(January 30, 2015 at 11:49 am)IanHulett Wrote: I went to church on sunday, and I felt sorry for everybody there, because all I could think of was that they were brainwashed, and were giving their money away for nothing, and that the elders wasted their entire life, and the middle aged people are wasting their life, and they're oppressing themselves, etc. I just feel so sorry for these people.

Fortunately, my girlfriend, and the pastor knows I'm an atheist, but that's it. Nobody else at church knows.

Does anybody else feel sorry for religious people?

First thing, this to everyone who posted, don't feel sorry for Christians, feel sorry for those who believe they are and in reality they are not. Christians do not want others pity because we know the great life we have and the greater eternal life that awaits.

Now Ian, why do you believe we are wasting our time, our money, our lives and oppressing ourselves. What proof do you have and where did you get it. Why would you have a girl friend that's a Christian, when you feel like she belongs to the fools club, sounds rather stupid to me.

GC

(January 31, 2015 at 12:54 am)Godschild Wrote: First thing, this to everyone who posted, don't feel sorry for Christians, feel sorry for those who believe they are and in reality they are not.

Could you stop begging for pity? It's pathetic.

Seriously? I thought the default assumption was that being rational was harder. Working out your ethics and morals in a gray world, digging through philosophies to find meaning - it's a mess. I would be MUCH easier to believe what was pushed at me. If there were some kind of awareness after death, I might feel sorry for all those who wasted their time, but I suspect that most people do/have religion because it works for them. I really don't see a lot of people who are actually trapped by their beliefs. Hell, there are probably more rationalists in that situation - reason is a harsh master.

(January 31, 2015 at 12:54 am)Godschild Wrote: First thing, this to everyone who posted, don't feel sorry for Christians, feel sorry for those who believe they are and in reality they are not.

They believe that they believe but in reality they don't believe? Where do you get this shit from?

(January 30, 2015 at 11:56 am)Xeno Wrote: Not really. They fell for it.

I feel bad that there is so much time and money being wasted, though.

I have to disagree. I'm betting you fell for Santa? Falling for jesus is quite the same to a child but add torture for eternity to the mix then a child life becomes a nightmare. One hard to shake.

Santa, training aid for jesus, and jesus should go away.

-Edited-

(January 31, 2015 at 5:45 am)h4ym4n Wrote:

(January 30, 2015 at 11:56 am)Xeno Wrote: Not really. They fell for it.

I feel bad that there is so much time and money being wasted, though.

I have to disagree. I'm betting you fell for Santa? Falling for jesus is quite the same to a child but add torture for eternity to the mix then a child life becomes a nightmare. One hard to shake.

Santa, training aid for jesus, and jesus should go away.

You're telling me? I knew all about religious nightmares as a child. I do feel sorry for the children that are being indoctrinated. I was, too. It's hard to shake, but not impossible. I did it and I don't consider myself mentally strong.

(January 31, 2015 at 5:53 am)Xeno Wrote:

(January 31, 2015 at 5:45 am)h4ym4n Wrote: I have to disagree. I'm betting you fell for Santa? Falling for jesus is quite the same to a child but add torture for eternity to the mix then a child life becomes a nightmare. One hard to shake.

Santa, training aid for jesus, and jesus should go away.

You're telling me? I knew all about religious nightmares as a child. I do feel sorry for the children that are being indoctrinated. I was, too. It's hard to shake, but not impossible. I did it and I don't consider myself mentally strong.

Agreed. I hope sites like this and the more and more atheist podcast help with getting people out their beliefs.


Title should be, do you feel sorry for the mental torture children have to go through growing up.

(January 31, 2015 at 6:07 am)h4ym4n Wrote: Agreed. I hope sites like this and the more and more atheist podcast help with getting people out their beliefs.


Title should be, do you feel sorry for the mental torture children have to go through growing up.

Yeah. Personally speaking, AF has helped me a lot so far.

Fortunately, indoctrination isn't always the case. I think it would be good if it was specified in the OP what kind of religious people do we feel sorry for. I definitely don't feel sorry for the ones who weren't indoctrinated and are consciously wasting their time chasing fairytales, but brainwashed children are a whole different deal.

I feel sorry for the many millions of drones who will have no external experiences. If you want to talk about the world, you need to visit the world, ffs.