why do atheists define themselves this way? (genesis, America, mythology)

[JetJockey]

Originally Posted by mercy777

I had asked an atheist this question not long ago and did not get a response to the question. Just an answer to everything not pertaining to the question.
I also have four brothers that are non-believers, not one of them can give an answer.
The most I have ever heard was, it is my freedom to believe what I want.
Not funny knowing they are in there own prison.
However, God is Mighty! And the one who believes the less of God was blessed with a Christian wife and his only son is a believer at the age of 16. He told his father, " I believe in Christ and I know it is forbidden of you to speak about Him in your house, but I will not stop, even if you kick me out. The son still lives at home. God is Mighty!

Actually....there have been plenty of answers to that question not just in this thread, but in many others as well. The reason I 'fight' against religion is because the religious, for some reason, feel the need to want to forcibly make everyone believe as they do. Of course, they try to do it by being arrogant and sneaky, saying things like 'Oh, I just want to save you from hell' or 'I think your soul is important, so I can help you be saved'. To me, this is arrogant and ridiculous. You say you worry, but you don't. You don't really care. You just want everyone to validate your belief system and make it seem like you're morally superior to everyone else.

I don't talk about god or my atheism in my real life very often, but on message boards it's a philosophical free for all. I just wish the Jehovah's Witnesses that come to my house at least twice a week (ever since I let it slip that I was a non-believer) would just leave me the frick alone. I've asked them to many, many times...but they still leave stacks of literature about 'god' at my doorstep.

All I'm asking is that your version of god is kept private. You have your churches, you have your 'celebrations' you have your faires, special sections in magazines and newspapers...hell, you have your own magazines, newspapers, and plenty of tv stations. You even have your own schools and universities and that's not enough??? Leave us alone and we'll do the same to you.

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

...saying things like 'Oh, I just want to save you from hell' or 'I think your soul is important, so I can help you be saved'. To me, this is arrogant and ridiculous.

I agree this is arrogant and ridiculous... but have you honestly had people say this to you? Sheesh.

I guess I'm just lucky. Never had it happen to me.

Maybe this would only work for someone with my personality, but have fun with it. Have you tried giving them the finger? (I would never do that unless someone was really invading my space) Or even better, tell them that you are a high priest/priestess in the first church of satan. I wonder how big their eyes would get? Tell them you've been looking for a sacrifice--see how fast they run.

[Mercury Cougar]

Originally Posted by ChrisC

I agree this is arrogant and ridiculous... but have you honestly had people say this to you? Sheesh.

I've had that and much worse said to me because I'm an atheist. Things like "how can you get out of bed in the morning if you don't believe in god" and "why don't you just kill yourself because your life is meaningless as an atheist".

Oh yes. They can get pretty nasty.

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by Mercury Cougar

Things like "how can you get out of bed in the morning if you don't believe in god" and "why don't you just kill yourself because your life is meaningless as an atheist".

That's way over the line. What jackasses.

[professorsenator]

Originally Posted by Tzaphkiel

Why do atheists spend so much time talking about something they claim is ludicrous and a waste of their time? Why is it so important to put forth that amount of energy on something that is a "not" to them?

I consider myself atheist/agnostic. I don't talk about it much, but don't really avoid it either (except at family gatherings, where I avoid discussion of religion in the interest of family harmony). I don't put much "energy" into my (non)religious belief. I don't try to "convert" people, dissuade them from their beliefs. Nor am I militant about my atheism/agnosticism.

[justme58]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

All I'm asking is that your version of god is kept private. You have your churches, you have your 'celebrations' you have your faires, special sections in magazines and newspapers...hell, you have your own magazines, newspapers, and plenty of tv stations. You even have your own schools and universities and that's not enough??? Leave us alone and we'll do the same to you.

One of the few truths my ex pastor said is that street evangelism does more for the "evangelists" than actually spreading teh wurd.

Think about it, if you spat on one of these folk or cursed them or even slapped them, they would only have their beliefs validated in their 'majority" persecution complex. After all, their book of fairy tales tells them this will happen. It warns them of us heathen (read:critical thinkers/skeptics) and even gives them verses of pretty sunsets etc. to "prove" their non-existent/invisible gawd exists. Romans 1:20 onwards.

Problem is, most of them do not even understand the contexts of their memorized verses and that Paul was more the founder of their religion as opposed to the fictitious jesus.

[justme58]

Originally Posted by Mercury Cougar

I've had that and much worse said to me because I'm an atheist. Things like "how can you get out of bed in the morning if you don't believe in god" and "why don't you just kill yourself because your life is meaningless as an atheist".

