Ex-theists are often like ex-smokers, sanctimonious and insufferable.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I agree with both of you but I can also picture Hitler being polite and respectful when he needed to be.
Most monsters and modern day predators are like this ...

Hitler wasn't an atheist, don't Godwin the thread

[ignoramus]

Never crossed my mind, maybe a bad example ...Just predators in general.

[robvalue]

So... are we rounding them up by religion? Or all together?

It's still on right? Yeah yeah, they're people too and all that

[Tonus]

Never crossed my mind, maybe a bad example ...Just predators in general.

"Whoa, whoa!  Don't lump me in with that religious bullshit."

[robvalue]

I wish to table a new motion.

"Ex-atheists" are far worse.

"I used to be an atheist for 20 years, and then..."

"I was just like you! And then..."

Lies and/or self delusion and/or never gave it any serious thought before then.

[Whateverist]

I wish to table a new motion.

"Ex-atheists" are far, far, far worse.

"I used to be an atheist for 20 years, and then..."

"I was just like you! And then..."

Lies and/or self delusion and/or never gave it any serious thought before then.

AMEN but I couldn't stop myself from bolding in a small edit.

[downbeatplumb]

Don't get me wrong, I still don't like inhaling tobacco smoke.  Not one bit.  But on the whole I may just prefer the company of smokers to the zealot nazis some become once they escape the habit.  Especially to people who still smoke of course.  Having finally conquered that one life challenge really brings out the condescending cunt in lots of people.  Same goes for some ex-alcoholics and some ex-druggies of course.

Now we spend a lot of time around here discussing the nuances of being a non-theist vs being an anti-theist.  But then where do ex-theists fall?  Do they merely have no belief in god like a non-smoker has no desire to smoke?  Clearly not.  The ex-theist is at war with himself and gawd help you if he decides you represent the shadow he wishes to project outside himself.  The ex-theist resents those who are weaker than themselves a lot, hates them really .. nearly as much as they hated being too weak to stop sooner themselves.  

The non-theist merely has no theist in them.  That can't be said of the theist hating, ex-theist.  You can get them to recognize all the easier absurdities of theist beliefs but it is much harder to get them to recognize the more obnoxious attitudes of the theist.  Just as so many smug, self-satisfied Christians just have to 'witness' every where he goes, you know, throwing his net wide in the hopes of bringing even just one more lost soul to God, so the ex-theist just has to do his best at all times to pull the head of even one more theist up out of sands of ignorance.

No one said atheism would be easy, especially for theists.  But please, if you're going to attempt it for god's sake stay the course and finish the job.  Get out all the theism or maybe it would be better to just remain one?

This is true of anything.
The most annoying Christian is the one who has just been "re-born".
Can't shut the fuckers up.

Oh and some people who have just got hooked on game of thrones going around saying what a dick joffrey is...."just you wait" I think "just you wait"

[Salacious B. Crumb]

I think everyone has made a good point here. I don't feel that religion should be stopped per se, but it needs to be combatted and ridiculed at every necessary opportunity, and be made known why such acts of evil were committed in the first place.

I don't do theism so I don't understand what this 'evil' is that must be combated.  Are living theists possessed by the same evil spirits which animated those who ruled during the inquisition?

I think that you're aware of the evil acts committed by theists everyday, from discrimination to persecution to annihilation.

I think the reasons behind these atrocities should be made aware that they exist and why they occur. Which definitely does happen already, but I'm saying that people should speak up against it whenever they have the opportunity to do so.

[Rahul]

Not sure what you mean in your OP Whateverist. I'm an ex-theist but I don't feel I'm at war with myself over it. I do recognize a certain level of residual trauma from growing up a theist but I'm not sure I understand what you were trying to say.

[Whateverist]

Not sure what you mean in your OP Whateverist.  I'm an ex-theist but I don't feel I'm at war with myself over it.  I do recognize a certain level of residual trauma from growing up a theist but I'm not sure I understand what you were trying to say.

Long time no see and welcome back.  Nothing personal.  I tried to word everything in an "often/pattern" way rather than an "aways/rule" sort of way.  Really didn't want to offend any anyone here.  My wife's an ex-smoker and I'm an ex-xtian.  

This was my effort to argue against mistreating even the most respectful of theists on this site for what seem like nutsy reasons to me.  I've always said that getting to vent is one of the functions of a site like this.  But I object when it gets personal and theist has been nothing but respectful.  Most of the action was on this thread which I believe has been closed:

http://atheistforums.org/thread-34779-page-6.html


This thread was mostly for reflecting on that one and making peace.