Atheists

[Minimalist]

How do you square that?

Perhaps you were carrying a machine gun? I don't have enough information to evaluate that.

[Godhead]

Shell B -

Sorry but you do come off as someone who really wants theists to be atheists.



Paul -

Ridicule is a sign of insecurity.

[Shell B]

Shell B -

Sorry but you do come off as someone who really wants theists to be atheists.

Please quote where I said or implied that I want theists to become atheists.

[Godhead]

Shell -

I knew you'd ask. See your post.

[Shell B]

Shell -

I knew you'd ask. See your post.

I'm getting exasperated. If you knew I would ask, why didn't you back up your assumption in the first place? And see what post? Tell me where I said or implied that I want all theists to be atheists. This asinine discussion can go no further without something to back up your claim. Is it that hard for you to understand that concept?

[Godhead]

Shell B -

The things which you said in your post on the last page are the reason for my assumption. You just sound like someone who gets annoyed when others don't agree with them.

[Shell B]

*sigh* Tell me exactly what I said that implied I wanted all theists to be atheists. It's simple. Really.

Nobody likes being disagreed with. However, I will admit it when I am wrong or have misunderstood something. We have been in something like three threads together and you have already jumped to a number of conclusions about me. It's hard to take you seriously when you obviously form your opinions based off some hidden agenda.

[Paul the Human]

Paul -

Ridicule is a sign of insecurity.

Psychobabble always makes for a weak argument. When I ridicule religious beliefs, it is a sign that I consider them ridiculous. What do I have to be insecure about? I'm not the one making extraordinary claims that I can't back up. I'm a pretty happy person and I love to laugh. Religious beliefs are amongst the things that provide me with chuckles.

You know... now that I'm actively thinking about it. It isn't so much the belief in god(s) that I find so ridiculous (I do find it impossible to believe, myself), it's the dogma that goes along with it most of the time. Christians have the stories of the bible(s), Muslims have the crazy guy in the cave... all quite ridiculous (i.e. worthy of ridicule), in my opinion.

Why then, you might ask, do I ridicule your beliefs, while not ridiculing someone like DeistPaladin? It is because you have explained why you believe what you do and I find everything about it humorous. Not anger. Humor. When I say something disparaging about your beliefs, I am smiling while I do it... if that makes you feel better.

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It's hard to take you seriously when you obviously form your opinions based off some hidden agenda.

It's hard to take him seriously, period. But I definitely agree about the 'hidden agenda'. One has to wonder what his goal is.

[Godhead]

Paul -

It's not about how I feel because I'm ok with my beliefs, however in contrast, it's you who isn't ok with other people's beliefs. Saying that a view is ridiculous isn't an argument, it's just an expression of a subjective opinion and nothing more than an affirmation (to yourself) that you disagree. And actively attempting to ridicule someone amounts to an attempt at asserting superiority; at the end of the day you view those who disagree with you as inferior, and ridicule is your way of trying to express that. Trying to ridicule someone is akin to trying to belittle them, which is what you feel the need to do for some reason. When anyone tries to belittle someone else, it's a sign of deep insecurity. However, you're trying to pass it off as just saying what you think but it's clear that it's more than that. You are insecure, hence the need to make attempts at belittling those who don't share your views.

[TheDarkestOfAngels]

The impression I get is that in general (and with exceptions), atheists seem to feel a number of things.

They seem to feel victimised for their nonbeliefs. Maybe some of you live in a country or part of a country where not believing in god is seen as a big deal. However it's obviously not like that everywhere.

In a sense, many of them are victimized. Given that we're still in the minority in the United States, most people are still religious and 'rejection of god' tends to be 'up there' with the things that irk theists the most. Results vary from family to family, but "coming out" to a religious family with your atheism almost always provokes some major negative reaction.

Like this random video I found on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Aq00yJSxo

As such, many atheists tend to be defensive about their position. This is because they often have to be, regardless of how understanding their immediate friends/family may be, there are many others out there who will make life very difficult for us and even entire communities who aren't opposed to persecution, harrassment, or shunning us in some manner or another.

Anger. I always sense a lot of anger among atheists on these forums, like a grudge. It's like there's a deep need to "get back" at all theists, for some imagined wrongdoing. I hve to say that it's not a particularly healthy attitue to have.

Assumptions. Many atheists assume that a theist would want to preach and convert atheists, or that they feel superior. Ironically atheists take on those traits themselves quite often. Also there's often an assumption that when someone introduces themselves as a theist, that they'e a christian. I've read many posts addressed to me and others which mention "your bible" and other christian references, even before the person knows whether or not the theist is a christian. It's quite bizarre, and melodramatic.

What you should realise is that not all theists hate you, and there's no need to be angry all the time and lash out, and that not all theists are christians, or want to preach at you, and that having all that anger inside you will only harm you. The whole atheist V theist debate, when you look closely, is more often than not a disgruntled ex christain V christian debate, except that not everyone fits into either.

I really don't think that's the case. I think most atheists are defensive, but I think atheists are generally the most open minded of people out there in many respects. We might react vehemontly on positions regarding faith and non-faith, but don't confuse voracity with anger. (Remember - this is talking on the internet - it's hard to tell exactly what someone is thinking or feeling.) Then again, I'm sure there are militant atheists out there. Just like with feminists who advocate male genocide.