Problems with atheism

[Cinjin]

There is no equivalent to the parish priest to whom I can take my troubles.

There are many other communities you CAN join because you're free! For instance, I've been slowly putting my feet into the skeptic community...

Yes, of course. But in my example I was in a hurry, I didn't have time to look for communities to join. I needed advice - RIGHT THEN.

Also, local atheist "groups" do crop up. ... Search around your area.

I have. There are some humanists. They are a load of old fuddy-duddies. That's it.

And just for me personally, none of my "advice" givers are family, and only one of them is on this board, and a couple of them are theists. These are people I've met at various jobs I've had or other ways - no need for them to be any sort of authority figure.

You are obviously a gregarious person who finds no problem making friends etc. I'm not like that. I'm pretty insular, and it's extremely seldom that I would ask anyone for advice about anything. So I had no personal "advice network" that i had built up over time. Yet suddenly I was hurled into a really difficult moral dilemma, and when I cast around for help the ONLY person available was the local church minister.

And you know, it may turn out that when actually put to a severe test, your network of advice givers might in fact not prove to be quite as reliable as you suppose.

I suggest the fact that atheists so readily dismiss the value of the priest role in society is a terrific weakness in the viability of atheism as a socially acceptable philosophy.

Something smells a little off about this post. I may have to call Bull Shit, but I'll hold off for now.
I think you are making too many excuses. Are you a poser? Are you a sheep in wolves' clothing? Twice now you've adamantly declared the strength of community in the church and have commended the aide that a priest can give. It's almost as if you're trying to convince us ..... hmmmm?

Your name is godnose (god knows?). When given options by atheists who would certainly know of communal outlets, you simply scoff them off. I am a member of a free-thinkers/humanists group here in Michigan and there are plenty of young people. All ages from all types of backgrounds. Find another group to associate with - there are far more than one.

More importantly if you're truly not a poser and actually are interested in making social connections - start taking advice from people like summerqueen and rhythm instead of blowing it off. If you're truly non-religious, than stop making excuses. If you're a religious poser, come clean and say what you came here to say.

Cheers.

[Godnose]

Something smells a little off about this post. I may have to call Bull Shit, but I'll hold off for now.
I think you are making too many excuses. Are you a poser? Are you a sheep in wolves' clothing? Twice now you've adamantly declared the strength of community in the church and have commended the aide that a priest can give. It's almost as if you're trying to convince us ..... hmmmm?

Your name is godnose (god knows?). When given options by atheists who would certainly know of communal outlets, you simply scoff them off. I am a member of a free-thinkers/humanists group here in Michigan and there are plenty of young people. All ages from all types of backgrounds. Find another group to associate with - there are far more than one.

More importantly if you're truly not a poser and actually are interested in making social connections - start taking advice from people like summerqueen and rhythm instead of blowing it off. If you're truly non-religious, than stop making excuses. If you're a religious poser, come clean and say what you came here to say.

Here we go ... the usual! People pretend to be "free thinkers" but as soon as anyone starts actually expressing any actual "freedom" of thought - by stepping out of the old established line - it's all hands to repel boarders.

Yes I'm an atheist. You are paranoid. Get a grip and try and EXCHANGE some views instead of just hanging on to your own DOGMA - which is just as crap as any religious-based dogma.

I can see it won't take me long to get p1ssed off with this - the usual bunch of blinkered bigheads who cant stand anyone thinking differently from themselves.

[The Grand Nudger]

I've commented on this before. The general trend of people to assign some sort of stereotypical dogma to a group based upon the oppositions criticisms. Even when the one criticizing is a member of the group.

God, many atheists were once roman catholics, they have a bad feeling about the priesthood. Others have a bad feeling about them for other reasons. I don't have a bad feeling about them at all, where things aren't concerning god. Doesn't sound like a dogmatic response. Our party line is a disagreement about god(s). Starts there ends there. Everything else is up for grabs. You're an atheist, and you apparently love the robed ones. Again, diversity, not conformity.

[thesummerqueen]

I'm having a hard time figuring out how not wanting an authority figure passing down judgments on morality makes us less of a group of free thinkers.

[Cinjin]

Here we go ... the usual! People pretend to be "free thinkers" but as soon as anyone starts actually expressing any actual "freedom" of thought - by stepping out of the old established line - it's all hands to repel boarders.

Yes I'm an atheist. You are paranoid. Get a grip and try and EXCHANGE some views instead of just hanging on to your own DOGMA - which is just as crap as any religious-based dogma.

I can see it won't take me long to get p1ssed off with this - the usual bunch of blinkered bigheads who cant stand anyone thinking differently from themselves.

You are the only one here who needs to calm down big fella. Also, exactly what "dogma" are you referring to????? LOL the "dogma" that atheists groups do exist? LMAO --- you need to have something to at least get mad about before ranting.

[The Grand Nudger]

Somebody needs to tell Judas that.

[Godnose]

You are the only one here who needs to calm down big fella. Also, exactly what "dogma" are you referring to????? LOL the "dogma" that atheists groups do exist? LMAO --- you need to have something to at least get mad about before ranting.

I was responding to being called a poser, sheep in wolves clothing etc - an attack based on my name - accused of being something I'm not declaring, etc etc. I've seen these gang things before on forums where all the old hands just gang up on anyone who comes along with any other line... it's not actually anything to do with atheism, it's just forum behaviour. Where everyone pretends to be so enlightened but really all they seem to be interested in is scoring cheap shots....

We'll see!

[The Grand Nudger]

Temptation.

[Faith No More]

Godnose, the comments about being a sheep in wolf's clothing aren't really about your ideas in particular but more about us not really knowing your true views. We are weary of anyone that just jumps right in with ideas such as yours who haven't been around long enough for us to know you. Every week someone jumps in here spouting their ideas and condemning anyone who thinks differently. These people have no intentions of having meaningful debate or sticking around to have real discussion, so that makes us skeptical of people that don't try to get to know everyone here first before declaring their new ideas. Our reaction has little to do with your idea, and more to do with how you've presented it. Don't take it personally, but we get a lot of this around here.

I do understand what you mean about many atheists lacking desire for spiritual growth, but that is a personal issue anyway, so I don't think a community would solve that. I get my fill by reading about Buddhism and Native American culture.

As far as moral guidance goes, I think you are making a false correlation between a position of authority and wisdom. Atheists don't need a dedicated advisor to dispense guidance and wisdom to each other. Talking to clergy gives you a false sense of compassion anyway. The priest may genuinely care about you, but he does so because god told him to. Meeting people who you can share things with is an important part of life, and just declaring someone a 'priest' is taking a shortcut to finding meaningful relationships. If you have trouble meeting people real life, as I do, there's always places like this on the internet.

[The Grand Nudger]

In to defend priests (that don't touch boys). Priests may care about you, it is because they are human beings first. That god may have told them to love you is a happy coincidence. We're talking priests here and not religious nutjobs right? Otherwise I think Faith pretty well nailed it. My opinion anyway.