A Request Directed to Sciforums' "Atheists"

[Trooper]

What about, say, my take on Christianity, which prescribes to a more inclusive and "eyes, minds and hearts open" kind of philosophy. Dont' just lump Christians all together - we are a diverse bunch, and different groups have different mindsets.

If you want to pretend to be something that you’re not, seek the opposite of what is real, crucify life itself by exalting this nothingness, fine by me, but don’t lie. Don’t tell people that you know there is a God or an afterlife. You've created a God to your liking, in your image, so question this God. Know thyself.

Neuroscientist Vilayanur Ramachandran’s work on mirror neurons is fascinating. He said, it may be that any intelligent sentient being that can look into its own future and confront its own mortality will sooner or later begin to engage in such disquieting ruminations. We are bedeviled by paradox: On the one hand our lives seem so important—with all those cherished highly personal memories—and yet we know that in the cosmic scheme of things, our brief existence amounts to nothing at all.”

Antonio Damasio has done some interesting work on emotions in decision-making.

 

[Bells]

I guess I would fall into that generic category of "militant atheist", although I am not in any way supportive of the coercion and persecution of religious people. I support education as the primary means of undoing the delusions and lies that get programmed into the religious from childhood. I support political action as in opposing the constant attempts of the religious right to take away our civil rights and freedom from religion. And I support the right to speak out against the institutionalized homophobia that religion represents.

See, being gay I have huge stake in opposing these systematic attempts to demonize people solely for their sexual orientation. I mean we're basically talking about a powerful global institution that has for over 2000 years proclaimed that I as a gay man have no right to exist. That my form of love is sinful, an abomination, and criminal, deserving of execution as well as damnation in an eternal hell. So entrenched is this anti-gay hatred in our society that I was basically raised to hate myself for it. How else was a devoted Christian teen to deal with his own same sex desires?

So by my early 20's I dispensed with religion altogether and accepted my gayness as part to who I am. And now I have a right to speak out against religion as the oppressive and bigoted ideology it is. If this offends theists or Christians I don't care. You need to come to grips with the fact that your religion traditionally and STILL to this very day denies the right of gay people to exist without judgment and to pursue their own happiness just like everyone else. You need to think twice about supporting a body of teachings that defines people as evil simply for who they happen to love. Why is it so hard to take a stand against something so obviously obsolete and wrong? Maybe you actually have to be gay to take religious homophobia so personally. But I KNOW who the enemy is. I have suffered the soul-crushing effect of religion in my life firsthand. I have fought to free myself from the delusional guilt, the lies, the fearmongering threats, and the empty promises of peace and immortality. And I think it only logical that I continue to oppose it wherever I encounter it, for my own sake as well as for the sake of those trapped inside of it like I was.

How does this make you a militant atheist?

Militant atheism are those who call for the persecution of religious people.

Thanks! Here's something else I wanted to add:

To the point that the atheism movement is a sort of boy's club, I just wanted to point out many women who are involved in it both directly and indirectly:

A large list of awesome female atheists

Yes, I mentioned a few of them in a previous post because many of these women no longer attend speaking tours due to be sexually harassed and abused, some even threatened by their fellow atheists on the speaking tours. Which is a shame. And it is a shame the media does not give these women more attention. I find them much better reading that the likes of Dwarkin.

MY opposition to religion is very specific and issue-based: its dehumanization of gay people as evil perverts who have no right to live their lives. It always amazes me Yazata how silent you are on this issue. From what I recall you are bisexual, and yet you never ever take a stand on the rights of LGBTs to not be discriminated against (as in Christian businesses who refuse service to gay people) and to be treated as equal human beings. Why the silent complicity on this issue?

Okay, look, I think that is unfair and out of line.

If Yazata hasn't outed himself on this site, it's unfair and rude of you to. But most importantly, you don't know what Yazata's experience has been or currently is. And I think to declare him complicit on the issue of religious bigotry towards homosexuals is very very unfair. You don't know what his history is, what he has or is currently experiencing. He may have reasons to remain quiet on this issue (such as his safety, such as he doesn't want people to know, such as his employment, etc). So using his sexuality to make an example and to shame him... I didn't even know he was bisexual, and I don't know if everyone else here did. Did you ask him if he wanted people to know, if people did not know? Did you ever think to ask him privately why he doesn't speak out about it? You have your reasons for speaking out based on your experience, have you ever considered that he may have his reasons for speaking out because of his experiences? Why would you shame him in public for his sexuality because he doesn't speak about religion and homosexuality? You don't use people's sexuality to shame them into anything. Not cool MR. Not cool at all!

