# Advice on dealing with teenager's professed religious belief **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 4, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048 "2010-10-04T20:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/61 "2010-10-06T22:33:02Z")
[quote=“Bryan\_Ekers, post:59, topic:556048”] > [@adhay](#): > > Given your consistent low wattage, I should have added “between your ass and your elbow”. > > Clear now? > [@](#): > > What’s clear is that you’re trying to insult people who are smarter than you, with the expected result. You’re insulted? _That’s_ stupid and downright insulting. > [@](#): > > I’ll cheerfully match my “wattage” against yours any day of the week, by any agreeable standard. In any case, atheism isn’t a religion. Your original loaded question doesn’t deserve a deeper analysis than that. Now, almost, in the Pit, _BrEkers, Tell Me All About G._\* Here I come, ready? or not. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/62 "2010-10-06T22:46:38Z")
> [@adhay](#): > > > [@gonzomax](#): > > > > Whats the difference between religion and no religion? What is the difference from having cancer and not having cancer? Everything. > > Atheists don’t have religious beliefs. They do not have meetings. they don’t donate and recruit. … > > Oh, come on. There are 6+ billions of religions walking the planet. Each one of us has his own. That’s not a “religion”, that’s a “kidney”. Learn the difference. I remember when words had meanings, and people didn’t frivolously swap them out to fraudulently make bullshit statements. It was a better, sweeter time, aside from all that snow and every direction being uphill. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/63 "2010-10-06T23:25:42Z")
XT? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/64 "2010-10-06T23:44:19Z")
> [@adhay](#): > > XT? WTF? ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/65 "2010-10-07T00:01:23Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > > [@adhay](#): > > > > XT? > > WTF? Careful, now. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/66 "2010-10-07T00:04:34Z")
> [@adhay](#): > > > [@begbert2](#): > > > > WTF? > > Careful, now. I don’t even know what I’m being careful about. I mean, what the fart? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/67 "2010-10-07T01:43:50Z")
> [@adhay](#): > > You’re insulted? No. I said you were trying, not succeeding. And the one post I’ve already made to your pit thread will be sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/68 "2010-10-07T01:47:23Z")
**adhay** has slipped off his meds or something. I mean seriously. Read the pit thread. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/69 "2010-10-07T06:05:28Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > **adhay** has slipped off his meds or something. I mean seriously. Read the pit thread. Nice bump. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/70 "2010-10-07T06:21:59Z")
> [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](#): > > > [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > > > And I don’t know where you got the idea that the SD is “absurdly polite” to religious types. Generally, people IRL are much more respectful of religious beliefs than on the SDMB. I’ve never heard the idea that believing in God is equal to believing in aliens or Santa Claus IRL, but it seems to come up in every SD thread about religious belief. > > Seriously. You’ve been around here long enough to have seen the threads excoriating religion. If you need some reminders, do a search for magical sky pixie, or invisible pink unicorn. The SDMB is still pretty pro-religion. It has plenty of defenders here for something that deserves to be pointed at and mocked. Seriously; if someone shows up and starts talking about how the Moon landings were a hoax they get mocked by everyone despite the fact that despite how silly their beliefs are, what they believe is still far, far, far more plausible than gods. The SDMB won’t be unbiased on religion until it responds to religion with universal disbelief, because that’s what the unbiased position is on something so utterly implausible. “Unbiased” isn’t a synonym for granting undeserved respect to ridiculous ideas. > [@adhay](#): > > So what exactly is the difference between atheism and other religions? “Atheism is a religion the way bald is a hair color.” ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/71 "2010-10-07T06:22:13Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > > [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > > > I simply maintain that if I had opened up this exact thread, a few months before or after the IMHO thread, I would have gotten a much harsher reception than the OP I’m parodying has gotten. And deserved it. > > I submit that you would’ve gotten a harsher reaction than most, due to your general assholish behavior with regards to the subject. I also agree that you would’ve deserved it. Well put. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/72 "2010-10-07T14:14:24Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > > [@adhay](#): > > > > You’re insulted? > > No. I said you were trying, not succeeding. > > And the one post I’ve already made to your pit thread will be sufficient. Yes, you are at the top of your form, such as it is. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/73 "2010-10-07T14:48:59Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > > [@adhay](#): > > > > XT? > > WTF? BYOB. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/74 "2010-10-07T15:37:31Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > > [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](#): > > > > [ > > > > Ridiculing a opposing view this way _is_ an attempt to persuade, **prr** , and so is the clumsy parody essayed in the OP. > > Nope. I’m perfectly happy if everyone but me believes in silly sky pixies. Don’t care, never have. Good luck with your beliefs, and have a nice day. ha ha, prr, that’s a good one…tell us another! ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/75 "2010-10-07T16:37:14Z")
OK: It may please your vanity to suppose that I do care what you believe, but I really don’t. Honest. I’ve never tried converting anyone to atheism, and I’ve never advocated converting anyone to atheism. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/76 "2010-10-07T17:37:58Z")
I didn’t say you try to convert, but all the same I don’t think you are “perfectly happy if everyone but me believes in silly sky pixies.” Not by a long, long shot. Being perfectly happy doesn’t reconcile at all with your extreme anger. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/77 "2010-10-08T15:27:21Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#): > > I didn’t say you try to convert, but all the same I don’t think you are “perfectly happy if everyone but me believes in silly sky pixies.” Not by a long, long shot. Being perfectly happy doesn’t reconcile at all with your extreme anger. But he’s not angry because he cares whether or not other people believe. He’s angry because he cares whether or not other prople are sufficiently rude to people who believe. Completely different issues. Really. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/78 "2010-10-09T01:20:45Z")
> [@adhay](#): > > > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > > > No. I said you were trying, not succeeding. > > > > And the one post I’ve already made to your pit thread will be sufficient. > > Yes, you are at the top of your form, such as it is. Let me further refer you. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13005906#post13005906](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=13005906#post13005906) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/79 "2010-10-09T04:28:30Z")
> [@adhay](#): > > Let me further refer you. No. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048/80 "2010-10-09T21:04:03Z")
> [@42fish](#): > > > [@Sarahfeena](#): > > > > I didn’t say you try to convert, but all the same I don’t think you are “perfectly happy if everyone but me believes in silly sky pixies.” Not by a long, long shot. Being perfectly happy doesn’t reconcile at all with your extreme anger. > > But he’s not angry because he cares whether or not other people believe. He’s angry because he cares whether or not other prople are sufficiently rude to people who believe. Completely different issues. Really. Well, I’m not basing my statement on just this one thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-on-dealing-with-teenagers-professed-religious-belief/556048.md?page=5)