Do theists bother you?

[thesummerqueen]

Theists who are more or less on the level and interact with the world in a 95% functional manner (ie, keep their religion to themselves) don't bother me one bit. It's true that those friends or lovers closest to me are all atheists, but I have a few people I share deep friendships with who are theists. One who I adore is actually a deacon in his church. I love him because he actually *listens* when I talk. When we worked in the same building, I used to go into his office just to sit with him because he radiates quiet, calm strength. I'd be a fool to dismiss him as a friend and person simply because he chooses to believe something I hold no truck with.

The flip side is knowing plenty of theists, and some atheists, who are ignorant on their own unique levels and annoy the ever living fuck out of me in their own special, precious little ways, like the kind you described in your original posting.

[chatpilot]

The only time theists bother me is when they try to force the hand of government and legislature to make laws based on their silly bullshit beliefs. I am of the live and let live philosophy, but when you try to tell people that they can't have an abortion, use condoms, or get divorced from an abusive wife beating husband simply because their God says it is a sin then I have huge issues. Otherwise they can continue to live in their own delusional world without hearing as much as a whimper from me.

[DiRNiS]

The only time theists bother me is when they try to force the hand of government and legislature to make laws based on their silly bullshit beliefs. I am of the live and let live philosophy, but when you try to tell people that they can't have an abortion, use condoms, or get divorced from an abusive wife beating husband simply because their God says it is a sin then I have huge issues. Otherwise they can continue to live in their own delusional world without hearing as much as a whimper from me.

Agreed chatpilot. The world would be a much better place if everyone kept their personal religious beliefs to themselves. However, these people also have "holy books" which they take as word from authority and will often feel it is their obligation to convert other people into believing in their fairy tales.

[Mr Tambourine Man]

Only when a pair of them ring my doorbell and try to impose their views on me. I tend to be very abrupt with them.

[downbeatplumb]

9/11 changed my mind as to what a motivated theist can do.

I then learnt more about the politicising of the american christian right, the more I learnt the less I liked.

A lot of theism seems to consist of wilfully stangnating the advance of society and imposing their aberrant morals and standards on the rest of us.

I give you:

teaching intelligent design in schools, halting stem cell research, stoning women for adultary, beatings for 'not being decent' and a million other small ways that they try to control us.

I cant shop after four pm on a sunday because of god!

So yes I mind theists coz they cant stop meddling.

[gmjackson]

Not all of them. Some theists are good friends of mine. There are many deluded people with excellent character and who tolerate my atheism.

[krazedkat]

Atheism is, to generalise, negative; being in opposition to positivism (que whingers: "atheism is only disbelief"). The archetypal response is blind dismissal, and there is no clearer representation of this than Min.

There's nothing wrong with anger, if it's justified. Hatred is wrong I think, as harbouring anger is destructive.

A) Don't generalize
B) Read a dictionary
C) Think (rationally -.-, not fakely -.-)
D) I do hate people, deal with it, I want some of the people on this earth to be nonexistent, Bush for example, so what? What should YOU care if I hate someone?

Also: YES they do, even my mom oO...

[VenomFangX]

Theists are disturbing but what can be more disturbing are atheists who reject others, who do not listen and basically think they know it all.
Some prominent atheists have forums and blogs and do not allow any dissent from their ideas, having a group of followers like clones. They attack other atheists which is not a good idea. It disturbs me greatly such behaviour.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

They attack other atheists which is not a good idea. It disturbs me greatly such behaviour.

Why? There is no atheist code of morality or behaviour. Atheism isn't a club..

I care not at all about what some wanker who also happens to be an atheist thinks,says or does.

[Edwardo Piet]

The people that annoy me the most tend to be humans.