Ian Robinson opening to the believers in the audience: "I'll talk slow"

[Ateo]

What do you guys think?

Did you laugh/clap?

[Fearless]

Are people allowed to comment or are you waiting to strike down those who you don't agree with calling them 'stupid'?

[Ateo]

Are people allowed to comment or are you waiting to strike down those who you don't agree with calling them 'stupid'?

Why would I do that?

Anyway, please don't hijack the thread.

Could you please answer the questions?

:D

[Fearless]

Ok, just checking, you have already had a go at me once today as you know.

Anyway, I was going to say if he said it in passing I would have probably smiled at it, but to be honest given he belittled those he asked to put their hands up I was a little embarrassed. I don't think it was very respectful no.

Does this surprise you?

[Dan Gleibitz]

The line was cliche but this thread is far less funny.

[kazzaqld]

I didn't like it.:mad:

It would have taken guts to put your hand up in that crowd - and then mocking them like that to get a cheap laugh was low.

Which was a shame because I largely enjoyed the rest of his talk but that comment put me off at the beginning. :o

[Logic]

I agree that due to the fact they put their hands up (which was brave) the comment was cringe worthy. As a more general statement it probably would have be fine and funny.

[Dan Gleibitz]

I'll be honest and admit that I skipped this talk. How was this apparently offensive comment spoken? Was it meant to be nasty or funny?

Even if it was a brutal, snarling put-down, surely it can't have been that bad? Where's the thread about Jamie Kilstein either way? He was both incredibly funny and relentlessly brutal. And deliberately offensive. If you're drawing a line somewhere around "I'll speak slowly" and suggesting this shouldn't be crossed, we'd have lost some of the best bits of the convention. Including Dawkins, given his "Pope Nazi" jibe.

Bugger that.

On a related note, does anybody remember that the DAAS used to ask the same question at their gigs waay back? Hmmm, maybe we can get them to reform for the next conference? Then you'd have something to complain about, Ateo! :D

[kazzaqld]

Dan, I think it was the singling out that made me cringe - FSM knows I laughed as hard as anyone at all the comedians there.

I don't know if he meant it sneeringly or not but I thought it detracted from what he was trying to say.

The "Pope Nazi" bit was pure gold - there's no arguing in my opinion that
Ratzinger learnt a lot from his time in the Hitler Youth! :p

and +1 for DAAS reforming! :D I met Richard Fidler at a school first day morning tea of all things - for a brief time his son and mine were at the same school.

[owheelj]

It was a clearly a joke, and a very common joke. Street performers use it all the time, except they usually ask if people are from Adelaide, Tasmania or America. I don't think anything serious was being suggested in the comment and I have a sense of humour. Throughout the convention, I commonly revieved similar jokes when I said I was from Tasmania "Oh, I'm sorry." etc. I didn't get offended.

[TimB]

He made me cringe big time. I don't think a convention like this (outside of the stand-up comedy acts) is the place for that kind of joke. I reckon the atheist not-a-movement needs to mature a bit (no I'm not being a Barney I just thing it's wrong to treat people like that in that type of place). There is a time and a place for ridicule.

We only lower ourselves to their level when we single people out like he did, it detracted from his talk.

[Artemisia]

I thought it was rude and I don't find jokes like that funny.

[askegg]

I laughed, but it's untrue to call believers slow, stupid, or idiotic. Almost everyone holds beliefs for which there is no proof, but that does not make them stupid - it just means they have never examined that belief. Believers who honestly examine their beliefs are atheists.

[Artemisia]

I laughed, but it's untrue to call believers slow, stupid, or idiotic.

Particularly if you're going to be followed later the afternoon by Dan Barker, arguably smarter than all of us and yet historically Christian.

[Durro]

I cringed in my seat. It was unnecessary, inflammatory and served no purpose but to attract cheap laughs at the expense of some of the very people we're trying to convince we are rational, moral, articulate people.

