Jasin wrote on Oct 26^th, 2023 at 5:23pm:

Sorry JaSin, but I'm beginning to think you really
don't have any grasp of what atheism actually is.

Being "anti-religious" is not the "core" of atheism in
any way.  I don't even know from where or from whom
you got that absurd notion.

In fact, there's far more evidence indicating hatred
directed at atheists from the theists.

At O'Hare Airport in 1987 George H.W. Bush held
a formal news conference.  There Robert Sherman,
a reporter for the American Atheist news journal,
and fully accredited by the state of Illinois, had the
following exchange with then-Vice-President Bush:


    Sherman: What will you do to win the votes of
    the Americans who are atheists?

    Bush: I guess I'm pretty weak in the atheist
    community. Faith in God is important to me.

    Sherman: Surely you recognize the equal
    citizenship and patriotism of Americans who
    are atheists?

    Bush: No, I don't know that atheists should be
    considered as citizens, nor should they be
    considered patriots. This is one nation under God.

    Sherman (somewhat taken aback): Do you
    support as a sound constitutional principle the
    separation of state and church?

    Bush: Yes, I support the separation of church and
    state. I'm just not very high on atheists.

              

Jasin wrote on Oct 26^th, 2023 at 5:25pm:


Well, you are wrong, in both the traditional sense of the word and the literal meaning.

If anything it's your paranoia talking.

Atheism, which clearly exists since you've decided to attach your definition to it, is simply the state of mind of someone who does not believe in the existence of god or gods.

It doesn't mean they're anti-anything.

I still go to church with my family, my inlaws are very religious so I attend with them and the family as a sign of respect.  I don't take part in communion, but I will do all the standing, sitting, opening my wallet, singing, standing, praying, opening my wallet again, wishing those around me peace to be with them, opening my wallet again.... etc.

Your problem is you're not evolved enough to have the compassion and empathy to accept that others may have a different view from yours without feeling like their opposing views are a personal attack against you.

This is why you feel that someone who doesn't have faith and doesn't believe in god is anti-religion.

It's true that a suspicion of what is different has served humanity well in our evolution, but we've grown past that.  Well, some of us have evolved to grow past that, others still drag their knuckles and let that compulsion rule them and their thinking.

I won't indoctrinate my children, but if they choose to believe that's up to them.

Some people need the security blanket of religion to get through this world.  Be it a reassuring hand on their shoulder or even as extreme as helping them get off substance abuse.

Am I against misinformation, sure.

From a spiritual point of view, faith and religion is up to the individual.  If they choose to be a part of it, that's their choice.

But to replace the teaching of science-based information with that of the bible, like the earth is X thousand years old etc, that's a little different, but for the most part that's not an issue in this country.

As a "globetard", I do not believe the earth is flat.  That doesn't make me anti-flat earther.  They are free to believe whatever they want to believe.  But if they start pushing misinformation in the science class and actually teach the earth is flat, then yes, I will have a problem with that.

But as for the personal beliefs they hold, they are free to do so.

Atheism is the lack of something, in this case faith.  It would have to stand "for" something to be anti anything else.

I think it is just lack of intelligence.

a–theism, no theis, no god. Not anti-god, not anti religion.

Jasin wrote on Oct 27^th, 2023 at 9:23am:


The difference is atheists aren't even swimming in the river with you to go against the current.

But I suppose it depends on your point of view.

Everyone is a-theist until they are indoctrinated into a faith system.

You could say it's the religious swimming against the current in that case.

Quote:


Your problem is in the way you're comparing religious people to atheists. 

For most religious people, their faith is a way of life.  They are ruled by their faith in when and what they can eat, what they can wear and in some cases who they can associate with.

To be an atheist, you simply don't believe in something.

It's not all-consuming.

It's one aspect of a person.

Of course, Atheists are "pro" things, but that's a part of their individuality and their personality, not because they're atheists. 

Quote:


By the way you act, you'd be a great example of someone who could benefit from religion.  The way you talk about atheists and atheism, it reads like someone without faith is without meaning. 

For someone to make those claims, it screams that they are immensely insecure about who they are without faith themselves.

If believing in a god and following their tenants can help alleviate that insecurity then that's great.

Quote:


Regular clothes.

Quote:


Because you see what you want to see to help feed your sense of superiority over others.  It's the same as I said before, some of us have evolved to actually feel empathy and compassion for others, some of us have not yet.

They need a book to tell them to love thy neighbour, but they don't do so out of compassion for their neighbour, but to secure their golden ticket for the afterlife.

They may claim moral superiority, but those types usually do, often in the most obnoxious ways. 

But that's a terrible generalisation because not all people of faith are like that, just as some Atheists, the majority, simply don't believe and leave it at that.

They don't think about it, it doesn't pop up in their everyday lives, it often only becomes front and centre when someone say, invites them to the Atheism forum

Quote:


Exactly.  Atheism is a lack of belief in a god.  That's it.  It's not something that exists as an institution like religion.  It's more like a shadow being the absence of light.

I know that's triggering for people of faith because that means evil, but that's a whole other story.

If someone chooses to make atheism their way of life and be an obnoxious know it all, "preaching" their belief of a lack of belief, that's different.

While they may be atheists, their actions don't fall under the definition of an atheist.

It's another generalisation like the one I made above.

But a lot of religious people need an enemy, they need someone they can point out to say "he is evil, therefore I am good".

Just be good. 

You don't need to base yourself on others, just be the best version of yourself you can be.  That's all anyone, be it physical or spiritual, can ask for.

MeisterEckhart wrote on Oct 27^th, 2023 at 10:00am:


Worked on me

Jasin wrote on Oct 27^th, 2023 at 10:20am:


No, I said atheists don't believe in a god or gods.

It's in the name, a-theist.

You have to lie about what I've said and then threaten physical abuse?

Tsk tsk.

MeisterEckhart wrote on Oct 27^th, 2023 at 11:26am:


Hah, I misread your post, I thought you were talking about religion.

I was indoctrinated in my youth and was Anglican until my early teens.

I went to a private Anglican kindy/childcare and then primary school until we moved.

After attending a state school and having my curiosity fostered rather than squashed it wasn't long before I was asking questions that couldn't be answered in the way I was raised, and I was allowed to ask those questions for once, I didn't stay a believer for much longer.

SadKangaroo wrote on Oct 27^th, 2023 at 11:04am:

You've just confirmed that Atheism is an 'Anti' then and nothing more.
White Flag accepted.

*taps a teaspoon to the forehead of SK.