. This billboard--and the news coverage--may help some Xns stop evading the silliness and their own doubts. IMO, a billboard can be used to plant a seed that will grow in a believer's head--perhaps over many years. I'd use ideas that many of the pious, having been immersed in a devotional context, have never heard. Hmm, I wonder how many Xns know that there are two quite different Christmas stories in the Bible.

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  4. <span>Silverman did a fantasic job here. You know at least a few hundred thousand people saw this, maybe alot more than will every see that billboard. It was a good move if only for that reason.
    </span>

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  5. From these ratings, it looks like Fox & Friends had around 800,000 to 1 million viewers (ages 25-64) on Nov 23 and the few days leading up to the 23rd. Anyway, using these numbers as representative, it seems that perhaps even a million saw this story, especially if one adds in some young folks. To see the numbers, you'll have to click on a day then go down the list to find "Fox & Friends."

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  6. The message is a tad irresponsible. Some Atheist are in positions where its just isnt feasible to come out. Otherwise I think this is good stuff!

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  7. If you're in a position where it's just not feasible to come out, you're in the position of low self-esteem. Whatever you are, be it as hard and as awesome as you can, brothers and sisters.

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  8. Sounds like a nightmare to me!

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  9. Shouldn't we give fox and friends credit for actually having this guy on?  I mean honestly I think Fox gives more air time to atheists than ABC.  Why when Fox has on atheists and lets let speak are they still the bad guys?

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  10. That sounds all fine and all that but in many places coming out would be suicide to their social lives, careers and even in some parts of the world the lives themselves.

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  11. Pray for the poor atheists.  O:-)

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  12.  as a catholic I have much more respect for orthodox jews, Im sure you identify yourself as a jew,and go to jewish events and pass it off as cultural not religious and have no problem bashing christianity but would be up in arms if anything antisemitic was brought up. Very typical for you karl marx , freud ,einstein bob dylan all who try to claim identity as atheists but never  say a former jew ,when they can always fall back on it for success. I have more respect for ortho

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  13. <span>Hi I am a christian... if you are trying to say that the two("quite different") stories dont exactly use the same words, then granted you are right. Notice, though, that the two naratives talk about different people involved in the sequence of events so the same words used for talking about different people and events would not...well be true. Image the hillarity if Dawkins wrote a book on Evolution and all the chapters would have the exact same words. Wow.</span>
    <span>"Both are silly"... yeah about as silly as non matter producing matter or more silly?!</span>

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  14. David silverman is JEWISH.They /He have always hated Christians and AngloSaxon /Celtic culture.His hatred is very old and VERY tiresome.
    No wonder some people are ANTI SEMITIC didnt hear him dissing the Jewish religion.anyone who buys this shit is dumber than .....well theyre really dumb.

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  15. I presume you have also recently viewed the latest video of Silverman again on Fox with Megyn Kelly... so to answer both of your questions in one response: Fox News wants their viewers to know who the "enemy" is, which explains why high profile atheists are always treated and responded to as people who are below the common "good" Christian American.

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  16. The thinking theist? I thought those were mutually exclusive. Don't get mad, I'm just teasing! I just couldn't resist.

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  17. The thinking theist? I thought those were mutually exclusive. Don't get mad, I'm just teasing! I just couldn't resist.

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