(July 5, 2015 at 9:05 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: When you learn that a particular person is a theist, does that fact alone make you think any less of them? Perhaps less intelligent, or less rational, or less educated, or less good, etc?

If so, how and why?

Thanks!

No, I don't think less of them, I think more of them.






More deluded, more willfully ignorant, more easily swayed by BS arguments, etc...

Edit:
Voted no. Of course I don't think less of someone because of their beliefs. I let their actions speak.

That they're theists doesn't make me think any less of them, per se. It makes me think they're different from me at times, but not less, by any stretch. I grew up surrounded religious people; my sister (one of my best friends) wanted to be a pastor for a long time. Another of my best friends regularly wears a cross, although she doesn't hold to much of her Catholic upbringing; she would describe herself as a "spiritual" person. Even my SO refers to "God" and "spiritual" things. My mom is also a god-botherer, and the two of us get into it at times, but I love her and the rest of them just the same.

I have to make an addendum to my previous statement.

As Jenny said, if someone says they're a young earth creationist I immediately have a low opinion of them.

Generally no, but it depends entirely upon how they express their theism. FWIW, I don't ask - I consider it a very personal thing. I have some very good friends I've known for decades who I literally do not know whether they are believers or not (I suspect they are not, or their belief is deistic).

(July 5, 2015 at 9:24 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: I thought modern day satanists were actually atheist?

I agree though.

Most are, LaVey Satanism describes itself as a philosophy but one that openly advocates greed and eugenics which makes them assholes to me.

There are a few rouge brands who usually describe themselves as Luciferians who do see Satan as a real supernatural force though and do rituals hoping to receive favors from him. Thankfully they are incredibly rare and usually find their way into asylums for the insane fairly quickly. There are examples sadly such as Dahmer where he wasn't identified as one until it was far too late.

(July 5, 2015 at 9:37 pm)Metis Wrote:

(July 5, 2015 at 9:24 pm)Catholic_Lady Wrote: I thought modern day satanists were actually atheist?

I agree though.

Most are, LaVey Satanism describes itself as a philosophy but one that openly advocates greed and eugenics which makes them assholes to me.

There are a few rouge brands who usually describe themselves as Luciferians do see Satan as a real supernatural force though. Thankfully they are incredibly rare and usually find their way into asylums for the insane fairly quickly.

Interesting... and scary.

It's indifferent given most people I meet daily are theists and I don't see how it makes them different or special. We just differ on one issue.

(July 5, 2015 at 9:37 pm)Metis Wrote: Most are, LaVey Satanism describes itself as a philosophy but one that openly advocates greed and eugenics which makes them assholes to me.

Hmmmm. I was under the impression that LaVeyan Satanists were more about materialism and self-deification. Oh, and fucking whoever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want(*).

(*)within the limits of the law.

(July 5, 2015 at 9:37 pm)Metis Wrote: There are a few rouge brands who usually describe themselves as Luciferians do see Satan as a real supernatural force though. Thankfully they are incredibly rare and usually find their way into asylums for the insane fairly quickly.

In the only encounter I've ever had with Luciferians, I was told that the buy-bull gawd and Lucifer were indeed real, but the buy-bull is gawd propaganda. Lucifer, "The Light Bringer" is actually the good guy and YHWH the evil one. When you look at the body count, that kinda makes sense.

Edit:
And, upon further review, what I was told was utter bullshit. Luciferianism doesn't seem terribly different from LaVeyan Satanism.

(July 5, 2015 at 9:50 pm)SnakeOilWarrior Wrote: Edit:
And, upon further review, what I was told was utter bullshit. Luciferianism doesn't seem terribly different from LaVeyan Satanism.

Well, an "-ism" is just a word with an "-ism." I wouldn't try to draw strong conclusions about what Satanism or Lucerferianism "really" are, or how they relate to each other. Those words can have as many meanings as there are people who use them.

I've met smart theists, I've met idiotic theists. I've met smart atheists, I've met rather dumb atheists.

I vote other.