Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: November 7, 2026, 9:49 am
Atheist Forums › Community › Atheism v
Your perception of theists

Poll: ...
You do not have permission to vote in this poll.
yes
38.64%
 17 38.64%
no
34.09%
 15 34.09%
other
27.27%
 12 27.27%
Total 44 vote(s) 100%
* You voted for this item. [Show Results]

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Threaded Mode
Your perception of theists
Aoi Magi Offline
The coolest magi in existence
****
Religious Views: not sure
Posts: 6868
Threads: 51
Joined: September 14, 2014
Reputation: 43
#41
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 8:12 am
Whenever I hear an adult person is a theist, I feel them being a bit more "insecure" in their daily lives than the atheists. Other than that I don't have any other preconceptions about them.
Find
Reply
The Grand Nudger Offline
Retired Staff
*****
Religious Views: Invasive
Posts: 69280
Threads: 140
Joined: June 28, 2011
Reputation: 161
#42
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 8:28 am
When someone claims to be a fallen creature, I generally accept that they know themselves better than I know them.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Find
Reply
Metis Offline
Triggered
**
Religious Views: Yaoist
Posts: 380
Threads: 17
Joined: February 10, 2015
Reputation: 12
#43
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 9:21 am
(July 5, 2015 at 10:32 pm)bennyboy Wrote:
(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.

Mmm! The problem is with New religious movments is so many words can be used to mean several things, when talking about paganism we could mean Wicca, Druidism, Asatru, Neo-Hellenism...Too much.

I've heared Luciferian (especially historically) used to describe worshipers of an actual evil power, but I've also seen the term Infernalist or Infernal Satanist thrown around in a few books too.
Find
Reply
Catholic_Lady Offline
Have Courage and Be Kind
*****
Religious Views: Catholic
Posts: 15452
Threads: 147
Joined: June 15, 2015
Reputation: 87
#44
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 9:48 am
Thank you for the honest responses, everyone. I appreciate it.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly." 

-walsh
Find
Reply
Esquilax Offline
A Death Star for bad arguments.
*****
Religious Views: AF's own William Lane Craig
Posts: 11260
Threads: 61
Joined: January 5, 2013
Reputation: 123
#45
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 9:54 am
I'm generally more interested in what a person does with their theism, since I recognize that theism itself doesn't really say much on its own; religion is so often a mirror that reflects back what a person already believes, with the added magic authority of a god. My mother-in-law uses her- increasingly vague- religious beliefs to do good, and generally to be a supportive person. My brother-in-law uses his to brag endlessly about being filled with the holy spirit and make rude, disparaging comments to his mom about who she is.

That does more to inform my opinions of them than simply knowing they both believe in god.
"YOU take the hard look in the mirror. You are everything that is wrong with this world. The only thing important to you, is you." - ronedee

Want to see more of my writing? Check out my (safe for work!) site, Unprotected Sects!
Find
Reply
bennyboy Offline
Senior Member
****
Religious Views: agnostic
Posts: 9147
Threads: 83
Joined: May 22, 2013
Reputation: 45
#46
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 10:15 am (This post was last modified: July 6, 2015 at 10:16 am by bennyboy.)
(July 6, 2015 at 12:54 am)SnakeOilWarrior Wrote: Words have meanings Benny. You can't communicate without accepted definitions.

Are you proposing you have some evidence that those words are used other ways or are you just wanting to make shit mean whatever you want it to for right now?
Do you want me to google it for you? How do you want the obvious served up to you? Link to sites claiming those names which are different than each other? Etymology? A bibliography?

The accepted definition of "Satanist" is "someone who believes in Satan, or who implements ideas about Satan in a system of thought" or something like that. How that applies to real people in real social contexts is obviously going to vary a lot. There's no Church of Satan™ to officially declare that Satanism is X and not Y.
Find
Reply
Napoléon Offline
Posting Freak
*****
Religious Views: Atheist
Posts: 12231
Threads: 324
Joined: April 14, 2011
Reputation: 140
#47
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 10:19 am
(July 6, 2015 at 9:48 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Thank you for the honest responses, everyone. I appreciate it.

