Hmm, let's see ... what are some signs of being an atheist?
I could go on and on but have something else to do now.
Yes, please do make up more lies. You appear to be very good at it.
Hmm, let's see ... what are some signs of being an atheist?
I could go on and on but have something else to do now.
Is it just so they can boost their own self-esteem by reinforcing each others? Is it that their own beliefs are so weak that they need this constant reinforcement to keep them up, or else they will backslide into worshipping Jehovah and his son?
For Christians and suchlike it makes sense to proselytize and develop group identity. But does it for atheists?
Me, I just don't care one way or another what some guy on a message board believes in or not. You believe in God? Fine, as far as science can tell? You don't? Also fine, by the same standards. It doesn't, to the best of verifiable knowledge, matter either way.
EDIT: Looking back at this post, I realize I might have been a little excessively snarky. It wasn't meant to cause offense. But it does seem odd to me that people who do not in fact believe in supernatural powers get so involved about them. Why bother so much with people's religions?
This is funny because this is exactly how I see the religious. Clinging to each other to reinforce their beliefs and to stay away from anyone who thinks differently.
No, but there is a constant battle with the far right over the separation of church and state in the US.
No problem. The reason religion comes up so often is that there is a high percentage of people in the world who are religious, and no matter how much we would like that to not be an issue that separates us and divides us, it does.
No, but there is a constant battle with the far right over the separation of church and state in the US. ”
Surely it's not that big a deal?
“ No problem. The reason religion comes up so often is that there is a high percentage of people in the world who are religious, and no matter how much we would like that to not be an issue that separates us and divides us, it does. ”
Well, yes, but a lot of atheists seem to be just as adversarial as a lot of religious people. Not just so they hold their own ground, but go out of their way to seek conflict. That's not really constructive or even helpful to their position.
Actually it is. Mainly from the religious right, there are constant attempts to infiltrate local school boards for the sole reason of changing the curriculum.
I think that they feel, if they can get their religion being taught alongside science that is legitimizes their beliefs. So it's not a matter of them believing in and following a religion, it is about them trying to force it on all of us.
That includes those of other religions as well.
There can be no state sanctioned religion. This is what they do not understand and will keep trying. So yes, the battle will go on and on.
Is it alot ? I know a lot of them and I don't see this. However, I don't expect them to just agree or go along with something to avoid conflict.
When was the last time an atheist came to your door selling atheism.
Though I was mostly thinking about people on the Internet. In real life I see little of either aggressive atheists or aggressively religious people.
which brings up the question of how much our attitudes about certain types of ppl are shaped by the extreme versions of those types of ppl, whereas the majority of those ppls aren't so bad..
*************How i cried when M*W departed. I check her scribble board but she no come no more.
*************
M*W: I have copied this from the Houston Atheist Group's website:
TOP TEN SIGNS THAT YOU ARE AN UNQUESTIONING CHRISTIAN
10- You vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of your god.
9- You feel insulted and 'dehumanized' when scientists say that people evolved from lesser life forms, but you have no problem with the Biblical claim that we were created from dirt.
8- You laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a Trinity god.
7- Your face turns purple when you hear of the 'atrocities' attributed to Allah, but you don't even flinch when hearing about how God/Jehovah slaughtered all the babies of Egypt in 'Exodus' and ordered the elimination of entire ethnic groups in 'Joshua' --Including women, children, and animals!
6- You laugh at Hindu beliefs that deify humans, and Greek claims about god sleeping with women, but you have no problem believing that the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary, who then gave birth to a man-god who got killed, came back to life and then ascended into the sky.
5- You are willing to spend your life looking for little loop-holes in the scientifically established age of the Earth (4.55 billion years), but you find nothing wrong with believing dates recorded by pre-historic tribesmen sitting in their tents and guessing that the Earth is a couple of generations old.!
4- You believe that the entire population of this planet with the exception of those who share your beliefs -- though excluding those in all rival sects -- will spend Eternity in an infinite Hell of Suffering. And yet you consider your religion the most 'tolerant' and 'loving'.