[NakedApe]

I met Richard Fidler at a school first day morning tea of all things - for a brief time his son and mine were at the same school.

I went to school with Richard. We used to hang out a bit - went to see "The Empire Strikes Back" with him at the cinema. Top bloke.

[Praxis]

and +1 for DAAS reforming! :D
Hang on there - whoah! WHAT THE??

Where was this news? Is it for real? :eek:

I was a MASSIVE DAAS fan and still get all hot and sweaty about Paul McDermott (although to be fair, it's probably due to perimenopause now) - so in amongst all this, can someone PLEASE tell me more about this???

Re the OP - I gasped, then laughed, sure, then realised straight away it was a cheap shot. Not much I could do about my automatic reaction I guess *shrug*

It was a bit of a bum note to an otherwise surprisingly good lecture. I didn't know Ian Robinson before but I will certainly remember the name now, as he was very good indeed.

[kazzaqld]

Prax, sorry I was just agreeing with Dan that DAAS *should* reform especially for the next conference.

I think it's pretty unlikely :rolleyes:

Didn't mean to get you all excited! :(

[Praxis]

Prax, sorry I was just agreeing with Dan that DAAS *should* reform especially for the next conference.

I think it's pretty unlikely :rolleyes:

Didn't mean to get you all excited! :(
oh ...

I'm going away to cry in a corner now ...

[kazzaqld]

:o

Sorry....

[Yarra]

I think atheists can easily be seen as smug and superior, a bunch of toffs and smarty pants looking down on anyone without a PhD.

How much intelligence do you really need to be to see the obvious? Seems to me a bit of common sense should do it.

Tony and Cherie Blair are well educated, successful and smart, it didn’t help their critical thinking much but would you 'talk slow' to them.

Sexist ?? are there really so few women speakers worthy of 40-50 minutes of their own. I found the women’s panel a bit of an insult 5 women = 1 man.

[riddlemethis]

Sorry Yarra but your open line there is simply bullshit. Anyone with eyes at the conference over the weekend could see what a diverse range of people are atheist - from the old couple I saw who were barely ambulant to young emo kids and everything in between.

I am heartily sick of the stereotyping that's going on, most of which couldn't hit the broad side of a barn for accuracy, which I suppose is to be expected when trying to describe a group of people who have only one guaranteed view in common.

[riddlemethis]

Looks like Dan and I are in the wilderness here. I thought Ian was being deliberately flip. He's hardly the most PC person on the planet & he certainly hasn't had a humour by-pass. It might not have been high comedy, but I certainly didn't think he was being malicious. All this post hoc hand-wringing is certainly killing my buzz from the weekend. Don't take Bernie Z so seriously guys; I for one don't give a shit if his ilk think I'm a meany.

[riddlemethis]

Okay, any more rash generalisations from this point onward must be typed slowly.

See that's the fucking spirit!

[Yarra]

...... and rude.

[Loki]

I found the women’s panel a bit of an insult 5 women = 1 man.

Who would you have demoted to give one of these speakers a full hour? There were obviously a lot more possible speakers than possible slots, yet a panel was formed to give these women a stage to talk about religion and women. There are no doubt other topics and speakers that could have filled this space, yet it was assigned to women to talk about women. I'm not sure what bias you are suggesting ocurred here.

[Podblack]

oh ...

I'm going away to cry in a corner now ...

*Ahem (http://twitpic.com/x7njd)*

[Fearless]

I think atheists can easily be seen as smug and superior, a bunch of toffs and smarty pants looking down on anyone without a PhD.

You call 'rude' yet you post this?

Is there something you need to get off your chest? I don't identify with this post, I know I am no scholar but I don't see this as being the norm.

[Fearless]

Ateo, I noticed your login details: Last Activity: Today 12:25 AM

Any reason why you have not responded to your own thread?

