Phoenix32890 wrote:Quote:It seems to me, the "non-believers" are the ones that are sharing negativity and no hope. And that is just my opinion. One atheist does come to mind, Madeline Murray O'Hare. Seems to me, all she did was display the kind of behavior that would make me WANT to believe because God forbid, I would ever feel as hateful, miserable, and hopeless as she seemed to be.
Momma- IMO, lumping atheists with Madalyn Murray O'Hare would be like using Jim Baker as a prime example of a Christian.
I think that the problem with many people of a devout religious persuasion, is that they have not evolved beyond a tribal mentality. I choose to evaluate people as individuals, no matter what their beliefs.
Hi Phoenix,
I understand your point. Atheists do not want to be perceived as "O'Hares" anymore than Christians want to be perceived as "Bakkers".
Neither group wants to be broadbrushed as resembling either of these examples.
I'm sure you would also agree that religious people are not the only ones who can display a tribal mentality. It is important for religious as well as non-religious folks not to broadbrush the "other side" and fail to understand that there are people at every gradation in between on the spectrum of belief.
(And to complicate it further, they are not static in their beliefs but moving, all the time, in all directions.
There are non believers becoming more steadfast in their non belief and there are non believers who are moving sometimes quickly, sometimes ever so slowly toward belief.
Likewise there are believers who are becoming more steadfast in their belief and there are believers who are moving sometimes quickly, sometimes ever so slowly toward non belief. )
That is why I agree with you. A person has to be met and known as an individual, not just part of "that group" because you don't know what his beliefs are, where they were yesterday or where they will be tomorrow.
I loved Johnny Rebel on Branded!
