Being Outed As An Atheist

[Acim]

I lack a belief in your ability to convey an idea.

I lack a belief in your lack of beliefs.

 

[Revoltingest]

Huh? I'm an atheist, and I find myself doing things all the time. When I do something, I'm a theist?

Maybe doing things is what helps an atheist remain an atheist?

 

[Kapalika]

I'm going to go with you missed the point I was making. Quote my previous point and respond as if I was saying something other than what you chose to reply with.

Yes, to which I responded that they kind of have a good reason;

Atheists being upset at the corrupt misdeeds and wolf in sheeps' clothing that is theocratic politics rearing it's ugly head in the developed world is far from irrational or unreasonable. It is simply responding to a threat which has historically commited genocide, rape and murder in the name of the Abrahamic God for justification.

I lack a belief in what it is you are when you do other things that have nothing to do with atheism.

What does this even mean? It's not even a real sentence.

I lack a belief in your ability to convey an idea.

Ya I'm with this guy! Please use proper syntax you're not making any sense! *attempts to befriend Demonslayer*

I lack a belief in your lack of beliefs.

You lack a belief in his beliefs existing? Wait is this that stupid thing where theists argue that all atheists actually believe in God?

Wouldn't that be like us claiming that no one really believes in God they just choose to fool themselves into thinking that they do to comfort themselves?

Because that's a pretty asinine argument either way it goes/who it's applied to.

 

[Demonslayer]

Maybe doing things is what helps an atheist remain an atheist?

According to this theory, doing things causes instant non-atheism.

Guess I'd better just sit on my arse going forwards, just to be on the safe side.

 

[Demonslayer]

*attempts to befriend Demonslayer*

I like chocolate chip cookies. For a few cookies I'll be your friend for sure.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, cookies.....

 

[Demonslayer]

I lack a belief in your lack of beliefs.

LOL.

 

[Revoltingest]

According to this theory, doing things causes instant non-atheism.
Guess I'd better just sit on my arse going forwards, just to be on the safe side.

Because we're atheists who do things, then doing things must cause atheism.
Therefore theists must do nothing to remain that way.

 

[Acim]

Yes, to which I responded that they kind of have a good reason;

Not for all theist types. Some theists disagree with other theists for particularly the same items you brought up. Thus what you brought up doesn't take away from theism. It just takes away from certain type of theists. Like if an atheist were dictator/murderer, this wouldn't be true of all atheistis/atheism. Now would it?

What does this even mean? It's not even a real sentence.

If atheism is, as it is sometimes stated, 'simply a lack of belief in god(s),' then it is simply that. But seems like (some) atheists allow it to be more than simply that. If an atheist delivers mail, are they a postman or an atheist? To me, when a theist delivers mail, they are in that instance, foremost a postman.

Which relates to the point I was making earlier about passive atheism. Sticking to that makes sense to me. Going on the offensive and debating any concepts of theology strikes me as a) no longer engaging in passive atheism and b) not easily identifiable as 'simple atheism' anymore. I don't even know how I'd categorize it. It strikes me as being philosophical and having almost nothing to do with atheism when observed.

 

[Kapalika]

If atheism is, as it is sometimes stated, 'simply a lack of belief in god(s),' then it is simply that. But seems like (some) atheists allow it to be more than simply that. If an atheist delivers mail, are they a postman or an atheist? To me, when a theist delivers mail, they are in that instance, foremost a postman.

Which relates to the point I was making earlier about passive atheism. Sticking to that makes sense to me. Going on the offensive and debating any concepts of theology strikes me as a) no longer engaging in passive atheism and b) not easily identifiable as 'simple atheism' anymore. I don't even know how I'd categorize it. It strikes me as being philosophical and having almost nothing to do with atheism when observed.

They debate against it because they think it's kinda dumb. Some identify with the label because they are surrounded by religion all the time and it's kind of cast onto them by their non-believing. In places where atheism is the majority it's used as an adjective rarely.

And I'd say most religious people consider themselves Christian, Jew, Hindu ect before their occupational title.

Just because someone isn't an implicit atheist doesn't make them any less atheist. It just makes them assertive. I know I argue against all kinds of stuff like conspiracy theories ect but that doesn't mean that it defines me. I might identify as a skeptic for example, but the debate style I have is more of a result of the underling ideals which led me to be a skeptic.

So it's the same with strong atheists. They are acting on the positions and values which lead them become atheists. The two (arguing and being an atheist) might be correlated with some groups but they are not caused by one another.

 

[McBell]

I went to both.....and the public schools said nothing about God
the catholic schools taught both

That is correct.
Public schools decided on none because they cannot do all.

Catholic schools teach what they want.

 

[Acim]

They debate against it because they think it's kinda dumb. Some identify with the label because they are surrounded by religion all the time and it's kind of cast onto them by their non-believing. In places where atheism is the majority it's used as an adjective rarely.

And I'd say most religious people consider themselves Christian, Jew, Hindu ect before their occupational title.

Just because someone isn't an implicit atheist doesn't make them any less atheist. It just makes them assertive. I know I argue against all kinds of stuff like conspiracy theories ect but that doesn't mean that it defines me. I might identify as a skeptic for example, but the debate style I have is more of a result of the underling ideals which led me to be a skeptic.

So it's the same with strong atheists. They are acting on the positions and values which lead them become atheists. The two (arguing and being an atheist) might be correlated with some groups but they are not caused by one another.

