Rant against anti-atheist agnostics.

[Whateverist]

Hi whateverist, I agree the best position is to stay neutral and centered enough where you can work with both people of theistic and nontheistic leanings. Because in life, you limit your options if you start getting anti- this or that.

That's a good practical reason alright Emily. Of course anyone could counter that they don't want those people in their life at all and the less interaction the better.

It looks like we come to similar conclusions for different reasons. I wonder if you would consider yourself an extrovert. A pattern I think I see is that some folks look to understand things politically and others look to do so psychologically. I tend to be in the latter camp.

My own reason for choosing to identify as non-theist rather than anti-theist has more to do with how I choose to meet the world, an introvert's reason. Back in my early adulthood I read some of Martin Buber "I and Thou". Pretty loosey goosey stuff, but I resonated with the idea that the manner in which we regard others impacts upon our own self regard. So for me choosing tolerance is a matter of meeting the world with respect equal to what I'd want for myself. I like the world and my life better when I regard others as peers and give them the benefit of the doubt.

When reflecting on what matters or what there is at a level that is beyond certainty, I like to imagine that the other person is someone I've encountered backpacking while sitting around at night looking at the sky. They're entitled to whatever theories they have. I don't need them to agree with me. Hell, another person's difference is just one more remarkable thing about the universe which I don't fully understand. It isn't my job to enforce uniformity and I'm not inclined to do it anyway.

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as for anti-theists, there are different reasons I have found
1. if they suffered abuse or are projecting personal issues onto theists as representing this, and this is the anger or denial/projection phase of their recovery (and unfortunately that is a natural reaction and has to be worked through)
2. the rejection and imposition by theists creates a backlash, so these anti-theists serve as the equal and opposite reaction; and you can't disarm one side without disarming the other. they'd both have to agree to call a truce, or they both stay on the offense as the best defense against the other
3. some combination of personal internal issues and trying to correct bigger problems in society externally, usually both levels are connected.

The second reason is the most reasonable. You have a right to push back and stand up for yourself. The first one is largely a matter of processing life and everyone just has to do the best they can with what they have.

The third one is the one I find least tempting. The idea of social engineering for a better tomorrow seems impractical to me. Utopia only works if you have kingly powers and no one is going to give you that. Just not for me I guess.