Fed up with Religions Yet?
- Thread starter Praxius
- Start date
Good point. I am always rather amazed by the attempts to project ' Alpha' instructions on an itnernet website...
Speaking for myself, I don't care what people believe as long as they are not into something that is harmful to others. I do criticise those who try to impose their beliefs on others. Most of the time when I tell them I'm not interested they respectfully leave. However I have had one or two exceptions.
That argument doesn't work either, atheism isn't an institution or an organization, it doesn't have rules or dogmas or buildings or a hierarchy with leaders who presume to speak for everybody and tell them how to behave or what to think. It's not even really a thing, it's just a philosophical position--no different in this sense from other philosophical positions, like being a stoic or an epicure or an empiricist or a logical positivist or a Platonist--characterized mainly by the absence of a certain thing, a belief in deities. Quite apart from that,considering how religions have treated heretics and unbelievers for most of history, it seems a bit thick to me when the religious complain about mere verbal challenges to their beliefs.
To the extent that I find people who've renounced the use of logic and reason frustrating, yes.
Neither does theism. But within theism exist sects that do. Same holds true for atheism. Ccheck out the plethora of organizations dedicated to sharing their atheism, spreading the idea of atheism, etc. Check facebook, and google 'The Brights'.
yeah, that sentence by me, 'real atheists', is interesting, because I speak from my own position, and
what I presume is the position of most atheists, and that position would parralel most religious people
who, are like me, only on the religious side, and that is, people who quietly go about their business of
either believing or not believing, and accept those on the 'opposite' side, and respect those on the
opposite side, and have friends who's beliefs are on the opposing sides, and it doesn't interfere in
their friendships or anything about their day to day lives.
In my mind a real atheist is 'just' a person who does not believe in god, end of story, nothing more,
no bibles, no churches, no sermons, no door to door persuading, etc.
The people on both sides who kick up a big stink because they can't tolerate 'the other side', are
the ones who cause the problems.
So, in my mind a real atheist does not do that, and if they do, then they should be given a different name,
not sure what that would be.
an azzholetheist possibly.
"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
Stephen Roberts
Stephen Roberts
Granted, but the discussion was about religion, which certainly does, not theism. And yes, I know there are loose-knit organizations that promote atheism, I don't belong to any of them (and wouldn't) and most atheists don't, and I think Brights is an aggressively stupid thing to label yourself with. But I also think that religion's history of persecuting, often fatally, those who challenged its claims leaves it with no legitimate grounds for complaint against people doing it in these less repressive times, however aggressive and azzholey they might be about it. If it can't or won't defend its claims against skeptical challenges, then it's a pale and watery thing that doesn't deserve to survive. And it DOES need to be challenged, it had things its all its own way for far too long.
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Well then if you're going to make apples and apples comparisons, compare 'the brights', and the plethora of atheist groups on fb, rather than 'atheism'. It's easy to go astray when you pull only the most flattering comparison possible.
Compare what, the Brights and atheist groups on FB to organized religion? That's not apples and apples.
Those who feel the need to group according to their belief set, with those who feel the need to group according to their belief set.
While it doesn't have the same stroke in society yet as organized religion does, it is slowly organizing to attempt to. It's an inevitability of the human condition it seems. And because these organizations think themselves 'better' than religion, do you think they'll do better or worse in the world than religion has thus far?
The older I get, the more I think people in general suck regardless of what they profess to believe. Many people also excel at kindness and selfless acts that make the world a wonderful place to be, regardless of what they believe.
I broke away from mainstream religion because it did not make sense to me. I don't care what people think about that. I have always walked to the beat of my own drum.
I have a strange self-concocted spiritual belief system. So far, I believe I am a better person because of it. I judge that by how I treat others on a daily basis in all parts of my life real time and internet time, and whether or not my beliefs give me comfort and peace and the ability to "help" myself and others in my circle to be the best they can be for where they are at.
When I put out negative I draw negative.
I believe my behaviour is a direct manifestation of my belief system. If my behaviour is bad, something is wrong and I need to reflect upon that and adjust it. I believe the world functions best when we are responsible for every thought we have and every action we perform.
I broke away from mainstream religion because it did not make sense to me. I don't care what people think about that. I have always walked to the beat of my own drum.
I have a strange self-concocted spiritual belief system. So far, I believe I am a better person because of it. I judge that by how I treat others on a daily basis in all parts of my life real time and internet time, and whether or not my beliefs give me comfort and peace and the ability to "help" myself and others in my circle to be the best they can be for where they are at.
When I put out negative I draw negative.
I believe my behaviour is a direct manifestation of my belief system. If my behaviour is bad, something is wrong and I need to reflect upon that and adjust it. I believe the world functions best when we are responsible for every thought we have and every action we perform.
My sentiments exactly!
I've generally understood that religion and theism are the same thing...............belief in a supreme being.
This thread parallels the "Fed up with Islam yet? " thread which has hundreds of comments aimed specifically at denigrating its billion or so adherents by pointing out the strife in the Middle East and Central Asia. These comments are made in the same general tone that comments in European Christendom were made against the Jewish peoples. Of course, through our accident of birth, we "know" that Islam is "false" and Christianity is "true."
This thread does not aim at Christianity, but apparently at "religion" in general. But many feel threatened in the same way, I suppose, Moslems would, reading the other thread. I am certain, those objecting here will go to the "Islam" thread to raise identical objections there.
This thread does not aim at Christianity, but apparently at "religion" in general. But many feel threatened in the same way, I suppose, Moslems would, reading the other thread. I am certain, those objecting here will go to the "Islam" thread to raise identical objections there.
Many have already done that time and again.
My accident of Birth was to be raised by Parents who understood that others had differing beliefs.
You get nutcases in all relgions. Same way you get nutcases without religious beliefs. Nutcases are all to common.
We now see Islam going thru a reformation. And we see a ton of violence from a minority within directed at Muslims and non Muslims.
Look at how bloody it was when Christians went thru theirs.
And there is a lot more blood that will be spilled.
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Yes - In my opinion. I and others have dropped in and made posts. But I did decide to stay away as some are condemning the religion and all Muslims.
Just as you have some that are Anti israel- jew- You will have the same mind set for Muslims.
Can some of the fault be laid at Muslims doorstep. To be fair - yes
I also brought up reformation. Your thoughts on that?
They could hardly do worse, there's no place to go but up, but being the same sort of flawed humans as anyone else they could certainly do just as badly.
Reformation in Christendom was one of its blackest and bloodiest periods - from Hus to Henry, and the seething intolerance continues today, as one sect preaches the myth of hellfire at the adherents of another. As for Islam, I have little knowledge other than the believers I experience in everyday activities are indistinguishable from my other neighbours in their search for peace and family.