Why Should Someone Be an Atheist?

[Angrboda]

Do you hold that opinion of me especially because of my 9/11 conspiracy theory views? If that is the reason, then just say it.

No, it has very little to do with that. I tend not to judge on account of such things because I'm not altogether certain why some people hold such views and others do not. My hunch, albeit still tentative, is that such views aren't diagnostic of significant differences from normalcy. Your views on 9/11 certainly raise an eyebrow, but they aren't the reason.

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I have the answer to the op.

Because otherwise rasetsu will not grace you with his approval .

My appraisals are likely slightly more prescient than someone who can't tell I'm female by looking at the gender indicated in my profile, or get a clue from the fact that my persona is that of a female Jew, and prior to that was a female vampire named 'Abby'..

[Jacob(smooth)]

My appraisals are likely slightly more prescient than someone who can't tell I'm female by looking at the gender indicated in my profile, or get a clue from the fact that my persona is that of a female Jew, and prior to that was a female vampire named 'Abby'..

Abby? Who the heck is that?

Sorry, rasetsu . I'm certain your appraisals are the bomb, incisive and shrewd. However I'd not compare them with mine because I would not presume to give people here "appraisals". I don't consider it appropriate to "appraise" people on internet forums. Its a field I've never desired to specialize in.

As I said though, I enjoy reading yours! Its kinda like sneaking a look at peoples personnel files! Go on, do someone else.

[Whateverist]

Even the moderates, intelligent or not, harden their hearts when you confront them with the absurdity of their belief. Few have the ability to transcend their own certitude. Most become quite churlish when challenged. True, the sieve of the internet tends to strain out the pathetic and the unworthy and deliver them to the doorstep; yet even the worthy demonstrate themselves lacking in worthwhile attributes when their faith and certitude is challenged. I was posting a bunch of quotes from "Things creationists must hate," quoting the things, like gravity, that they must deny to maintain their fictions. This "moderate" liberal Christian, of considerable intelligence and possessed of good judgement, proceeded to go on the war path against me on account of my "hating on Christians." I believe there are few innocents in this polarity. I am regularly dismissed as a religious person on account of my being reasonable about things. Perhaps that's a self-fulfilling stereotype; those that are reasonable are discounted as being legitimate examples of the faith. Even in conversations I'm participating in here, people will refer to staff member Rayaan as an example of a reasonable religious person, passing over the example that I represent, while I'm effectively standing right there. My suspicions are, that moderates like you and Rayaan, choose your stances in order to fly under the radar, to gain acceptance, while dissembling from your true feelings.

Well .. .. actually .. .. about that, I for one have tried to probe your theism but have found very little to latch onto. At the risk of being ripped a new one .. .. I have to confess that all I know of you as a theist is that you claim to be Hindu and a Taoist, an odd pairing given that I think your favorite goddess is Kali the destroyer. Then again, I suppose water is also a destroyer.

Now who - between Jacob, Rayan and you - fly the lowest under the theism wire?

"Gooood kitty" *reaches for a chair and whip*

Rayan is the most out there in terms of laying bear his beliefs so it can't be him. He is also consistently kind, fair and kind of shy. That could be interpreted as flying under the radar but .. .. there are alternate explanations.

I'd say Jacob comes in a clear second as regards being disclosive. Or maybe it only seems so because of my habit of "seeing through a glass darkly". He has at least attempted to say some things directly in response to such questions. If what he says feels slippery I suspect it is because what there is to say is subtle. He holds his religion -whatever that may be- lightly and at little cost to his capacity for reason, or so it would seem.

Now you my dear, mysterious and fearsome Rasetsu by comparison play your theist cards very close to your vest. If we forget that you are theist it is not so surprising. I for one would love to know more.

[Jacob(smooth)]

Perhaps she does not wish to be appraised :p

[Whateverist]

You know what they say, appraise not lest thee be appraised.

