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This nation was created by religious people seeking a nation under God.
Wrong. It was founded by people seeking religious freedom. That includes the right to freedom from religion. I'm all for everyone worshipping however they please, as long as they're not trying to impose their religious will on anyone else. I don't tell you that you have to meditate and chant, you don't tell me that I can't buy beer on Sunday. See how easy that is? Live and let live.
How is it that Christians are, then, seen as attempting to take over? How does one take over that which he rightfully and historically owns?
So Christians actually own America? I wasn't aware of that fact. As others have said the political system in America was designed to include those of every belief or lack of belief and treat them as equals. As sanspeur pointed out there are in fact groups of hard line Christians who would like to overthrow our present government and replace it with an officially Christian government which would force everyone follow laws based on the Bible. I don't know if this would include stoning people to death for working on the Sabbath but it would be very radical. Fortunately the great majority of Americans including mainstream Christians would never allow such a thing to happen.
Atheists, agnostics and deists are integral to keeping our society free from religous repression. Too many religous feel that their brand or domination is the only correct one, and worse still -- they want the laws of the land to reflect their religions tenets. This could be Christianity, it could be Islamic, it could be Hindu. The point is regardless of belief, religion and politics make a nightmarish couple. It is odd to me that the same people who worry about Sharia Law coming to a state near you, would have no problem living under (insert the name of your specific brand of Christianity here) Law. Both are inherently bad, and both would be ripe for corruption.
No, give me the atheists and protect me from the righteous.
It is laughable to me to see atheists attempt to take the high ground. Those of faith are clearly the backbone of this nation which was founded on Christian principles. How is it that Christians are, then, seen as attempting to take over? How does one take over that which he rightfully and historically owns?
Is it not the atheist who now wants to make of America something she was never created to be? Is it not the atheist who wants dominion--who masquerades as a force for tolerance when its ultimate goal is to stamp out religion wherever it finds it? Is it not atheism that kicked God out of schools and despises and fights against any public display of reverence for God? Is it not atheism that has infiltrated our schools systems with its anti-God, anti-moral, Evolution doctrines?
Do not point your fingers at Christianity and accuse it of dominion. It cannot wrongly dominate that which was created by it and for it! It is atheism that is the intruder. It is atheism that is intolerant while it points its finger at Christianity and shouts "intolerance!"
This nation was created by religious people seeking a nation under God. As such, those of faith are the true natives. Atheists should expect to be as much an anomaly in America as a Christian should expect to be in a Muslim nation. We would not go to Iraq and insist that they proclaim the Christ of Christianity and demand that Christianity have an influence in their Islamic society. Neither should atheists feel that they have the right to impose their antithetical, godless tenets upon the Judeo-Christian society in which they are privileged to live.
Why do atheists find it strange that those of faith want to preserve that upon which this nation was founded? We seek only to maintain our Judeo-Christian heritage. It is the atheist who is the dominionist because he will never be content living alongside those of faith--his ultimate goal is to wipe them out once and for all. Tolerant atheism is an oxymoron!
Preterist
You are so wrong on so many points...I suggest you pick up a book on American history.
Atheists are quite content to live along side of people of faith as long the rules of any faith are not imposed on us....You seem to think that your rights are being stripped away. I have no idea how you came to that conclusion, when people of any faith are welcomed in your country.
The Christian God in schools imposes your God on our children..How about those who worship other Gods? Do you also want them in schools? I thought not....Teach your children about your God at home or in your church...You have that right.
Yes evolution is taught in schools because it is science, and has absolutely nothing to do with atheism...Most Christians support it. Don't like it? Teach your children creationism...You have that right.
You do not like living in a secular society? You would prefer a theocracy? Do some research and see how well that works. The reason the US is not a theocracy is that most Christians are against it. Atheists do not have the numbers to have much influence in it, or any other laws in your country...
While atheists are "tolerated", we are still a minority in this country. We are considered unholy, ungodly, satanic and dangerous breed of humans. Luckily, we are not killing, stealing nor doing other atrocities in the name of a "being". However, I believe that atheists bring a very healthy balance, a "voice of reason" if you wish.
MT, Christian government is a really scary thought.
You know, I never thought about this until last night but have you ever seen someone new to the forum come on here and make a statement about Atheists that we've all heard before? It happens on both sides, might I add, but I noticed that there are several tendencies of the same argument for first-time posters to normally assert and I think it's a pretty good reflection of the general American populace in that most people have never really conversed or spoken with an Atheist. Therefore, the arguments they assert, although probably thought of as good arguments because they've heard them their whole life, are often typically refuted and after a while of acclimating themselves on the forum they start to realize that even though they don't necessarily agree with us on matters of faith or lack thereof, they understand that there is reasoning rather than just denial of belief.
I think that most people in America view Atheists less as having thought about whether the existence of God is real but presume that we're somehow angry or misunderstanding of God and therefore we still believe we just call ourselves Atheists out of spite. Therefore, the general thought process seems to me that most people in America are not familiar with the arguments against God because they simply haven't been exposed to them. Thus, you will frequently hear general assertions and citations that you can't be moral without God, evolution doesn't explain the Big Bang (I'm still depressed over the fact that people don't even know the difference between the two), and other typical arguments.
This isn't to point out any specific poster or even that there is a general amount of ineptitude within new forum posters. It's just an observation of mine that leads me to believe that your typical, every day American really and truly does not understand that Atheism is simply just a lack of belief in a deity. I suppose that it's threatening to a lot of people who have been exposed to nothing but religiosity their entire life so the usual arguments come out. It's interesting to watch new people come on the forum and rapidly change their assertions after some time and that goes for Christians and Atheists alike.
Nevertheless, the one beneficial thing about it is that it does seem to enhance the understanding of one side or the other. At least, at the very least, a person who thinks I, as an Atheist, believe that evolution was the start of the Big Bang would know better than that by the time I get done with them and they would understand that there is a certain amount of research that needs to be done before making blanket assertions.
If there is most certainly one positive aspect to Atheism in society it is to keep everything in balance and hopefully to educate as well as shift perceptions on a variety of different matters.
I recall quite awhile ago reading about an interest by many far right Christians to consider the possibility of moving to South Carolina and establishing it as a separate Christian nation. Obviously that hasn't happened but it's clear that people with this attitude have no interest in being a part of a democratic society that has been called the melting pot because it welcomes every ethnic group and religion or lack of religion. The Founding Fathers of America were a collection of some of the most brilliant minds in history and we are so fortunate that they had the wisdom to create an open and free society. It's too bad that so many people don't understand what that even means.
I recall quite awhile ago reading about an interest by many far right Christians to consider the possibility of moving to South Carolina and establishing it as a separate Christian nation. Obviously that hasn't happened but it's clear that people with this attitude have no interest in being a part of a democratic society that has been called the melting pot because it welcomes every ethnic group and religion or lack of religion. The Founding Fathers of America were a collection of some of the most brilliant minds in history and we are so fortunate that they had the wisdom to create an open and free society. It's too bad that so many people don't understand what that even means.
But what kind of Christians? It has amazed me that different Christian sects can be so at odds with one another. I never knew that Catholics weren't considered Christian, for example. Also I never knew that 'Christian' was different then say, Methodist or Lutheran. Blows my little agnostic mind, it does
So it is no wonder that they cannot become their own nation when they cannot agree amongst themselves who are 'real' Christians and whose brand of 'Christianity' ought to be followed.
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