Oh yes. They can get pretty nasty.

Carry a vial of fake poison and when they beat up on you , ask them to prove their beliefs by swallowing the poison. Make sure it has a symbol like this

[Thomas R.]

Originally Posted by JetJockey

Actually....there have been plenty of answers to that question not just in this thread, but in many others as well. The reason I 'fight' against religion is because the religious, for some reason, feel the need to want to forcibly make everyone believe as they do.

You know I want to be sympathetic, but I think at times I've allowed that to go beyond reason or to the point of denying reality.

I will grant Islamic Republics, but besides that where in the world are people being forcibly converted? Let alone atheists who tend to live in advanced nations with freedom of religion.

I don't deny atheists are harassed and mistreated at times, which is wrong, but this isn't the fourteenth century. The reality is forcible conversion of atheists is much less common in the last nine decades than forcible conversion to some atheistic system. The Vietnamese and Laotian regimes would arrest people for praying. In the Cultural Revolution of China religious people were forced to renounce their beliefs. In Mexico in the 1930s the anti-clerical regime would force some Catholic priests to renounce their vows and marry. Unlike the previous they weren't trying to convert them to Marxism as such, but to irreligion.

The one way I've heard to get around this is to say Marxism or Nationalism are religions, but this is basically just a way of saying "religion is any closed system of thought" or even "religion is any oppressive thing I happen to dislike." Outside of North Korea Marxism does not provide much or most of what is necessary to be a religion. Marxism has little or nothing to say about a person's inner life, death, love, the meaning of the Universe, or what have you. It is an economic and political philosophy.

[JetJockey]

Originally Posted by Thomas R.

You know I want to be sympathetic, but I think at times I've allowed that to go beyond reason or to the point of denying reality.

I will grant Islamic Republics, but besides that where in the world are people being forcibly converted? Let alone atheists who tend to live in advanced nations with freedom of religion.

I don't deny atheists are harassed and mistreated at times, which is wrong, but this isn't the fourteenth century. The reality is forcible conversion of atheists is much less common in the last nine decades than forcible conversion to some atheistic system. The Vietnamese and Laotian regimes would arrest people for praying. In the Cultural Revolution of China religious people were forced to renounce their beliefs. In Mexico in the 1930s the anti-clerical regime would force some Catholic priests to renounce their vows and marry. Unlike the previous they weren't trying to convert them to Marxism as such, but to irreligion.

The one way I've heard to get around this is to say Marxism or Nationalism are religions, but this is basically just a way of saying "religion is any closed system of thought" or even "religion is any oppressive thing I happen to dislike." Outside of North Korea Marxism does not provide much or most of what is necessary to be a religion. Marxism has little or nothing to say about a person's inner life, death, love, the meaning of the Universe, or what have you. It is an economic and political philosophy.

I'm not talking about forced conversion, necessarily... but the fact that there is still 'In god we Trust' on our money, in the pledge of allegience etc etc. There is also a large religious push to ban gay marriage which, unfortunately, has been quite successful. Christians trying their damndest to get creation taught alongside evolution in science class? Ridiculous. Faith based legislation? Even more ridiculous. As long as things like this are happening, I will continue feeling the way I feel about religion.

Like I said, they are doing it quite covertly... sneaking in, calling creation 'Intelligent Design' and claiming it has nothing to do with god... they will twist and change what they want others to believe to make it just palatable that most people won't give it a second thought. It's kind of frightening the lengths they will go.

[JetJockey]

Originally Posted by ChrisC

I agree this is arrogant and ridiculous... but have you honestly had people say this to you? Sheesh.

I guess I'm just lucky. Never had it happen to me.

Maybe this would only work for someone with my personality, but have fun with it. Have you tried giving them the finger? (I would never do that unless someone was really invading my space) Or even better, tell them that you are a high priest/priestess in the first church of satan. I wonder how big their eyes would get? Tell them you've been looking for a sacrifice--see how fast they run.

I've had both those and then some. I've actually been collecting the religious literature that left by my door and I've got a pile about 7 inches tall of nothing but Watchtower magazine and little pamphlets about 'finding Jesus'. I mean, I didn't know he was lost. Who knew?

I'm VERY careful about how I treat them though. I absolutely do not want them going to their fellow sheep and saying all Atheists are mean and horrible, which is what they would do.

I also have a full sleeve of tattoos... which marks me as an even bigger heretic, apparently. Last time I caught them (last saturday) I simply said 'Not all who wander are lost'. and asked them kindly to leave me alone.

They'll be back...they always come back.