Regarding the Left Behind review...
- Thread starter Voxen
- Start date
dUKE
Rookie
about what i expected. you can't don a lightning rod hat and set out to break the world blaspheming record, and not expect a lot of hate mail. there's fan mail too.
my favorite might be the one from the buddhist who wanted his religion removed from the list because his was the one true path, unlike those other 'crackpot' religions i mentioned.
oh, and that is indeed me in the lightning rod hat, and yes, i do collect video game maps.
d
my favorite might be the one from the buddhist who wanted his religion removed from the list because his was the one true path, unlike those other 'crackpot' religions i mentioned.
oh, and that is indeed me in the lightning rod hat, and yes, i do collect video game maps.
d
Duke, I want to congratulate you on the review. That took some balls.
The game was not only atrocious, but utterly offensive as well. It actually assaulted my intelligence. Given the content of the title, such a reaction should have been expected.
But on a larger issue, I want to thank you for having the stones to call religious and theistic beliefs what they are: crazy. I'm tired of the social taboo that people have built up around criticizing religion. In every other aspect of life, we demand evidence and logical rationales to support our claims, otherwise they are disregarded and/or picked apart. It's a horrendous inconsistency that such a practice is not considered applicable to unfalsifiable, invisible, magic men in the skies. All practitioners of every religion are guilty of something. Fundamentalists advocate archaic and draconian ideals we would never tolerate in this day and age. Moderates are guilty of undermining their own faiths by cherry-picking what they want to follow. All are guilty of practicing intellectual dishonesty. Well, at least the loudmouth ones.
My intent is not to offend anybody. But let's call a spade a spade. It's always refreshing to see another atheist/agnostic speak up about it. Some may argue it has no place in the context of a game review, but I can only think of it as appropriate when the subject material is so... stupid.
And I'm sure the hate mail is a hoot.
The game was not only atrocious, but utterly offensive as well. It actually assaulted my intelligence. Given the content of the title, such a reaction should have been expected.
But on a larger issue, I want to thank you for having the stones to call religious and theistic beliefs what they are: crazy. I'm tired of the social taboo that people have built up around criticizing religion. In every other aspect of life, we demand evidence and logical rationales to support our claims, otherwise they are disregarded and/or picked apart. It's a horrendous inconsistency that such a practice is not considered applicable to unfalsifiable, invisible, magic men in the skies. All practitioners of every religion are guilty of something. Fundamentalists advocate archaic and draconian ideals we would never tolerate in this day and age. Moderates are guilty of undermining their own faiths by cherry-picking what they want to follow. All are guilty of practicing intellectual dishonesty. Well, at least the loudmouth ones.
My intent is not to offend anybody. But let's call a spade a spade. It's always refreshing to see another atheist/agnostic speak up about it. Some may argue it has no place in the context of a game review, but I can only think of it as appropriate when the subject material is so... stupid.
And I'm sure the hate mail is a hoot.
LinksOcarina
Rookie
Ditto. I enjoyed it thuroughly, and as a deist, I liked the take you preformed on the Game.
Anasynth said:
It is rarely refreshing to see another atheist address his views on modern religion.
Luckily it worked for Duke's review, but most atheist rants can be just as trite and uninformed as the religious practices that they are questioning.
For some reason I found this review especially hilarious, Duke. Survivor: The Game hilarious. Bravo.
Well, no doubt about that. God knows (ha!) that there are plenty of dingbat atheists that couldn't produce a logical argument if their lives depended on it, and there are many who are atheists solely due to their hormonal requirement to rebel.
But it's one thing when people jibber-jabber on a forum and another when somebody in an actual official position addresses it. Let's face it. The religious outnumber the irreligious on a ridiculous scale, and the base of readers for GR can assumedly be the same. That took a risk. And while I have no expectation of some kind of sparked mass movement, I do respect what he did. Besides, Duke's reviews are always entertaining!
