Do stereotypes have any truth to them?

[brewer]

Yeah, that's certainly not justified. Lots of atheists have morals.

It's true that a lot of atheists think that morals are simply social conventions, with no objective existence. But even if a person believes that, he can still do his best to obey the conventions of his time and place. 

There's another stereotype concerning atheists I see occasionally. People who study theology seriously will make fun of what they call "Reddit atheists." These are people who 1) talk a lot about religion on line, and 2) have enormous confidence in their own reasoning power, and 3) know little or nothing about theology. And of course until quite recently they often referred to the works of Dawkins and/or Hitchens. 

This is the sort of person who thinks he has any and every Christian check-mated, while not bothering to learn much more about Christian thought than "TalKinG SnaKES!!1!" "NO MaterIAl EvidENce!!!!!"

I think we've all encountered people like that, but Reddit atheists are surely not representative of most of us. They are on line and visible by definition, while the great majority of atheists don't care enough about it to go on the Internet every day and criticize.

(Bold mine)

The implication here is that there are at least some atheists who have no morals. Could you please list some of these amoral atheists? Bet you a shiny shilling that you can't.

But what a sly boots you are, perpetuating a stereotype like that.

Boru

I think that we could find self identified atheists/non believers in any countries penal system. But then we'd also find christians, muslims, hindus, JWs, SDAs, mormans, ...............

[Jamie Smithie]

Does anyone know someone who acts according to a "stereotype"? I do. I know a black guy who is often late for his job, a spanish guy who likes flamenco, and a gay guy who speaks with a lisp.

That's not to say that these characteristics apply to everyone in their respective groups. That would be statistically very unlikely indeed. No, it wouldn't be all. It would be less than that.

[arewethereyet]

Does anyone know someone who acts according to a "stereotype"? I do. I know a black guy who is often late for his job, a spanish guy who likes flamenco, and a gay guy who speaks with a lisp.

That's not to say that these characteristics apply to everyone in their respective groups. That would be statistically very unlikely indeed. No, it wouldn't be all. It would be less than that.

I am going to suggest you slow your roll...unofficially, for now.

[Thumpalumpacus]

There's another stereotype concerning atheists I see occasionally. People who study theology seriously will make fun of what they call "Reddit atheists." These are people who 1) talk a lot about religion on line, and 2) have enormous confidence in their own reasoning power, and 3) know little or nothing about theology. And of course until quite recently they often referred to the works of Dawkins and/or Hitchens. 

This is the sort of person who thinks he has any and every Christian check-mated, while not bothering to learn much more about Christian thought than "TalKinG SnaKES!!1!" "NO MaterIAl EvidENce!!!!!"

Who cares what people who study theology think? They are literally folk who have the opportunity to get a university education and choose to squander it on studying the ins and outs of a superstition.

That tells me what I need to know about their "judgement".

Nothing they learn about it can change the fact that their god does not and cannot exist for myriad reasons.

[Jamie Smithie]

Does anyone know someone who acts according to a "stereotype"? I do. I know a black guy who is often late for his job, a spanish guy who likes flamenco, and a gay guy who speaks with a lisp.

That's not to say that these characteristics apply to everyone in their respective groups. That would be statistically very unlikely indeed. No, it wouldn't be all. It would be less than that.

I am going to suggest you slow your roll...unofficially, for now.

If I could officially quantify what you want me to do or not do that would help me know where I stand, thanks.

[Angrboda]

Does anyone know someone who acts according to a "stereotype"? I do. I know a black guy who is often late for his job, a spanish guy who likes flamenco, and a gay guy who speaks with a lisp.

That's not to say that these characteristics apply to everyone in their respective groups. That would be statistically very unlikely indeed. No, it wouldn't be all. It would be less than that.

Of what significance is this observation? Of course, there are examples of people who fit stereotypes. We wouldn't have these stereotypes if there weren't. What, if anything, follows from this?

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I am going to suggest you slow your roll...unofficially, for now.

If I could officially quantify what you want me to do or not do that would help me know where I stand, thanks.

You could start by having a butcher’s at the Rules.


Boru

[Nay_Sayer]

Does anyone know someone who acts according to a "stereotype"? I do. I know a black guy who is often late for his job, a spanish guy who likes flamenco, and a gay guy who speaks with a lisp.

That's not to say that these characteristics apply to everyone in their respective groups. That would be statistically very unlikely indeed. No, it wouldn't be all. It would be less than that.

Then why are you asking me if we know people who fit stereotypes?   Why affirm the negative?

[arewethereyet]

Pretty sure I know a troll who likes to stir up shit.

[Jamie Smithie]

Pretty sure I know a troll who likes to stir up shit.

I get the feeling you don't want me here. Let's compromise. Let me have 1 thread where I can say whatever I want, and people can ignore me or engage as they wish. 

Go on. Just 1 thread.