[Ateo]

Ateo, I noticed your login details: Last Activity: Today 12:25 AM

Any reason why you have not responded to your own thread?

wow Fearless, that was a bit crippy.

For a "moderator" you shouldn't start this personal vendettas in the forum.

Anyway, I wanted to see what people think about it, you read it didn't you?

But to satisfy your new fixation with me, I don't feel strongly towards one way or the other, I can understand some people that said here the comment pissed them off and also that it was meant to be funny.

The interesting thing of the thread is that you can see all the spectrum in between as well.

Now get a bit of life fearless;)

[riddlemethis]

...... and rude.
Being insulted is a choice afaic Yarra. I prefer to ascribe reasonable motives to people until they leave me no other choice. Playing the waaambulance card is something prolifically used by the god botherers as an excuse not to to have to engage with the legitimate points of a discussion. Ian Robinsons talk was full of terrific points with which nobody has engaged. I'll be buggered if I'm going to join everyone down at the easiest intellectual level for the sake of appearing politically correct. The people who've broadcast Ians comment in the media would actually prefer we shut our traps altogether. Not a single one of them has engaged with any of the terrific ideas discussed over the weekend, only the stuff that let's them pretend the static of their cognitive dissonance didn't get dialed up to 10. I won't give them the satisfaction of pointing fingers at people with whom I share a very important position, over trivialities. I certainly won't subjugate my good will and sense of humour either. If that makes me mean and rude, then I'll sleep very well tonight thanks. I hope you and your sanctimony will be equally happy.

[TimB]

riddlemethis: I agree completely with your sentiments here;

" The people who've broadcast Ians comment in the media would actually prefer we shut our traps altogether. Not a single one of them has engaged with any of the terrific ideas discussed over the weekend, only the stuff that let's them pretend the static of their cognitive dissonance didn't get dialed up to 10."

There were some fantastic ideas discussed and it pisses me off that the media doesn't seem capable of reporting them. I enjoyed Ian Robinsons talk but I just get fed up with hearing the constant oh religious people are stupid jibes - I'm a bit over it. It contributes nothing to the debate or the general cause, whatever that may be (secular/atheist/rationalist/a bit of all three).

I like a good religious joke as much as anyone but do we really need cheap shots at a convention discussing a lot of serious issues?

[riddlemethis]

Hey TimB. I appreciate what you are saying and if I thought the intent were malicious I'd be standing side by side with you. But I really think most of what I heard was delivered in a quintessentially wry Australian manner. It is also a natural human tendency to work thru the emotions of opposition in any 'movement' in order to focus and bring the conversation to maturity. Atheists are only just coming out of the wilderness in a meaningful sense and at least we have the grace to employ mostly lighthearted humour to send salvos over the bow of our opposition. A quick look at the tone of and the responses to the media coverage of this event demonstrates that we are not even afforded that much affection by our opposers. Would that it were the worst thing the most ferocious of our opposers desired to do to us is make jokes at our expense, rather than slit out throats.

[atheist_angel]

wow Fearless, that was a bit crippy.

For a "moderator" you shouldn't start this personal vendettas in the forum.My what strong words. I see no evidence of vendetta.. 'last activity' can be seen by anybody, tis not a moderation tool.Anyway, I wanted to see what people think about it, you read it didn't you?

But to satisfy your new fixation with me, I don't feel strongly towards one way or the other, I can understand some people that said here the comment pissed them off and also that it was meant to be funny.

The interesting thing of the thread is that you can see all the spectrum in between as well.

Now get a bit of life fearless;)Thank you for answering the question. I was wondering that myself, and I am hardly 'fixated' on you.

Now shall we get back to discussion. I do agree that there is an interesting spectrum of opinion. ;)

[Fearless]

Ok because you are now a bit paranoid Ateo, I won't address you directly anymore, saving you any further concern about how my life is.

I just hope you aren't as rude to others like you were to me in future (in the other thread).