Any way, I don't really want to hijack the thread into religious territory. =P
But it's one thing when people jibber-jabber on a forum and another when somebody in an actual official position addresses it. Let's face it. The religious outnumber the irreligious on a ridiculous scale, and the base of readers for GR can assumedly be the same. That took a risk. And while I have no expectation of some kind of sparked mass movement, I do respect what he did. Besides, Duke's reviews are always entertaining!
Any way, I don't really want to hijack the thread into religious territory. =P
-FCM-
Rookie
dUKE, I respect your right to believe what you want.
You can't disprove religion any more than you can prove atheism. When it comes down to it we shouldn't decide what is and isn't in the Universe when there are so many speculative theories floating around. We were positive the world was flat and look what happened with that.
And please, please don't use the worst rebuttal in the world, otherwise known as "The Flying Spaghetti Monster Arguement." There is a difference between believing in a God that can't be disproven and a Flying Spaghetti Monster that can't be disproven, because the latter is just fucking stupid.
You can't disprove religion any more than you can prove atheism. When it comes down to it we shouldn't decide what is and isn't in the Universe when there are so many speculative theories floating around. We were positive the world was flat and look what happened with that.
And please, please don't use the worst rebuttal in the world, otherwise known as "The Flying Spaghetti Monster Arguement." There is a difference between believing in a God that can't be disproven and a Flying Spaghetti Monster that can't be disproven, because the latter is just fucking stupid.
LinksOcarina
Rookie
As a deist, I can't disaprove your beliefs, but even I think the Spaghetti Monster is a bit of a stretch...
GRColin
Rookie
As a registered Pastafarian, I find you people's lack of faith in the Flying Spaghetti Monster both disturbing and offensive. Tonight I shall don my frilly shirt, eye patch, sword and peg leg to pray that his noodley appendage may one day tap you on the shoulder and open your eyes to the one true faith. 
I personally believe that the Left Behind game review may have gone a bit far down the religion critique and not enough on the game critique, hence this forum topic, but it is what it is and the underlying theme is something some of you are missing:
ALL FAITHS are just beliefs, and without any way to prove them, they're all equally plausible when looked at with a logical eye. Battles fought that bring the sun to a standstill. The earth only existing for the last 6K years and was created in seven days, including all the varities of animals that ever have or ever will exist. People turning to salt. A guy who can walk on water, cure the sick, feed the masses, and resurrect himself. White people were the first to settle North America till they were all killed by the "other tribe" (read: those with brown skin. AKA Native Americans). A galactic emperor exiled aliens to earth and, after being tied to volcanoes that were detonated with nuclear bombs, they infest your bodies.
They're all wacky in some ways, and I haven't even scratched the surface... the only reason that Scientology, Pastafarianism, and the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) seem a little crazier is that they are the most recent religions to develop. After 1000 years, if they survive, I'm sure they'll be just as accepted as any other. Religion is an attempt to explain the unexplainable. It’s your choice what explanation you believe.
Except for Islam, I fully respect Islam and all its teachings... please don't kill me.
- C!
I personally believe that the Left Behind game review may have gone a bit far down the religion critique and not enough on the game critique, hence this forum topic, but it is what it is and the underlying theme is something some of you are missing:
ALL FAITHS are just beliefs, and without any way to prove them, they're all equally plausible when looked at with a logical eye. Battles fought that bring the sun to a standstill. The earth only existing for the last 6K years and was created in seven days, including all the varities of animals that ever have or ever will exist. People turning to salt. A guy who can walk on water, cure the sick, feed the masses, and resurrect himself. White people were the first to settle North America till they were all killed by the "other tribe" (read: those with brown skin. AKA Native Americans). A galactic emperor exiled aliens to earth and, after being tied to volcanoes that were detonated with nuclear bombs, they infest your bodies.
