Why are Atheists so Scary?

@roger,

roger wrote:

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

If you don't appreciate a poster's "attack" on your atheism you have two very powerful and totally effective responses: withdraw from participation in the thread or ignore the attacker.

That would be advice to others, rather than yourself, right?

You have a problem with me roger?

1 Reply

@dyslexia,

dyslexia wrote:

pretty amazing for trailer trash?

But not for enlightened trailer trash.

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@dlowan,

dlowan wrote:

Probably pretty much everyone, except possibly you and a couple of others.

Wow, you truly are one of the A2K Illuminati. I'm going to have to pay more attention to what you post.

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@reasoning logic,

No Worries RL

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@failures art,

failures art wrote:

I said you've got a victim mentality. You say I misread it. Then you explain how you're a victim.

But what do I know? I'm just a vitriolic cross burner trying to ruin some drama-queen's day. Obviously.

A
R
T

hmm...it does sound to me that in this post that you are in a veiled sort of way trying to express the feeling that you have been victimized.

so we are all victims here-victims of name-calling. we'll survive.

i dont remember which members in particular i would have directed my post to, and i dont want to remember...i have a way of forgetting unpleasantness.
i wasnt really meaning to call anyone names as much as dramatize what it was that was happening from my perspective. those guys ticked off the mother's instinct in me and there is one thing more violent than a woman scorned, and that is a mother hen or mother of anything.

from this forum there are three members in particular i think are really exceptional-they are djjd, setanta, and you.

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@salima,

Do you recognize irony?

Actually, I think we oldie a2kers just talk faster, are less portentous.

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@salima,

I believe you will have a better and more fulfilling interaction with people without the drama. Many of the new posters from A2K that you meet deal in very concrete terms, and drama won't attract sympathy. Rather, it will draw fire.

A
R
T

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

littlek wrote:

Shall we all try to agree that MOST theists do not try to cram their religion down others' throats and that MOST atheists, likewise, do not try to persuade anyone into atheism (the notion is ridiculous to me). The people who take either tact are the proverbial squeaky wheels that make the rest of us resentful at best.

All that aside, there is still the consideration of basic communication, civility and tolerance. Accept for one attempt here on a2k, I NEVER open up a conversation about my atheism with someone I don't know well. I also never open up a conversation about someone else's beliefs. Conversations generally occur after someone is being religious at me and getting upset about me. I have had more than one person yell at me for saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. Yes YELL at me while including all the other assholes who may go that route as well. Usually when I say that I am referring to Christmas and New Years. How bizarre that reaction is to me I can't even seem to explain.

It does seem as though theists are afraid of us. I also can't fathom why that is. Aside from the loud, shrill and antagonistic atheists who are reported to be out there we are normal, well-adjusted, happy, polite members of society. If most of us atheists can look past the shrill theists, of which there are MANY more, why can't you look past our version?

Doesn't the mere fact that there are so fewer of us than you make you feel better, help you realize that we have no power over you?

Not sure who these comments are directed towards.

I, at least, can agree with your first assertion that the battle between believers and non-believers plays out only in the margins.

If you don't appreciate a poster's "attack" on your atheism you have two very powerful and totally effective responses: withdraw from participation in the thread or ignore the attacker.

The self-assumed role of atheist victim is unbecoming.

"Believers" have two reasons to "fear" unbelivers:

1) They are uncertain in their belief and fear what may be the truth
2) They fear the disproportionate political impact of non-believers. Contrary to your plaintive question, non-believers in America do have a disproportionate degree of power. Whether or not this is good is another question, but the fact remains that it is the case.

wouldnt those be excuses rather than reasons? and i would also posit that unbelievers have the very same excuses in fearing believers.

but most interesting is your comment that unbelievers are running the show in usa. i thought it was the christian born-again right wing. i sincerely hope you are right...hallelujiah and amen.

1 Reply

Sometime Sun - I hope you return to this when you feel you can. I don't have any deep philisophical explanation for you. I only have my experience, which I will try to share in hopes that you will have some relief from your fear. I think you are experiencing something like what I went through a few years back. Scared the bejeebus outta me. I survived. Let me know if you want to talk further. Take care.

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@failures art,

failures art wrote:

I believe you will have a better and more fulfilling interaction with people without the drama. Many of the new posters from A2K that you meet deal in very concrete terms, and drama won't attract sympathy. Rather, it will draw fire.

