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Well I guess you aren't much for Marshall McLuhan's observations mediums and messages.
the medium used does not determine how a person behaves, or the actions they take. a cell phone does not determine your behavior. a movie, an email, a post on a forum, do not determine how a person behaves (their thought, speech, action). Media and technology may be used by a person when interacting with others. but it is the human that determines, chooses, and is responsible for how they use whatever technology is at hand.
"the cell phone made me say it" "the internet made me disparage others" "if mail did not exist i could not have committed mail fraud so it's the fault of the postal service." if someone uses technology or advertising or any medium that exists, they are still responsible for their behavior. they don't get to say "oh its the fault of the internet"
this applies also to how a person responds to something like "social stigma" the topic of this thread.
Last edited by Tzaphkiel; 02-27-2024 at 02:28 AM..
Most humans have a faith based. So much so that it's ingrained in their life choices. I am not talking primarily ' religious' faith itself . The formal book based from the more secular denominations. I find being agnostic to be a faith itself. I have faith in there is no validity that this conjured one deity or multi deity exist other then in mind or writing. If asked do I deny that their are sources greater then humanity, the answer is absolutely. It just isn't tossed into a box and worshipped for being more empowering then our limited selves. So when in public environments where it's clear some practice these formal falicies I make time to respect their practice . I do not though feel swayed or shamed . A co worker was a minister for a fire and brimstone congregation. I admired his passion . I still didn't get converted or get his grift of being born again. I respected our differences . Never though felt the desire to argue or partake in a spat. And I ask if approached that it remain that way.
The original poster sounds like there is a new awareness for this slice of humanity that is out preaching. It's been thousands of years that faith has existed. It knocks on doors and one is free to tolerate , dismiss or even reform. Choose what is in your life path plan.
I used to be a pretty militant atheist. I'm basically agnostic these days - I could understand that there could possibly be some sort of superior being, but I don't see any real evidence that that being intervenes in affairs here on Earth.
Remember the "war on Christmas" from a decade or two ago? You never hear about that today. At least where I am, there is an openness with faith that wasn't there ten or even twenty years ago.
Local and state political candidates basically fall over each other for who can be the most religious/pious. Many people who move here are doing so for the religious and political leanings of the area. That in turn makes the area even more religious than it already was. On the other side of that, people who aren't religious here are often trying to leave for more moderate areas.
It's not just political - religion is in places you might not even expect it. It is very common to see police cruisers marked with "In God We Trust," some short message about protection from God, etc. Jails and probation offices often try to steer people toward faith-based programs. Stores like Walmart and Target will sell a lot of faith-based items because it sells here.
Here is a summary for the thread so far, tally of responses to the question asked in the opening post "Atheists/ Agnostics do you worry about social stigma regarding your beliefs, do you feel social stigma for your nonbelief?"
YES= 3
NO= 21
"Yes and No"= 3
Interesting.
Good. This probably reflects the fact that 3 in 10 American adults are now 'Religious nones' ie religiously unaffliliated. Seems that while atheism in itself isn't really growing, there are now less people that care about religion or have any affiliation with it.
As several people have said, it's largely geographical how people experience religion in their personal lives. My experience is going to be very different living in New York than somebody living in the Bible belt.
Good. This probably reflects the fact that 3 in 10 American adults are now 'Religious nones' ie religiously unaffliliated. Seems that while atheism in itself isn't really growing, there are now less people that care about religion or have any affiliation with it.
As several people have said, it's largely geographical how people experience religion in their personal lives. My experience is going to be very different living in New York than somebody living in the Bible belt.
yes, being a "religious none" does not indicate "non-belief"
it indicates "no affiliation with religion"
The most recent Pew data (Jan. 2024 article) for the nones in USA shows that
70% of religious nones believe in god or a higher power.
63% of religious nones believe in spiritual forces beyond the natural world.