[TimB]

Tell you what, if all the media opponents of the non-religious view can do, is get upset at being made fun off instead of challenging the issues and topics discussed at the convention, they ain't got much to offer the debate.

[riddlemethis]

Tell you what, if all the media opponents of the non-religious view can do, is get upset at being made fun off instead of challenging the issues and topics discussed at the convention, they ain't got much to offer the debate.
Absolutely and as a result can probably expect the jokes to continue. They remind me of Cartman from South Park, screaming "you will respect my authoritaaaaaaiiiiiii!"

[Ateo]

I just hope you aren't as rude to others like you were to me in future (in the other thread).

I hope you stop making stuff up dude, should I speak to your manager here?

(is there a manager I can speak to?).

This is becoming silly now:mad:

[Praxis]

MOD NOTE: thread reopened by request and because the topic is worthy of discussion. Anyone ad homming anyone else will be given a 24-hour stint in the naughty corner. Now carry on and play nice. We know you all can.
END MOD NOTE

[Made Of Stars]

Ta mods!

I was one of those who put his hand (having once become an evangelical Christian), and I also laughed out loud at his line. It was damn funny.

Would I have laughed if I'd still been a believer? I'd like to think so, but there were phases of my believing where I wouldn't have. Those were probably the phases though where I wouldn't have heard anything else either.

Some would say it wasn't polite, or even that it was offensive, but fuck that, to be blunt. It was hardly vitriolic, and would cut through to some who could do with hearing it.

Good on 'im, I say. I enjoyed the rest of his talk, and especially his dry humour, too.

[riddlemethis]

Thanks for reopening Praxi, I thought the lock down was a bit premptive actually. Anyhoo not here to armchair mod and hope this convo can grow legs again.

Thanks for your perspective MOS. I didn't think I'd been as alone in actually enjoying Ian's humour as it was beginning to appear! Phew - thought I was going to have to reevaluate a 40 year dedication to being droll! It's an art form amongst my people.

[atheist_angel]

Thanks for reopening Praxi, I thought the lock down was a bit premptive actually. Anyhoo not here to armchair mod and hope this convo can grow legs again.
You're welcome, but my name's not Praxi. :)

[Ateo]

One thing comments like Ian's made me remember was those along the lines of:

Psalm 14:1 (http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ps/14.html#1), 53:1 (http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/ps/53.html#1) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.

LINKY (http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/fool.html)

Whenver I have been told that I feel very frustrated. I wonder if a believer would feel the same when Ian said what he said, I personally would think so.

[riddlemethis]

One thing comments like Ian's made me remember was those along the lines of:



LINKY (http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/fool.html)

Whenver I have been told that I feel very frustrated. I wonder if a believer would feel the same when Ian said what he said, I personally would think so.
Except that psalms are never quoted at anyone as a bit of light relief :eyeroll: . Context as they say is everything.

[riddlemethis]

You're welcome, but my name's not Praxi. :)
Sorry AA, mod note was from her so I figured she was doing some real work! LOL

[Praxis]

Damn, Site's running like a bucket of shit this morning and it's taken me this long to get back into this thread.

Yes, AA clicked the button, I posted the note. Joint Mod decision. Of course.

[Ateo]

Sorry AA, mod note was from her so I figured she was doing some real work! LOL

She did!

She asked for this to be re-opened;)

[atheist_angel]

She did!

She asked for this to be re-opened;)
feedback and support, it works! You can thank MOS. ;)

[atheist_angel]

Yes, AA clicked the button, I posted the note. Joint Mod decision. Of course.And a fine note it is! http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif

Much harder than clicking a button. :D

[Ateo]

Yes, AA clicked the button, I posted the note. Joint Mod decision. Of course.


I think this is like what they taught me at school under intercession, so Praxis acted like this lady:

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n284/nillaforilla/Virgin-Mary.png

And then the boss acted:

http://www.thebricktestament.com/king_solomon/god_threatens_violence/1k09_07-09.jpg

:cool: