The atheists eat babies meme is a dark humor meme used to illustrate the fact that many people distrust atheists and equate atheism with immorality (see: Distrust of atheists and Atheism and morality).[2] There have been several studies indicating that many people have a low opinion of atheists (see: Views on atheists).
However, as can be seen below, China which has the largest atheist population in the world and has state atheism, has citizens who are eating powdered human baby flesh because they believe it increases a person's stamina, increases sexual health and is also seen as a medicinal 'cure-all'.[3][4] (see:Communist China and baby eating).
See also: Atheism and cannibalism
See also Communist China and baby eating and China and atheism and Asian atheism
See also: China and atheism
Razib Khan points out in Discover Magazine, "most secular nations in the world are those of East Asia, in particular what are often termed “Confucian societies.” It is likely therefore that the majority of the world’s atheists are actually East Asian."[6] See: Asian atheism and Global atheism
China has the world's largest atheist population.[7][8] In addition, China practices state atheism in that it requires members of the Communist Party of China to be atheists and the Chinese government does engage in some degree of religious persecution (See also: China and atheism). China has one of the highest rates of atheism in the world.[9][10] According to a 2012 Worldwide Independent Network/Gallup International Association (WIN/GIA) poll, 47% of Chinese people were convinced atheists, and a further 30% were not religious. In comparison, only 14% considered themselves to be religious.[11]
See also: Communist China and baby eating and Atheism, Chinese doctors and baby eating and Atheism and sexuality and Abortion and atheism and Atheism and human rights violations
In 2014, The Washington Times reported:
“ | China’s one child policy, baby trafficking, and sex trafficking of North Korean women aren’t the worst human rights violation happening in the country. Aborting innocent and healthy unborn children and eating them to boost one’s stamina and sexual health is.
South Korean customs officials recently seized thousands of pills filled with powdered human baby flesh arriving from China. Since August 2011, South Korean officials have intercepted more than 17000 pills smuggled from China. South Korean officials became aware of a horrific practice of eating aborted fetuses after Seoul Broadcasting System showed a documentary on Chinese doctors who performed abortions and then ate the fetuses. One Chinese doctor on the documentary took out fetuses from his refrigerator.[13] |
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For additional information, please see:
See also: Atheism and morality and Atheist population and immorality and Objective morality
The Debunking Atheists blog states: "An atheist may... say murder, rape, and eating babies are wrong; but when asked why, they will not have a final reason, or authority, to which they can appeal to, besides their own subjectivity... So it is merely a personal choice not to."[14] See: Atheism and morality and Atheist population and immorality and Objective morality
See: Causes of atheists eating babies
There are a number of causes of atheists eating babies (see: Causes of atheists eating babies).
See also: Atheism and humor and Atheism and mockery
The website Atheist Revolution says about the atheists eat babies meme:
“ | I've always liked this particular meme. It manages to be silly while simultaneously poking fun at Christians for some of the absurd things they believe about atheists. And yes, that is my take on the primary meaning of this meme: it serves to highlight the absurd lengths to which some Christians will go to demonize atheists.
"But do any Christians really believe that atheists eat babies?" Although this isn't the point of the meme, I suppose it is a fair question. I suspect that if you take a moment to consider some of the things many Christians at least claim to believe, this one will strike you as at least somewhat plausible. If not believing in their preferred god(s) makes us immoral, evil, and almost certainly Satan worshipers, is it really that much of a stretch to assume that we probably eat babies too?[15] |
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See also:
See also: Atheism and satanic deception and LaVeyan Satanism and The Satanic Temple
As far as dark humor, another reason why the meme may have developed is that many people mistakenly associate atheism with Satanism and allegations that satanists have been involved in the ritualistic infant sacrifices.[16]
Although LaVeyan Satanism is a form of atheism, it does not hold that Satan is real being. Specifically, LaVeyan Satanism is a form of atheism which extolls the values of Satan which are described in the Bible. It is a very prideful and hedonistic worldview. Some specific characteristics of Leveyan Satanism is that it incorporates egoism, self-deification, the occult/magic, Social Darwinism and naturalism. It was founded by Anton LeVey in 1966.
