Favorite Quotations

[NH Baritone]

If there were no God, there would be no Atheists.
G. K. Chesterton

I just felt compelled to clarify the atheist's position...

If there were no gods, there would be no atheists.

Subtle, but important difference.

Nay.

If there were no believers, there would be no atheists.

For how many people feel it necessary to argue against the proposition that sulumits turn oxygen into NBA players.

[Rian]

And I'll explain G.K. Chesterton's position:

He's a Christian who believes that God created mankind, so he's saying atheists wouldn't even exist if there were no God around to create them!

It's a very funny saying, because you first want to take it the way that you guys mentioned, and then if you think about it, it doesn't quite work out, which is why you guys made adjustments to it. It really only works out the way a Christian would take it, but only kinda works the other way. Anyway, I thought it was a fun quote - a little more than meets the eye at first.

[Rian]

Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference

That's pretty good, but, I like this one better (probably because it's more disturbing):
Never argue with a fool. They'll drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.

(I have no idea who said that)

Regards,
Ant

A friend of mine has it in his sig on another board - I'll go look and see if he knows who said it.

[stickmangrit]

We in the United States, above all, must remember that lesson, for we were founded as a nation of openness to people of all beliefs. And so we must remain. Our very unity has been strengthened by our pluralism. We establish no religion in this country, we command no worship, we mandate no belief, nor will we ever. Church and state are, and must remain, separate. All are free to believe or not believe, all are free to practice a faith or not, and those who believe are free, and should be free, to speak of and act on their belief.
-Ronald Regan

[OzAnt]

And I'll explain G.K. Chesterton's position:

He's a Christian who believes that God created mankind, so he's saying atheists wouldn't even exist if there were no God around to create them!

It's a very funny saying, because you first want to take it the way that you guys mentioned, and then if you think about it, it doesn't quite work out, which is why you guys made adjustments to it. It really only works out the way a Christian would take it, but only kinda works the other way. Anyway, I thought it was a fun quote - a little more than meets the eye at first.

Yeah... see... when I was a Christian I would have found that funny too, in the same way you do, because I too believed that the biblical God trumped all gods. Nowadays, he's just another god to me. So I'm focused on the fact that I don't believe in all gods equally, and need to make it very clear that I'm being very non-discriminatory about it all.

Regards,
Ant

[OzAnt]

A friend of mine has it in his sig on another board - I'll go look and see if he knows who said it.

Thanks!

Regards,
Ant

[Rian]

And I'll explain G.K. Chesterton's position:

He's a Christian who believes that God created mankind, so he's saying atheists wouldn't even exist if there were no God around to create them!

It's a very funny saying, because you first want to take it the way that you guys mentioned, and then if you think about it, it doesn't quite work out, which is why you guys made adjustments to it. It really only works out the way a Christian would take it, but only kinda works the other way. Anyway, I thought it was a fun quote - a little more than meets the eye at first.

Yeah... see... when I was a Christian I would have found that funny too, in the same way you do, because I too believed that the biblical God trumped all gods. Nowadays, he's just another god to me. So I'm focused on the fact that I don't believe in all gods equally, and need to make it very clear that I'm being very non-discriminatory about it all.

Regards,
Ant

I mean funny as clever - it could work the other way, too, and still be funny. Just the idea that you naturally want to take it one way, find out it doesn't quite work, and then find out it only works the opposite way.

[Rian]

oz - I've looked around a bit for the author of that great quote you put up, but can't find it. Seems it will have to remain anonymous.

[darkumbra]

I must admit I’m partial to a particular type of quote - the one where an expert states something is impossible.

________________________________________________________

“Man will never reach the moon regardless of all future scientific advances.”
Dr. Lee DeForest, Inventor of the triode amplifer radio valve, 1906

“The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosive.”
Admiral William Leahy, U.S. Atomic Bomb Project

“There is no likehood man can ever tap the power of the atom.”
Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1923

“Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.”
Popular Mechanics, 1949

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

“But what is it good for?”
Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”
Ken Olson, Founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.”
Western Union internal memo, 1876.

“The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?”
David Sarnoff’s associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

“Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction.”
Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872

“The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon.”
Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria 1873.

[Rian]

those computer ones are pretty funny!

[spongebob]

I have never understood the female capacity to avoid a direct answer to any question.
--Spock in 'This Side of Paradise'

Judging by the pollution content of the atmosphere, I believe we have arrived at the late twentieth century.
--Spock in 'The Voyage Home'

After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.
--Spock in 'Amok Time'

[Rian]

Why suh, whatEVAH does that first one mean? [/southern accent]

That last one is a goodie - interesting!

[spongebob]

Of course it was with a BIG wink. You don't know me in RL, but if you did, you'd know how funny it is coming from me; I'm such a feminist. I have to be just to survive, I have two daughters, one sister, and one sister-n-law. And I work with a woman from Canada who would smack me if I wasn't joking. In reality I'm more likely to listen to what a woman says than what a man says. For some reason I generally assume men are lying. Of course, all women talk about is shoes. Isn't that right, Sue.

[whoosanightowl]

Spongebob wrote:

In reality I'm more likely to listen to what a woman says than what a man says. For some reason I generally assume men are lying. Of course, all women talk about is shoes. Isn't that right, Sue.

LOL, sorry but I guess I just don't fit the stereotypical woman thing because I could care less about shoes! I'd much prefer bare feet! If I have to wear shoes, it's sandals, crocs, or tennis shoes. And occasionally a pair of casual dress shoes. Now my daughter on the other hand....

[spongebob]

Spongebob wrote:

In reality I'm more likely to listen to what a woman says than what a man says. For some reason I generally assume men are lying. Of course, all women talk about is shoes. Isn't that right, Sue.

LOL, sorry but I guess I just don't fit the stereotypical woman thing because I could care less about shoes! I'd much prefer bare feet! If I have to wear shoes, it's sandals, crocs, or tennis shoes. And occasionally a pair of casual dress shoes. Now my daughter on the other hand....

Aw, come on, Sue. You're holding back on us, aren't you? You've got a dozen pair of Crocs in different colors, don't you??? Come on, admit it?

But then again, I just can't resist a barefoot woman...