 

[Kittamaru]

Why don't the women start their own religion, instead of invade one created by men? If men and women are equal, why not just build a church for women with women leaders, so women can be pope and priests. The males can be nuns if they wish to belong. In the Baptist religion, men leave all the time to build their own independent church with some getting huge in one lifetime. Why act like a virus that has to invade healthy tissue?

Name one religion infiltrated by females at all levels that has survived for 1000 years? Only the patriarchs will survive.

The problem appears to be the bride mentality, where once married, the male is supposed to give his wife the keys and the female leads the household. Women do a good job at the level of the family, which is part of the church. But this home scale talent does not extrapolate to the level of the church. Much of sustaining is keeping the old sofa for hundred of years, not changing with fads and style. A rapid rate of change is useful for one lifetime, until the daughter becomes a wife and matriarch and she does her own thing. Churches need to last for 100 generations.

How about a demonstration of women building their own church to see if they have the skills? This is a useful test. As analogy, if you can build a house you know how to do all the upkeep work needed to keep the house going for many generations. If you put on the roof and it leaks down the road, you can repair or replace it all by yourself. The housewife, who moves in after it is done, will not know how to put on a roof, when it leaks, since she never had to do it. She will call a contractor who may rip her off, thereby declining the church. Building is the first test of sustainable competence.

If someone has no idea how to build a house,how can you personally sustain one?

First: Allow me to refute you. My wife is a blessedly independent woman. She knows many skills I do not have and shares many others with me, such as "common" household skills (sewing, cooking, cleaning, etc), as well as being a professional massage therapist and pursuing her elementary education degree. However, she has also picked up many skills from/alongside me; she and I are both highly proficient with computers (though admittedly my skills are greater simply because I have pursued degrees in this matter) both in general usage and diagnostics/repairs. Mechanically speaking we are both handy, and while I am more comfortable wrenching about on a car or truck, she is able to work right there alongside me with minimal guidance.

Conversely, she has a mind for numbers and formulas that I can only gawk at... I handle the day to day finances, but she handles the taxes, prescriptions, etc because, simply put, she understands the laws and regulations in that respect far better than I do.

So, any claim that women are somehow inferior to men is rooted in falsehood and depravity.

Oh, also, my church has a female pastor and several females in the leadership... and the church is doing quite well, and in fact recently started up a new location (the church now has three locations, including one that houses a coffee shop).

Second: Allow me to rebuke you. Join the modern era. This mindset that women are a "virus" is horrible and, quite honestly, disturbing. Get over yourself... a penis does NOT make you somehow superior.

Third: Such abusive vernacular is against site rules, and as such you have been issued an infraction in accordance with said rules.

 

[Kittamaru]

If you want to pretend to be something that you’re not, seek the opposite of what is real, crucify life itself by exalting this nothingness, fine by me, but don’t lie. Don’t tell people that you know there is a God or an afterlife. You've created a God to your liking, in your image, so question this God. Know thyself.

Neuroscientist Vilayanur Ramachandran’s work on mirror neurons is fascinating. He said, it may be that any intelligent sentient being that can look into its own future and confront its own mortality will sooner or later begin to engage in such disquieting ruminations. We are bedeviled by paradox: On the one hand our lives seem so important—with all those cherished highly personal memories—and yet we know that in the cosmic scheme of things, our brief existence amounts to nothing at all.”

Antonio Damasio has done some interesting work on emotions in decision-making.

I am unsure of what, exactly, your claim/intention is here; I have never hidden the fact that I am a modified Christian, and in fact have stated that repeatedly. My wife and I have spoken quite candidly with our Pastors about this and they have brought up some key points to us that we have embraced, but they also agree with our viewpoint on many issues. I fail to see how we are "lying" about anything... but such is the life of a man of duality, both science and religion.

