Is it difficult to be atheist without also being...

[manifold]

It's almost as if some people wouldn't otherwise have the faintest idea how to be a good human being without it.

Many still don't know with it.


For the record: I'm a psuedo-practicing, cafeteria Catholic. But what I do, I do more so for the tradition and to support the good things they do (shorteye scandals notwithstanding) than because of any embracing of Catholic dogma. Philosophically, I'm pretty similar to how you describe yourself. I think a lot of people who shit on religion don't realize what a crucial role it has played throughout history and how in many ways they have it to thank for their very existence. But that's a topic for another day.

 

[Shogun]

crucial role, eh?


crucial for whome? the dunker or the dunkee?

 

[Diuretic]

Anyone can be an arrogant, condescending bigot - I think that's obvious from the posts here. Sure, some atheists are like that but as has been pointed out, so are some believers. The arrogant, condescending bigot repulses me. When I get spray from then then I hand it right back.

 

[Paulie]

I'd tend to think that we have religion to thank for the death and destruction that this world has seen throughout history. Religion was supposed to keep human beings in line, and instead what it's done is divide and conquer us.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I'd tend to think that we have religion to thank for the death and destruction that this world has seen throughout history. Religion was supposed to keep human beings in line, and instead what it's done is divide and conquer us.

Organized religion ensured that knowledge survived in places where anarchy prevailed. It ensured a Governmental base existed when one was needed and fortunately was pushed out of Western Government when no longer needed. For all the bad things it did it also did many good things. I believe a lot more good then bad.

Where all you see is war I see knowledge, science, medicine , art, government, technology, schools, comfort to the poor and needy. The list goes on and on. Every where organized religion has taken root societies for the "general good" have sprung forth. And as time passed most of those religions learned to expand and grow with the changing times and beliefs and moors of the people.

 

[jillian]

Organized religion ensured that knowledge survived in places where anarchy prevailed. It ensured a Governmental base existed when one was needed and fortunately was pushed out of Western Government when no longer needed. For all the bad things it did it also did many good things. I believe a lot more good then bad.

Where all you see is war I see knowledge, science, medicine , art, government, technology, schools, comfort to the poor and needy. The list goes on and on. Every where organized religion has taken root societies for the "general good" have sprung forth. And as time passed most of those religions learned to expand and grow with the changing times and beliefs and moors of the people.

Organized religion insures that there is a stratification of people... that there will always be a "majority" and a "minority". It assures that there are people who think only they have the keys to heaven...

Tell me, did you think it "for the greater good" and respectng the mores of the people for the right wing to denigrate Mitt Romney as belonging to a cult?

Do you think people who blow themselves up for their religion... or try to conquer territories for their religion are acting in the greater good.

I think spirituality is important.... but more blood has been shed in the name of G-d than for any other reason, IMO.

 

[Gunny]

Wow. I might need to check again, but I think I saw only ONE response to the initial question and whole bunch of deflective crap, mostly attacking religious people as a response.

IMO, there probably is roughly the same percentage of arrogant, condescending atheists as there are closed-minded extremists in any group. I think a political message board skews that simply because the people here are vocal and DO take a stand on most issues.

We possess as members several such atheists on this board. They act in a condescending manner towards those of faith for what they believe. But question what THEY believe and watch the top boil off the pot.

 

[Ravi]

IMO, there probably is roughly the same percentage of arrogant, condescending atheists as there are closed-minded extremists in any group.

I agree with you. The trouble was the way the question was asked...it was phrased in a way that implied that because manifold claims most atheists he's met are arrogant, condescending bigots, then that means most are.

It's like the old "some people say" phrase...some people say manifold is FOS.

 

[manifold]

And then some.

 

[Ravi]

You mean it's more than some?

 

[Diuretic]

Gunny's right but he's too polite to call us all bigmouths

Of course we're opinionated, we're doing this for fun

So the atheistic amongst us will jump up and down when the bait's out there. And strong opinions will be voiced/typed. No?

 

[Anguille]

Many still don't know with it.


For the record: I'm a psuedo-practicing, cafeteria Catholic. But what I do, I do more so for the tradition and to support the good things they do (shorteye scandals notwithstanding) than because of any embracing of Catholic dogma. Philosophically, I'm pretty similar to how you describe yourself. I think a lot of people who shit on religion don't realize what a crucial role it has played throughout history and how in many ways they have it to thank for their very existence. But that's a topic for another day.

