Individuals are often awesome when they're not poisoned by groups, usually unless they are sociopaths or psychopaths. After all, most other reasons for being a cunt comes down to stuff like racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, etc, and that usually comes from upbringing or IOW is down to GROUPS (religion being a big example, but not the only one). It's all down to tribalism. I often feel that although there are so many cunts in this world a majority of them may even be quite lovely and compassionate people if it wasn't for the groups they identify with or their upbringing by groups that corrupted them (even if they are no longer associated they might be still affected and it can take years to shake the prejudice off). I don't think people are naturally cunts or bigots I think it's fucking tribalism and 'us and them' thinking.

Anyway like I said, unless you're a psychopath or sociopath.

I think "Militant Atheist" has a nice ring to it.  We don't bomb mosques though...I just loan out books 

Atheists as a demographic don't have any specific denominations, but most of us choose to identify with something more, like secularism, laicité, political ideologies and sometimes atheist groups or famous atheists.

(October 3, 2015 at 2:23 pm)Spooky Wrote: I think "Militant Atheist" has a nice ring to it.  We don't bomb mosques though...I just loan out books 

While I agree with this I think it's naive to believe only directly violent actions like bombing or hurting people are relevant - Books can be very dangerous, you don't have to go far, just think that Hitler himself never visited a concentration camp and only wrote some books, gave lectures and speeches and shared his ideas with people.

(October 3, 2015 at 3:21 pm)Dystopia Wrote:

(October 3, 2015 at 2:23 pm)Spooky Wrote: I think "Militant Atheist" has a nice ring to it.  We don't bomb mosques though...I just loan out books 

While I agree with this I think it's naive to believe only directly violent actions like bombing or hurting people are relevant - Books can be very dangerous, you don't have to go far, just think that Hitler himself never visited a concentration camp and only wrote some books, gave lectures and speeches and shared his ideas with people.

I don't disagree.  Knowledge is power after all. 

(October 3, 2015 at 3:24 pm)Spooky Wrote:

(October 3, 2015 at 3:21 pm)Dystopia Wrote: While I agree with this I think it's naive to believe only directly violent actions like bombing or hurting people are relevant - Books can be very dangerous, you don't have to go far, just think that Hitler himself never visited a concentration camp and only wrote some books, gave lectures and speeches and shared his ideas with people.

I don't disagree.  Knowledge is power after all. 

Yes. People should read books but be careful to not see the entire world trough one category of book's lenses. If I saw the world merely from the perspective of Harris and Dawkins, I'd be missing out a lot of different positions, just like people who see the world according to the bible or even a book like Mein Kampf that promotes anti-Semitism

(October 3, 2015 at 3:29 pm)Dystopia Wrote:

(October 3, 2015 at 3:24 pm)Spooky Wrote: I don't disagree.  Knowledge is power after all. 

Yes. People should read books but be careful to not see the entire world trough one category of book's lenses. If I saw the world merely from the perspective of Harris and Dawkins, I'd be missing out a lot of different positions, just like people who see the world according to the bible or even a book like Mein Kampf that promotes anti-Semitism

Reading-or media in general-shouldn't tell you 'what to think', instead it's better to learn 'how to think'.

So, I'd say it seems we agree.  I simply like to identify as Militant Atheist for the pleasure of irony.

The word "god" was simply the title given to the big wig who ruled the dominant empire in the area. It's like referring to someone as the "governor" or the "mayor". He had absolute power over his subjects and what he said was final. The "God" character in the Bible was simply the series of emperors who ruled the various ancient Middle Eastern empires where the Israelites/Hebrews/Jews lived. The biblical "God" character bit the dust when the last Babylonian emperor died and the empire collapsed. He isn't coming back. There is no invisible celestial deity in this solar system.

(October 2, 2015 at 3:20 pm)houseofcantor Wrote:

(October 2, 2015 at 2:39 pm)Whateverist the White Wrote: Do you believe in god(s)?
Are you certain whether they exist?
Do you know what we are even talking about when the G word comes up?
Do you care whether or not gods exist?

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.

I know... I gotta be difficult.

I see you as more of a yes man.

Modern atheists are merely atheists that have access to modern information and are pissed off that religion is still so fucking retarded and ubiquitous in 2015!