For all my non-believing friends.  I believe most of you are former believers or grew up in forced religion, etc.  Do you find yourself blanket/generalizing all "theists" in the same vein?  All who believe a God exists is silly, moronic?  Or do you take each theist is their own person and assess your thoughts towards them on how they respond/treat you?  Maybe it's a mix?

I only ask because I see a lot of ad hominem attacks in responses when responding to theists on here.  Personally, I don't care if someone calls me silly, moronic, etc. I'm geniunely curious if that's how you view all theists in general, if so why?

I understand what theists get out of their belief. We all have the right to discover our own story that explains our connection with the universe.

I believe that all religions are mostly wrong. I have no problem with someone wanting to believe in an afterlife, but when people claim to know what a non-evident god commands, that's when I get cranky.

As long as they don't try to make their religion the law of the land, effectively making the secular follow their religion, I don't care what they do. I'm neutral towards religionists until they start with their judgmentalism.

I don't like people of faith like End of Atheism. He wants to brainwash people with fear so they become Gods zealots like him. He is a Muslim. And muslims often show hyper zeal in religion and wish to convert people by shoving their religion down peoples throats.

I can understand and empathize with all of these. The proselytizing and turn/burn methods are very off putting. I can honestly say, I don't shy away from the fact I'm a Christian, in any private/public forum. I don't make it a point to make others aware of it when it's not organically part of conversation. For example when I'm speaking at conferences for my job, I don't start by letting people know I'm a follower of Christ. It's irrelevant. Further, when I DO mention that I'm a Christian and there are others in the group who are agnostic or atheist, I have NEVER had an atheist try to deconvert me lol. Or tell me I'm an idiot. The only thing I've EVER had them say to me is "I used to believe in God" and we usually have a good discussion if they are up for discussing (which I find they are).

I just don't know if it's the asynchronous communication style of the forums or the typical people being more brave behind a keyboard stereotype, I just see a lot of negative remarks towards theists. Trying to determine if there's something there...

(May 15, 2023 at 3:10 pm)purplepurpose Wrote: I don't like people of faith like End of Atheism. He wants to brainwash people with fear so they become Gods zealots like him. He is a Muslim. And muslims often show hyper zeal in religion and wish to convert people by shoving their religion down peoples throats.

I did not care for EoA approach.  I don't stand at the street corners.  I don't go out of my way to tell people what I believe and why I think I'm right.  I will go out of my way to love every one I come across.  I will not shy away from what I believe when asked either as I believe it to be true and withstand skepticism, otherwise it would not be worth believing.

I'm live and let live, truly. You'll never find me on a theist forum trolling them or trying to convert them to my views. And for the most part I try to be as objective and civil as possible, but when people start getting up in my face, misrepresenting me, and telling me what I think, which has been happening a lot round here lately, then I start to get pissed, and yes, start to generalise, stereotype etc. I'm not proud of it but it is what it is.

(May 15, 2023 at 3:00 pm)Kingpin Wrote: For all my non-believing friends.  I believe most of you are former believers or grew up in forced religion, etc.  Do you find yourself blanket/generalizing all "theists" in the same vein?  All who believe a God exists is silly, moronic?  Or do you take each theist is their own person and assess your thoughts towards them on how they respond/treat you?  Maybe it's a mix?

I only ask because I see a lot of ad hominem attacks in responses when responding to theists on here.  Personally, I don't care if someone calls me silly, moronic, etc. I'm geniunely curious if that's how you view all theists in general, if so why?

No.

Boru

I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area...like 90%+ so many of the people from my growing up years are still in the faith.  And that's fine.  This includes my best friend since the age of (13 - we are 65 and 66 now).  The women who were more of a mother to me than my own mother were/are devoutly Catholic.

One of my favorite people in the world is Pentecostal.  She and I worked through our extreme differences in belief a long time ago.  There are just too many things that I love about her to hold some grudge over her religion.  She was like my son's other mother and my whole family loves her.

It's a case by case thing with me.  If someone is aggressively trying to save my soul...I have no patience.

(May 15, 2023 at 3:55 pm)arewethereyet Wrote: I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area...like 90%+ so many of the people from my growing up years are still in the faith.  And that's fine.  This includes my best friend since the age of (13 - we are 65 and 66 now).  The women who were more of a mother to me than my own mother were/are devoutly Catholic.

One of my favorite people in the world is Pentecostal.  She and I worked through our extreme differences in belief a long time ago.  There are just too many things that I love about her to hold some grudge over her religion.  She was like my son's other mother and my whole family loves her.

It's a case by case thing with me.  If someone is aggressively trying to save my soul...I have no patience.

Thank you.  I have incredible respect for this.