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It doesn't have to be about just what you want it to be about.
I didn’t say it did! lol - in fact, in a previous post I said I know people will communicate (and discuss) what they want. But it’s a forum - and I have an opinion.
I didn't think you were referring to me either. If you catch someone doing it then call them out. I don't disagree with what you are saying but I'm not the boss of anyone.
I didn't think you were referring to me either. If you catch someone doing it then call them out. I don't disagree with what you are saying but I'm not the boss of anyone.
I wouldn’t specifically call anyone out - we’re all adults (and no one is boss here). It’s obvious who they are, anyway - everyone who reads the forum should see it. I am only mentioning it as part of the ‘why everyone hates atheists’ thread.
I wouldn’t specifically call anyone out - we’re all adults (and no one is boss here). It’s obvious who they are, anyway - everyone who reads the forum should see it. I am only mentioning it as part of the ‘why everyone hates atheists’ thread.
You seem hung up on the "hating atheists" thing. We could have just as easily begun a thread on why people hate christians. But I don't see all this hate except for a small group of right wing christians.
And I don't think you quite get the school factor that you keep talking about. As a teacher and then principal...I lived it for 33 years. In the 1950s we did have ministers go into schools and attempt to bring christianity right into the school house, or, as in my home town, get kids dismissed an hour early once a week to attend weekday "Sunday school". But anywhere I've taught or administered, never once did a minister or priest come into the school and try to do anything. It was ALWAYS individual religious parents OR TEACHERS who tried to manipulate the system. The parents who didn't want evolution taught in earth science classes because, "I don't want my son to think". The born again teacher who thought he had the right to tell 12 year old girls that they would go to hell if their blouses were too suggestive or their shorts were too short. The choral teacher who forced students to learn christian hymns at christmas. The christian teacher who got involved in the every day activities of the prayer group, despite county policy that teachers could supervise religious groups, but not participate. The handful of parents who thought we were heathens because we allowed some activities related to Halloween. And other things. It was always religious individuals where I taught or administered; the ministers and priests knew better.
You seem hung up on the "hating atheists" thing. We could have just as easily begun a thread on why people hate christians. But I don't see all this hate except for a small group of right wing christians.
And I don't think you quite the school factor that you keep talking about. As a teacher and then principal...I lived it for 33 years. In the 1950s we did have ministers go into schools and attempt to bring christianity right into the school house, or, as in my home town, get kids dismissed an hour early once a week to attend weekday "Sunday school". But anywhere I've taught or administered, never once did a minister or priest come into the school and try to anything. It was ALWAYS individual religious parents OR TEACHERS who tried to manipulate the system. The parents who didn't want evolution taught in earth science classes because, "I don't want my son to think". The born again teacher who thought he had the right to tell 12 year old girls that would go to hell if their blouses were too suggestive or their shorts were too short. The choral teacher who forced students to learn christian hymns at christmas. The christian teacher who got involved in the every day activities of the prayer group, despite county policy that teachers could supervise religious groups, but not participate. The handful of parents who thought we were heathens because we allowed some activities related to Halloween. And other things. It was always religious individuals where I taught or administered; the ministers and priests knew better.
I’m an atheist, so I don’t hate atheists (or at least agnostic depending on the label one would use). Keeping religion out of schools and government is a passionate issue for me. Bashing individuals for their beliefs is not.
And yes, it works both ways.
Also - just need to be clear about a previous post, several states do ‘officially’ ban atheists from running for office, but technically, they are unenforceable (because of federal law). Still, it speaks to the bias toward atheists.
Last edited by CorporateCowboy; 02-19-2019 at 11:19 PM..
There's a tendency among some believers to hate us, and here is an example of why:
Quote:
"The historical evidence for the existence of Christ the man is flimsy. The views attributed to him are another matter. Such views enable one to assess an individual, hypothetical or existing, who might hold them. Some of the ethical views which purport to come from him are supportable. The hallucinatory conviction that he possessed divinity was shared by many wandering mystics and lunatics of the day.”
