Question For Fellow Atheists...

[Autolite]

More to the point, why is it so important to you to assign things to a "messed up" category?  What's the worry?

I find that being surrounded by folks who hold irrational, absurd beliefs is unsettling.  I thought that I had mentioned that in the OP.  It bothers me that that such people are also found in positions of authority and trust. I see Theism as a refusal or the inability to acknowledge reality which IMO is detrimental.

I started the thread to find out if and how much it bothers other Atheists. Reading the posts in this thread tells me that most seem more tolerant of Theism than I am. It helps me to understand why religion persists. Evidently, it seems that many of you are okay living in a world where so many other don't even acknowledge reality...

[Mr Greene]

Are you suggesting that political leaders cannot be mentally ill?

No. He's suggesting that mlk definitely wasnt.

I don't think he can make that claim as there is a statistical probability of 25% for MLK (or anyone else) being mentally ill.

[robvalue]

More to the point, why is it so important to you to assign things to a "messed up" category?  What's the worry?

I find that being surrounded by folks who hold irrational, absurd beliefs is unsettling.  I thought that I had mentioned that in the OP.  It bothers me that that such people are also found in positions of authority and trust.  I see Theism as a refusal or the inability to acknowledge reality which IMO is detrimental.  

I started the thread to find out if and how much it bothers other Atheists. Reading the posts in this thread tells me that most seem more tolerant of Theism than I am.  It helps me to understand why religion persists.  Evidently, it seems that many of you are okay living in a world where so many other don't even acknowledge reality...

What's the alternative? Running around being angry doesn't accomplish anything. You're much more likely to win people round to reason by being reasonable yourself.

What would you have us do? I'd much rather people held rational beliefs as far as possible, but no matter how much I want that to happen, it's not going to affect reality. All I can do is encourage rational thought and expose bad ideas.

You seem to be suggesting some sort of authoritarian action against theists.

[Autolite]

All I can do is encourage rational thought and expose bad ideas. You seem to be suggesting some sort of authoritarian action against theists.

Well, we already know that encouraging rational thought will have little effect.  I mean if Theists could think logically, they simply wouldn't be Theists to begin with.

The only "authoritarian action" I would suggest would be perhaps no more tax breaks for churches and such.  I would like to see a general change in attitude were religion is treated no different than let's say a belief in ghosts or Leprechauns.  I would like a world were religion is seen as the ridiculous and foolish nonsense that it is.  A world were we no longer afford religion any sort of credibility or legitimacy.

Although, I will readily admit that such a world is of course highly improbable and unlikely... 

   

[FatAndFaithless]

All I can do is encourage rational thought and expose bad ideas. You seem to be suggesting some sort of authoritarian action against theists.

Well, we already know that encouraging rational thought will have little effect.  I mean if Theists could think logically, they simply wouldn't be Theists to begin with.

<snip>

It's that kind of attitude that's a self-fulfilling prophecy.  If you act like an ass about your beliefs and antagonize the people whose minds you're ostensibly hoping to change, then cry foul when they *shockingly* don't respond well to you...well that's just silly.

[robvalue]

Sure well, I don't treat religious belief any different from belief in ghosts or whatever. I don't know what more you want me to do. I can still be civil to someone and respect their good ideas, while calling them out on their bad ideas. But I can't make other people behave how I want.

I agree, tax breaks for religion should go also. It's dumb and unfair.

So it seems we're in agreement, except I have more faith in the power of encouraging rational thought. It's going to be a gradual shift in attitudes, and that happens through discussion, and over generations. If you give up on that, you've pretty much thrown all hope away, since I really don't know how else you would plan to accomplish your scenario.

[energizer bunny]

All I can do is encourage rational thought and expose bad ideas. You seem to be suggesting some sort of authoritarian action against theists.

I would like a world were religion is seen as the ridiculous and foolish nonsense that it is.  A world were we no longer afford religion any sort of credibility or legitimacy.

Although, I will readily admit that such a world is of course highly improbable and unlikely... 

   

I would like a world where diversity is more accepted whether it has to do with one's beliefs, skin color, etc. Where there was no "us" against "them" attitude. Where unnecessary violence and war is seen for the ridiculous and foolish nonsense that it is. 

Unfortunately such a world is highly unlikely. 

[Catholic_Lady]

I would like a world were religion is seen as the ridiculous and foolish nonsense that it is.  A world were we no longer afford religion any sort of credibility or legitimacy.

Although, I will readily admit that such a world is of course highly improbable and unlikely... 

   

I would like a world where diversity is more accepted whether it has to do with one's beliefs, skin color, etc. Where there was no "us" against "them" attitude. Where unnecessary violence and war is seen for the ridiculous and foolish nonsense that it is. 

Unfortunately such a world is highly unlikely. 

I love this! 

[robvalue]

Absolutely. I don't want any "us versus them", not ever. Anyone who disagrees is against me, and must be destroyed.

[Autolite]

Well, it's like I've already said, I have no problem with diversity, differences of ideas or opinions. That's how the human race advances. I just think we'd be better off if everyone could at least just acknowledge reality. The 'hocus-pocus' believing in a god stuff might have been understandable a few hundred years ago, but there's no rational reason for it today. I fail to understand what possible benefit or advantage it is to mankind to continue to tolerate religious belief...