What's the most intolerant religion?

[Foxfyre]

" And it does require as much faith to disbelieve as it does to believe."


I don't believe so.

Of course it does. When you can find no civilization that has ever existed, no matter how isolated, that did not develop some sense of unseen being or beings greater than themselves; when the vast majority of people on Earth have some sense of a diety; when more than 90% of Americans believe in God; there is overwhelming evidence for some kind of phenomenon that causes such belief.

Of course you cannot prove to me that God does not exist any more than I can prove to you that God does exist. But with such a cloud of witnesses spanning the many millenia of recorded history that we have expressing a sense of deity, it absolutely every bit as much faith to disbelieve as it does to believe.

That a majority of humans experience things in a similar way or share certain attributes may just as easily be explained by their neural makeup. No human group, for instance, has ever been found that did not have a spoken language. What is metaphysical about that?

Humans have a vivid and active imagination. We have to have explanations and names for our experiences, and we find them. That isn't bad. In fact, it is wonderful. As with children, however, maturity needs to outgrow limited fantasy. A six year old that still believes in Santa is somewhat handicapped; a twenty-six year old is absurd and/or retarded.

Not believing in capitalism or communism does not make one necessarily anti.

Many, if not most, adult believers, at least Christian believers, have experienced something of the Divine. For them it is as much certainty as it is fath, though it does require faith to embrace the Devine in lieu of faith in only the human ability.

In my opinion, one has to reject or push to the back of their minds too many unanswered questions, or has to ignore too much absolute reality, in order to profess Atheism as their belief system. And I still say it takes as much faith to do that as it does to believe in God.

 

[GreatestIam]

You obviously did not understand what I was saying.

I don't care for your laws, I think many of them are stupid, but that's for your comminities to solve. the question was about tolerance, was it not? I stick to my answer.

You are tolerant of murderers and rapists then are you?

Regards
DL

I have no idea how you come to such a conclusion

I
I came to that conclusion from your saying that intolerance had no place in society.

I just showed that it did. In fact it is demanded by the laws that discriminate against certain sectors of our society like rapists and murderers.

Regards
DL

 

[Lipush]

Which laws are you speaking of?

 

[GreatestIam]

Which laws are you speaking of?

Christ man. Take time to read.

"I just showed that it did. In fact it is demanded by the laws that discriminate against certain sectors of our society like rapists and murderers."

Do I not mention rapist and murderers?

Regards
DL

 

[Lipush]

Which laws are you speaking of?

Christ man. Take time to read.

"I just showed that it did. In fact it is demanded by the laws that discriminate against certain sectors of our society like rapists and murderers."

Do I not mention rapist and murderers?

Regards
DL

"Laws that discriminate" is way general and says nothing to me, since I'm not familiar with the American laws. So I asked you to be specific. Why is that so hard for you?

 

[Foxfyre]

Which laws are you speaking of?

Christ man. Take time to read.

"I just showed that it did. In fact it is demanded by the laws that discriminate against certain sectors of our society like rapists and murderers."

Do I not mention rapist and murderers?

Regards
DL

"Laws that discriminate" is way general and says nothing to me, since I'm not familiar with the American laws. So I asked you to be specific. Why is that so hard for you?

Well I don't know what laws exist in your country, or what your country is, but here we frown on murder and rape and therefore disccriminate against those who commit rape and murder by denying them their freedom and ability to continue to rape and murder.

It brings us back to the whole concept of tolerance. In crimes or acts against society, we are intolerant and should be.

In religion we reject aspects of religions we don't embrace, else we would embrace them. That is not the same thing as being intolerant of those religions.

Intolerance is holding judgment against, ridiculing, or considering inferior the religious beliefs and practices of another. And of all the religions, I think probably certain angry fundamentalist Christians such as Westboro Baptists--I wish they would choose a different name because most Baptists do not deserve to be smeared with Westboro's disgusting practices--and the fundamentalist Atheist are among the most intolerant in America. Both would force their point of view on others to the point of denying others their peace and their rights.

Edit: Okay I just went back and saw that you are in Israel. I'm pretty sure Israel frowns on rape and murder.

 

[GreatestIam]

Which laws are you speaking of?

Christ man. Take time to read.

"I just showed that it did. In fact it is demanded by the laws that discriminate against certain sectors of our society like rapists and murderers."

Do I not mention rapist and murderers?

