Do theists bother you?

[freemike]

Well I haven't been around long but there seems to be a lot of hate/anger towards theists, especially the outspoken ones. I mean I understand getting heated at the ones that come on the board try to debate our non belief and then ignore our arguments or twist words to make their point valid. Like in the culture we seem to be bothered by public prayer or displays of faith. I don't know these things just don't matter one bit to me. Though maybe because in my public life I am outspoken and make beliefs well known as well, other than my family (still trying to figure a way out how to crush my mother's heart softly). I mean I'll even attend the occasional church service to make some people I love/like happy, though most people there avoid me like the plague . Maybe these things don't bother me because I'm surrounded by them and they seem the norm to me and ultimately I know where I stand. All of my friends believe in some form of god. Actually I am the only atheist that I have met lol. Though I guess I'm odd because the supposed christians that absolutely get on my nerves are the quiet ones. You know the ones that won't tell you and be upfront, hey I'm a christian and I try to live for sky daddy. The ones that you see at the bar on Saturday night, in church on Sunday, and live like hell. Then when you ask them about it they act holier than thou and want to tell you are going to hell. The other ones that just irk the living shite out of me are the homosexuals. Like my aunt chooses this lifestyle, and I have no problem with that. Though she attends a protestant church, I'm just sitting there like um really you know you serve a god that called you an abomination. Like one of the most respected theists, in my life actually just came out and told me straight and bluntly that I'm going straight to hell for my beliefs. He lives as close to his religion as possible and I can respect that. Actually this was my ex-pastor that told me that when I told him I quit coming to church regularly because I'm an atheist. Though when I do show up he treats me fairly and with respect still, he just gives me the odd look and occasionally asks why do you come, if you don't believe. I just smile and go felt like a good day to come hear ya.

Maybe I'm just a bad atheist lol.

[Minimalist]

I mean I understand getting heated at the ones that come on the board try to debate our non belief and then ignore our arguments or twist words to make their point valid.

Wait. Are you saying there is another kind?

[IceSage]

Theists don't bother me. Stupid people bother me.

When you explain in great detail and answer every single question someone asks or poses, and they still go "Durrr, no I'm right" when they're absolutely wrong, it's annoying.

I don't mind theists at all. If you want to believe in God, so be it. You could pray to the sun, or worship Joe Pesci for all I care. But when you're trying to tell me that the Earth / Universe is around 6,000 years old, and that evolution is, not only false, but an invention to "keep people away from god," then you're retarded, end of story. I WILL be annoyed by those who do not wish to learn or educate themselves.

The same thing goes for the morons who believe that taking pills with caffeine deluded to the point where there's probably not even a caffeine molecule in the pill, can help you sleep better at night, and is more effective than ingredients that actually DO make you sleep better at night.

Honestly, I'd like them to use homeopathic "medicine" to put people under before they go into surgery, rather than an anesthetic. Even better, have people "pray" themselves into a deep sleep... You know, since science and medicine doesn't work, so why would they want the anesthetic?

[Ace Otana]

Theists don't bother me in the sense that I don't give a shit in what they believe in.
They can believe in whatever crazy thing they like. They can believe that I'm going to hell if they want, don't care because it's only a belief. A very improbable one at that. Also the possibility of all theists going to hell instead is just as likely.

What does bother me with theists, is when they say things like: We don't believe in god because we hate him, or we just don't understand, or we're in denial.
Can't stand it when they blurt bullshit like that. Though it does demonstrate their ignorance and arrogance.

Since I'm in the UK, I see far more atheists than theists. In fact, very few people here go to church. So I have no problem with religion here. Here it has no power or influence.
It's very secular here.
If you want to watch religion die almost completely, go to sweden. I plan to move there some day. 85% non-religious population!

[fr0d0]

Atheism is, to generalise, negative; being in opposition to positivism (que whingers: "atheism is only disbelief"). The archetypal response is blind dismissal, and there is no clearer representation of this than Min.

There's nothing wrong with anger, if it's justified. Hatred is wrong I think, as harbouring anger is destructive.

[Skipper]

Atheism is, to generalise, negative; being in opposition to positivism (que whingers: "atheism is only disbelief"). The archetypal response is blind dismissal, and there is no clearer representation of this than Min.

No it's not blind dismissal to look for evidence and then when none is found to then dismiss something.

Blind faith via ignorance, as I mentioned in another thread yesterday, is what I hate about religious folk. As long as a theist understands their religion and has at least read their book of the their faith, I have no issue with them personally, I still have issue with their faith, as I don't believe religion has the answers and is at it's core immoral and controlling...but I at least have respect for someone who knows what it is they believe in even if I disagree. I am however bothered by religious people who have no idea what their religion is, and things like that recent survey which says Atheists and Agnostics knows more about religion really bother me.

[theVOID]

Atheism is, to generalise, negative; being in opposition to positivism (que whingers: "atheism is only disbelief"). The archetypal response is blind dismissal, and there is no clearer representation of this than Min.

There's nothing wrong with anger, if it's justified. Hatred is wrong I think, as harbouring anger is destructive.

It's pretty easy to dismiss your unsubstantiated bullshit fr0d0, when you start providing reasons for your positions you might get better responses.

Oh, and I love how you use words like Positivism while not knowing what they mean. Positivism is an epistemological standpoint that holds science as the best way to determine the processes by which events occur in nature, and as you may have figured out by now, belief in God cannot be justified from a position of positivism you see, because conclusions in positivism are tentative and based on empiricism, of which you have none.

It is a replacement for metaphysics, you know that weak-tea bullshit you depend on to feel good about being irrational?

You need some philosophy 101 it seems.

Oh, and blind dismissal is all that is possible regarding empty claims such as your own.

[SleepingDemon]

Most honestly do not bother me, it's the purists that I have a problem with. I like some above me have a problem with stupid people, people so inherently lacking in their logic and ability to reason/work out problems. I generally dislike people who cannot make rational decisions based on evidence provided, who try to marry religion in science in such a way that finding real answers in their convoluted world-views is impossible.

If you are religious for personal reasons, if it makes you feel good, then I generally have no issue with that. So long as you know why you believe, but if you have no idea of what it is that you believe, and only believe for the sake of believing in something, and still find the necessary backbone to challenge me on an issue, I will eat you alive, and take a considerable amount of pleasure doing it.

[tackattack]

I agree with the general sentiment, stupidity is what bothers me regardless of belief. Sometimes I get annoyed at a strictly materialistic view, or a strict holding to only 5 of the senses. It seems to be dismissive to me as well.To me a strictly materialistic view is just as deluded as a young earth creationist view.

[Edwardo Piet]

To me dualism is deluded.