So... are you compiling all this data into some database to be used for Xtian world domination or something? You certainly have a lot of info from all of us. I'm skeptical about where all that is going, and what it's used for  Undecided
Find
Reply
Metis Offline
Triggered
**
Religious Views: Yaoist
Posts: 380
Threads: 17
Joined: February 10, 2015
Reputation: 12
#48
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 10:19 am
(July 6, 2015 at 10:15 am)bennyboy Wrote:
(July 6, 2015 at 12:54 am)SnakeOilWarrior Wrote: Words have meanings Benny. You can't communicate without accepted definitions.

Are you proposing you have some evidence that those words are used other ways or are you just wanting to make shit mean whatever you want it to for right now?
Do you want me to google it for you?  How do you want the obvious served up to you?  Link to sites claiming those names which are different than each other?  Etymology?  A bibliography?

The accepted definition of "Satanist" is "someone who believes in Satan, or who implements ideas about Satan in a system of thought" or something like that.  How that applies to real people in real social contexts is obviously going to vary a lot.  There's no Church of Satan™ to officially declare that Satanism is X and not Y.

There's at least three satanic organizations I know of, the LaVey Church of Satan, the Temple of Satan and the Left-Hand Path Church of Set which all consider the other two to be horrible plagiarists and not "real satanists".
Find
Reply
Faith No More Offline
Better living through chemistry
*****
Religious Views: It's a drug like any other
Posts: 13051
Threads: 66
Joined: February 7, 2011
Reputation: 92
#49
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 10:26 am (This post was last modified: July 6, 2015 at 10:27 am by Faith No More.)
I try not to speak in absolutes, so generally, no I don't think less of a person for being religious. I wouldn't have married one if it bothered me.

I definitely get a "Ew, really?" thought in my head when I find out someone is religious, though. It just seems so absurd to me.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
Find
Reply
Whateverist Away Donators
Known religious sympathizer/accomodationist
*****
Religious Views: Be civil or die!
Posts: 23917
Threads: 300
Joined: June 25, 2011
Reputation: 150
#50
RE: Your perception of theists
July 6, 2015 at 10:38 am
(July 6, 2015 at 10:19 am)Napoléon Wrote:
(July 6, 2015 at 9:48 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Thank you for the honest responses, everyone. I appreciate it.

So... are you compiling all this data into some database to be used for Xtian world domination or something? You certainly have a lot of info from all of us. I'm skeptical about where all that is going, and what it's used for  Undecided

Oh shit, I had a filling put in recently.  What the hell was that, and what do you know about it, CL?
Find
Reply


Atheist Forums › Community › Atheism v
Your perception of theists

Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Question for Theists Bucky Ball 26 7781 July 18, 2023 at 10:20 pm
Last Post: The Grand Nudger
  Atheists will worship the Antichrist and become theists during the Tribulation Preacher 53 12713 November 13, 2022 at 3:57 am
Last Post: Fake Messiah
  Angry Atheists and Anti-Theists Agnostico 186 55092 December 31, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Last Post: T0 Th3 M4X
  Question to ex-theists purplepurpose 13 3919 October 4, 2018 at 9:43 pm
Last Post: Natachan
  My biggest issue with theists DodosAreDead 73 26806 August 5, 2018 at 12:55 am
Last Post: Cyberman
  Are some theists afraid of atheists? Der/die AtheistIn 146 81064 June 21, 2018 at 6:29 pm
Last Post: The Valkyrie
  Atheists are emotionally stronger than theists Alexmahone 92 33362 June 21, 2018 at 5:32 pm
Last Post: Crossless2.0
  To theists- A logical insight into Atheism ignoramus 65 24690 May 16, 2018 at 8:48 am
Last Post: Huggy Bear
  Where to Debate Theists? Cephus 27 11583 April 13, 2017 at 8:51 pm
Last Post: Nanny
  General statement to theists who read this. Jackie 24 8420 April 11, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Last Post: Jeanne



Users browsing this thread: 3 Guest(s)