– Bertrand Russell, Dear Bertrand Russell: Selection of His Correspondence with the General Public, 1950-68 (1969)
Nobody likes having their God referred to as a "lunatic."
Was Russell saying JC was a lunatic, or only that his followers were?
Quote:
Originally Posted by KaraZetterberg153
Oh, come now. For thousands of years, anyone who dared contradict the prevailing orthodoxy was in danger of being tortured, losing their life, or in the modern era, losing their job. Their families, if they had them, were often made to suffer. There was a whole range of social and economic consequences.
I only read through the first three pages thus far, and while I think "hate" is too strong a description of attitudes from theists, I am going to agree with KaraZetterberg153 on some points, namely that theists are not always passive or neutral about atheists...
I find that theists generally - when they learn that you are an atheist will :
feel sorry for you because - well, there is obviously something wrong with you
will attempt to initiate corrections - either solo or within their personal groups to try to heel (<- not a misspelling) you. If you have never been cornered while 5-10 people spend an hour or two trying to "cure" your sickness, you are in for a treat. Funny thing is that had I been the bad soul that they thought I was, I probably would not have sat and conversed (debated the values of religion) with this attack posse, I would have just told them they are being rude and judgmental and that they should just F.O.
will cut off contact with you because you are a threat to their theist beliefs... in other words, you are an evil person without morality who will try to hurt them by dragging them out of the church
show no outward differences at all.
In my experience, (d) happens most often, with (a) closely following, these are the primary reactions, however, (c) is so common that it is not even a surprise to me anymore and while rare, (b) has happened enough that I have lost close friends because of it.
Within the (c) category:
It is also my experience that often, someone who started out as a dating opportunity will quickly back away and when asked why, they report that it is the fact that you are not a moral person - that you cannot be because you need god to be moral. These are people who at one time thought you might have been the nicest and most honest and moral person they had ever met - up until the reveal.
I also lost someone who started out as a good friend because she could not deal with the fact that I was going to burn in hell - and she did not want to be friends anymore because of it. This didn't stop her for seeking favors when she was in need of help, but actual friends - no. This was a work friend, so while she was not rude, she lost all personal warmth. This was despite the fact that I was always there for her as a friend and we never had a cross word.
Another thrill was the woman on a secular dating site who when she learned I was an atheist (if she had just read my profile she wouldn't have assumed I believed in god), instead of just saying goodnight, I prefer someone else; started sending me mail messages with not scripture - but prayers - to god that I be heeled - everyday for about a week until I blocked her. Never once did she acknowledge or even respond my request that she stop being abusive.
These are just some of my experiences with people who learn you are not a believer. Again, most just fade away, but others can become unbalanced about it. Can this happen the other way around, maybe; I guess so, but I have never experienced or heard of someone harassing a friend, former friend, or potential friend simply (and only) because the harasser was an atheist.
Last edited by blktoptrvl; 02-19-2019 at 11:04 PM..
I’m an atheist, so I don’t hate atheists (or at least agnostic depending on the label one would use). Keeping religion out of schools and government is a passionate issue for me. Bashing individuals for their beliefs is not.
And yes, it works both ways.
What does that mean that it's a passionate issue for you?
If I say I'm "passionate" about something, I'll be able to tell you something significant that I've done about it. I may tell you that I've done volunteer work about the issue. I may tell you that I've contributed money to further the cause. I may tell you that I've gotten involved in contacting elected representatives about the issue. But if I haven't done something about the issue, then I'm not going to say that I'm passionate about it. I may be interested it the topic, but that's different than being passionate about a topic.
You don't have to talk about anything about yourself, cause after all to talk briefly about what you've done -- or not done -- will tip us all of to exactly who you are.
I see no evidence that you're more than just a good talker. And that's fine, but it's not passion.
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