Why is it considered so wrong to be anti-religious or aggressively atheist? (page 2)

TopHat

So if anyone wants to take me up on this, "There is no god and all religion is dangerous bunk. Belief in the supernatural is farcical nonsense that would be comical if it had not produced so much death, misery and suffering."
Give up on god.

When it comes to human history in suffering and misery, Atheist win the battle. Pol Pot, Mao, Stalin et al. However it does NOT matter at ALL to me if you are an Atheist as long as you keep your aggression to yourself. http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/pot.html

Scully

The same reason why it's considered wrong to be a fundamentalist type person (regardless of the denomination or cause), maybe?

Zealots come in all different flavours, nic.... and they're seldom appreciated.

I couldn't be aggressively atheist, because I simply don't give a hoot about what others believe (or don't believe). Having spent a quarter of a century as a JW and "caring" about what other people believe - with the intent of converting them to that belief system - I'm quite happy to not to have to shove atheism down anyone else's throat. It's sufficient that I'm convinced that this is the right path for me and my family.

By the way, did anyone else see The Colbert Report episode last week with guest Richard Dawkins? It was quite good, imo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuXpysYEhgA (better catch it before the Copyright Infringement Police remove it)

fullofdoubtnow

couldn't be aggressively atheist, because I simply don't give a hoot about what others believe (or don't believe). Having spent a quarter of a century as a JW and "caring" about what other people believe - with the intent of converting them to that belief system - I'm quite happy to not to have to shove atheism down anyone else's throat

That goes for me as well. I have my personal views, and I will neither discuss them with or try to force them upon anyone else. I'm not interested in what anyone else thinks of my beliefs, or lack of them.

TopHat

I'm quite happy to not to have to shove atheism down anyone else's throat. It's sufficient that I'm convinced that this is the right path for me and my family.
By the way, did anyone else see The Colbert Report episode last week with guest Richard Dawkins? It was quite good, imo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuXpysYEhgA (better catch it before the Copyright Infringement Police remove it)

Dawkins is quite a good comedian...I like listening to his delusions.

AlmostAtheist

I guess the reaction you describe, Nic, is because you're not talking about somebody's laundry detergent or choice of car, you're talking about their best friend, their "Heavenly Father". (Or "Mother") You may not believe their "friend" exists, but he's terribly real to them.

And as Arthur pointed out, there is an understanding among believers that theirs is a faith position, not a reasoned position. It's largely an emotional thing. To try to reason away someone's emotionally-derived beliefs is barking up the entirely wrong tree.

I agree with you that religion as a whole has been a drain on humanity. But people love their gods, they aren't going to give them up any time soon. Like Sass and Scully, I don't bother.

Dave of the "Uses Tide and anything else is heresy" class

Scully

nic:

I'm not really a proselytiser for athiesm but so what if I was?!

Well, who are you trying to convince that atheism is "right"? The people whose gods you're trying to debunk, or yourself?

The neat thing about having personal convictions is that I don't need to share them with anyone else or bring anyone over to "our" side, and recognizing that other peoples' convictions are as personal as mine. If we could set aside the drive to "be right" and just accept that we ultimately have very little control over what other people believe or don't believe, life gets so much simpler.

trevor

nicolaou

Why do believers feel so offended when I try to reason with them on the invalidity of their faith and the abusive nature of religious institutions?

People fight for what is precious to them. A persons religion is not the only thing that they will take offence at if criticized.

Try telling a parent that their child is unruly and making a nuisance of itself. This is seen as an attack on their belief in the way they are bringing up their child.

Peoples hostile emotions are aroused when we are perceived to be attempting to undermine that which they value. People need their illusions and need to believe that the way they are doing things is right. How else would we hold our heads up and get throught the day?

“Tread carefully for you are treading on my dreams.” King Ludwig II

trevor

Satanus

the aggressive and vocal campaign to convince others of such?
What's wrong with that?

The desire to change other people. I think it's fundamentally wrong. It's a failure to respect others' soverienty over their own minds and lives. I mean, as long as they don't hurt anyone else, who cares what people do in their own minds? It's evangelicalism of another brand.

Why do people feel the drive to remake the minds of others into a copy of their own minds? Is it a symptom of loneliness or insecurity, or a power trip?

S

purplesofa

The desire to change other people. I think it's fundamentally wrong. It's a failure to respect others' soverienty over their own minds and lives. I mean, as long as they don't hurt anyone else, who cares what people do in their own minds? It's evangelicalism of another brand.
Why do people feel the drive to remake the minds of others into a copy of their own minds? Is it a symptom of loneliness or insecurity, or a power trip?

It seems to me that people have become more and more, very focused on being Right. And then need to be validated to SHOUT OUT when their rightness is offended. Everyone is offended and they feel they have a right to NOT BE offended.

The Ten commandments displayed at a courthouse, Modanna adopting a child from another country and getting "special treatment" , How could anyone wear THAT to this event? The lawyer that said LORD in the courtroom, you can go on and on and on.

We are totally intolerant of what is not what our beliefs are and what we believe is RIGHT. And it is becoming more and more important in all areas to be the one that is most RIGHT.

It's easier to do this than think of and accept that most of us want the same goals and payoffs in life, but our journeys will be different and we deny ourselves knowing how interesting, unique and diversified that is.

purps

Sad emo

"There is no god and all religion is dangerous bunk. Belief in the supernatural is farcical nonsense that would be comical if it had not produced so much death, misery and suffering."

That's fine by me, you can only go by YOUR experience, I can only go by mine.

Give up on god.

No!

God bless you nic!

Why is it considered so wrong to be anti-religious or aggressively atheist?

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