Quote:I certainly find the "peaceful moderate" the most baffling. They propagate the myth that their holy book is the word of God, yet condemn people for actually following most of what it says.I never understood how some modern atheists behave - First you complain that terrorism is bad and religion causes harm, then you complain that they are not following it enough to be true believers. I have news for you, most believers work, have children and hobbies and therefore don't have time to spend their lives reading their religion's book, papers and going to church all the time. That's why there are priests, Imams and people like Rabbis who explain who precepts and doctrines work, the same way we have lawyers to explain us how laws work
Quote:If someone finds that freedom is disorienting or chaotic, then that someone is fucking retarded.I think what the other user was saying is that human beings are known for being irrational and dogmatic. The fact we don't believe in god makes us rational in one aspect, but it's no guarantee that we will be rational towards everything. Religion is good at giving people a sense of community, belonging and it's even an opportunity to meet new people, friends, wives, husbands, and makes you feel like a part of a group for a higher purpose.
Because humans are dogmatic, when you leave religion you will inevitably create dogmas for yourself despite not wanting to do it. Everyone is dogmatic, no one is perfect. The fact you leave religion doesn't mean you magically became rational towards everything. What @Stoner was saying is that for atheists to leave religious communities is complicated because you are leaving a group that you most likely enjoy belonging to and since you don't follow religious dogmas you are likely to replace it with your personal views which like everyone else's will be biased.
Since atheism is not cohesive excluding movements in the UK and USA like secularist alliances and foundations you become part of nothing and this leaves some people without a way to replace their former goals about religion with something similar to satisfy their brain and emotional needs (i.e. Pursuing a higher purpose) - Atheists are prone to delusion as anyone else and as such we have a tendency to create dogmas, prejudices and patterns.
I think the only group that resembles religion and does a similar job are political parties, but since those require much commitment and not everyone likes politics, they're useless.
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you