See also: Distrust of atheists and Views on atheists
Jim Scott, Vice Chairman of Florida Atheists and Secular Humanists (FLASH), said: "The term 'atheist' has such a negative connotation. They think being an atheist means you eat babies and worship the Devil."[17]
Dr. John D. Ferrer wrote about the atheists eat babies meme and about atheism and cannibalism:
“ | ...we see that a sample of atheists aren’t principally opposed to eating babies, although, we have no way of knowing how far this green light shines across the world of atheists. We don’t know how many atheists would chime in with vocal support. Fortunately these atheists have so far abstained from eating people because they find it “distasteful” and risky.[18] | ” |
See also: Atheism and sarcasm and Atheist population and immorality and Atheists and historical illiteracy
When the various moral failings of atheists/atheist population is mentioned or the morality of atheists is questioned, many atheists sarcastically mention atheists eating babies which they apparently think is not happening. In most cases, there are not familiar with baby flesh powder being consumed by individuals in atheist controlled mainland China nor are they aware of instances of children being eaten in countries which have or have had state atheism (see: Soviet Union and cannibalism and North Korea and cannibalism). And as noted above, "South Korean officials became aware of a horrific practice of eating aborted fetuses after Seoul Broadcasting System showed a documentary on Chinese doctors who performed abortions and then ate the fetuses. One Chinese doctor on the documentary took out fetuses from his refrigerator.[19]
For example, the atheist Eric Ouellet wrote an essay entitled Time to stop respecting religion which was posted at the Freedom From Religion Foundation website that stated "Imagine the reaction if something like that were said about Christians. Rather than feel insulted... atheist commenters 'agreed' that atheists are fat because they eat so many babies."[20] See also: Atheism and obesity
The atheist Dan Amira published an article at the website of New York Magazine which sarcastically stated about his fellow atheists: "Or maybe they’re just too busy eating babies and having blood-soaked sex orgies to be bothered by your meddlesome proselytizing, Pastor Mike. Did you ever think of that?"[21]
Atheist Hemant Mehta wrote tongue in cheek about the atheists eat babies meme:
“ | If you’re like most normal people, you’ve briefly considered eating a baby or two.
Why is that, anyway? Why do babies always seem so delicious, even when you’re not particularly hungry? Using brain scanners and pajamas, an international team of scientists is closing in on a answer. Apparently it has something to do with the way babies smell… To be fair, the actual article is much more about how the smell of baby impacts how women bond with them and how those neural pathways are the same as those triggered by certain foods and drugs...[23] |
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See also: Atheism and cannibalism and Atheism and children and Soviet Union and morality
According to the University of Cambridge, historically, the "most notable spread of atheism was achieved through the success of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which brought the Marxist-Leninists to power."[24]
Atheism was an integral component of Marxist-Leninist/Maoist communist ideology (see: Atheism and communism).
Although the atheists is a dark humor meme, in the atheistic Soviet Union during a famine there were cases of adults preying on children for purposes of cannibalism (see: Soviet Union and cannibalism and Soviet Union and morality).[25]
Kerry Kubulius in his article entitled Cannibalism in the Soviet Union wrote:
“ | In the years 1920-21, the Soviet Union was hit hard by famine. Civil war had wiped out grain stores, and drought affected harvests. Struggling peasants and Gulag prisoners alike fell victim to starvation. Hungry individuals ate what they could find – the last of their livestock, cats and dogs, and then finally, fellow human beings. Cannibalism in Soviet Russia and elsewhere in the Soviet Union manifested itself in prisons camps, in urban settings, and in the countryside. The practice of cannibalism was seen as a survival measure rather than a true crime by those who had nothing else to eat....
It goes without saying that cannibalism in the Soviet Union was outlawed. Those who were caught cannibalizing their fellow citizens were sent to prisons, even though cannibalism was practiced in the Gulag, as well... While some individuals ate the bodies of the already dead, others murdered for the purpose of providing themselves with food. Gangs of children would kill adults, while adults would find children to murder and eat. Escaped prisoners might take along fellow inmates to serve as future meals – unbeknownst to the escapees' companions themselves. Cannibalism in the Soviet Union was sometimes a result of an individual or individuals seeking revenge.[26] |
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See: Lysenkoism
North Korea practices state atheism and belief in God is actively discouraged.[27] Open Doors, an organization based in the United States, has put North Korea at the very top of its list of countries where Christians face significant persecution - for 12 years in a row.[28]
The Express reports:
“ | A North Korean man living in Australia has claimed that human flesh is served up to eat in the country’s third largest city.
Sung Min Jeong, 44, claims that in Chongjin – a city at the tip of the North Korean coast – a shopkeeper serves up human meat. Fears that famine-stricken North Koreans are being forced to eat human flesh heightened earlier this year following claims a man was executed for murdering his two children for food. Fears of cannibalism in the country surfaced in 2003 too, amid testimony from refugees who claimed poor harvests and food aid sanctions had resulted in children being killed and corpses cut up for food. According to reports, requests by the United Nations World Food Programme to access "farmers' markets" where human meat was said to be traded, were turned down by Pyongyang, citing "security reasons". Those caught selling human meat face execution, but one source told the North Korean Refugees Assistance Fund: "Pieces of 'special' meat are displayed on straw mats for sale. "People know where they come from, but they don't talk about it."[29] |
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See also: Atheism and infanticide and Abortion and atheism
Infanticide is the practice of killing very young children. An infant has been medically defined as a child too young to speak.[30]
Below is an article on atheism and infanticide:
In 1729, the Anglo-Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer Jonathon Swift wrote a satirical pamphlet called “A Modest Proposal” which suggested that the children of the poor should be eaten.
Christianity and the Bible has made a strong impression on Western civilization. In ancient times, cities/fortresses had walls surrounding them and they were blockaded during warfare. The book of Lamentations in the Old Testament indicates: "The hands of compassionate women boiled their own children; They became food for them because of the destruction of the daughter of my people" (Lamentations 4:10 NASB). Other Bible verses related to extreme hardship and the eating of children are Leviticus 26: 27-29, Deuteronomy 28:53-57, Jeremiah 19:9 and Ezekiel 5:10.
Categories: [Cannibalism] [Atheism] [Morality]