Regards
DL

"Laws that discriminate" is way general and says nothing to me, since I'm not familiar with the American laws. So I asked you to be specific. Why is that so hard for you?

Not hard at all when it is already written down.

Regards
DL

 

[Hollie]

Of course it does. When you can find no civilization that has ever existed, no matter how isolated, that did not develop some sense of unseen being or beings greater than themselves; when the vast majority of people on Earth have some sense of a diety; when more than 90% of Americans believe in God; there is overwhelming evidence for some kind of phenomenon that causes such belief.

Of course you cannot prove to me that God does not exist any more than I can prove to you that God does exist. But with such a cloud of witnesses spanning the many millenia of recorded history that we have expressing a sense of deity, it absolutely every bit as much faith to disbelieve as it does to believe.

That a majority of humans experience things in a similar way or share certain attributes may just as easily be explained by their neural makeup. No human group, for instance, has ever been found that did not have a spoken language. What is metaphysical about that?

Humans have a vivid and active imagination. We have to have explanations and names for our experiences, and we find them. That isn't bad. In fact, it is wonderful. As with children, however, maturity needs to outgrow limited fantasy. A six year old that still believes in Santa is somewhat handicapped; a twenty-six year old is absurd and/or retarded.

Not believing in capitalism or communism does not make one necessarily anti.

Many, if not most, adult believers, at least Christian believers, have experienced something of the Divine. For them it is as much certainty as it is fath, though it does require faith to embrace the Devine in lieu of faith in only the human ability.

In my opinion, one has to reject or push to the back of their minds too many unanswered questions, or has to ignore too much absolute reality, in order to profess Atheism as their belief system. And I still say it takes as much faith to do that as it does to believe in God.

I’m just not understanding this thought process.

I’m not a believer. There’s no active thought process, set of rituals, traditions or ceremonies that are needed or required to not believe. I’d propose that Atheism is really little more a conclusion based upon the facts and evidence available.

 

[Avatar4321]

I’m just not understanding this thought process.

I’m not a believer. There’s no active thought process, set of rituals, traditions or ceremonies that are needed or required to not believe. I’d propose that Atheism is really little more a conclusion based upon the facts and evidence available.

The thing is there is absolutely nothing that prove atheism correct. There is no way for an individul to experience a lack of God. But all it takes is someone to see, hear, or feel God and His influence to be a believer and have our faith confirmed.

That is why if we are seeking to know about God or whether there even is one, we cannot start with an assumption that there is no God. Because we can never actually test that assumption.

But the fruits of faith can easily be tested: "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:16-17)

Elsewhere He has said:

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8)

or:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." (James 1:5-7)

The scriptures have provided ways for those who have faith to recieve knowledge and wisdom from God. His Holy Spirit provides a witness. Some see angels. Some even get to touch the wounds in His hands and feet.

The Bible is teaching the people to come to a God who is living and interactive with His children. Not the silent, autocrat that demands blind faith that atheists and some misguided Christians have dreamt up. In fact, Eternal life is defined as knowing the Father and Jesus.

The only reason I know God exists is because I've had experiences with Him. Ive seen, felt, and heard things I cannot deny. I've experienced miracles. God is real. and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Promised Messiah. I am not alone in learning things. Nor am i special for having learned it. Everyone who seeks the Lord, will find Him.

 

[ima]

I’m just not understanding this thought process.

I’m not a believer. There’s no active thought process, set of rituals, traditions or ceremonies that are needed or required to not believe. I’d propose that Atheism is really little more a conclusion based upon the facts and evidence available.

The thing is there is absolutely nothing that prove atheism correct. There is no way for an individul to experience a lack of God. But all it takes is someone to see, hear, or feel God and His influence to be a believer and have our faith confirmed.

That is why if we are seeking to know about God or whether there even is one, we cannot start with an assumption that there is no God. Because we can never actually test that assumption.

But the fruits of faith can easily be tested: "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:16-17)

Elsewhere He has said:

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8)

or:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." (James 1:5-7)

The scriptures have provided ways for those who have faith to recieve knowledge and wisdom from God. His Holy Spirit provides a witness. Some see angels. Some even get to touch the wounds in His hands and feet.

The Bible is teaching the people to come to a God who is living and interactive with His children. Not the silent, autocrat that demands blind faith that atheists and some misguided Christians have dreamt up. In fact, Eternal life is defined as knowing the Father and Jesus.

