(March 10, 2010 at 1:23 pm)Gilligan Wrote:(March 10, 2010 at 1:21 pm)tavarish Wrote:(March 10, 2010 at 1:13 pm)Gilligan Wrote: What Kevin and Elizabeth did was absolutely horrible, but PLEASE do no use this to stereotype all Christians. Non-Christians are capable of this as well.
No one is stereotyping Christians, but it does paint a picture as to how religion can skew a person's view of reality. Many people are incorrigible. That in itself is not a bad trait, but when coupled with a belief that is unfounded, can cause all kinds of destruction.
Doesn't Minimalist condoninig shooting street preachers show how atheism can skew people?
See his reply: http://atheistforums.org/thread-2935-page-2.html
And remember what Joseph Stalin did to Christians because they would not embrace atheism?
Minimalist doesn't condone shooting people. It's obvious from his post that he's angry at Christianity. It's a direct response to the religious making assertions, claims and attempting to proselytize. But then again, I'm not Minimalist and his views don't reflect mine necessarily.
I don't understand what Josef Stalin had to do with anything. He didn't do is as a result of atheism, he was after total social and political control. Before him, the country was owned by a czar. All he did was take advantage of an already conformed people. There was persecution, but it demonstrates that the problem was with the government and its practices, rather than the rejection of faith. When you impose your beliefs onto others and impede the progression of society, then it's a bad thing, no matter where it comes from. My family lived in communist Russia, I was also born there. I do have firsthand and secondhand accounts as to how it was for a good part of the 20th century.
I would have absolutely NO ISSUE with anyone of any religion if they didn't try to impose that crap onto others and just kept it to themselves.