 

[Trooper]

I am unsure of what, exactly, your claim/intention is here; I have never hidden the fact that I am a modified Christian, and in fact have stated that repeatedly. My wife and I have spoken quite candidly with our Pastors about this and they have brought up some key points to us that we have embraced, but they also agree with our viewpoint on many issues. I fail to see how we are "lying" about anything... but such is the life of a man of duality, both science and religion.

Like I said, don’t tell people that you know there is a God or an afterlife. You know no such thing.

 

[Bells]

Why don't the women start their own religion, instead of invade one created by men? If men and women are equal, why not just build a church for women with women leaders, so women can be pope and priests. The males can be nuns if they wish to belong. In the Baptist religion, men leave all the time to build their own independent church with some getting huge in one lifetime. Why act like a virus that has to invade healthy tissue?

Name one religion infiltrated by females at all levels that has survived for 1000 years? Only the patriarchs will survive.

The problem appears to be the bride mentality, where once married, the male is supposed to give his wife the keys and the female leads the household. Women do a good job at the level of the family, which is part of the church. But this home scale talent does not extrapolate to the level of the church. Much of sustaining is keeping the old sofa for hundred of years, not changing with fads and style. A rapid rate of change is useful for one lifetime, until the daughter becomes a wife and matriarch and she does her own thing. Churches need to last for 100 generations.

How about a demonstration of women building their own church to see if they have the skills? This is a useful test. As analogy, if you can build a house you know how to do all the upkeep work needed to keep the house going for many generations. If you put on the roof and it leaks down the road, you can repair or replace it all by yourself. The housewife, who moves in after it is done, will not know how to put on a roof, when it leaks, since she never had to do it. She will call a contractor who may rip her off, thereby declining the church. Building is the first test of sustainable competence.

If someone has no idea how to build a house,how can you personally sustain one?

Nice..

Good to see a perfect example of misogyny so we can use you as an example of how not to act like a batshit insane baboon!

Perhaps the religion created by men should stop writing and making religious decrees about women. If men like you don't like women in your religion, then tell your religion to butt out of the lives of women and stop annoying us with their bullshit rules!

Women "a virus that has invaded healthy tissue."? Seriously? Just to remind you, you came out of the womb of that "virus". You fed off the breast milk of that "virus". Do you think of your mother as a virus? You perfectly exemplify the very misogyny of your own religion and how it generates in otherwise healthy human minds bigotry and hatred. So keep posting. You're doing a great job proving my points.

Nah. See, he's a real man. His mother birthed him and then strapped him to a wild buffalo's teat. He had to hold on.

Strength flows through his veins and his pulsing finger and toe muscles from having to grip on for so long or die.

 

[Balerion]

How does this make you a militant atheist?

Militant atheism are those who call for the persecution of religious people.

Then I think you would agree that militant atheists account for a fractionally small niche within the atheism nebula, and is in no way a valid describer of anyone who attends this forum, and nothing that the "atheist movement" at large is in any danger of becoming. Correct?

Yes, I mentioned a few of them in a previous post because many of these women no longer attend speaking tours due to be sexually harassed and abused, some even threatened by their fellow atheists on the speaking tours. Which is a shame. And it is a shame the media does not give these women more attention. I find them much better reading that the likes of Dwarkin.

Yet you didn't know they existed yesterday.

You'll forgive me if I find that claim at the end to be a bit spurious.

Okay, look, I think that is unfair and out of line.

I don't think you're in any position to make that assessment, as even within the framework you've provided you are jumping to the conclusion that this information isn't something Yazata has already shared publicly, or cares at all about others knowing. And calling on a member of a community to represent that community is neither out of line or unfair. Neither is having a negative opinion of those who do not represent their communities.

 

[Balerion]

What about, say, my take on Christianity, which prescribes to a more inclusive and "eyes, minds and hearts open" kind of philosophy. Dont' just lump Christians all together - we are a diverse bunch, and different groups have different mindsets.

He specifically said "this sect of Christianity." He obviously was not referring to you, so your accusation that he was lumping you all together is knowingly incorrect, and can be construed as an attempt to pick a fight.

Why is it that we need a Mod Wrangler in this thread? It seems everywhere I turn, moderators are acting like idjits. Did James R just select all the worst-tempered, rudest, least emotionally-mature people on the forum?