The only reason I know God exists is because I've had experiences with Him. Ive seen, felt, and heard things I cannot deny. I've experienced miracles. God is real. and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Promised Messiah. I am not alone in learning things. Nor am i special for having learned it. Everyone who seeks the Lord, will find Him.

Tell us what happened.

 

[Hollie]

I’m just not understanding this thought process.

I’m not a believer. There’s no active thought process, set of rituals, traditions or ceremonies that are needed or required to not believe. I’d propose that Atheism is really little more a conclusion based upon the facts and evidence available.

The thing is there is absolutely nothing that prove atheism correct. There is no way for an individul to experience a lack of God. But all it takes is someone to see, hear, or feel God and His influence to be a believer and have our faith confirmed.

That is why if we are seeking to know about God or whether there even is one, we cannot start with an assumption that there is no God. Because we can never actually test that assumption.

But the fruits of faith can easily be tested: "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:16-17)

Elsewhere He has said:

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8)

or:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." (James 1:5-7)

The scriptures have provided ways for those who have faith to recieve knowledge and wisdom from God. His Holy Spirit provides a witness. Some see angels. Some even get to touch the wounds in His hands and feet.

The Bible is teaching the people to come to a God who is living and interactive with His children. Not the silent, autocrat that demands blind faith that atheists and some misguided Christians have dreamt up. In fact, Eternal life is defined as knowing the Father and Jesus.

The only reason I know God exists is because I've had experiences with Him. Ive seen, felt, and heard things I cannot deny. I've experienced miracles. God is real. and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Promised Messiah. I am not alone in learning things. Nor am i special for having learned it. Everyone who seeks the Lord, will find Him.

I think your argument is flawed in several respects.

First, Atheism is not a belief system. As I noted, Atheism is more a conclusion. It is theism, and support for one or more gods that requires evidence.

After reading your comments, I was left thinking that it is typically religionists who are most adept at deconstructing their own ideologies of gods and deities. It’s not just a little ironic that a Christian, claiming to be a worshipper of the “correct religion”, the gods perfect word as described by his “message”, is so consistently muddled, incomprehensible, contradictory and often, just plain wrong. It seems to me that religionists would be better served to argue that various gods laid down some basic tenets and then they engaged in the "wiggle room method" to expand on what the gods offered. Picking and choosing what they think the gods meant to say but somehow never managed to get the message within a form understandable to humans. This is precisely what is actually conveyed by religionists so why not be honest?

This is a paradigm that deconstructs absolute morality and absolute morality is what most religions purport to convey. That religions deconstruct absolute morality is fine by me because I do not believe in absolute morality.

Most religions have no problem “conceiving” of their respective gods, up until they reach they point where they have directly contradicted themselves. Only then do they throw up their hands in an intellectual drop ten and punt and exclaim, “Well, god is really beyond our comprehension anyway and because we are not sure of the actual reasoning, it is best to play safe and just do what the law literally commands.”

OK, but what does the “law” literally command? Well, that depends on who you prefer to believe.

As to your "feelings", I have no comment other than to advise that others, worshipping different gods have had similar "feelings" in connection with their deities.

How does anyone decide who is right, or, as far as I am able to discern, both are wrong.

In a very real sense, history had decided by means of which religionists had the largest caliber weapons and greatest body count.

 

[Lipush]

Christ man. Take time to read.

"I just showed that it did. In fact it is demanded by the laws that discriminate against certain sectors of our society like rapists and murderers."

Do I not mention rapist and murderers?

Regards
DL

"Laws that discriminate" is way general and says nothing to me, since I'm not familiar with the American laws. So I asked you to be specific. Why is that so hard for you?

Not hard at all when it is already written down.

Regards
DL

Thanks for being so helpful and specific

 

[editec]

What the most intolerant religion?

Historically speaking, ALL the ABRAHAMIC ones, dude. At least as it refers to Western and Eurasian history

That might be because the Abrahamic religions had the power to be the most intolerant.

Frankly I doubt it matters what religion is in vogue, power corrupts and religion is a damned good rallying source for invading and dominating the "other"
.

 

[Underhill]

I’m just not understanding this thought process.

I’m not a believer. There’s no active thought process, set of rituals, traditions or ceremonies that are needed or required to not believe. I’d propose that Atheism is really little more a conclusion based upon the facts and evidence available.

