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RE: Myth of The Angry Atheist
July 30, 2015 at 9:54 am
(July 30, 2015 at 7:17 am)mh.brewer Wrote: (July 29, 2015 at 11:33 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: I think we're considered angry because we simply don't let bullshit slide. We deny theists the special pleading their beliefs rely on and we don't view beliefs or opinions as being sacrosanct in and of themselves, regardless if they deal with divinity or not. The typical, "Well, that's just what I believe," response to sustained inquiry, which is merely a rhetorical device to end conversation on that particular topic, doesn't work on us. And because theists are so used to spouting bullshit with little to no resistance, they see any challenge as a threat.
Hey Kev. I will accept the "Well, that's just what I believe" response if they will accept that from me. I'm not out to change their belief and don't require that they defend theirs. Their belief may be bullshit but they have the same right to a belief as I do. When they don't accept my belief is when surly boy comes out.
Oh, no doubt. I don't go out of my way to proselytize atheism. I don't do it here (how many threads have I started? 16? In 8 months, and a fair number of them not related to religion/atheism at all), and I don't do it IRL. But when confronted with sustained unmitigated bullshit? Then, yeah, my inner asshole comes out.
"I was thirsty for everything, but blood wasn't my style" - Live, "Voodoo Lady"
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RE: Myth of The Angry Atheist
July 30, 2015 at 2:12 pm
I used to be angry a lot, but it had nothing to do with atheism. It had to do with life-long anger issues. Now, I've learned to control my anger, but the biggest test of my abilities to do so is when I hear religious people say dumb shit.
Religious people only think atheists are angry because everything that comes out of their mouths is an affront to every atheist that prizes reason and evidence.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
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RE: Myth of The Angry Atheist
July 30, 2015 at 2:15 pm
(July 30, 2015 at 2:12 pm)Faith No More Wrote: I used to be angry a lot, but it had nothing to do with atheism. It had to do with life-long anger issues. Now, I've learned to control my anger, but the biggest test of my abilities to do so is when I hear religious people say dumb shit.
Religious people only think atheists are angry because everything that comes out of their mouths is an affront to every atheist that prizes reason and evidence.
Well, maybe not everything. I have no problem with projectile vomiting.
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem.
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RE: Myth of The Angry Atheist
July 31, 2015 at 12:20 pm
There's certainly a perception that atheists are angry in part because, well, we're by definition against something. We're defined by being the voice in the crowd that persistently says "No, you're wrong, and knock it off."
That said, it's unfortunate that religious debate can so easily degrade into a shouting match rather than an exchange.
Humanistic Judaism 101: Humanistic Judaism embraces a human-centered philosophy that combines rational thinking with a celebration of Jewish culture and identity. Humanistic Jews value their Jewish identity and the aspects of Jewish culture that offer a genuine expression of their contemporary way of life. Humanistic Jewish communities celebrate Jewish holidays and life cycle events (such as weddings and bar and bat mitzvah) with inspirational ceremonies that draw upon but go beyond traditional literature.
"God is one of the many different poetic expressions of the highest value in humanism, not a reality in itself." -Erich Fromm
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RE: Myth of The Angry Atheist
July 31, 2015 at 6:51 pm
"Uppity" is the word that these people would actually like to use, I'm certain of it.
