I hate when they few atheists that i know think that there is something wrong with me because i “conform” to society with my religion. Give me a break and kiss my ass.
It couldn’t be that you think society should conform to your beliefs, could it?
No.
Although you seem to be much less willing to conform to such things as the convention of capitalizing the word I.
So, are you saying that without your religion you would not “conform” to society, but instead would be a raving lunatic?
Not so much a raving lunatic, but more of a lunaticing rave.
My hatred is equal-opportunity. I am not an atheist, although I do not “conform” to any organized religion. However, those atheists who get in people’s faces and tell them how stupid they are for believing in any sort of religion are just…well, wrong. Around here, Students for Freethought are just as obnoxious as Campus Crusade for Christ. I can see getting in someone’s face if they’re trying to LEGISLATE that religion. I have a problem with that too. But seriously, folks…if you believe something, believe it with all your heart. Try your very best to live by the creed you’ve selected. Don’t be a hypocrite about it. And for ________'s sake, don’t try to force it on anyone else. The world would be a pretty fucking boring place without those differences.
“Do unto others as you’d have done unto you.”
Words to live by. If you don’t want an atheist in your face, don’t get in other people’s faces with your religion. And vice versa. I sincerely wish that everyone would live and let live, and not be a hypocrite about what they believe. Worry about the beam in your eye before you deal with the speck in your neighbor’s, and some such.
But you’re right. Christians certainly don’t have the monopoly on obnoxiousness.
Atheists have been the target of hatred, opresssion, torture and murder for thousands of years. Fairly recently in the grand scope of history in some parts of the world this has been reduced to mere hatred and opression. The voices of atheists are a mere whisper compared to the shouts of religionists, and we are just now testing our limits. Forgive us if we step over the line once in a while, but our “rights”, limited in range and scope as they are, are new to us.
I figure I’m about as neutral an observer as can be had on the subject of religion–I’m an agnostic, which I define as not buying anything I didn’t think up myself. My sympathy tends to be with the atheists–as slythe points out, they have been oppressed for a long time. There is a certain satisfaction in complaints like HomeSlice’s, which is in effect that he knows atheists who are going around doing what Christians do. As ye sow, so shall ye reap, or something like that.
(Or are you complaining that these atheists are bigots, HomeSlice? In that case one might direct people to the John Rocker thread here in the Pit:
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=26715
so they can see your statement on gays. As ye sow, so shall ye reap, or something like that.)
But I have to agree with Drain Bead–obnoxious atheists who try to convert people are just as bad as obnoxious Christians who do it. (I call them “Evangelical Atheists.”) The two become opposite sides of the same coin. Both sides try to insist I believe what they belive, rather than letting me figure it out myself. Both sides are wasting their time.
Not all atheists are like that, of course, just as not all Christians are like that. As the title to this thread says, some atheists are assholes. Just as some Christians are assholes. Just as some of any group you care to name are going to be assholes.
Well, maybe. I don’t make it a point to ask. I figure if they want to tell me about their metaphysical views, I can listen with respect, but I make it clear that I might want to share some insight with them, from my own beliefs. If they’re okay with that, I am too.
If they want to be like me, they’ll ask. If I want to know what they believe, I’ll ask. The reverse is true in either case. I choose what I want to believe, and try to act accordingly. Why shouldn’t I extend that courtesy to others?
~~Baloo
I am complaining that SOME atheists are assholes, just like some religiouse freaks are assholes. Its just that i saw all the threads bashing religious freaks so i wanted to “diversify” the board a bit more.
Hey, maybe i am a bigot, but without people like us, the world and this board would be rather boring, wouldnt you say?
Well, at least you don’t conform to standard practices of grammar. Be proud! Wear your banner high and know that you bask in your own singular glory!
Oh, pooh! Now I’m just being a twit! (Sorry!)
Honestly, live and let live. My God is your God; my Goddess is your Goddess. In our own way we all worship or refuse to worship the same.
It’s called tolerance.
Acceptance.
We are so much more the same than different.
Don’t cram your stuff in my face and I won’t cram mine in yours.
Celebrate (rather than hate) our differences.
Some might push too much but accept them with gentle good humor. We all need to just accept a hell (or heck) of a lot more than we do.
There is no wrong or right on the Path. There is just you, your feelings and beliefs. There is just me, my feelings and beliefs.
Give all that same freedom.
I have a sneaking suspicion we will all arrive at the same road…
Best!
Byz
HomeSlice wrote
(Some atheists are assholes) + (Some religious freaks are assholes) = (Some people are assholes).
Yeah, I’ll go along with that.
“There is no cause so good you can’t find an asshole supporting it” - Larry Niven
As an athiest and an asshole I find it easiest to be obnoxious when someone else be they raveing lunatic or christian has started the discussion, often by informing me of Gods love. There is no defense however for the troglodytes (?) who are assholes for no apparent reason.