 

[Magical Realist]

If Yazata hasn't outed himself on this site, it's unfair and rude of you to. But most importantly, you don't know what Yazata's experience has been or currently is. And I think to declare him complicit on the issue of religious bigotry towards homosexuals is very very unfair. You don't know what his history is, what he has or is currently experiencing. He may have reasons to remain quiet on this issue (such as his safety, such as he doesn't want people to know, such as his employment, etc). So using his sexuality to make an example and to shame him... I didn't even know he was bisexual, and I don't know if everyone else here did. Did you ask him if he wanted people to know, if people did not know? Did you ever think to ask him privately why he doesn't speak out about it? You have your reasons for speaking out based on your experience, have you ever considered that he may have his reasons for speaking out because of his experiences? Why would you shame him in public for his sexuality because he doesn't speak about religion and homosexuality? You don't use people's sexuality to shame them into anything. Not cool MR. Not cool at all!

He has announced it online before. That's how I found out. So I assume he's not trying to cover it up or is ashamed of it. Why would he be? Are you implying sexual orientation is something people NEED to be ashamed of? Why? What possible shame is there in being bisexual OR gay?

In any case, Yazata if you didn't want your sexual orientation mentioned online then I officially apologize. But having known you for 15 years I'm pretty sure you don't care what people think about it either way. I'm the same way, which is why I find it difficult to identify with the need to be ashamed of it. It is what it is, like freckles or blue eyes. People just need to get over it.

 

[Bells]

Then I think you would agree that militant atheists account for a fractionally small niche within the atheism nebula, and is in no way a valid describer of anyone who attends this forum, and nothing that the "atheist movement" at large is in any danger of becoming. Correct?

There are many here who would fall into that category.

Lets face it, we act like pack animals sometimes. And I include myself in that "we". We are not without fault and we are not above reproach. Getting offended because a fellow atheist points this out is a bit silly.

Yet you didn't know they existed yesterday.

You'll forgive me if I find that claim at the end to be a bit spurious.

You'll forgive me if I don't particularly care what you find spurious. I clearly asked where they were and then stated that they are often shut down and forgotten about because of the male domination of the supposed movement. I even linked articles of how many of these women do not attend speaking tours because they are sexually harassed, some even threatened with rape, and because of the level of misogyny they face.

I don't think you're in any position to make that assessment, as even within the framework you've provided you are jumping to the conclusion that this information isn't something Yazata has already shared publicly, or cares at all about others knowing. And calling on a member of a community to represent that community is neither out of line or unfair. Neither is having a negative opinion of those who do not represent their communities.

So persecute him for his sexuality because he doesn't speak up for the cause is acceptable?

Isn't that bullying?

Do you know what his experience is? Do you know why he doesn't say anything? Is it any of our business? It's come to this now? We're going to out members of the LGBT whether they have or not if they don't tow the line? MR's comment was out of line, just like Syne's comments to MR about his hating children because he is gay was out of line. Yazata's sexuality has nothing at all to do with this thread. For someone other than Yazata to bring it up and to try to make an example out of him by using his sexuality is wrong.

 

[gmilam]

Why don't the women start their own religion, instead of invade one created by men? If men and women are equal, why not just build a church for women with women leaders, so women can be pope and priests. The males can be nuns if they wish to belong. In the Baptist religion, men leave all the time to build their own independent church with some getting huge in one lifetime. Why act like a virus that has to invade healthy tissue?

Name one religion infiltrated by females at all levels that has survived for 1000 years? Only the patriarchs will survive.

The problem appears to be the bride mentality, where once married, the male is supposed to give his wife the keys and the female leads the household. Women do a good job at the level of the family, which is part of the church. But this home scale talent does not extrapolate to the level of the church. Much of sustaining is keeping the old sofa for hundred of years, not changing with fads and style. A rapid rate of change is useful for one lifetime, until the daughter becomes a wife and matriarch and she does her own thing. Churches need to last for 100 generations.

How about a demonstration of women building their own church to see if they have the skills? This is a useful test. As analogy, if you can build a house you know how to do all the upkeep work needed to keep the house going for many generations. If you put on the roof and it leaks down the road, you can repair or replace it all by yourself. The housewife, who moves in after it is done, will not know how to put on a roof, when it leaks, since she never had to do it. She will call a contractor who may rip her off, thereby declining the church. Building is the first test of sustainable competence.

