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Besides the good answers already ...many have seen the literal damage the extremism of
religion has caused.
When Jerwade or Trout Dude have their coffee...maybe they will share
what they have seen...they are not disinterested in the topic of religion.
To the OP...has any of this helped you understand better?
Yes. You may recall that quite a while back I started a thread that asked the question if some of the avid christians that post here weren't christianity's own worst enemies. There are three specific pro-christian posters here on our forum who are so offensive (from my perspective), that they alone are all the reason I need to be an atheist...not that there aren't many other reasons.
In Buddhism, one of our teachings is to avoid dealing with negative people. Unfortunately, at least for me, that means avoiding dealing with all right-wing christians...and right now, that's a huge percentage of American christians.
There's one thing at the back of my mind - half the atheists used to be Christians, and it was trying to prove Christianity made atheist of them...that's 2 things..
Why do they keep asking the same questions again and and again?
It's that old Christian thing of having your flagship sunk by reason, logic and common sense, dragging it up from the sea-bed and re-floating it...hoping that nobody has remembered that it's the same ship as before and it doesn't float.
I have found the majority of those identified and labeled "atheist' by the fundie pack, tend to be more civil and factual.
Whereas the evangelical pack is generally throwing fire and brimstone and "praying" to some twisted version of god that all those who do not think, walk, talk and accept the identical "truth" be tossed into the fires and burned for their failure to embrace the evangelical truth, simply because some church says that is the way and eternal death is the only other option.
Is the focus of the forum to explore religion and spirituality, or to rid the world of it because of the snake handlers etc.?
Whatever the original purpose of the forum (it was originally religion and Philosophy, but it changed and has changed again. It is now religion and Secularism Unofficially) Atheists Rule here - by dint of the best arguments, apologetics and minds. And the Agenda (of which we are but a small part) is to have a secular society which bases its knowledge on verified data (science) and logical reasoning, and arts and culture (including religious festivals) as the needs of the human spirit. This means people can believe what they like but, unless they can validate it, they should keep it to themselves and not use it as an excuse to get out of paying taxes or cover up crimes and scams.
This covers snake handlers, snake -oil salesmen and snakes in the political grass alike. Today, America, tomorrow, the world.
Or rather Tomorrow, America (we hope) and Europe the day after, and then the long climb to free speech, equality and secular Law in Islamic society. remember, Pew overlooked that there are MANY Muslims who dissent from Islamic law, even if not atheist, but they don't dare speak out. This is known. The Imams rightly fear secularisation, and an end to their powers and trials for what they have done.
I suggest you take that post and reverse it and it might be an interesting reversal of the mindset of the person who posted it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rafius
It's that old Christian thing of having your flagship sunk by reason, logic and common sense, dragging it up from the sea-bed and re-floating it...hoping that nobody has remembered that it's the same ship as before and it doesn't float.
It's that old Christian thing of having your flagship sunk by reason, logic and common sense, dragging it up from the sea-bed and re-floating it...hoping that nobody has remembered that it's the same ship as before and it doesn't float.
Do you think relabeling the forum(s) to a secular title would help? As Transponder has stated many times you guys own this forum as well as the agnosticism section. What's up for debate?
Religious forums? Seems like a waste of time and electrons. Why post on a forum of which is devoted to a subject of which holds no relevance to one. I don’t knit or fly airplanes. I don’t visit knitting or airplane forums. So why all the none-spiritual people on this forum? Uncertain about one’s belief system? Perhaps.
If I’ve asked this question before, forgive me. I am simply perplexed.
Actually, you do. You've posted in the Aviation forum.
You've also posted many times in the Atheist & Agnostic and the Islam sub-forums, yet you're not an atheist nor an agnostic nor a Muslim. Furthermore, given the permeation of Christianity in western society, you either know perfectly well (despite your claim otherwise) that Christianity is highly relevant to non-Christians or you are profoundly unimaginative. Which it is I cannot say, for both are equally plausible.
You only have to look at yourself. A quick search shows dozens and dozens of threads, started by you, with 'atheism' or 'atheist' in the thread title. You're fixated on atheism and atheists, even though atheism has far less influence on the everyday lives of people in the United States than does Christianity.
* - It only pretends to be a question, actually being an insinuation that atheists are uncertain about their beliefs, which is as dumb as claiming that everyone who discusses communism (like you - love that search function) must secretly doubt capitalism.
You're lack of self-awareness is impressive.
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Unofficially) Atheists Rule here - by dint of the best arguments, apologetics and minds. And the Agenda (of which we are but a small part) is to have a secular society which bases its knowledge on verified data (science) and logical reasoning, and arts and culture (including religious festivals) as the needs of the human spirit. This means people can believe what they like but, unless they can validate it, they should keep it to themselves and not use it as an excuse to get out of paying taxes or cover up crimes and scams. 
Tomorrow, America (we hope) and Europe the day after, and then the long climb to free speech, equality and secular Law in Islamic society. remember, Pew overlooked that there are MANY Muslims who dissent from Islamic law, even if not atheist, but they don't dare speak out. This is known. The Imams rightly fear secularisation, and an end to their powers and trials for what they have done.