They're all wacky in some ways, and I haven't even scratched the surface... the only reason that Scientology, Pastafarianism, and the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) seem a little crazier is that they are the most recent religions to develop. After 1000 years, if they survive, I'm sure they'll be just as accepted as any other. Religion is an attempt to explain the unexplainable. It’s your choice what explanation you believe.
Except for Islam, I fully respect Islam and all its teachings... please don't kill me.
- C!
Krowsnose
Rookie
-FCM- said:
no one is trying to prove atheism. they're just pointing out the absurdities of religion.
if you're sticking to your argument that all beliefs are equally plausible but go on to say the flying spaghetti monster is fucking stupid compared to traditional religions.. well, religions are fucking stupid when compared to modern scientific theories.
but concerning buddhism and based on what it teaches, I think it can be supported and coexist with science (well, to an extent). They might refer to things with words such as God and spirit, but it all involves the physical, current world which should make it more credible than say, beliefs involving heaven/hell and independent deities. I don't follow it, I just find it more coherent than the others.
LinksOcarina
Rookie
Voxen said:
Well..quite frankly....it's not a real religion. It was made as a joke, and has picked up steam.
But, who am I to judge. If you believe it is real, go for it!
dUKE
Rookie
-FCM- said:
ah. you've fallen for the oldest trick in the book. you've equated "prove" with "disprove". i certainly don't claim to be able to prove athiesm, i merely wait for anyone to prove the existance of any magical being whatsoever. until then, i persist.
p.s. enjoy the mailbag.
-FCM-
Rookie
I don't understand. Is this just going to keep happening until nothing is sacred anymore? Sasha Baron Cohen is a funny guy, yes, but holocaust jokes? That's classless and horrible. Nothing makes the holocaust funny. I understand freedom of speech, thought, religion, whatever, but why is it that there's some kind of freaky culture-anarchist type movement where we all feel we need to intrude upon everyone's beliefs so we can pull them out of their heads, pulling them out and blowing them up as if that's necessary to make a free, happy society. Freedom of speech means what it means, you're free to say what you want. It's not going "hey, go piss people off, enjoy yourself."
Why is there a constantly implied stereotype that all religious people are idiots? Heck, it doesn't even need to be implied, you straight up say it in your review. Would you and other atheists not be offended if I wrote an article about how you're all satanic goat-f*ckers that dance around at blood orgies and then ridiculed you in a mailbag?
I've loved your site for the longest time. Your reviews have always been so clever. I don't understand the random non-game tangents, like in Bully, and now the truly offensive random tangents, like in You-Know-What. I don't think they were needed. I don't think any of this is necessary. There's a pretty thick line between enjoying your rights and being classless.
No offense Duke. This is all constructive. I'm just trying to understand some stuff here. It's not like I'll stop visiting the site. It's been my favorite for 5 years. It's my homepage.
Why is there a constantly implied stereotype that all religious people are idiots? Heck, it doesn't even need to be implied, you straight up say it in your review. Would you and other atheists not be offended if I wrote an article about how you're all satanic goat-f*ckers that dance around at blood orgies and then ridiculed you in a mailbag?
I've loved your site for the longest time. Your reviews have always been so clever. I don't understand the random non-game tangents, like in Bully, and now the truly offensive random tangents, like in You-Know-What. I don't think they were needed. I don't think any of this is necessary. There's a pretty thick line between enjoying your rights and being classless.
No offense Duke. This is all constructive. I'm just trying to understand some stuff here. It's not like I'll stop visiting the site. It's been my favorite for 5 years. It's my homepage.
Tyrranis
Veteran
dUKE said:
That I have, oh Almighty Duke. Man, some people really take this stuff a little too far, don't they? They read something, and then believe that millions will read the same thing and believe it word for word, changing their opinions entirely to fit this new information, thus making the first reader believe that their beliefs will be shattered as those millions convert to following the wisdom of some other big fella. It's just stupid.
The same thing goes for the religious nuts.
P.S. Badmouth DMC4, and I might send some hate-mail of my own.
