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1) The religious make bad arguments, and it is natural to refute bad arguments of all kinds. Religion should not be immune.
2) Creationism, the link between religion and the far right, stoning people to death on religious grounds, forcing women to wear the Hijab, usw. But for some, apparently fighting against dangerous religious fundamentalism is anti-theism.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TashaPosh
Noooo. Atheism just means we don’t believe in god. It doesn’t mean we are against religion. Is that really what you think?
Gods, plural.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TashaPosh
It doesn’t mean we are against religion.
Harry Diogenes, based upon your "ok" icon, what religion are you not against? Does that mean anything that is not rabid and dangerous fundamentalism? Or?
For the record, I'm a cafeteria Protestant, a cafeteria Catholic (and a Traditionalist one at that, which may or may not complicate things ) and I think for myself. I have studied all the major religions of the world and some minor/obscure ones.
I don't care what people believe or practice as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. And I do crusade in my mind against dangerous religious fundamentalism. That is not anti-theism. It's called reason. And I do consider myself more liberal than conservative when it comes to doing what is right for all people, ya know that terrible horrible phrase called social justice." Quelle horreur. You know, equal rights under the law. All men are created equal and all that stuff. The Constitution of the United States of America which has been at least partially hijacked IMO by fundamentalists.
*I am aware that there are people from my recent former church who will probably see this post. I do not care. I know who I am, what I believe and why I believe it. Human beings are not The Judge. <<That was intended for any former members who know who I am IRL.
And now, I'm going to go do the Stations of the Cross because it has meaning for me. Y'all do what is meaningful for you.
This has been addressed multiple times. Any member can post in any forum. This web site exists to provide demographic information for US cities. The forums were added to support that purpose. The general forums (including this one) were added for the convenience of the members (or maybe for the amusement of the owner ). Restricting a member from a particular forum requires custom configuration of the account settings, and is not worth the efforts for something that is a trivial add on to the web site.
If we felt that a member would not conform to the rules, we might tell him/her to stay out of a thread or a forum. If the member chooses not to follow that advice, the most likely outcome would be a "former" member.
We don't even know your names, let alone have access to any credentials. There would be no way for us to verify any claim to credentials anyway. I don't have any idea what credentials a person could present to support a claim to being an atheist or an agnostic. We generally take people at their word regarding what they believe, what education they have, where they live, or most anything else. (The fun comes when somebody gets their story mixed up. Somebody is always sharp enough to call them out. )
Amusement of the owner, absolutely What fun.
Ah, the stories, yes. I keep my thoughts on those to myself.
Thank you for clarifying to everyone reading that any member can post in any forum. I am saving this post. anytime i am challenged as to why i post here, there, or anywhere, I will say Mansa said I can and whip this out.
Amusement of the owner, absolutely What fun.
Ah, the stories, yes. I keep my thoughts on those to myself.
Thank you for clarifying to everyone reading that any member can post in any forum. I am saving this post. anytime i am challenged as to why i post here, there, or anywhere, I will say Mansa said I can and whip this out.
I didn't say that. Sometimes it is perfectly appropriate to ask why someone is posting.
Location: As of 2022….back to SoCal. OC this time!
9,297 posts, read 4,571,902 times
Reputation: 7613
Quote:
Originally Posted by primaltech
Thank you. I'm not a regular around here, so you all know more than me, but it's pretty obvious and easy to spot when someone is coming to the atheism forum to just be hostile and argumentative, instead of engage in well-intentioned debate about ideas and concepts and the thread topic. It's quite telling.
It’s telling when ppl are here a lot more than they claim to be. Why would somebody who is new here say “but you’ve got to listen to and acknowledge when we explain things” or repeat almost to the letter the same type of stuff other posters have said in different threads.
You say you agree atheism doesn’t mean we have to hate anybody or be against religion, but then you call ppl who think it hostile & argumentative….or trolls. It’s not being a troll because we disagree with a few regulars. Then you join in with the “chosen few” who post gossip & misrepresent us, like a mean girl in 7th grade would do when she doesn’t like someone. IMO, it’s not healthy behavior.
edit:
And, there is no reason for me to engage the anger or be here if ppl can’t “speak” calmly AND accept our views of atheism without misrepresenting us or posting that my husband..(CorporateCowboy)..& I are only here to troll or start arguments. So…you’ll be happy to know today was not only my 1st day in here, but my last.
Last edited by TashaPosh; 04-07-2023 at 03:46 PM..
It’s telling when ppl are here a lot more than they claim to be. Why would somebody who is new here say “but you’ve got to listen to and acknowledge when we explain things” or repeat almost to the letter the same type of stuff other posters have said in different threads.
Like I said, I didn't even know this Religion section was here 2 months ago, but since discovering it, I can see who the regulars are and what they're all about. Have you read all of the posts in this thread, and some of the other active ones in the Atheist section? It's a lot of the constant same stuff from certain people, who aren't here to debate point for point or acknowledge something you say or retort or whatever. There's no constructive disagreement or debate. It's all about nonsense one liners and making stuff up because they feel threatened by rational atheists and whatever.
I've been on the internet long enough to know the type. <<cut>> I call it like I see it.
All cb2008 seems to want to do is derail the thread, so I'm not going to engage in that crap. Like the moderator said, everyone is welcome to post in the Atheist section, but if you're not here to post anything thoughtful or on topic, then I don't have to engage with it.
