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Atheists are all different, of course. The only thing we have in common is no god - belief.
So what we would look for is to be seen as people generally as decent as any others and not to be tainted with the brush of Marxist atheist regimes.
We would like to to given credit for aplying evidence, logic and reason to our decisions about what we believe and what we don't. We don't want to be told that our non -belief is because we are afraid to believe or want to lead a sinful life or the Devil is perching on our shoulder whispering misinformation.
We would like to be understood as looking for a level playing -field, not looking for special privileges, when we ask that we are not preached at, asked to swear on a Bible or have various religious bods popping up presuming to tell us how our society should be run.
Logic, reason and evidence. If it doesn't stack up - if we can't say that we have pretty good evidence for it - then there is no cause to believe something. We would expect that such a conclusion should be given the 'respect' that we hear so much about.
That's your problem you still think atheist have a doctrine that we all read from. You can't seem to understand that atheist are all independent...
The only thing you could know about an atheist is that he/she doesn't accept claims of a god/s.
If you look at posts from people like Miss Blue and Thomas R you can see that they get their point across without purposely insulting people, making posts with snide remarks, painting atheists with a broad brush or misrepresenting our beliefs for the sake of arguing against a strawman version of atheism.
Imo that's an infinitely more effective way of debating than trying to get angry responces for the sake of seing conflict. The last few days we had like 6 or so threads closed because of trolling behaviour on both sides, what did that acomplish? Nothing, people should watch reality tv shows if all they want to see is constant fighting.
It also helps to know what atheism is and why people believe it. I keep running into people who really don't understand what I believe and have the arrogance to keep using the strawman version of my beliefs even after being corrected.
You see, often I am accused of insulting you in my attempts to find the fllaws in your ideas and views and reasoning and yes intelligence.
The problem is that you start with a pre-ordained 'given' - that atheists, their ideas, their views, and reasoning are flawed and that they lack intelligence. While I have no problems with people viewing the above as flawed, when you start to question my (or anyone else's) intelligence, you come across as nothing other than insulting.
I'll use a simple analogy to put things into perspective as to how you come across:
"I, Ryrge, think that the black community is flawed and that their ideas, views and reasoning lack intelligence. Now, I, Ryrge, would like to ask the black community why this is so and how they would like me to critique them. I am constantly accused of sounding insulting when I question the black community's intelligence. Could you please tell me why this is?"
You know what I get tired? People assuming atheists have never been believers. They never stop to think that just maybe this atheist has seen with her own eyes and experienced in her own life, the lack of evidence in this god. The assumption that I have no knowledge of the bible or any holy books is an intellectual slap in the face.
Addressing atheists, how would you want us to critique you?
You see, often I am accused of insulting you in my attempts to find the fllaws in your ideas and views and reasoning and yes intelligence.
But on my part I never accuse anyone of insulting me, period.
So, I think it is best if you just tell us, me and others who want to find out the flaws in your ideas and views and reasoning and yes intelligence.
How would you want us to critique you?
I don't mind the criticism of my ideas, that's why we're all here - to test our ideologies. The only time I find insult in posts is when the poster gets all sanctimonious and holier than thou. Feel free to disagree with me - that's what I want. I don't want a world where everyone thinks just like I do. Just be respectful about it and remember that your ideologies are just that - your ideologies and opinions- not the golden standard, not the absolute right, just what you feel and think as an individual. (note, I mean 'your' in the general, not personal sense - this goes for all of us.)
You know what I get tired? People assuming atheists have never been believers. They never stop to think that just maybe this atheist has seen with her own eyes and experienced in her own life, the lack of evidence in this god. The assumption that I have no knowledge of the bible or any holy books is an intellectual slap in the face.
I would have to agree with this. It is assumed that atheists have never cracked a bible or gone to a place of worship. This assumption that we're atheists just because we weren't exposed to religion enough to know any better is asinine.
Thanks, and I will comply, but atheists do not equate with blacks.
Thanks, and I will comply, but atheists, do not equate yourselves with blacks.
About the words, intelligence, intelligent, intelligently, they are unfortunately not welcome to people who feel that they are being described with those words unfavorably.
But they are scientific terms.
They are not different in generic import as words from the words, black(ness), black, and blackly.
They are not, the words, intelligence, intelligent, and intelligently, similar in their generic import as words equivalent to the word ni*gg*r and its variants.
So, perhaps, if you read my use of the words intelligence, intelligent, and intelligently to apply to your ideas, views, and thinking, etc., you are entitled to use the words also to apply to my ideas, views, and thinking, etc.
Do you now see something like the pot calling the cauldron black?*
Think about that, intelligently, your thinking that is, not your person, of course since all our words and deeds reflect on our person, then it is best PR to not use words which reflect poorly on our person.
What about the term mental acuity in place of intelligence, or understanding in place of intelligence, give me some suggestions.
But I tell you that there are words which are scientific terms even though they are queasy, uncomfortable at best to listeners who want to apply them to their person directly, when they should just transcend from their person and keep to the scientific senses of the terms.
Thanks, and I will comply, but atheists, do not equate yourselves with blacks.
I did not equate Atheists to black people.
...And you're the one questioning our intelligence.
I gave an analogy of casting a blanket statement towards a group of people without having explored the depths of their reasoning, mental acuities, or arguments against it. You start with a pre-supposed argument and try to weasel your pathetic arguments to mold those presuppositions rather than trying to investigate whether something is true or not.
To any rational and logical person, that is the very foundation of ignorant, biased, and irrational thinking. You seem to fit the latter quite well.
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Herding cats..
