I'm no longer an anti-theist

[Duty]

At work today I met a man who spent his whole childhood in care and later prison, including for murder. He is in his late sixties and his face and demeanour reflect his tragic and tortured life. He did not have to disclose this information to me but clearly felt he trusted me enough to be honest and open. He wears a crucifix around his neck and today I decided the LAST thing I'd want to do is proverbially "snatch that chain from around his neck" - the thought that he is forgiven for the "sins" of his youth/past and that salvation awaits is likely all that keeps him going. There are doubtless 100s of thousands of others like him in the same boat.

My outspoken atheism/anti-theism is a thing of the past. If anybody asks me from now on, my reply will simply be "I'm an agnostic."

[Ravenshire]

I've never been much of an anti-theist, nor have I ever thought it required to be an atheist. I really don't care what fantasies others hold dear, as long as they're not trying to force those beliefs on others whether by encode them into law or any other means. If faith in some imaginary sky daddy gives someone comfort, I am no more likely to deny them that than I am to deny the placebo to a suffering patient. If it helps you, have at it, so long as you don't try to force it on others.

[arewethereyet]

I've never been one to try to take someone's religious belief from them. We have talked about that often here especially for older people at the end of their lives.

I just wish that there wasn't such an effort to push religious beliefs on others.

After decades and decades of being a drunk, my mother is now finally (in her 80s) sober and attending church on the regular. She sure didn't attend church when I was growing up and was openly hostile to the Catholics around her everywhere...dad and we kids included as well as extended family. I don't necessarily buy into her newfound piety...but it's one less thing we have to worry about if she's staying sober for Jebus.

[The Grand Nudger]

We know that sugar isn't great for our health - but you don't see me slapping candy bars out of peoples mouths. I don't know why there's supposed to be any conceptual connection between the two ideas, such that mentioning your opinions on theism takes something away from someone else or implies that it should be.

[Jehanne]

At work today I met a man who spent his whole childhood in care and later prison, including for murder. He is in his late sixties and his face and demeanour reflect his tragic and tortured life. He did not have to disclose this information to me but clearly felt he trusted me enough to be honest and open. He wears a crucifix around his neck and today I decided the LAST thing I'd want to do is proverbially "snatch that chain from around his neck" - the thought that he is forgiven for the "sins" of his youth/past and that salvation awaits is likely all that keeps him going. There are doubtless 100s of thousands of others like him in the same boat.

My outspoken atheism/anti-theism is a thing of the past. If anybody asks me from now on, my reply will simply be "I'm an agnostic."

He's lucky to be out of prison.  Considering his victim(s) state of being, he is doing pretty well.

No one will argue that religion & faith are sometimes useful (and, sometimes destructive, both individually and collectively); doesn't make any of it true.

[Angrboda]

I hope you realize there are other options beyond anti-theist and agnostic.

[GUBU]

Most people are religiously agnostic, because it is a position about knowledge, not belief. When you get down to it, there is no direct evidence for the existence of god nor none for its non-existence (thoug the evidence we do have leans quite heavily in the "while a god is not, strictly speaking, impossible, a god most definitely is not necessary to explain existence").

While most human gods are easily disprovable, a generic god is a different matter (ironically enough, the most plausilbe gods are the fallible, limited and often quite stupid gods that are on the very edge of dying out completely, if not already dead).

[AFTT47]

Please make a distinction between a desperate person holding on to religious belief for comfort and some fuckwad like Mike Pence who will do everything in his power to shove his toxic beliefs down the throats of others.

It is the latter that must be opposed. One can have sympathy and compassion for the harmless victim while sparing no kick in the balls to the evangelist.

[Foxaèr]

I've only met one elderly resident in the nursing home who was very vocal about her religious beliefs. Of course, she also had dementia. I've entered a few rooms where the residents had religious memorabilia, but for the most part religion just isn't brought up in conversation during care. If I worked day shift, I imagine I'd probably encounter it more often from family members.

[Ranjr]

Mental health can be hard to keep in stressful times.  So, believe in fairies if that helps you crawl back to camp.  Just don't expect me to believe or insist your means to an end was an end in itself.