67% of religious nones believe humans have a soul or spirit in addition to a physical body
41% of religious nones believe religion does equal amounts of good and harm
37% of religious nones believe science does equal amounts of good and harm
the opening post addresses "religious nones" and also mentions "lack of belief."
however it is not accurate to conflate the two. They are not the same, as 70% of religious nones do believe in god or a higher power.
Last edited by Tzaphkiel; 02-27-2024 at 10:52 AM..
yes, being a "religious none" does not indicate "non-belief"
it indicates "no affiliation with religion"
The most recent Pew data (Jan. 2024 article) for the nones in USA shows that
69% of religious nones believe in god or a higher power.
only 17% of religious nones are atheists
41% of religious nones believe religion does equal amounts of good and harm
37% of religious nones believe science does equal amounts of good and harm
the opening post addresses "religious nones" and also mentions "lack of belief." however it is not accurate to conflate the two. They are not the same, as 69% of religious nones do believe in god or a higher power.
it is also interesting to note that more atheists and agnostics are men (64%, 62% respectively)
while for religious nones about equal, 51% men
I didn't conflate the two. Who is conflating the two?
Quote:
Seems that while atheism in itself isn't really growing, there are now less people that care about religion or have any affiliation with it.
the medium used does not determine how a person behaves, or the actions they take. a cell phone does not determine your behavior. a movie, an email, a post on a forum, do not determine how a person behaves (their thought, speech, action). Media and technology may be used by a person when interacting with others. but it is the human that determines, chooses, and is responsible for how they use whatever technology is at hand.
"the cell phone made me say it" "the internet made me disparage others" "if mail did not exist i could not have committed mail fraud so it's the fault of the postal service." if someone uses technology or advertising or any medium that exists, they are still responsible for their behavior. they don't get to say "oh its the fault of the internet"
this applies also to how a person responds to something like "social stigma" the topic of this thread.
So what you are telling us is that you "behave" the exact same way in your communication with others...
So what you are telling us is that you "behave" the exact same way in your communication with others...
Regardless of the medium of the communication.
I'd say that makes you pretty special.
no, that is not what i said. That does not accurately represent my views, or what i said
in this post, or any other post.
however a person behaves, regardless of the format or technology,
they are still responsible for their own behavior.
That is what I have said.
all along.
Last edited by Tzaphkiel; 02-27-2024 at 03:04 PM..
the medium used does not determine how a person behaves, or the actions they take. a cell phone does not determine your behavior. a movie, an email, a post on a forum, do not determine how a person behaves (their thought, speech, action). Media and technology may be used by a person when interacting with others. but it is the human that determines, chooses, and is responsible for how they use whatever technology is at hand.
If we met on a street, I doubt very much you would call me a Nazi there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tzaphkiel
bold above propagates and perpetuates and is an example of Nazi racism and Nazi racial ideology.
"master race" is straight out of Nazi ideology, which indicates the mindset, source, and framework of the view expressed above.
If we met on a street, I doubt very much you would call me a Nazi there.
The psychology of the thing is very much like how road rage works ... people will flip you off or drive aggressively when person-to-person they would not engage at all. The medium definitely influences behavior because social media or a physical vehicle for example psychologically isolates you from normal social consequences -- even more so I would think in fora like this vs interactive social media like FB or the like.
What your interlocutor is doing is conflating personal responsibility for your decisions / actions, which in principle doesn't change with the medium, with actual real world behavior, which does indeed change, demonstrably so and widely studied and well understood. Most people don't act properly out of principle, sadly; they act properly out of fear of shame or social consequences or standing apart from the herd, and when those are muted or removed, and especially when one is given anonymity to talk, all bets are off.
Beyond all that ... there's the simple matter of context. As an unbeliever I don't get to discuss my thinking in real life -- no one wants to hear it, and mostly can't handle it. People come here specifically for this topical area, and so things become discussable that otherwise are not. So of course I'm going to talk about things here that in real life I don't, even apart from matters of tone or civility or whatever.
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