The thing is there is absolutely nothing that prove atheism correct. There is no way for an individul to experience a lack of God. But all it takes is someone to see, hear, or feel God and His influence to be a believer and have our faith confirmed.

That is why if we are seeking to know about God or whether there even is one, we cannot start with an assumption that there is no God. Because we can never actually test that assumption.

The same thing could be said about little green men. We don't walk around saying "I haven't experienced aliens but I'm keeping an open mind". No, we say, aliens are nonsense because there is no evidence of their existence.

The only reason I know God exists is because I've had experiences with Him. Ive seen, felt, and heard things I cannot deny. I've experienced miracles. God is real. and Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Promised Messiah. I am not alone in learning things. Nor am i special for having learned it. Everyone who seeks the Lord, will find Him.

As an atheist I've experienced some of the same things. The difference is, those who don't believe simply write them off as coincidence, good fortune or something we simply do not understand. Why this need to attribute them to a god?

Of course anyone who looks for god will find him. Just as anyone who truly believes in Aliens will see lights in the sky and attribute them to aliens.

 

[ima]

The most intolerant religion is theism.

 

[Lipush]

The most intolerant religion is theism.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Who cares? And for those who do, Why?

 

[Foxfyre]

That a majority of humans experience things in a similar way or share certain attributes may just as easily be explained by their neural makeup. No human group, for instance, has ever been found that did not have a spoken language. What is metaphysical about that?

Humans have a vivid and active imagination. We have to have explanations and names for our experiences, and we find them. That isn't bad. In fact, it is wonderful. As with children, however, maturity needs to outgrow limited fantasy. A six year old that still believes in Santa is somewhat handicapped; a twenty-six year old is absurd and/or retarded.

Not believing in capitalism or communism does not make one necessarily anti.

Many, if not most, adult believers, at least Christian believers, have experienced something of the Divine. For them it is as much certainty as it is fath, though it does require faith to embrace the Devine in lieu of faith in only the human ability.

In my opinion, one has to reject or push to the back of their minds too many unanswered questions, or has to ignore too much absolute reality, in order to profess Atheism as their belief system. And I still say it takes as much faith to do that as it does to believe in God.

I’m just not understanding this thought process.

I’m not a believer. There’s no active thought process, set of rituals, traditions or ceremonies that are needed or required to not believe. I’d propose that Atheism is really little more a conclusion based upon the facts and evidence available.

Really? When you have more than 90% of the population across the globe believing in some sort of diety and a belief in some sort of deity existing in every culture in human history, how do you shrug that off and say so what?

When you have a couple of billion Christians and Jews professing beiief in God and a majority of these professing personal experience of the presence of God in their lives, how do you just disregard that as evidence? Most especially when many of them are well educated, intelligent, cohereant, well adjusted, and successful adults?

If you were blind, would you discount the presence of shadows or clouds in the sky or that people can see stars in the heaven purely based on the fact that you could have never seen or experienced that? I have never seen certain kinds of foods, or heard certain musical instruments, and have never researched them, let alone tasted them, yet I believe that these exist based on no more evidence than others have told me they have seen and tasted them.

In my opinion, a person has to push aside way too much credible testimony and evidence in the universe itself in order to disbelieve there is no universal presence or intelligence behind it all. And it becomes such an obsession with so many Atheists who are drawn again and again to threads like this, who go out of their way to belittle or diminish or dispute the faith of others, who are so passionate to install their religion as the norm in society, that I have to believe it is faith based.

And while it does not apply to all Atheists, I also have come to the conclusion that Atheism as a religion is perhaps the most intolerant of modern religions.

 

[Avatar4321]

Who cares? And for those who do, Why?

People who think. Because people who think are always looking to understand the world around them.

 

[Bigfoot]

Another utterly vapid assertion by a theist. Atheists have no cause to be intolerant as a group, since there is no binding ideology, other than to form a defensive posture against religious fanatics (the christian right lunatics) from trying to conflate church and state. That is the only cause that coalesces us, and might make is appear "intolerant," buy in reality, this perceived intolerance is a reaction against theists trying to circumvent the first amendment.

My practice of my religion doesn't involve you. If you don't want to participate, don't, but shut the fuck up. I'm TIRED of listening to you bitch about my nativity set, "In God, We Trust" on out money and the 10 Commandments on the wall of the court house.
If these things offend you, tough shit. They comfort me.
The First Amendment is about freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

I'm not sure how to respond to something so idiotic.

Just say something stupid you are good at that.