If someone has no idea how to build a house,how can you personally sustain one?

Thank you for reminding me why I need to stay logged in... and why I have you on ignore. Seriously, this is lunacy.

 

[Bells]

He has announced it online before. That's how I found out. So I assume he's not trying to cover it up or is ashamed of it. Why would he be? Are you implying sexual orientation is something people NEED to be ashamed of? Why? What possible shame is there in being bisexual OR gay?

Firstly, don't put words in my mouth. At no time did I imply that sexuality is something people need to be ashamed of, so don't even try that line with me. What I clearly said was that he may have his reasons and they are his own. You don't know if he could be persecuted or not. You know nothing about him. You are trying to shame him because he's bisexual and not doing what you think he should be doing as a bisexual. You don't know what he may have gone through or is going through.

Secondly, you don't use someone's sexuality against them in such a way.

Thirdly, his sexuality is none of anyone's business. You don't know what he's been through. You don't know what his experience have been. You have your reasons for speaking out like he probably has his reasons for not speaking out. Whatever they may be, to use his sexuality against him in a debate is out of line and you know it. What you essentially did was to shame him because of his sexuality because he is not doing something you think he should be doing. And that's out of line. He didn't even bring up his sexuality in this thread. Why did you? And why did you use it against him to try to shame him into compliance?

 

[Magical Realist]

Firstly, don't put words in my mouth. At no time did I imply that sexuality is something people need to be ashamed of, so don't even try that line with me. What I clearly said was that he may have his reasons and they are his own. You don't know if he could be persecuted or not. You know nothing about him. You are trying to shame him because he's bisexual and not doing what you think he should be doing as a bisexual. You don't know what he may have gone through or is going through.

Then it isn't a shaming of him for his sexuality at all, as in fact you previously said: "Why would you shame him in public for his sexuality because he doesn't speak about religion and homosexuality?" Shame him for his sexuality? I asked you why he should be ashamed of his sexuality. And now you deny you even said that. You're backpeddling it into "shamed for not standing up for LGBT rights." You need to figure out what you are trying to say before posting.

As for asking him why he never takes a stand for LGBT, it IS a legitimate question. Just like the one you posed earlier about whether people here are doing field work feeding the starving children etc etc. Were you trying to shame us for not doing that? Ofcourse you were. You wanted us to feel bad because, for whatever reason, we aren't out there doing all this work that you made a special point of boasting about. Isn't that the same thing you're criticizing me of now?

In any case, I have a right to ask him that question. He has the right not to answer it. Which he has done. So what's the problem?

Thirdly, his sexuality is none of anyone's business. You don't know what he's been through. You don't know what his experience have been. You have your reasons for speaking out like he probably has his reasons for not speaking out. Whatever they may be, to use his sexuality against him in a debate is out of line and you know it. What you essentially did was to shame him because of his sexuality because he is not doing something you think he should be doing. And that's out of line. He didn't even bring up his sexuality in this thread. Why did you? And why did you use it against him to try to shame him into compliance?

Like I said he has already announced his orientation online. So I don't know where you are deriving this imaginary scenario of him needing to hide it or not speak about it. He HASN'T hidden it. And it was a legitimate question. That's all I have to say on this.

 

[Magical Realist]

Yazata's sexuality has nothing at all to do with this thread

My sexuality has EVERYTHING to do with why I oppose religion. I've made that very clear. Why would that not be the case for Yazata?

 

[Bells]

Then it isn't a shaming of him for his sexuality at all, as in fact you previously said: "Why would you shame him in public for his sexuality because he doesn't speak about religion and homosexuality?" Shame him for his sexuality? I asked you why he should be ashamed of his sexuality. And now you deny you even said that. You're backpeddling it into "shamed for not standing up for LGBT rights." You need to figure out what you are trying to say before posting.

As for asking him why he never takes a stand for LGBT, it IS a legitimate question. Just like the one you posed earlier about whether people here are doing field work feeding the starving children etc etc. Were you trying to shame us for not doing that? Ofcourse you were. You wanted us to feel bad because, for whatever reason, we aren't out there doing all this work that you made a special point of boasting about. Isn't that the same thing you're criticizing me of now?

