Can it really be said that other gods are Demons or Evil Spirits?

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Well, look into the history of any people and you will find atrocity... the Christians with their pogroms and crusades and inquisitions... Aztec with their sacrifices and so on.

None of us walk without some shame in the way we have treated others. What is important is what we do to see it never happens again. None of us is holier than another.

wa:do

For the record, there have yet to be any atrocities in the name of atheism.

 

[painted wolf]

Atheism isn't a religion or a nation is it?

wa:do

 

[EtuMalku]

When one puts into perspective that all gods, angels, demons, djinn etc. etc. are manifestations of our subjective universe/psyche, we therefore see that it is Man and His intent that qualifies as either 'good' or 'evil'.


EM

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Painted Wolf I know what you mean. You're so right. It still makes me wince and shudder to think that they used to burn people alive on my mother's altar, and my mother is so loving.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Atheism isn't a religion or a nation is it?

wa:do

It is a culture in its own right, and definitely something people could become fanatic about; you just never see it turn out that way. I'm actually curious as to why, but that's for another thread.

 

[painted wolf]

Never? Are you sure?

There has never been anyone in history who has used atheism as an excuse to do bad?

wa:do

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Never? Are you sure?

There has never been anyone in history who has used atheism as an excuse to do bad?

wa:do

I've never read any kind of report or story about someone or a group of people committing violent acts in the name of atheism. You're more than welcome to search as well

 

[painted wolf]

Jeffery Dahmer is quoted as using atheism as an excuse for his actions.

wa:do

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I can think of Communist Russia and what Communist China still does in the name of atheism.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Jeffery Dahmer is quoted as using atheism as an excuse for his actions.

wa:do

This is my first time hearing this, I'll definitely look into it though. Did Dahmer say he was killing people in the name of atheism, or that he did these things because he didn't believe there were consequences for it? Two different things.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I recall Dawkins says theism is a mental illness and I've heard other atheists of his opinion argue that theists should be medically treated.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

That's basically what Communist China does, they claim that theism is a mental disorder, although many parts of China they still worship Pure Land Buddhist deities in secret, but they send theists to camps for what they call treatment, but they end up killing a lot of them.

 

[blackout]

Can it really be said that other gods are Demons or Evil Spirits?

People say lots of things.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

I recall Dawkins says theism is a mental illness and I've heard other atheists of his opinion argue that theists should be medically treated.

That takes it a little far. Yes I believe theists are delusional, but because they choose to be, not because there's actually anything mentally wrong with them.

 

[painted wolf]

This is my first time hearing this, I'll definitely look into it though. Did Dahmer say he was killing people in the name of atheism, or that he did these things because he didn't believe there were consequences for it? Two different things.

Essentially... he said that his atheism made it easy to justify his actions... I think your insistence that it be "in the name of" is a bit of an equivocation.

"If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be accountable to, then—then what’s the point of trying to modify your behavior to keep it within acceptable ranges? That’s how I thought anyway. I always believed the theory of evolution as truth, that we all just came from the slime. When we, when we died, you know, that was it, there is nothing…" [An interview with Stone Phillips, Dateline NBC, Nov. 29, 1994]

Like I said.. people are people... there are no groups that are immune from having bad people within the fold. To deny that fact is to be self-deluding.

wa:do

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

Essentially... he said that his atheism made it easy to justify his actions... I think your insistence that it be "in the name of" is a bit of an equivocation.

"If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be accountable to, then—then what’s the point of trying to modify your behavior to keep it within acceptable ranges? That’s how I thought anyway. I always believed the theory of evolution as truth, that we all just came from the slime. When we, when we died, you know, that was it, there is nothing…" [An interview with Stone Phillips, Dateline NBC, Nov. 29, 1994]

Like I said.. people are people... there are no groups that are immune from having bad people within the fold. To deny that fact is to be self-deluding.

wa:do

I'm not saying there are no bad atheists, I'm saying that people don't commit atrocities in the name of atheism. Dahmer wasn't saying he committed these acts in order to promote an atheist agenda, he's saying he did it for kicks because nobody was going to do anything about it.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

ISLAM so Communist Russia never commited attrocities in the name of Atheism? Communist Russia never terrorized Russian Orthodox churches and destroyed icons?

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

ISLAM so Communist Russia never commited attrocities in the name of Atheism? Communist Russia never terrorized Russian Orthodox churches and destroyed icons?

No, they committed atrocities in the name of Communism, which they believe religion got in the way of.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

That's still Atheism, ISLAM. We all know Communist Russia pretty much tried to push Atheism like North Korea, where the dictator is venerated. Stalin was forcably venerated like a god.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

The Russian Communist Party wasn't trying to eliminate religion as a reality completely in the name of atheism, they just didn't want religion in public; which is the way it should be in my opinion. Communism and a classless society was the motivation behind the crimes committed by the Russians, not a godless society.