A
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T

but that means being untrue to my own nature, which is the problem with me being here. i was married to a man for 20 years and couldnt be myself. you can say well it is my fault because i am not assertive enough or i asked for it and i would probably agree. but i didnt get married just so i would have to go through a constant battle explaining why i ate the things i did or preferred what i did or defend my every thought or closet my every thought and walk on eggs so as not to incite an attack.

yes, as i recall that was one of the remarks my ex made once-do you have to dramatize everything?!'

no i dont have to but i would like to when i want to.

but you still missed something about me...i was not trying to excite anyone's sympathy-in fact, i was on the attack. something i rarely do and abhor doing.

confrontation is not the way i want to live my life.

i also realize anyone can say to me the same thing as has already been said : "so get off the thread" or even go so far as to say "get off the board". at the moment i have my reasons for being here.

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i would really like to suggest that everyone who is on this thread and would like to debate theism vs atheism or anything about that subject go to the other thread that has been mentioned where it can be done without any distraction. some very fine comments on the subject have already been made here.

and i would like to suggest that anyone who would like to help sometime send him a pm.

and i would like to suggest that we thumbs down this topic.

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@salima,

salima wrote:

confrontation is not the way i want to live my life.

If you feel that you can only be yourself by being dramatic, then at some point you may have to accept confrontation. Drama breeds it, so drawing confrontation may have to be a part of you too.

A
R
T

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@salima,

salima wrote:

at philosophy forum nobody was ever offended by anything sometime sun said, as i can recall. we knew him instantly and accepted him unconditionally

Please speak for youself, not all were pleased with Sometimes Sun, and a few would put him on ignore because of the ever boredom of asking simpleminded selfexplanatory questions.

His behaviour was extremely compulsive in answering questions with more questions, thus for the most time unable to have a normal conversation, and most annoying unable to see relevance/irrelevance in anything.

The A2K guys are too polite and excited of all the new members to realize the real cure to Sometimes Sun ..ignore!

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@HexHammer,

GRRR!!! ..why is the edit feature so shortlived?

1 Reply

@sometime sun,

sometime sun wrote:

Why are Atheists so scary?

They scare me.

I have rationalised this into at least two positions. (more to come when I think on)

One; I am terrified of their truth taking away mine Truth.

Two; They always seem so angry and anger terrifies me as well.

atheists aren't scary at all really

are you talking from experience ?

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@HexHammer,

I'm beginning to like Hex' astringincy, not just re this post, but several others.

1 Reply

@HexHammer,

HexHammer wrote:

salima wrote:
at philosophy forum nobody was ever offended by anything sometime sun said, as i can recall. we knew him instantly and accepted him unconditionally
Please speak for youself, not all were pleased with Sometimes Sun, and a few would put him on ignore because of the ever boredom of asking simpleminded selfexplanatory questions.

His behaviour was extremely compulsive in answering questions with more questions, thus for the most time unable to have a normal conversation, and most annoying unable to see relevance/irrelevance in anything.

The A2K guys are too polite and excited of all the new members to realize the real cure to Sometimes Sun ..ignore!

I KNEW you couldn't all be touchy feely peace love and brown rice types!!!

Hurray...you have amongst you the Acerbic and Grumpy!!! These are my people!

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@salima,

Quote:

but that means being untrue to my own nature

As a matter of genuine interest, do you consider it a universal good to be always true to your nature?

What if it is your nature to delight in torturing small animal, for instance?

I know that's a way out there example, but it illustrates the point.

I think we humans struggle with our natures all the time, and that is often the only thing that allows us to live together in reasonable harmony.

I strongly attempt to manage and change a number of parts of my own nature...extreme anxiety and lack of good emotional regulation, for instance...with some success most of the time, ( and, ahem, none at all at others... Embarrassed

) and I think that is a good thing for me and others to do.

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@HexHammer,

HexHammer wrote:

GRRR!!! ..why is the edit feature so shortlived?

I think it may soon get longer.

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@sozobe,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

Quote:
The definition of "cool" doesn't include atheism.

sozobe wrote:
No ****. (What does that have to do with anything?)

You know, this fascinated me.

I think what it has to do with anything is that Finn REALLY believes, ultimately, that people who do not share his views are actually only pretending not to because they think the beliefs they "pretend" to have make them appear cool.

It explains so much of his manner when posting, and so much of his unpleasantness, as well as stuff like his seeing atheism as a rebellion.

I bet he thinks all "liberals" are3 just trying to look cool!

4 Replies

Why are Atheists so Scary?

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