The pirates / global warming graph is one of my favourite things on the whole internet.

Cthulhu > FSM

Hey! How do we know the FSM is a "he"?

Bear in mind (and stepping out of character), the FSM parody religion itself isn't actually "making an argument". It's just a vehicle for nonbelievers to point out various ridiculous things that theists believe.

You can think that some of those nonbelievers are straining the FSM analogy or otherwise making bad arguments, but the concept itself is just a parody of religion, nothing more. It contains whatever content particular "believers" invest in it. (Come to think of it, just like other religions.)

In months after the false analogy fallacy: "A is reminiscent of B in certain ways; therefore, since everyone agrees B is false, A is false."

applause.gif

I think people who propose the FSM as an argument against God are missing the point. As I see it, the point of the argument is to illustrate the unfalsifiability of religious claims (and hence to deny them a place in the science curriculum).

EDIT: And to have a bit of a laugh at theists, obviously.

i hope that FSM makes an appearance in southpark this week and has an epic fight with cthulu

You really need to get out of college logic class and try and figure out what your opponents are actually saying.

The point of the FSM analogy is not that because a FSM is like Jehovah, neither one can exist. It's because certain arguments made for Jehovah's existence can equally be used to justify the existence of a FSM, they may not be good arguments.

Or, since you are so enamored with logical fallacies, you might say that the arguments "prove too much".

More generally, this is yet one more example of how theists would be a lot better off if they stopped pretending (or lying to themselves) that there is some sort of "intellectual" case to be made for theism. Just say that you feel it is true in your own heart. That's what faith is supposed to be all about anyway.

Correct, and there lies the fallacy. Considering the vast majority of cases, none of these theist arguments is offered as a sufficient basis for "justifying" God's existence, but the dishonest co-optations are presented in misplaced mockery of such an intent.

You're joking, right? This has to be an ironic instance of the assuming your conclusion fallacy. The patronizing tone makes it extra lol, so I see what you did there.

you know something's gone horribly wrong when Concerto is calling you patronizing

That's why FSM is so awesome.

FSM provides an infuriating and pseudological argument to certain other infuriating and pseudological arguments (e.g., the earth is 6000 years old) that rational people had previously attempted to dispute by being calm and logical.

Sadly, the calm and logical people were losing the political side of the argument, so another approach was needed.

Are you seriously claiming that no theists ever offer up, say, the argument from design as a sufficient basis for establishing God's existence? Enough of them certainly make the argument that I assume they think it might persuade people.

You have whatever reasons you have (call them X, Y, and Z) for believing in God. But that doesn't mean that other believers believe for reasons X, Y, and Z, and it certainly doesn't mean that other believers don't offer up ARGUMENTS for believing that you either reject or do not find sufficient.

Perhaps the FSM isn't a valid critique against any arguments YOU make for being a believer. But that doesn't mean it isn't a valid critique against arguments that some other people make that you don't find sufficient.

If it were really the case that nobody was claiming that the argument from design established the existence of God, I suspect we would have never heard of it in the first place.

Again, Concerto, you really just show what an idiot you are every time you try to claim that everything's a logical fallacy. It's clearly a crutch you use because you can't actually make arguments.

Religious faith is a felt reality for some people. It isn't produced by looking rationally at the various options and the evidence and making a tentative conclusion in the form of a testable hypothesis.

The funny thing is that many nonbelievers understand this better than you do. But, then, maybe if you were smart enough and mature enough to construct an argument without whining about logical fallacies, you might get it.

Funny, I don't find the FSM all that infuriating. It looks to be nothing more than a contrived and sophomoric mass marketing campaign aimed at the lowest common denominator of "what a clever boy am I" pseudo-intellectuals.

Of course not. Jump off your false dichotomy hobby horse and read the post you replied to.

Oh, well that's the source of your error.

Then you are not the target audience.

And that is its power.

I love the FSM but sometimes am pulled toward the Invisible Pink Unicorn.

I also think Bobby Henderson's letter was one of the best things ever. After all, if Intelligent Design gets a place in the curriculum, FSM is just as deserving of one. I mean there is just as much science to back it up, and carbs are a source of life sustaining energy so.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZK5tCY39x0

I still believe that all religions should be able to co-exist without hatred or mockery.
I am a practicing Gozerian myself but I have no issues with Pastafarians or Christians as long as they don't have issue with me.

Glory be to the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

To all the disbelievers, I encourage to you take heed of all the signs - the image of the FSM appears in far more stains, pieces of toast, clouds and cups of coffee than Jesus or anything other religious figure. It is clearly therefore the only one true religion.

I love everything pastafarianism stands for, chiefly the fact its very existence is just one big satirical jibe at religion.

Peace and Sauce to You All

Fellow Pastafarians I wish to share something that happened to me.

I was walking to Tesco's the other day. It was a grey day, quite bleak. I was feeling pretty low. Then, the clouds parted slightly and a ray-beam of sunlight illuminated a shopping trolley in the car park.

At that moment I was overwhelmed with a feeling of love, it was in that moment I knew the Flying Spaghetti Monster was looking after me and had forgiven me for all my wrong doing in life. This was my first religious experience and I owe it all to the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

It got me thinking, why did he illuminate THAT shopping trolley? Why not any other trolley? He works in mysterious ways. I believe it was a metaphor. Your journey through life may be long and hard, but I will guide you through the jungle and lead you to me.

When I took the trolley in my hands, an overwhelming sense of emotion washed over me, I cried, I admit it, I am not ashamed, I cried tears of joy. It was all so visceral. The cold steel bars under my hands quickly warmed to me.

I was still crying and laughing as I was pushing the trolley through the supermarket one busy afternoon. How I cried! How I laughed! People parted out my way as I let the Flying Spaghetti Monster guide me to the pasta isle. As I lifted the packet of whole wheat spaghetti close to my chest and hugged in, with floods of tears escaping me, the reassuring crumpling sound of the packet pushed tightly against my chest, I choked, I could barely breathe I was experiencing such throes of love and happiness.

People came up and asked if I was OK, and I pitied them. I held my neck chain with a single piece of Penne attached to it in my hands. I asked them to believe. They would not.

R'amen.

Repent now and swear allegiance to Gozer the Gozerian and he may show you mercy

Q: What sort of pasta is the Flying Spaghetti Monster made of?
Wheat? Semolina?

A: There's some debate about this—Western culture contending He
is wheat-based, while in the East they believe He's made of rice
or buckwheat. We don't know the truth, and maybe we're not
meant to.

There's also a school of thought that the FSM is a trinity: three grains in one.

Con my man. Please don't let the hate and anger show in your post. Please just take one minute to think about how the FSM can help you, deep deep down you are ready to let the FSM in, open your heart to him and then you will truly see the truth and love.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14135523