"shorteyes" lol!

Perhaps you inform us tomorrow why we have religion to thank for our existance? As far as whether it's difficult to be an atheist without being arrogant, it's much easier for atheists than religious people since atheists don't have to remind anyone who is offended by atheist's lack of belief in god that they will rot in hell when they die.
Also, atheists rarely start threads like this one.

 

[Anguille]

Only during full moons.

doil!

 

[Taomon]

Correction, that is merely another question. No more real than the one originally asked.

But I'll kindly respond with a polite, yes, it is actually quite easy.

My experience with Christians has proven otherwise. Most reborn, evangelical Christians are condescending, angry, oppressive, bigots.

 

[Ravi]

Gunny's right but he's too polite to call us all bigmouths

Of course we're opinionated, we're doing this for fun

So the atheistic amongst us will jump up and down when the bait's out there. And strong opinions will be voiced/typed. No?

True. Not much use posting on a forum if you don't have an opinion.

 

[Taomon]

Gunny's right but he's too polite to call us all bigmouths

GunnyL is too polite?

 

[manifold]

My experience with Christians has proven otherwise. Most reborn, evangelical Christians are condescending, angry, oppressive, bigots.

I would never suggest, even for a moment, that you should dismiss your personal experience when forming an opinion.

In my personal experience I've yet to meet an atheist that doesn't have a superiority complex about his convictions. For Christians, it's about 50/50. I admit I've only known a handful of atheists, but the next one I meet that isn't condescending and bigoted about it will be the first. Without exception, they all view faith as a mental weakness.

 

[Taomon]

I would never suggest, even for a moment, that you should dismiss your personal experience when forming an opinion.

In my personal experience I've yet to meet an atheist that doesn't have a superiority complex about his convictions. For Christians, it's about 50/50. I admit I've only known a handful of atheists, but the next one I meet that isn't condescending and bigoted about it will be the first. Without exception, they all view faith as a mental weakness.

Just for the record, I am not an atheist. But I definitely do not view faith as a weakness. On the contrary, faith is a human emotional need.

But I am bigoted against fundamentalists, which reborn evangelical Christians are. Why? Because extremism is dangerous. It is my contention that extremist Christians are the same ilk as extremist Muslims. The only difference being that Christians do not seek to be martyrs, they only seek to oppress or kill.

Now, I have lumped all Christians into that group when I generalize, and that is wrong. I have many Christian friends who are not fundamentalists. In fact, they are liberals like me politically and socially.

But the point is fundamentalism is dangerous while faith is positive. But faith is such a strong human emotion that it can be manipulated very easily by evil men and history has proven that.

 

[Shattered]

...an arrogant, condescending bigot?

There are exceptions of course, but in my experience most atheists believe they are more intellectually enlightened than people of faith and are stronger and more secure in their being because they don't need the "crutch" of faith to help them deal with life's demands. No matter how you slice it, that's a decidedly arrogant, condescending and bigoted point of view. Is it particularly difficult to resign oneself to atheistic convictions without harboring such a disposition towards those of faith?

That's a load of shit. Everyone is entitled to believe in whatever they believe in. The "crutch" comes in when you begin blaming whatever you believe in for your downfalls in life, and using it as an excuse to harrass or attack others for their inability to believe in whatever it is YOU believe in.

Your entire statement is a load of condescending bullshit.

But, thanks for sharing.

 

[Gunny]

"shorteyes" lol!

Perhaps you inform us tomorrow why we have religion to thank for our existance? As far as whether it's difficult to be an atheist without being arrogant, it's much easier for atheists than religious people since atheists don't have to remind anyone who is offended by atheist's lack of belief in god that they will rot in hell when they die.
Also, atheists rarely start threads like this one.

Wrong, and wrong again. It is no easier for religious people to be arrogant than anyone else. There are as many atheists who DO have to remind anyone who believes in God that they are gullible, stupid and believe in fairy tales as there are the opposite side of the coin.

There's little difference in this topic and politics in general. Each side attempts to represent the mainstream of the other by its extremists.

And DO research this forum. You will find more threads started by nonbelievers demandind proof that God exists than you will find anyone demanding nonbelievers prove he doesn't.

Personally, I don't care if you worship the hitchrail in front of your favorite watering hole. That's YOUR problem.