Just like I'm tired of talking to you, and your insulting, disgusting, pathetic, more-righteous-than-thou tone.
Quote:
Ppl aren’t coming to the atheism forum to be hostile. You say you agree atheism doesn’t mean we have to hate anybody or be against religion, but then you call ppl who think that hostile & argumentative. Then you join in with the “chosen few” with gossip & misrepresenting them, like a mean girl in 7th grade would do when she doesn’t like someone. IMO, it’s not healthy.
I don't know what the hell you are lying about, now. I can't follow your juvenile train of thought, nor do I care to.
You're too lazy to even bother to read the thread or all that's been stated in here, and yet you want me to engage your baseless insults of me.
Here's some facts for you: I am fully aware that not all atheists are anti-theist. I never once said that they are. I never once said that they should be or need to be. I don't in any way shape or form think that not being anti-theist is being hostile or trolling. Being hostile and trolling is being hostile and trolling. Everyone's viewpoint is welcome here, but if you want to criticize, then be prepared to defend your statements. It's not that hard.
Last edited by mensaguy; 04-07-2023 at 03:28 PM..
Reason: Read the forum rules. Quit accusingg someone of trolling.
A..ny..way, let's get this thread back on track shall we?
I realised I didn't respond to your OP, so here goes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by primaltech
I was thinking about this, recently. Would be curious to any comments/thoughts.
When people believe in God, and other religious beliefs, or things related to that- what they're believing is true, is almost always something that benefits them. Coincidentally (conveniently), it's, the things they want to be true, the ideas that give them the most comfort, that they're claiming, are in fact true and real.
They're biased, is what I'm saying. And that if anything, that's a sign of evidence against a position or argument. It's never (or, rarely), "well, I don't care if there's a God or not, and I'd be fine if there wasn't, and it doesn't bring me any comfort that there is, but the evidence points to there being a God". Or, I've never heard anything like that kind of argument.
Meanwhile in the actual real world, of often harsh and sad realities (because, natura non contristatur), we see that reality is only what presents itself to us, through our observation and experience of living in it. It's rarely or never what we would ideally want it to be, or what would bring us the most comfort or peace or happiness.
Yes, your loved one died, and it was a tragedy and they did not deserve to die by anything they ever did wrong. But that's how life goes, and you will never be reunited with them. All dead people are dead and gone forever. All we have is the memories, and what they left behind.
I think that most of religion is mostly about the understandable human fear and denial of that cold and hard fact: death. Understandable, but, ultimately we're better off facing it as it is, with no sugar coating.
I don't think people should believe in anything. Because, the things that are actually real, you don't need to believe in. You wake up in the morning and you observe that the sun rises. If any religious claims were real, then, people wouldn't need to believe in them. The attraction to/the need for/the belief in a thing, shows us that that thing is very likely not true.
I think it's okay to have belief.
'Belief' to me is in a similar ball park to 'hope' and hope is a good thing. It gives us things to look forward to.
I don't mind people having belief as long as it's not hurting anybody. That's all anything comes down to really: Be a good person.
Although we are only presented with one reality, people can view that same reality through different lenses - the people with the cup half full and the people with the cup half empty.
I think it's okay to sugar coat things a little. Sugar coating has got me through some very, very rough times.
Right back at you. Good riddance to your amazing contributions to this thread.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cruithne
A..ny..way, let's get this thread back on track shall we?
I realised I didn't respond to your OP, so here goes.
Indeed. Appreciated, thank you!
Quote:
I think it's okay to have belief.
'Belief' to me is in a similar ball park to 'hope' and hope is a good thing. It gives us things to look forward to.
I don't mind people having belief as long as it's not hurting anybody. That's all anything comes down to really: Be a good person.
Although we are only presented with one reality, people can view that same reality through different lenses - the people with the cup half full and the people with the cup half empty.
I think it's okay to sugar coat things a little. Sugar coating has got me through some very, very rough times.
Yeah I also don't mind anyone's having belief. It doesn't bother me and it doesn't harm me. If you need to have a religious belief or want to have one, then go for it, by all means.
But I could never accept sugar coating, myself. I like to face the facts of reality as they are, and I advocate for doing so.
Right back at you. Good riddance to your amazing contributions to this thread.
Indeed. Appreciated, thank you!
Yeah I also don't mind anyone's having belief. It doesn't bother me and it doesn't harm me. If you need to have a religious belief or want to have one, then go for it, by all means.
But I could never accept sugar coating, myself. I like to face the facts of reality as they are, and I advocate for doing so.
And yes, anyone can be a good person.
I don't know you obviously. I do not wish to draw any assumptions. But I wonder if maybe that you've never been in a position where you've had to find a ray of light in a very dark time? I know I have. I'm glad to have had people around me who have been able to find the light for me. That sounds awful I know.
I hope this doesn't sound sexist either and this is only what I have observed, and this is admittedly a sweeping generalization, but I think in general, in times of adversity, men are more able to just get on with what life throws at them.
(With a lot of caveats).
I know I've had times where I've needed a belief in the future to pull me through difficult times.
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). Restricting a member from a particular forum requires custom configuration of the account settings, and is not worth the efforts for something that is a trivial add on to the web site.
)
