This thread is getting me down. Every time someone complains about loud obnoxious debaters of religion drowning people out, they get drowned out by obnoxious debaters.
Let’s unite, you and I, away from all that. Live and let live, fraternize, sing kumbaya or its non-denominational equivalent. Let’s record our presence, mark ourselves down in the poll, that simple place that requires no time or thought to check in. Let’s prove that we exist, and in greater numbers than those that would pretend we do not exist in their monolithic sweeping statements.
And if you start a religious debate, so help me I will call in the full wrath of Czarcasm on everyone in this thread
I’m a vegetarian atheist, married to a Catholic meat-eater, in a family of variably religious meat-eaters. We all make the choices that suit us best, and love and respect one another enough to be happy and supportive regardless of the specifics of those choices.
(I point out the vegetarian part because there are some militant vegetarians who want to try and convince everyone that meat-eating is wrong, just as there are some militant atheists who want to try and convince everyone that believing in god is wrong. Ultimately, I think we all have to make our own choices and try to live as kindly and as happily as we can.)
Some of my best friends are atheists. No, scratch that, most of my friends, best or otherwise, are atheists. And many of them do a better job of living up to religious ideals than the folks who proclaim their religion most loudly. So, yeah, I’ve got no problem with atheists.
Believe what you want.
Live and let live.
As long as you (personally) don’t try to shove it down my throat.
Can’t we all just get along.
No skin off my back.
On and on, ad naseum.
In real life I’m a very easy to get along with theist. Mostly because I’m as inclined to talk about religious beliefs with acquaintances and strangers as I am to poop in front of them, which is to say not at all; nicely enough, almost no one else I encounter day to day has a burning need to talk about their beliefs/non-beliefs, either. I don’t think I come across as a very stringent theist on this board either…do I?
ETA: I mean, come on. What is it that the Dope (and, by extension, Dopers) are supposed to have been doing “since 1973”? Holding hands?
You simply cannot visit this site without being reminded that it’s about fighting ignorance. It’s its raison d’etre. For people who would rather avoid of the occasional keyboard-head-bangin’, I’m sure there are plenty of message boards where you’ll feel more comfortable.
I agree with this to a certain extent. I was considering voting headbanger for exactly this reason. I mean, I’m definitely more confrontational and upfront about offering my knowledge and opinions here than in real life. I figure most people, myself included, come here to learn something, so it behooves me to share what I know, and to keep an open mind to what others have to say.
But the fact is, if there’s one thing I will never, ever argue about here, it’s religion. I’ll tell people I’m an atheist, and explain my reasoning, and discuss my religious upbringing and so on, but I’m under no illusions that I’m going to convince anyone of anything. I don’t think anyone comes here to “learn” about religion (except as it relates to history, literature, sociology, politics, etc.). I sure as hell don’t. I can’t recall ever seeing someone on either side of the debate concede a single point about the existence of God. So while there’s a chance, however small, that someone might learn something from even the most contentious Great Debate thread, I just don’t believe it will ever happen in regard to religion. Not here, anyway.
I’m an atheist. Many of my most beloved real-life friends believe in all sorts of nonsense. I don’t bug them with reason and they don’t bug me with superstition and we all get along just fine.
That’s real life. On the internet… yes, arguing on the internet is like being in the Special Olympics.
