Are you religious?

[izzy88]

Conversely, one might ask why so many religious people spend so much time arguing against science and evolution.

Most likely because they feel it threatens their belief system. Are you saying we should apply that same logic to the atheists?

 

[McBell]

Well that depends, do you consider yourself religious?

no

 

[randix]

Most likely because they feel it threatens their belief system. Are you saying we should apply that same logic to the atheists?

No, because in the case of atheists, it might simply be a disagreement.

It may be that the only threat that religion (any or all of the many competing religions) might be thought to pose is not one of casting into doubt an atheist's (or other nonreligious person's) worldview, but rather the threat of (or tendency toward) imposing an authoritarian view of reality and control of society and individual freedom, which is antithetical to the health and wellbeing of a diverse society, and anathema to many of its members.

 

[izzy88]

no

Then your answer to the question would be no.

 

[izzy88]

No, because in the case of atheists, it might simply be a disagreement

You don't spend a significant amount of time on a religious forum if you "simply" disagree with their views. We don't seek out people who we simply disagree with, just to tell them that we disagree.

It may be that the only threat that religion (any or all of the many competing religions) might be thought to pose is not one of casting into doubt an atheist's (or other nonreligious person's) worldview, but rather the threat of (or tendency toward) imposing an authoritarian view of reality and control of society and individual freedom, which is antithetical to the health and wellbeing of a diverse society, and anathema to many of its members.

While this could very well be the concern, that doesn't mean it's a rational one. Religious beliefs pose virtually zero threat to western society today; if we need to be afraid of any ideologies, it's political ideologies. Politics are the new extremism, the new fundamentalism.

Interesting how this has coincided with the reduction in religious affiliation among people. It's seem as though we may be religious by nature, and we need to dedicate ourselves to something religiously, so people have simply replaced actual religion with politics.

But I digress; the point is that a fear of some sort of authoritarian theocracy is irrational in the modern western world, as is believing that arguing with a few religious people in some forum would have any effect whatsoever on the possible likelihood of such a thing happening.

 

[MNoBody]

everybody is religious in this way,
the God of time...everyone has a clock on their wall and set their lives by what it says,
measures out their value and their labor by its measure.
to worship is to work for
if you had to work a few extra hours, did you grumble if you did not get paid overtime?
if someone demanded some of your precious time, did you begrudge them for doing so?
Was something cutting into "your" time?
Any thoughts of "reward"?

The great God Time-lord of your hours.
[just a perspective]

 

[izzy88]

I can not imagine why that is difficult for anyone to grasp.

I can't either, and I haven't seen any evidence of anyone struggling to grasp it, unless you count the straw man you're arguing against right now.

 

[Cooky]

I can't either, and I haven't seen any evidence of anyone struggling to grasp it, unless you count the straw man you're arguing against right now.

I don't get the suspicion that there is some agenda here to disparage the non-religious... I guess these posters are responding to something emotional that they all feel together as a group.

 

[MonkeyFire]

Interesting. Care to elaborate?

We believe the path to happiness goes through pacifism. We also believe in life, which is definativly hope.

 

[izzy88]

We also believe in life, which is definativly hope.

What does it mean to believe in life? What is the source of your hope?

 

[MonkeyFire]

What does it mean to believe in life? What is the source of your hope?

To believe in life means there is hope and life will go on. All hope comes from HOPE herself, a beautiful angel. As well, belief in life defines happiness.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yeah, very much so, though I am a strong atheist.

Nothing funny about it, @Terry Sampson, my religion (in my view), like Buddhism or Jainism, allows atheism.

 

[Curious George]

I can't either, and I haven't seen any evidence of anyone struggling to grasp it, unless you count the straw man you're arguing against right now.

Why, if you grasp that a non religious person is equally likely to want to discuss a matter concerning religion as a religious person would you have asked the question in the first place?

There is no straw man, my argument was that you were equivocating. Nothing you have said has yet to challenge or change that.

My additional commentary that you wish to label as a straw man was an explanation that addressed your OP question.

 

[Curious George]

I don't get the suspicion that there is some agenda here to disparage the non-religious... I guess these posters are responding to something emotional that they all feel together as a group.

I don't think anyone is trying to disparage the non religious. I think the OP is purposefully using two separate meanings of the same word to feign wonder and astonishment at the non-religious presence on religious forums.

What i can't decide is whether the OP is merely trolling or believes honestly that non religious discussion in matters concerning religion is out of place.

I can't say why others have responded, but the question strikes me as either intentionally dishonest or absurdly irrational. I don't think i feel this as a part of a group. But i could be wrong, why do you think it is felt as a group?

 

[izzy88]

Why, if you grasp that a non religious person is equally likely to want to discuss a matter concerning religion as a religious person would you have asked the question in the first place?

There is no straw man, my argument was that you were equivocating. Nothing you have said has yet to challenge or change that.

My additional commentary that you wish to label as a straw man was an explanation that addressed your OP question.

The only one being irrational here is you, friend. Look at the words that I actually wrote, and then look at everything you've accused me of. Whatever you believe I said, whatever you believe I meant, whatever you believe my intentions were, is all a product of nothing but your own imagination.

All I asked was why people come here. I didn't have some ulterior motives, there was no hidden meaning, I simply thought it would be interesting and fun to hear why people come here. I do not understand why you're so paranoid and hostile about such a simple question.

 

[Terry Sampson]

Nothing funny about it, @Terry Sampson, my religion (in my view), like Buddhism or Jainism, allows atheism.

If you say so, but in my naive understanding, religion and atheism are antithetical. But hey, if you can be religious and atheist at the same time, go for it.

 

[loverofhumanity]

I’m not really religious. As I’ve said to many. I’ve been a member of the Baha’i Faith for 45 years but I’m still not a Baha’i yet.

Unless a person is religious by their deeds I don’t believe they are truly religious

 

[Curious George]

The only one being irrational here is you, friend. Look at the words that I actually wrote, and then look at everything you've accused me of. Whatever you believe I said, whatever you believe I meant, whatever you believe my intentions were, is all a product of nothing but your own imagination.

All I asked was why people come here. I didn't have some ulterior motives, there was no hidden meaning, I simply thought it would be interesting and fun to hear why people come here. I do not understand why you're so paranoid and hostile about such a simple question.

Paranoid implies that i am worried or excessively suspicious: i am not. I suppose you could say that i was "hostile" after you wanted to dance around your equivocation. But, even that i would say was an exaggeration.

I would have expected you to take an honest look at your use of words once i pointed out your equivocation and then had an open discussion regarding that. If you think i am being hostile i don't think there is much i am going to do or say to change that.

 

[Andy Sims]

Not religious. I like to visit sites where old friends from the Topix atheist forum sometimes post.

 

[Andy Sims]

Good grief, man; this is not a debate. Do you know what a conversation is?

I agree that conversation is preferable to debate, but it's quite possible to have both going on at the same time in an online forum. Some would argue that debate is a form of conversation, which is an invitation to debate in itself, no? And some folks are inherently feisty and will argue about almost anything and not necessarily in an amicable manner.

For my own part, I like to get to know folks as much as is possible without the advantages of face-to-face interactions, exploring ideas together rather than trying to defeat perceived adversaries. I find that I am part of a very small minority in that respect.