Preaching?

M

Mr. Hamtastic

whackawhackado!
Registered Senior Member
Ok. If I decide to denounce atheism, isn't that preaching against it? Or if I accuse Jews of being deluded, isn't that preaching against them and stereotyping? I'm just curious.:shrug:
 
I'm afraid, Ham, it appears that by definition an atheist cannot preach, at least if what he or she is saying fits with their atheism, according to the rules....

7. Preaching, Proselytizing, and Evangelizing

A. Definitions:

Preaching – a “sermon” or address of a religious nature. Using religious dogma to support a point.
Proselytizing – making an attempt to convert someone to accept a religious opinion
Evangelizing – a version of proselytizing in which the religious believer’s true agenda is to spread the “word” to others of different or no faith.

B. The inclusion of religious text to support a point that isn’t related to a discussion or examination about a given religious text is considered to be, at a minimum, preaching. If the discussion is on the nature of various translations of religious text and how religious societies accept or interpret these texts, then quotes of scriptures would be appropriate.

C. A scriptural quote would be appropriate if one was attempting to explain why religious adherents make certain decisions, behave certain ways, believes certain things, etc. If, however, the quote is provided a priori from the point of view that it is a given truth that supports itself, it would be considered preaching or proselytizing.

D. Continued preaching and proselytizing would be, thus, considered evangelizing. Evangelizing in a science forum will not be tolerated.
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(I am assuming this is the issue underlying your post - are atheists preaching - let me know if I'm wrong.)

If we look at the definition of 'preach'
preach /pritʃ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[preech] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–verb (used with object)
1. to proclaim or make known by sermon (the gospel, good tidings, etc.).
2. to deliver (a sermon).
3. to advocate or inculcate (religious or moral truth, right conduct, etc.) in speech or writing.

–verb (used without object)
4. to deliver a sermon.
5. to give earnest advice, as on religious or moral subjects or the like.
6. to do this in an obtrusive or tedious way.
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it certainly is associated with religion, though the two definitions I bolded could be more widely applied.

I think it is an interesting issue.

Sermon could be used to cover secular positions:
ser·mon /ˈsɜrmən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[sur-muhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a discourse for the purpose of religious instruction or exhortation, esp. one based on a text of Scripture and delivered by a member of the clergy as part of a religious service.
2. any serious speech, discourse, or exhortation, esp. on a moral issue.
3. a long, tedious speech.
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So I think there is wiggle room to call an atheist on preaching. But I am not sure how much this happens. Insults occur, mockery, generalizations, but generally speaking I haven't noticed the atheists, in general, telling people what to do in the religious forum, or giving sermons on moral issues.

I am not sure denouncing counts either.

But if you have an example, let's take a look at it.

What was the specific post or posts that set you off?

I've seen a lot of stereotyping, though, in both directions.
 
hmmm, so denouncing someone's beliefs at length, over multiple posts, is not preaching or proseletyzing? If I begin a discourse on how atheism is bad and atheists are going to hell, isn't that considered preaching? (statement for example purposes only, the validity of the statement does not need to be debated here)
 
Mr. Hamtastic said:
hmmm, so denouncing someone's beliefs at length, over multiple posts, is not preaching or proseletyzing? If I begin a discourse on how atheism is bad and atheists are going to hell, isn't that considered preaching? (statement for example purposes only, the validity of the statement does not need to be debated here)
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I would say that if you wanted to tell me, for example, that I was going to hell for not accepting Jesus...shoot, what's his last name again? Jones? Yeah, Jesus Jones. If you tell me I'm going to hell for not accepting Jesus Jones into my life, then that would be preaching.

At the same time, if I say atheism is the best thing since sliced bread, and don't give a single reason as to why I believe atheism is the path toward enlightenment, then I'm preaching, as well.

The point is to back up the claims. Also, it would help a religious person's case if they simply cited what the Bible (or Torah, or Qu'ran) says about a certain kind of person, rather than going ahead and judging them for themselves.
 
Mr. Hamtastic said:
hmmm, so denouncing someone's beliefs at length, over multiple posts, is not preaching or proseletyzing? If I begin a discourse on how atheism is bad and atheists are going to hell, isn't that considered preaching? (statement for example purposes only, the validity of the statement does not need to be debated here)
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Nah, I do it all the time. As you can see from the responses I receive, all the atheists welcome self reflection based on rational thinking. ;)

JDawg said:
Keep rolling your eyes. All you do is make people not want to post on these forums with your degrading, holier-than-thou posts.
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JDawg said:
That's the most ignorant thing I've read here today. You assume religion benefits the individual, family, community, and society, and assume that an atheist cannot be a family-oriented, community-oriented, moral person.

You truly are an idiot. Delete it, ban me, whatever. You, SAM, are the cancer of this forum, you ignorant little worm.
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http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=83199&page=13

No irrational emotional outbursts there. :D
 
Stirring the pot is one thing, but a long diatribe over several thousand posts impugning someone's beliefs and calling names? I at least do people the honor of giving thought to a post until they have repeatedly ignored said thought.
 
It's interesting, btw, how the rules specify preaching and evangelizing to strike almost purely at those religions having "holy books". Isn't this unnecessarily prejudicial? Or is this considered a "spice" for the forums?
 
S.A.M. said:
Nah, I do it all the time. As you can see from the responses I receive, all the atheists welcome self reflection based on rational thinking. ;)




http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=83199&page=13

No irrational emotional outbursts there. :D
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It's only because I, like most people here, at sick of your lying, your inability to answer a direct question, and your constant use of sarcasm when a point has been proven against you, or even when someone displays an opinion that differs from yours. The worst part about you is that because someone got drunk and decided that post-whoring was all the qualifications needed to become a moderator, none of us can even put you on our ignore lists--something I guarantee at least a dozen people on this forum would do immediately.

You are clever, I will grant you that. But you are someone that should be able to be rendered invisible. Since we don't have that right, and you post in damn near every thread in every forum on this site, no one can get away from you. And when we DO attempt to ignore, as I did recently, what do I get? I get a private message from you goading me into replying.

And this person is a moderator.
 
Mr. Hamtastic said:
http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=3182

there is of course an entire 72 page thread participating in this religion bashing discourse, with a current mod being poster #2 on the topic. It was supposed to be about a seeming paradox, but was the discourse about the paradox? Or the thread title?
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I hate to tell you this but Cris is also a mod

http://www.sciforums.com/showgroups.php

Atheists don't see it as proselytising when they preach their beliefs. Because they know they are right!
Unlike those deluded theists, who only think they are.


To quote a post press the
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To copy multiple posts, press
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for all the posts you want to quote and finally press
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either for the final post you are quoting or for the post you want to reply to [ie the last selected post]

You are clever, I will grant you that. But you are someone that should be able to be rendered invisible.
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So much for questioning your beliefs.
 
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So much for questioning your beliefs.
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Ah, but only if you did question my beliefs. Instead, you question, then when answered, use misdirection, change the subject, or simply make a sarcastic remark.
 
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