[Angrboda]

My appraisals are likely slightly more prescient than someone who can't tell I'm female by looking at the gender indicated in my profile, or get a clue from the fact that my persona is that of a female Jew, and prior to that was a female vampire named 'Abby'..

Abby? Who the heck is that?

Sorry, rasetsu . I'm certain your appraisals are the bomb, incisive and shrewd. However I'd not compare them with mine because I would not presume to give people here "appraisals". I don't consider it appropriate to "appraise" people on internet forums. Its a field I've never desired to specialize in.

Listen dicknose, you raised the subject by giving your appraisal of internet Christians on atheist forums and how they differ from the average Christian. I don't for a second believe your complaint is anything but a personal attack on my character, but for you to initiate the round of appraisals of forum theists, and now try to whine about me contributing my thoughts, that's hypocritical in the extreme. But then, that's typical, average Christian behavior, and hardly surprising from someone who doesn't seem to know whether he's coming or going with regard to his own faith and its relationship to non-theistic worldviews. Fuck off, douche boy.

I know quite a few nice, and sane christians. Thing is they're not the ones who tend to go on forums and discuss their faith. Any Christian who seeks out a specifically atheist forum to hang out in is bound to have an agenda.

(emphasis mine)

[jesus0.5]

Why should someone be an atheist?

Why should someone be an atheist?

Why should someone not?

That's what's wrong with the world.

By default we are all born atheist.

[Jacob(smooth)]

Listen dicknose, you raised the subject by giving your appraisal of internet Christians on atheist forums and how they differ from the average Christian. I don't for a second believe your complaint is anything but a personal attack on my character, but for you to initiate the round of appraisals of forum theists, and now try to whine about me contributing my thoughts, that's hypocritical in the extreme. But then, that's typical, average Christian behavior, and hardly surprising from someone who doesn't seem to know whether he's coming or going with regard to his own faith and its relationship to non-theistic worldviews. Fuck off, douche boy.

Dicknose? Douche boy?

I think you're seeing personal attacks where none exist cupcake . Honestly, you flatter yourself though! You were not even in my mind when I wrote that.

I know quite a few nice, and sane christians. Thing is they're not the ones who tend to go on forums and discuss their faith. Any Christian who seeks out a specifically atheist forum to hang out in is bound to have an agenda.

(emphasis mine)



[/quote]
Yep. Well it's not to spend time around like minded people is it? Personally I love to get different perspectives.

[Angrboda]

I think you're seeing personal attacks where none exist cupcake . Honestly, you flatter yourself though! You were not even in my mind when I wrote that.

Implying that I am doing something improper by offering my appraisal of some of the theists on this forum is clearly a personal attack. You're not too bright, are you? I was referring to your current complaint about my offering assessments of the intentions and behavior of you and Rayaan, not your former complaint. Your choosing to conflate the two in order to deflect my point is either calculated dishonesty, or perhaps just evidence that you're an idiot.

But by all means, add insult to injury by using the sexist epithet "cupcake" to deride me on account of my being a woman. That's so not a personal attack.

[Jacob(smooth)]

Oh, you were serious! Sorry.

Implying that I am doing something improper by offering my appraisal of some of the theists on this forum is clearly a personal attack.

No, its not. Its a criticism of something you DID. More specifically, something you said. Of your actions. You see the difference? A personal attack is a criticism of the person. Something like

You're not too bright, are you?

Which you ironically tacked on the end, the very next sentence after whining about me making a personal attack. Ironic much? Do you see me on this thread calling you an idiot?

But by all means, add insult to injury by using the sexist epithet "cupcake" to deride me on account of my being a woman.

Strictly speaking that would be adding insult to insult. If "cupcake" was indeed an insult. Which its not. You think that me teasing you for the way you spent half a page on specific "appraisals" of me and rayaan by name is "injury"?

And Just to be clear, are your really complaining about me calling you "cupcake" the post after calling me (quite amusingly I thought) "dicknose" and "douche boy"?! You don't feel that you maybe lost a bit of the moral authority to complain about me calling you "cupcake" by doing that?