In any case, I have a right to ask him that question. He has the right not to answer it. Which he has done. So what's the problem?

What you clearly missed in my earlier posts was that atheists often complain and with reason, that religions often hand charity over with one hand and a bible in the other. In other words, many fundamentalist Christians help with the specific intent to convert with threats that they will not provide aid if the people receiving it do not convert. So my comment was to say, if atheists want to stop this from happening, then they need to step up and provide aid, to break that stronghold that fundamentalist Christians have instead of whining about it. If I appeared boastful, that was not my intent. That was the path I chose to try to break the stronghold that many evangelicals have in 3rd world countries. Whining about it online is not effective.

And yes, I had meant it in your attempts to shame him into not standing up for LGBT rights because he is bisexual. And in a way, it is shaming him about his sexuality as well.. It's as though you are telling him that if he is a good bisexual, then he would be defending LGBT rights and that is how it came across. And it's wrong to do so. As I said, you don't know what his reasons are. You're creating the sort of atmosphere where members of the LGBT rights may be afraid to speak their opinion if they don't support a particular cause or have a different opinion. Just because he is bisexual does not mean he is obligated to speak up about anything. You are setting him aside because of his sexuality when you accuse him for not speaking out about gay rights as a bisexual.

Like I said he has already announced his orientation online. So I don't know where you are deriving this imaginary scenario of him needing to hide it or not speak about it. He HASN'T hidden it. And it was a legitimate question. That's all I have to say on this.

Whether he announced it on this site or not is beside the issue. He never brought it up in this thread and he never discussed it within the context of this thread in this thread. In other words, his sexuality has nothing to do with this thread. So why did you bring it up? Why did you kind of accuse him of being a bad bisexual because he didn't speak up? Because that is how you came across.

 

[Balerion]

There are many here who would fall into that category.

Lets face it, we act like pack animals sometimes. And I include myself in that "we".

What atheist here has ever called for the persecution of religious people?

We are not without fault and we are not above reproach.

No one said we were.

Getting offended because a fellow atheist points this out is a bit silly.

It would be even sillier to agree to something that isn't true.

You'll forgive me if I don't particularly care what you find spurious.

You don't seem to care what anyone thinks about anything. You certainly have never been proven wrong about anything, have you? Never had to change your mind about anything. You're always right, Bells, which is why we like you so much.

I clearly asked where they were and then stated that they are often shut down and forgotten about because of the male domination of the supposed movement. I even linked articles of how many of these women do not attend speaking tours because they are sexually harassed, some even threatened with rape, and because of the level of misogyny they face.

You linked to an article long after that initial question, which was associated with your comments about atheism being a "white, male dominated" hobby, and tethered to associated questions of where the gay figures, or racial minority figures, were. So its rhetorical purpose was to suggest that there were no prominent women in the field, and you've been trying to cover your blind ass ever since, pretending that the plight of women in this field is near and dear to your heart, which anyone with a brain can see is absolute bullshit.

And "many" seems to amount to a handful. While their treatment has been atrocious--and only made worse by Dawkins' idiotic post--it doesn't represent how most women are treated within these communities. Anonymous posts made condoning rape and torture in the comments section of a blog or a Youtube video don't represent anyone but the idiotic masses of anonymous douchebags typical to the internet.

So persecute him for his sexuality because he doesn't speak up for the cause is acceptable?

Persecute him? Are you high? No one was persecuted, and your abuse of the term is frankly disgusting. Knock it off. Even you must know better than that.

Isn't that bullying?

You think chastising someone for not representing their community is bullying? That's absurd.

I have an idea: Let's use words as they are meant to be used.

Do you know what his experience is? Do you know why he doesn't say anything?

Do you? What makes it your place to step in and act as judge? How about you realize it's none of your fucking business and keep your nose out of it? I know, I know--impossible, right?

Is it any of our business?

No, so shut up about it!

It's come to this now? We're going to out members of the LGBT whether they have or not if they don't tow the line?

How do you know he was outed? If MR knows, and is telling the truth, then it stands to reason that he's already out. Maybe you shouldn't assume that your ignorance of Yazata's orientation is the standard.

