Atheist Presidential Candidate: Religion is Literally Killing Us

[rug]

Atheist US Presidential candidate Zoltan Istvan taking his secular-inspired agenda to the US Capitol (ROEN HORN)

07/16/2016 01:10 pm 13:10:32 | Updated 23 hours ago
Zoltan Istvan
US Presidential candidate of Transhumanist Party; Creator of Immortality Bus; Author of bestselling Philosophy novel The Transhumanist Wager.

All around the world, religious terror is striking and threatening us. Whether in France, Istanbul, London, or the USA, the threat is now constant. We can fight it all we want. We can send out our troops; we can chip refugees; we can try to monitor terrorist’s every move. We can even improve trauma medicine to deal with extreme violence they bring us. But none of this solves the underlying issue: Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Islam are fundamentally violent philosophies with violent Gods. Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and others have all reiterated essentially the same thing.

Consider these verses from the Koran:

Deuteronomy 17:12: Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the holy man who represents God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged.

Numbers: 31:17: Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

And then consider these verses from the Bible:

Deuteronomy 17:12: Anyone arrogant enough to reject the verdict of the holy man who represents God must be put to death. Such evil must be purged.

Numbers: 31:17: Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

Of course, both the Koran and Bible have passages that highlight kindness too―but you don’t get a get-out-of-jail-free card in the 21st Century by being both violent and peaceful. If you beat your spouse, you’re an abuser and can face jail time (even if you’re a loving spouse other times). It’s one or the other in the 21st Century: If you’re a warmonger, murderer, or a terrorist―you’re a bona fide warmonger, murderer, or terrorist. And nothing is going to change that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=MGbGVGgoSPo

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/atheist-presidential-candidate-religion-is-literally_us_578a5f62e4b0b107a2411aa1

"Vote for me and you can live forever!"

[stopbush]

1. I'm an atheist, but I agree with Dan Savage

who said that he's sick and tired of the arrogance of these third-party types who can't be bothered to build a political party by running candidates for local and state governments, then show up like clockwork every 4 years to run for president.

The Jill Steins and Zoltan Istvans of the world insult our intelligence and our democratic process and cannot be taken seriously by anyone with half a mind.

[struggle4progress]

2. How's he doing in the polls?

[rug]

3. On life support.

[struggle4progress]

4. "Atheists for Immortality" would make a nice bumpersticker

[Brettongarcia]

8. Some atheistic philosophies support immortality

Our ideas say, live on in those who remember and follow them.

[rug]

13. That's called a book.

[Brettongarcia]

14. Exactly. The immortal authors

[rug]

15. I didn't know you considered "some atheistic philosophies" to be wrtten by immortal authors.

You must admire transhumanism.

[guillaumeb]

5. Simplistic and revealing of a lack of historical knowledge.

Violence that claims a religious label is far less than is state violence.

[rug]

6. It's worse than simplistic.

[cpwm17]

17. Since he likes Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens,

both outspoken supporters of state violence, don't expect him to figure that out.

[Brettongarcia]

7. Atheists are explicitly attacked and killed

And everyone here? Excoriated atheists for the modest complaint, of a token atheist presidential candidate.

Whose minimal activism however, here occasions some attention.

Even as that minimalism furthermore verifies assertions by atheists. That after all, they are not mostly just another religion or belief. Just the absence of one.

[Brettongarcia]

9. I didn't formally complain about this post though

But suddenly it's not on the summary of DU topics. And no notice of removal.

Personally I'd allow it in the interest of free discussion.

What's going on behind the scenes here?

[struggle4progress]

10. No one has suggested killing this crackpot

[Brettongarcia]

11. Thank you

Last edited Tue Jul 19, 2016, 11:01 AM - Edit history (2)

But it looks like he was, in Soviet parlance, disappeared as a non person.

Where in DU is he posted? It was in the Religion section. But suddenly ....

Maybe I accidentally hit Trash This Thread

I'd admit that like lots of atheists, the author isn't too good at quoting religion, the Quran. But he could easily go to the news. In Muslim countries atheists are often literally killed. And in the Bible, lots of non Jews.

[Brettongarcia]

12. Links between Islam and violence

Are found in the Quran. Mohammed was a military commander. But there's more in the Hadith.

And of course, those links are found every day on the news.

Millions of soldiers and terrorists cite god and country constantly, as their motives. Are they wrong?

[guillaumeb]

18. And many terrorists cite "patriotism" as their motivation for mass slaughter.

Are they wrong?

[MisterP]

16. "Christianity and Islam are the problem!" *cites Jewish books*

[rug]

19. I cannot imagine immortality arguing with him.

[MisterP]

20. makes ya sorta nostalgic for the days of the Four Hoursemen, doesn't it?