Dark side of athiest culture

[Revoltingest]

Oh, yeah....the dark side of atheism.

 

[Majikthise]

Come to the dark side , i am your father.

 

[LuisDantas]

I think hes pretty clear.

Care to explain it to me then? What are those names that are supposedly meaningless without some sort of essence?

What evidence there is that France is going back in their secularism?

 

[Majikthise]

Yes, there is a dark side to atheist culture, and it may be the lack of culture. It may be that people have not figured out a way to teach young people to be moral outside of religion. Many young atheists of my acquaintance have no scruples about lying, cheating, stealing and stabbing coworkers in the back, but Christians, Muslims, Jews and Hindus all believe somebody is watching. Somebody sees everything. There is a kind of shock buffer to keep us behaving as we live out our younger years. As I've mentioned before I already know of two people who converted to evangelical Christianity that grew up secular, and I mean they converted knowing full well that they were joining a cult more or less. They joined because to them there was something wrong with secular culture. They chose to believe and to pass on their beliefs.

Hmmmm......

 

[Kathryn]

Regarding atrocities committed by atheists, theists, cat-lovers, people who wear brown ...

ideology is more of a factor than any specific belief system.

The dark side of atheism ... they are human like the rest of us. The horror!

^
This.

 

[Kathryn]

Russia seems to be secular these days, although I guess it used to be more.

Ironically enough, so is the United Kingdom, nominally a theocracy of sorts.

Then we have Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Nordic Countries. Probably France and Germany, arguably Turkey.

But many of the countries you listed actually have a CHURCH TAX.

 

[LuisDantas]

But many of the countries you listed actually have a CHURCH TAX.

That may well be. Ironically, the United Kingdom, one of the most secularist nations in practice, is on paper one of the more tied to religious offices as well, to the point of having House seats reserved for Anglican priests IIRC. Politics are odd.

I would need to know specifics about that Church Tax to give an opinion on how meaningful it is. But generally speaking most or all of those countries have a clear understanding of how important it is to keep religious criteria outside of political decisions and shape their laws and behavior accordingly.

 

[Kathryn]

That may well be. Ironically, the United Kingdom, one of the most secularist nations in practice, is on paper one of the more tied to religious offices as well, to the point of having House seats reserved for Anglican priests IIRC. Politics are odd.

I would need to know specifics about that Church Tax to give an opinion on how meaningful it is. But generally speaking most or all of those countries have a clear understanding of how important it is to keep religious criteria outside of political decisions and shape their laws and behavior accordingly.

It's very easy to research if you're truly interested. I just find it very ironic that so many of the countries you listed as secular actually have state supported churches.

 

[LuisDantas]

It's very easy to research if you're truly interested. I just find it very ironic that so many of the countries you listed as secular actually have state supported churches.

Most of them are fairly socialistic, but do not lend religious groups privileges to the same degree one would expect to find in Brazil or the USA, to say nothing of Muslim countries.

 

[Revoltingest]

It's very easy to research if you're truly interested. I just find it very ironic that so many of the countries you listed as secular actually have state supported churches.

Oh, Kathryn...you're expecting government to make sense.
You've been away too long, so your expectations have become too logical.
RF is the cure.

 

[Kathryn]

Oh, Kathryn...you're expecting government to make sense.
You've been away too long, so your expectations have become too logical.
RF is the cure.

I'm drinking that RF Kool Aid and I feel better already! All absolutes and all rational thought are quickly dissolving from the crevices of my mind!

 

[lewisnotmiller]

It's very easy to research if you're truly interested. I just find it very ironic that so many of the countries you listed as secular actually have state supported churches.

Australia and New Zealand don't (having lived in both).
Religious institutions are given some tax exemptions in both countries.
(No particular religion is favoured in this, although it is raised as a talking point from time to time as to why there are exemptions for religions in the first place).

 

[Buttercup]

I'm drinking that RF Kool Aid and I feel better already! All absolutes and all rational thought are quickly dissolving from the crevices of my mind!

If you're keen on making those crevices grow larger and more dangerous, consider checking out this thread. Warning: You might go insane first, however.

http://www.religiousforums.com/foru...-taking-pictures-children-public-illegal.html

 

[Alceste]

But many of the countries you listed actually have a CHURCH TAX.

Only Germany and Scandinavia I think.

 

[Bunyip]

It's very easy to research if you're truly interested. I just find it very ironic that so many of the countries you listed as secular actually have state supported churches.

Sure, a State can be secular and have State supported religious organisations. China for example is a secular State and yet contributes to Churches.

 

[Desert Snake]

Only Germany and Scandinavia I think.

Scandinavia isn't a country.