Not sure what you are saying exactly in the highlighted part. But seeing that atheism may not be one simple thing (lack of belief in gods), I am wondering what values / positions would be unique to atheists that are never found in a theist? I get that humans of all sorts are going to have common values. I'm wondering what values an atheist might have that are shaped (strictly) by atheism and would not be found in any theist?

 

[ImmortalFlame]

Not sure what you are saying exactly in the highlighted part. But seeing that atheism may not be one simple thing (lack of belief in gods), I am wondering what values / positions would be unique to atheists that are never found in a theist? I get that humans of all sorts are going to have common values. I'm wondering what values an atheist might have that are shaped (strictly) by atheism and would not be found in any theist?

Exactly one: not believing in a God.

That's really about it. The real difference maker is the consequences each individual attaches to that one position, which naturally varies from person to person. A theist and an atheist can have entirely similar positions and worldviews, save the one position on the existence of a God or Gods.

 

[Acim]

Exactly one: not believing in a God.

That's really about it. The real difference maker is the consequences each individual attaches to that one position, which naturally varies from person to person. A theist and an atheist can have entirely similar positions and worldviews, save the one position on the existence of a God or Gods.

So, in some instances where a theist type believes in a very specific god (or gods) and another theist does not, while the second may be open to the idea of that specific deity, but feels it is more than that - that second type of atheist could actually be more aligned with the atheist as a matter of practicality, for both the second theist and the atheist would reject the attachment to that one (and only) concept - as god.

I honestly can see how some atheists and some theists could be almost perfectly aligned, but acknowledge it would be rare, especially where non-passive atheist is making aggressive case for strong atheism.

 

[David1967]

I once had a co-worker find out I wasn't Christian and that set her off. She didn't know what I believed, and as far as she knew or was concerned, I was an atheist. She took to following me around on breaks and at lunch with a bible to preach at me. I really didn't care as she was just a little annoying and , if anything, worthy of a laugh. It did, however, come in handy to get her fired over something else. She harassed a young girl away from work once, I girl I knew and felt a bit protective of, and after that I went to the bosses and told about the religious harassment at work thing she was doing and she was subsequently fired for it. Shot herself in the foot with her own actions she did. Laid her employment in my hands all because she felt the need to preach at me.

I'm curious what denomination or group she was affiliated with.

 

[suncowiam]

During my first intern job (around 1999 or 2000) I was outed as an atheist.

I worked at a engine manufacturing company in their design and prototype team. Anyway, I got along great with everyone and really enjoyed working there. One day after work a woman who I worked with had a flat tire and I volunteered to put on her spare for her. She thanked me and told me I was a "great kid."

The next day she came into work and wouldn't talk to me. She actually wouldn't even look at me. I thought that was kinda weird, but thought maybe she was just having a bad day, so I let it go. The day after that she still wouldn't talk to me so I asked another co-worker if they knew if something was wrong with her. They told me that after I had changed her tire, she went home and called her work friend to tell her what a swell guy I was and her friend said, "Yeah, but you know he's an atheist, right?"

That's all it took. From that moment forward I went from being a "great kid" to being someone not even worth talking to.

Why do some religious people hold such disgust for atheists?

Be thankful you didn't get your head chopped off!

 

[Draka]

I'm curious what denomination or group she was affiliated with.

I don't really remember. If she said I wasn't paying attention. I got really good at tuning her out. Had a few friends of mine that worked there that wondered how I could put up with her. I just didn't listen.

 

[David1967]

I don't really remember. If she said I wasn't paying attention. I got really good at tuning her out. Had a few friends of mine that worked there that wondered how I could put up with her. I just didn't listen.

I know someone like her now, only its a man.He is so combative about his religious views, hes borderline violent.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I once had a co-worker find out I wasn't Christian and that set her off. She didn't know what I believed, and as far as she knew or was concerned, I was an atheist. She took to following me around on breaks and at lunch with a bible to preach at me. I really didn't care as she was just a little annoying and , if anything, worthy of a laugh. It did, however, come in handy to get her fired over something else. She harassed a young girl away from work once, I girl I knew and felt a bit protective of, and after that I went to the bosses and told about the religious harassment at work thing she was doing and she was subsequently fired for it. Shot herself in the foot with her own actions she did. Laid her employment in my hands all because she felt the need to preach at me.

I had a milder yet similar incident with a co-worker at my old job. She all of a sudden started saying that "God made me a girl" and kept repeating that with her arm around me. Very weird. I told my supervisor and he wasn't happy about that, so she was warned to leave me alone and not to talk to me about anything but work related stuff.

 

[Draka]

I know someone like her now, only its a man.He is so combative about his religious views, hes borderline violent.

Oh, this chick wouldn't have gotten far with that with me. Heard she did get into some fight with another girl from work around the block after hours one time, but she wouldn't have tried anything with me. Of that much I'm sure. Aside from the fact that she was about 17 or 18 at the time and I was about 26 and I don't make a habit of entertaining juvenile behavior, if she had raised a hand to me I had enough friends that I worked with that were her age that would have stepped in. I wasn't about to get arrested for fighting a juvenile. If I was sure she was at least 18 it might have been different though.

 

[David1967]

Ye

Oh, this chick wouldn't have gotten far with that with me. Heard she did get into some fight with another girl from work around the block after hours one time, but she wouldn't have tried anything with me. Of that much I'm sure. Aside from the fact that she was about 17 or 18 at the time and I was about 26 and I don't make a habit of entertaining juvenile behavior, if she had raised a hand to me I had enough friends that I worked with that were her age that would have stepped in. I wasn't about to get arrested for fighting a juvenile. If I was sure she was at least 18 it might have been different though.

Yeah, but your Wonder Woman.