MR's comment was out of line, just like Syne's comments to MR about his hating children because he is gay was out of line.

No, they have nothing to do with one another. MR's comment was one member of the LGBT community demanding to know why another (supposed) member of the LGBT community was silent on such an important issue. There's nothing wrong with that. It's no different than one black person asking why another black person doesn't care about black issues, or one woman asking another why she isn't more involved in women's rights issues. In fact, it doesn't have to be a member of that community asking why--though, admittedly, it's much more PC when they are--because it's a legitimate question.

Yazata's sexuality has nothing at all to do with this thread. For someone other than Yazata to bring it up and to try to make an example out of him by using his sexuality is wrong.

You're wrong, as usual. And, as usual, your emotional reaction goes beyond the pale and is preventing whatever critical thinking you're capable of from understanding this.

 

[Balerion]

My sexuality has EVERYTHING to do with why I oppose religion. I've made that very clear. Why would that not be the case for Yazata?

Dude, ignore the troll. You don't have to answer to her. If Yaz's sexuality isn't a secret, then you didn't violate any of his rights and you aren't in violation of any rules of this site. She's trying to bait you because she knows she fucked up and this is what she does. Just ignore it.

 

[Bells]

My sexuality has EVERYTHING to do with why I oppose religion. I've made that very clear. Why would that not be the case for Yazata?

Because you are not the sole representative of the LGBT on this site. Your sexuality has everything to do with why you oppose religion. Why do you think it would or should be the case for Yazata and the many other members of the LGBT community who post here? Why does it have to be?

Have you considered that it may not be? Have you considered that he may be a theist? Many members of the LGBT community are theists, you know.

Have you considered that his reasons for his possibly being an atheist is different to yours? His experience may be wholly different to yours?

Have you possibly considered that your experiences do not represent the whole?

Have you considered that your reasons for being an atheist is because of how you were treated and his reasons for being an atheist is not based on his emotions and his experiences but because he just doesn't think there is a god, for example?

Stop projecting your reasons onto others. Just because he is bisexual does not mean he has to have the same reasons to be an atheist as you do and he may just not speak up about it because he is under no obligation to speak up about it as a bisexual like you seem to expect him to.

 

[Balerion]

Because you are not the sole representative of the LGBT on this site. Your sexuality has everything to do with why you oppose religion. Why do you think it would or should be the case for Yazata and the many other members of the LGBT community who post here? Why does it have to be?

Have you considered that it may not be? Have you considered that he may be a theist? Many members of the LGBT community are theists, you know.

Have you considered that his reasons for his possibly being an atheist is different to yours? His experience may be wholly different to yours?

Have you possibly considered that your experiences do not represent the whole?

Have you considered that your reasons for being an atheist is because of how you were treated and his reasons for being an atheist is not based on his emotions and his experiences but because he just doesn't think there is a god, for example?

Stop projecting your reasons onto others. Just because he is bisexual does not mean he has to have the same reasons to be an atheist as you do and he may just not speak up about it because he is under no obligation to speak up about it as a bisexual like you seem to expect him to.

Yazata has made it clear that he is an atheist. You're just flinging shit in the hopes that something will stick. Stop harassing him. As a moderator, you are immune to the ignore function, so take this time to do the right thing and leave him alone.

 

[Magical Realist]

Whether he announced it on this site or not is beside the issue. He never brought it up in this thread and he never discussed it within the context of this thread in this thread. In other words, his sexuality has nothing to do with this thread. So why did you bring it up? Why did you kind of accuse him of being a bad bisexual because he didn't speak up? Because that is how you came across.

The post was a response to his own attempt to "shame me" for opposing religious people as evil villains, something I never said in the first place. See how that works? We express our moral opinions online, get called out on them when it appears we aren't living up to them and are in fact doing the exact thing we condemn, and then defend ourselves further. It's the same pattern over and over in all these threads. How to hold others to a moral standard that we ourselves aren't even living up to. What I did was no different. As a fellow atheist he held me to a standard of moral conduct based purely on my being atheist. I held him to a standard of moral conduct based purely on him being bisexual. So what's the difference? Everybody does it all the time here. But because it involves sexual orientation, there's suddenly an element of "shame" involved? I don't agree.