Do the so called Atheists on AT give Atheism a bad name in general?

[Juddog]

See for example the Soviet Union.

Yeah it was pretty bad how they threw that band in jail for insulting the church; at least in america you can curse the church and it may create outrage but you won't be slugging out time in a prison.

 

[lotus503]

Maybe we should move it to the video card forum and let the true religious zealots have a go at it?

Or maybe it's simply a call out thread and doesn't belong anywhere.

 

[Juddog]

Part of the problem is trolling by the religious folk of ATP&N against atheists, saying things like "atheism is a religion", refusing to understand that atheism is a lack of a belief system / religion.

As the classic quote says, atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sexual position.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Part of the problem is trolling by the religious folk of ATP&N against atheists, saying things like "atheism is a religion", refusing to understand that atheism is a lack of a belief system / religion.

As the classic quote says, atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sexual position.

Poor atheists...so misunderstood.

 

[Greenman]

Our conservatards are so stupid that Sarah Palin is an intellectual beacon to them. There's really not much to do with minds of pudding other than to call them pudding.

Do you ever post anything that's not insulting? We all get that you're an arrogant little bitch trying convince the world that you're an intellectual and not a pervert, but the blanket stupidity that you constantly spout is getting old. Try contributing once in a while, try adding something of value to the discussion, do it enough and someday you won't be the only one that thinks you have a brain.

 

[Ausm]

I think this gets categorized under "Who gives a fuck" .

 

[nehalem256]

Part of the problem is trolling by the religious folk of ATP&N against atheists, saying things like "atheism is a religion", refusing to understand that atheism is a lack of a belief system / religion.

Actually I would think that the bigger problem is Atheists trying to split semantic hairs about "atheism not being a religion."

The real problem is English needs a word that encompasses the idea of religion and atheism. As such word does not exist intelligent people use the word religion to get the idea cross.

 

[Ausm]

Actually I would think that the bigger problem is Atheists trying to split semantic hairs about "atheism not being a religion."

The real problem is English needs a word that encompasses the idea of religion and atheism. As such word does not exist intelligent people use the word religion to get the idea cross.

It's called Bullshit and reality.

 

[Juddog]

Actually I would think that the bigger problem is Atheists trying to split semantic hairs about "atheism not being a religion."

The real problem is English needs a word that encompasses the idea of religion and atheism. As such word does not exist intelligent people use the word religion to get the idea cross.

Does English need a word for people that don't believe in Santa Claus as well?

 

[zsdersw]

As such word does not exist intelligent people use the word religion to get the idea cross.

That doesn't describe what you do, though.

 

[Juddog]

Islam will take care of nasty atheists once and for all. Jesus was a chump. Do you see any atheist running around in the middle east? I think not.

So you'd rather have the US be more like the middle east? You see firsthand what a region dominated by religion looks like; I'd rather not have "morality police" walking around beating people up because they were seen with someone of the opposite sex and weren't married. When religion dominates a society, that society is stifled.

 

[DominionSeraph]

That doesn't describe what you do, though.

To be fair, he said, "Intelligent people," so what he said doesn't apply to him.

 

[zsdersw]

To be fair, he said, "Intelligent people," so what he said doesn't apply to him.

I know, that's why I made that post.

 

[alzan]

As has been noted by other posters, it's the extremes of any group that often end up defining the group as a whole. It takes a constant awareness of this fact to not fall into the generalization/stereotype trap when having discussions whether online or face to face.

Some AT posters are mature and intelligent enough to keep from broadbrushing theists and atheists; others may be intelligent enough but for their own desire to stir the pot keep generalizing to thread-crap.

 

[Retro Rob]

Does English need a word for people that don't believe in Santa Claus as well?

People like to lable things.

 

[WHAMPOM]

I think most of the so called professed Atheists on AT give atheism a bad name with their immature ways of attacking religious beliefs. I'm a weak atheist bordering on agnosticism and bouncing between the two without ever making up mind completely on either side. I think it is possible that human beings may not be the only sentient beings in this universe, but also believing that even if more powerful beings exist, their existence could be as logical as ours. I also believe that the true nature of this universe is unknowable and anything can be possible without us ever discovering the answer to everything in all its finality. So I repeat, do you think the virulent so called atheists in AT give sensible Atheism a bad name in general with all their vitriol and their immaturity?

I have not yet had an Atheist come pound on my door to proselytize while the religious come monthly. But no, what you see is just the opposite and equal reaction to religion.

 

[Retro Rob]

I have not yet had an Atheist come pound on my door to proselytize while the religious come monthly. But no, what you see is just the opposite and equal reaction to religion.

They're not proselytizing, they're preaching. You'd do well by educating yourself on the difference.

I'd go far as to say that knocking on your door isn't proselytizing, while forcing it in schools and government is.

 

[zsdersw]

They're not proselytizing, they're preaching. You'd do well by educating yourself on the difference.

It's still about selling the product, instead of letting the product sell itself. If it's so good, it shouldn't need either preaching or proselytizing.

 

[Retro Rob]

It's still about selling the product, instead of letting the product sell itself. If it's so good, it shouldn't need either preaching or proselytizing.

That's fine, but proselytism is inaccurate... unless you want to say Ford, Chrysler, apple, and Microsoft proselytizes as well.

 

[zsdersw]

That's fine, but proselytism is inaccurate... unless you want to say Ford, Chrysler, apple, and Microsoft proselytizes as well.

Dwelling on the entirely irrelevant (to this discussion) difference between proselytizing and preaching appears like diversion away from the point I made.

 

[Retro Rob]

Dwelling on the entirely irrelevant (to this discussion) difference between proselytizing and preaching appears like diversion away from the point I made.

Just wanted to note the difference, that is all. You can define it however you wish, but terms aren't the same.

I don't wish to divert from your point about selling a product. You can have that view.

 

[zsdersw]

Just wanted to note the difference, that is all. You can define it however you wish, but terms aren't the same.

I don't wish to divert from your point about selling a product. You can have that view.

As I said, in the sense that they're both pushing a product instead of letting the product sell itself, yes, they are the same.

By the way, why does your product need to be pushed?

 

[Retro Rob]

As I said, in the sense that they're both pushing a product instead of letting the product sell itself, yes, they are the same.

By the way, why does your product need to be pushed?

I'd rather not derail the thread any further, if you don't mind.

 

[alzan]

They're not proselytizing, they're preaching. You'd do well by educating yourself on the difference.

I'd go far as to say that knocking on your door isn't proselytizing, while forcing it in schools and government is.

Not to derail the thread either but as a tie-in: I've said this in other threads but it bears repeating; your view on preaching seems more suited to the alleged time of Jesus, when there was no mass communication. In this country for quite a few decades now it would be quite a stretch to say people have no idea that Christianity exists or that people don't have access to the teachings of the various sects. Within a half a mile of my house, if I so chose, I could learn Catholic, Baptist, Episcopal, JW and Lutheran teachings. To say that one must go door-to-door or preach on a street corner to spread the word is either amazingly naive or disingenuous.

As such, in refutation of the OP's original question I would say that it is street preachers and those who go door-to-door that give Theism a bad name.

 

[Tom]

There's no such thing as an atheist or a theist.

We believe in the stories people tell us. What we label ourselves as depends on which stories we believe and which ones we don't.