Foxhole atheist
From RationalWiki
Foxhole atheist is a derogatory term applied to atheists who cry out to a god when under duress. Many theists like to tell jokes that imply their belief is correct because the punchline reveals that all atheists run crying back to God when they get scared.
The joke/argument seems to be as follows:
1. Atheist do not believe in god.
2. Atheists, under stress will behave like theists by praying.
3. Therefore, I can imply that all atheists secretly believe in god.
4. I can feel better about believing nonsense because even atheists believe in my god.
It is easy to see that the evidence does not allow for the implication and the argument only serves to bolster a believer's waning faith rather than present any actual facts. It even implies that the atheist has more intelligence than the theist would give credit for ("If God is good enough for that atheist, He's good enough for me"), following circular logic. The "evidence" as well is in dispute as there are atheists in foxholes, as well as an organization representing them, Atheists in Foxholes for Honor and Recognition.
[edit] Quotes
As James Morrow said in an interview with Faith L. Justice, "'There are no atheists in foxholes' is not an argument against atheism, it's an argument against foxholes."
[edit] In actuality
In actuality, there are no Christians in foxholes. What part of "thou shalt not kill" don't you understand?
