Question For Fellow Atheists...

[Autolite]

Thinking otherwise is the epitome of narrow mindedness and bigotry.

@Catholic Lady

To understand what I'm talking about, try and imagine that almost everyone that you know believed in the Tooth Fairy.  You can't call them delusional because belief in the Tooth Fairy is a shared belief within your community.  You can't call their beliefs absurd, irrational or idiotic because you'll be branded "narrow minded and bigoted" and you'll be vilified and bombarded with countless ad-homs and insults.   

Society demands that you afford the Tooth Fairy believers respect even thought you know that such a belief is complete and absolute nonsense.   Picture yourself in that situation and perhaps you might be able to better understand what the Atheist is dealing with... 

[brewer]

Auto, tell us what you believe about the JFK assassination in detail.

[abaris]

Picture yourself in that situation and perhaps you might be able to better understand what the Atheist is dealing with... 
[/color]

Not the atheist. You. And I noticed the capitalized A.

[Autolite]

Auto, tell us what you believe about the JFK assassination in detail.

It was aliens from the planet Lesbos. And I've got some grainy pics to back that up...

[brewer]

Thinking otherwise is the epitome of narrow mindedness and bigotry.

@Catholic Lady

To understand what I'm talking about, try and imagine that almost everyone that you know believed in the Tooth Fairy.  You can't call them delusional because belief in the Tooth Fairy is a shared belief within your community.  You can't call their beliefs absurd, irrational or idiotic because you'll be branded "narrow minded and bigoted" and you'll be vilified and bombarded with countless ad-homs and insults.   

Society demands that you afford the Tooth Fairy believers respect even thought you know that such a belief is complete and absolute nonsense.   Picture yourself in that situation and perhaps you might be able to better understand what the Atheist is dealing with... 

I live where you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a christian. They all know I'm atheist, even those in AA, where belief in a god is almost mandatory. 

You don't owe the belief/non belief respect, you do owe the person respect that they either deserve or earn. You should insist on respect, but only if you also give the same respect. Something tells me that your ability to give is lacking. 

Courage of convictions?

---

Auto, tell us what you believe about the JFK assassination in detail.

It was aliens from the planet Lesbos.  And I've got some grainy pics to back that up...

Well, that's some mighty fine believing. Congratulations. 

Afraid to tell us what you really believe? That you might be judged mentally ill?

[Catholic_Lady]

Thinking otherwise is the epitome of narrow mindedness and bigotry.

@Catholic Lady

To understand what I'm talking about, try and imagine that almost everyone that you know believed in the Tooth Fairy.  You can't call them delusional because belief in the Tooth Fairy is a shared belief within your community.  You can't call their beliefs absurd, irrational or idiotic because you'll be branded "narrow minded and bigoted" and you'll be vilified and bombarded with countless ad-homs and insults.   

Society demands that you afford the Tooth Fairy believers respect even thought you know that such a belief is complete and absolute nonsense.   Picture yourself in that situation and perhaps you might be able to better understand what the Atheist is dealing with... 

If believing in ferries was any sort of widely accepted belief, why the hell should I give a crap if other ppl believe in them? Why should I respect them less for it? I don't believe mohammed was a prophet who spoke to an angel (islam), I don't believe people are "saved" simply for believing in jesus (evengelical christianity), I don't believe Buddha was a God (Buddhism). Does that mean I think those who do are mental? Of course not!

I can see how it can be annoying/lonely to you that you're the only atheist in your circle. But this does not need to progress to you thinking everyone else except yourself has a mental issue. Unless of course you're looking for an excuse to feel superior.

[Simon Moon]

@Catholic Lady

To understand what I'm talking about, try and imagine that almost everyone that you know believed in the Tooth Fairy.  You can't call them delusional because belief in the Tooth Fairy is a shared belief within your community.  You can't call their beliefs absurd, irrational or idiotic because you'll be branded "narrow minded and bigoted" and you'll be vilified and bombarded with countless ad-homs and insults.   

Society demands that you afford the Tooth Fairy believers respect even thought you know that such a belief is complete and absolute nonsense.   Picture yourself in that situation and perhaps you might be able to better understand what the Atheist is dealing with... 

If believing in ferries was any sort of widely accepted belief, why the hell should I give a crap if other ppl believe in them?

You don't think you'd start giving a crap if these tooth fairy believers wanted to pass laws based on their 'tooth fairy morality', wanted to teach their 'tooth fairy creationism' in public school science courses, started wars with those that did not believe in their tooth fairy beliefs, flew planes into buildings at 300 mph because they believed they were going to be in tooth fairy heaven, etc?

Religious beliefs don't live in a vacuum. They are not benign. They affect people's actions. There are real world negative consequences due to religious beliefs.

Why should I respect them less for it? I don't believe mohammed was a prophet who spoke to an angel (islam), I don't believe people are "saved" simply for believing in jesus (evengelical christianity), I don't believe Buddha was a God  (Buddhism). Does that mean I think those who do are mental? Of course not!

I can see how it can be annoying/lonely to you that you're the only atheist in your circle. But this does not need to progress to you thinking everyone else except yourself has a mental issue. Unless of course you're looking for an excuse to feel superior.

One does not have to mentally ill to have delusional beliefs.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I treat people as they treat me. If they don't subject me to their faith, I don't subject them to pushback.

Fucking radical...

Boru

I know, right? I must be part of Team Persecution® !

[RetiredArmy]

As I watched a news program last week about the "white helmets" in Aleppo, it was a curious perspective I took of a portion of the footage. A young boy was being extracted from the rubble of a bomb-collapsed building, and the struggle was intense. The fever with which these people struggle to free fellow humans is just awesome. Doing so for children, as in this case, draws even more adulation. Once the victim is extracted, however, there is a change in crowd around scene which is curious. The hard work and amazing humanity of the rescue is suddenly attributed to the sky daddy Allah, with a rapidly increasing high-pitched cry of "God is Great" (in Arabic). The scene at that point brought an image to my mind... Lemmings jumping off a cliff. I mean, attributing the amazing rescue which just occurred to an imaginary friend is as insane as, well, jumping off a cliff IMHO.

This is the kind of thing which makes AAAAAAAthiests scratch our heads.

Side note: Why are some people so ready to distance themselves from others with a similar belief (which is, by the way, the whole point of the website). No, Atheism doesn't define us. I does make our lives somewhat different from those with theistic beliefs. In that we have a commonality. If you don't like being called an atheist, or if a big ole' A offends you... lighten up Frances

[LadyForCamus]

'Catholic Lady' thinks I'm narrow minded. I don't believe in leprechauns, unicorns or the Tooth Fairy either so perhaps she has a point...

Be respectful to CL, or I will be forced to hit you with a very large stick...