Thanks to Mr. Mencken whom I usually appreciate and Norm whom I always appreciate ;°)

But after saying that, what's next ?

There is no real implication except that you are against God, but again no precise definition is given even if we all assume he is speaking about monotheism.

Spinoza is more specific in his Ethica (Part 1, appendix): "the will of God--in other words, the sanctuary of ignorance". Will, understand free-will, is the important concept of course since Spinoza equates God (as concept) and nature. It is men's belief in free-will, and especially God's, that is the philosopher's target.

Two more Mencken gems:

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."

“We must respect the other fellow's religion, but only in the sense and to the extent that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children smart."

one more relevant quote:

"For centuries, theologians have been explaining the unknowable in terms of the-not-worth-knowing."

Except where otherwise noted, God is that personal God that performs 'miracles', and talks to people.

That quote is basically an expression of a point that Nietzsche made in such works as "On the Geneology of Morals" and "Beyond Good and Evil".

It is a description of "ressentiment".

"Ressentiment is a sense of resentment and hostility directed at that which one identifies as the cause of one's frustration, an assignation of blame for one's frustration. The sense of weakness or inferiority and perhaps jealousy in the face of the "cause" generates a rejecting/justifying value system, or morality, which attacks or denies the perceived source of one's frustration. The ego creates an enemy, to insulate itself from culpability."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ressentiment

One from Nietzsche,

"A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything."

"A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything."

i think even the biggest, baddest, most unrepentant atheist here, including lovers of neitzche (among whom i include myself) would have to admit thats a thigh-slappingly funny statement, considering the source. :)

upon reading it i was attacked by an imaginary, though vivid snl sketch sprung fully formed from my forehead, in which "fred" neitzche takes a "casual stroll through (a) lunatic asylum". and who to play the philosopher? hmmmm....

How strange that becker thinks illness, in this case mental illness, is "thigh-slappingly funny".

However, Nietzsche's illness apparently caused by syphilis in no way contradicts the statement.

Most atheists I know don't laugh at the mental illness of those who go to churches or mosques or temples and engage in insane behavior like praying. They try to understand the cause of the behavior.

Most atheists I know don't laugh at the mental illness of those who go to churches or mosques or temples and engage in insane behavior like praying.

I do, but then I'm not an atheist.

They try to understand the cause of the behavior.

Not much to really discover, it's social construction compounded by social convention.