3- While modern science, history, geology, biology, and physics have failed to convince you otherwise, some idiot rolling around on the floor, speaking in 'tongues,' may be all the evidence you need.
2- You define 0.01% as a "high success rate" when it comes to answered prayers. You consider that to be evidence that prayer works. And you think that the remaining 99.99% FAILURE was simply the will of God.
1- You actually know a lot less than many Atheists and Agnostics do about the Bible, Christianity, and church history -- but still call yourself a "Christian."
Is this really an attitude a moderator should be displaying?
I never understand why so many atheists are so often so keen on belittling religious believers (and Christians in particular) for little or no reason. Is it just so they can boost their own self-esteem by reinforcing each others? Is it that their own beliefs are so weak that they need this constant reinforcement to keep them up, or else they will backslide into worshipping Jehovah and his son?
Well, yes, but a lot of atheists seem to be just as adversarial as a lot of religious people. Not just so they hold their own ground, but go out of their way to seek conflict. That's not really constructive or even helpful to their position.
I think that many of the more insulting and hostile atheists are former religious believers. Losing their childhood faith was a wrenching experience for them. They're still struggling inside themselves and will often project that onto others. There's a lot of bitterness.
One of the things that's always struck me about many militant atheists is how often they resemble religious fundamentalists with their faith-in-god torn out. There's the same textual literalism. You haven't lived until you've had a discussion board full of atheists lecturing you on the evils of allegorical scriptural interpretation and on the necessity that "true" Christians accept Biblical inerrancy. These atheists are just as fond of quoting scriptural 'proof-texts' as the fundies, except now they're used to discredit the Bible rather than to preach it. They seem to put in an inordinate amount of time studying their Bibles. There's the same evangelical impulse to preach and the same intolerance of dissenting opinion.
Of course, not all atheists are like that. I think that there's a large silent-majority of secular people out there who aren't obsessed with religion and don't even think about it all that often. They don't feel constantly driven to attack religious people and don't feel reflexive visceral anger in their presence. They may even have some vague positive feelings about some forms of religious expression, even if they don't share it themselves.
actually you both are guilty of stereotyping..both are true, but not for all.this statement is a perfect example why religious people aren't and shouldn't be taken seriously.
the only religious group that i know of who do that are the LDS..i've NEVER met an atheist who went around preaching they were or knocking on people's doors or handing out pamphlets (maybe they should).
now i can agree with you..haha, let's be honest here though. this is exactly what has religionists befuddled. they thought they could have oppressed and/or lulled everyone to their beliefs. there were those who were on the inside and know a great deal and are against it. that's what comes from experience. religionists don't like challenge or opposition, who does? if they had their way, no one would be against it. those who are familiar with religion and religionists will have more insight and knowledge. they just have more ammo against it and religionists would like to appeal to outsiders rather than the ones that were the direct victims for support against them asking for tolerance when they weren't tolerant at all and that's the dirty secret that those who were raised or been around religious people know, hence more of the hostility or even deep anger. lmao
religion had their chance..they blew it..(inquisitions)if everyone just let them go without any opposition or questions, they would end up abusing their power eventually which is exactly what they want.
?even those who are against some aspects of religion doesn't mean they reject or don't understand there are positives.
i call those ppl 'do as your told'..they do not want to take responsibility for their beliefs,they are happy to be lead like sheep (see roman influences on the bible to see how they are encouraged to be sheep..)it's just that you can't be too lenient to those who don't use any reason and justify everything with the bible which is what they do.
do you believe the bible is the unerring Word of God?also, when you lucidly consider it, those who say they don't take the bible literally but are christians are just being evasive.
consider how many of those works and philosophers were influenced by the bible.if they honestly are taking moral lessons or allegory,
that can be gleaned from many works or philosophies.
cause that is the closest thing i can find to describe my beliefs,there has to be more than that reason why one identifies as a christian,
the only religious group that i know of who do that are the LDS..