The Obsession with Discussing the Supposed Rudeness of Atheists

[The Valkyrie]

For me being insulting depends on the situation.

Even when a get religious people knocking on my door, I tended to be polite and say "thanks for your thoughts, but I'm not interested".

That ended one day when I had worked a 16 hour shift close to Christmas one year, finally got home at 2pm, had a shower and was just starting to nod off on the couch when there was a loud bang on my door.

Bloody Mormons. They even ignored the sign I had put up that says "this is an atheist household. Do not knock if you are pushing religion"

They were told to fuck off.

[Esquilax]

Stereotyping or generalizing people is always bad.

I disagree. If you have to qualify your every observation about cultural tendencies to account for all possible exceptions then many fruitful and interesting conversations would stop before they even start.

I'm kinda with you on this, but I also think a discussion in good faith should begin with the understanding that any such generalities are exactly that: general statements made for which there are many possible caveats and exceptions. Too often people want to take generalized assertions and make them out to be binding, concrete declarations of a person's position on an issue in its totality, which isn't exactly productive.

[marianomanto]

I totally get you. Lately people ask me to "say what I think without making jokes about it" when religion is ridiculous by itself. What are we supposed to do? this is a sad attempt to silence us...
How can I convey that your belief is evil, poisonous and a lie, when just stating it this way is already offending you?
I have a problem with this. I am tired of being so damn respectful while they offend the world constantly? Every fucking time I open the newspaper I see the most savage, barbaric and horrible things done always in the name of God. How can I remain silent?

[FatAndFaithless]

I disagree. If you have to qualify your every observation about cultural tendencies to account for all possible exceptions then many fruitful and interesting conversations would stop before they even start.

I'm kinda with you on this, but I also think a discussion in good faith should begin with the understanding that any such generalities are exactly that: general statements made for which there are many possible caveats and exceptions. Too often people want to take generalized assertions and make them out to be binding, concrete declarations of a person's position on an issue in its totality, which isn't exactly productive.

Pfft..an atheist would say that.  Typical...

[Thumpalumpacus]

Hell, I'll still say "bless you".

Some of you should learn "gesundheit."  It means "health" and it is wishing the person good health.  Which is what they need if they are sick.

See:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defini...ctCode=all

It is religion-neutral, fine for both theists and atheists to say.

Last I checked, there's no approved atheist way to say anything aside from "I don't believe in gods."

I say "bless you" not out of faith, or out of the belief that the person's soul has just been ejected, but because in the culture I was raised, that was the polite thing to do. I see no harm in the phrase, and don't feel like I'm selling my atheism short for saying it.

[Kingpin]

Stereotyping or generalizing people is always bad.  People are individuals and may choose to label themselves under certain banners, but that in no way gives anyone the right to assume what they believe or how they behave without getting to know them personally.

You might want to rethink that.  What you are saying is, when someone labels himself a theist, you would be wrong to "assume" that the person believes in a god.  Of course, it is not an assumption at that point.  It is just taking the person at his word.  If someone is a stupid moron who does not know how to properly label himself, that is a failing of his, not of the people who initially take him at his word.  I will grant you, however, that there are quite of few complete morons who label themselves inaccurately.  Of course, if they are that stupid, when they directly tell you, "I believe X," you would be equally wrong to suppose that you could count on that being true, since the person clearly has no clue what they are talking about.

I will grant you that certain assumptions can be made depending on the self attributed label.  I'm a theist, so it is safe for you to assume I believe in God, because if I didn't then as you said I would be stupid for labeling myself as a theist.  But if I identify as a theist, you cannot assume what branch of theism I follow.  I identify as Christian.  This gives you more info to glean assumptions from, for example, you can assume I believe in the God of the Bible, that Jesus Christ lived, died and was resurrected.  Nothing really beyond that since there are "Christians" who believe all are/will be saved, that only the elect will be saved, pre-tribulation, post-tribulation, no tribulation, original sin, no original sin, old earth, young earth, creation, evolution, etc.  You could assume, but you might be incorrect.

I said this in the other thread as well, it's when people get told what they believe by someone else is when they tend to get upset.  I always try to ask what someone believes about something I wish to discuss before asking and assuming I know what they believe based on how the identify and label themselves.

[Pyrrho]

Some of you should learn "gesundheit."  It means "health" and it is wishing the person good health.  Which is what they need if they are sick.

See:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defini...ctCode=all

It is religion-neutral, fine for both theists and atheists to say.

Last I checked, there's no approved atheist way to say anything aside from "I don't believe in gods."

I say "bless you" not out of faith, or out of the belief that the person's soul has just been ejected, but because in the culture I was raised, that was the polite thing to do. I see no harm in the phrase, and don't feel like I'm selling my atheism short for saying it.

"Bless you" is short for "(May) God bless you."  See:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/defini...ctCode=all

If meant literally, it is a denial of atheism.

[Whateverist]

Generalizing is always bad. Even when you're talking about cops, Catholics, Protestants, or Republicans. 
Interestingly enough, no one seems to complain about those generalizations.

What a Catholic thing to say!

[brewer]

From the OP: ""Atheists are _________."

A wacky bunch of fun lovin guys and gals. Couldn't meet a better bunch of folks that agree on almost nothing.

[Whateverist]

How can I convey that your belief is evil, poisonous and a lie, when just stating it this way is already offending you?

Do you believe religion is always poisonous, that every person who believes in a god is evil or does evil on account of holdng that belief?  If so, those seem like some pretty difficult beliefs to back up with evidence.  What do you got?