Atheism

Don't make me take out the secret book of Atheist rules that we aren't supposed to talk about and remind you that in the 3rd Chapter of Harris, Verse 17: "Dude, like admit it, some of them are pretty cool."

While interpretation of this controversial verse has left Atheists divided for years, I believe that when Sam said "them," he meant "non-atheists."

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Here is a great vid.

If you want to jump past Julia Sweeney, skip to 4:00 in the video.


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Edgarblythe & Failures Art

Shucks guys

Here, have a hat.

Three levels of fundamentalism have been described as:

1) an enclave, such as the amish. They have a specific outlook that doesn't care to integrate into the world outside of the enclave.

2) a group that represents a majority view and fears intrusion into their group from outsiders - the Bible Belt Christians would be an example.

3) a group who feels that they and only they have defined the truth of the matter and work to instill their beliefs on everyone else.

It has been posited that third level fundamentalists are the most dangerous people on the planet.

You know, outside of this public forum where we read of atheists, agnostics and Christians and we pretty well know what leaning most people have, I don't see much of the same in the real world.

I know other Christians who I know because they go to my congregation or other congregations in our district.

Outside of that, I do not find atheists or Christians openly telling me of their beliefs or faith. I am not sure whether this is because they want to hide it or they are not comfortable talking about it.

I know many people who I have no idea as to their religious or non-religious beliefs. That does not bother me as I like them for them, not what they are.

Of course, being a Christian, I would like that others would join me. I would never think of pressing them to do so. In the same token, I would not consider changing to atheism even though I know many of the arguments that one could find convincing. If someone wanted to discuss religion, I would be happy to discuss. If not, we can talk about the baseball game or whatever.

In other words, I do not think of it as being on different sides. In Canada, it is somewhat the same with politics. We all have our likes and dislikes for politicians. Most people don't really care what party they belong to. The man or woman and what they can offer is most important.

Unlike what I see in the U.S. where there is a visible line between Republicans and Democrats and no matter what the politicians are like it is all the party. One pushing that the other is better and trying to swing others to their side.

All Christians are not the same. All atheists are not the same. We are all just part of what makes us human.

Hey Intrepid--rather you than me. You're looking a bit like a pet Christian.

Spendius,
That was rather uncalled for You are doing nothing to further relations between atheists and others.

Although I can see where it would be preferable to be a pet with a roof and good food as opposed to living in the street with no friends.

Wow!!

I like you too, Intrepid.

Here, have a bon bon -

Spendi would be a turd, were he Buddhist, atheist, or Muslim. He just happens to consider himself Christian.

I know which side to butter the bread on ed.

In the US, at least re politics, it wasn't always this way.

Or was it? I knew as a kid relative peace between parties, my mother a Taft Republican, father a Dem - but then... I also knew ugly stuff going on (McCarthy et al), and re my young take, things only got worse.

I've seen a lot of us change one way or another, but lately, the change seems to be to hardened points of view.

Do you want a hat?

This thread was intended to discuss the experience of being an atheist. On that basis, there's no reason for Intrepid or Spurious to be here.

It's pretty much the same in Germany. I think the main reason Christians aren't talking much about it there is that Germans tend to take Christianity for granted as part of the general culture. And atheists aren't talking much about it because the public face of German Christianity, unlike that of American Christianity, manifests itself mostly in activism on the political left---limits on working on Sundays, opposition to gene technology, engagement in the peace movement, that sort of thing. German atheists can live with this; like American atheists, they tend to come down on the political left. There's much less conflict in Germany's general affairs between Christians and atheists.

I was haunting one of the Christian threads once, something about the Trinity I think. I started off watching it because I wanted to understand the question, and the perspective, but after a while I found the entire discussion so jaw-droppingly self-serving and irrational that I couldn't bear to read it any more.

I tend to stay out of religion threads when it is clear that the participants are simply discussing their personal imaginary-friend fantasies. It's the threads in which they start proposing political take-over, or ranting at those who don't believe as they do which i feel an almost irresistible urge to trash. And the threads which are pure rant.

Re: Sam Harris Video

I really like his point that one doesn't label themselves anti- astrology, so why use the atheist label.

I thought I would learn something at first, but what I learned is that discussions that revolve around faith-driven fantasies become reflections of the participants rather than an analysis of the subject. It's like watching different observers debate the *true* meaning of an ink blot.