Grin! I think that some of us may have been laboring under misapprehensions about what the other side actually thinks! Guinastasia’s acceptance belies pseudotriton ruber ruber’s characterization – and comforts me, as I have striven to follow that middle path. I would not strive to make the kid cry…but I will say what I believe if he asks.
(Now, when an adult comes to my door…I might behave a bit more dickishly…)
I don’t even answer the door when they come around anymore. Fuck 'em. Or I just tell them I’m not interested, and that I don’t have time to talk because I’ve got something cooking on the stove that has to be watched. Fortunately, my area doesn’t have a lot of missionaries. Pittsburgh isn’t exactly fundie-central, thank god.
Well, there are fundie Catholics, trying to lure you in with their pancake breakfasts and bingo halls. Some of them even go around openly carrying weapons.
The costumes are kinda cool…but, really, you had me at pancakes.
And fish fries on Fridays in Lent! They may be old Italian guys, but they married Italian women who know how to cook in bulk. How do you think they got so fat?
Around here you’ve got the Polish ladies with their pierogies. How can you pass up pierogies? That’s how they lure you in!
Perhaps it is Santa and the Tooth Fairy that are evil. Why do we feel like it is a good idea to lie to children like that? Seems kinda of unfair to me.
To take the sting out of traditional fairy tales and lullabies? On the whole, we devote an awful lot of time and energy scaring the shit out of our kids.
Here is the thing for me.
Being atheist is a very small part of my life. In fact it is completely unimportant, hence being an atheist. I simply do not believe in, nor care to spend time on, religion or Gods.
Thus, the direct opposite of arrogant. I simply do not wish to discuss the issue with others.
The problem is, religious people, in many cases, have religion as the center of their life. I understand and respect this for them.
But, regrettably, if I talk about my atheism when asked, it REALLY can upset some religious people because to them it is the most important topic in their lives and it should be in mine.
Hence, not arrogant. In fact, desperately seeking to avoid the topic when I see so many people use it as a center point for their lives. Bosses/co-workers/family have, at times, made me very much aware how important religion is to them. I would like to THINK they would not hold it against me if I disagreed, but we all know you like people you relate to. Thus, it can harm job performance, associations, etc… to be an atheist.
Thus, to be arrogant about atheism would be a big mistake for me, I just try to avoid the subject like the plague.
Well don’t they say that politics and religion are the two subjects you never discuss in casual company?
Sex, religion, and politics.
And whether the toilet paper should go over the roll, or under it.
I’d describe your views on religion not only arrogant but offensive, and I’m an atheist. Your relentless blackening of, particularly, followers of the Christian religion strikes me as blind and stupid, but worse, just plain wrong. Christians do not, on the whole, reject science as you claim-- on the contrary, Christians tend to embrace the majority of scientific advances without so much as a pause-- or tend toward evil more than others. The central tenet of Christianity is not hatred. This stuff is easy to look up, you just can’t be bothered.
Not only that, but your whole manner on the subject is also arrogant. When I asked you for a cite, you didn’t bother and asked for a counter cite instead. When I provided one, you acted surprised, I guess, but it didn’t really seem to make an impression. You were blithe about the whole thing, like, “oh, my bald assertion was false? Huh. No matter, my point and opinions remain unchanged.” At least, that’s how I remember it.
Basically, your arguments about religion seem to be: People are scum, and religious believers more so, and Christians are like that except worse. I strongly associate the idea that humans are scum or idiots with arrogance-- like the rotten bastards who like to say, “Remember, half of people are stupider than average!” I suspect you’re one of them, but this message board is a serious pain in the ass to search, so only wear that shoe if it fits.
