RE: Arguing with friend on whether we're cult-like
August 8, 2011 at 5:52 am
(This post was last modified: August 8, 2011 at 6:58 am by Girlysprite.)
There is also another important reason why the same quotes and arguments are used over and over again - a reason that I have not seen in this thread yet.
This reason is because the arguments and discussions are always repeated over and over again. Always the same old canards (edit: let me clrify - it's often creationists and religious people who start up the same old arguments). I mean, let's go through some of them, right?
1: Atheists have no morals because they don't have a god/bible which tells them what to do!
2: Atheism is a religion too!
3: Evolution can't be right because radio-dating gave a wrong number on this piece of fresh soil!
4: Evolution can't be right, cause have you ever seen a cat give birth to a dog?
5: Evolution is just a belief too!
6: Evolution is wrong because some scientists had some facts wrong like a 100 years ago!
7: Moondust prooves the earth is young!
8: Look, the bible/Koran has science in it (refers to very vague passage)
Need I go on?
Ask her *why* atheists should be 'silent and nice'. I mean, really, why? It is typical that many minority groups have often been told exactly that. Feminists, black people, homosexuals...
I agree that atheists often keep repeating the same stuff, and to an outsider it may come across as sort of 'cult like'. Hell, even I sometimes had this impression. And you know, like any ´philosify´ that becomes popular, there are a lot of people who just parrot along, feel themselves much better and superior for following it and not understanding anything of it. Yeah, I do believe that there are quite some atheists that just take many of the arguments and quotes at facevalue, but don´t delve into the science of it themselves. But that does not mean that everyone should shut up and-or stop using the argument that work!
This reason is because the arguments and discussions are always repeated over and over again. Always the same old canards (edit: let me clrify - it's often creationists and religious people who start up the same old arguments). I mean, let's go through some of them, right?
1: Atheists have no morals because they don't have a god/bible which tells them what to do!
2: Atheism is a religion too!
3: Evolution can't be right because radio-dating gave a wrong number on this piece of fresh soil!
4: Evolution can't be right, cause have you ever seen a cat give birth to a dog?
5: Evolution is just a belief too!
6: Evolution is wrong because some scientists had some facts wrong like a 100 years ago!
7: Moondust prooves the earth is young!
8: Look, the bible/Koran has science in it (refers to very vague passage)
Need I go on?
Ask her *why* atheists should be 'silent and nice'. I mean, really, why? It is typical that many minority groups have often been told exactly that. Feminists, black people, homosexuals...
I agree that atheists often keep repeating the same stuff, and to an outsider it may come across as sort of 'cult like'. Hell, even I sometimes had this impression. And you know, like any ´philosify´ that becomes popular, there are a lot of people who just parrot along, feel themselves much better and superior for following it and not understanding anything of it. Yeah, I do believe that there are quite some atheists that just take many of the arguments and quotes at facevalue, but don´t delve into the science of it themselves. But that does not mean that everyone should shut up and-or stop using the argument that work!
When I was a Christian, I was annoyed with dogmatic condescending Christians. Now that I'm an atheist, I'm annoyed with dogmatic condescending atheists. Just goes to prove that people are the same, regardless of what they do or don't believe.
