Religious/spiritual folk: do you mind that atheists are common on RELIGIOUS forums?

[Spice]

Can one go to these places to learn if they don’t identify? Perhaps in the hopes of future identification?

You can read all the forums, so you can easily learn. But you can't participate in the DIRs you don't adhere to as they are meant to be safe zones. And DIRs are "discussions" not "debates." Again - safe zones.

 

[Quintessence]

You can read all the forums, so you can easily learn. But you can't participate in the DIRs you don't adhere to as they are meant to be safe zones. And DIRs are "discussions" not "debates." Again - safe zones.

Fun fact:

This forum here was literally created to be a space for outsiders to ask about other religious traditions in a discussion-based environment because of the restrictions of DIRs.

About the Religions Q&A Subforum

About the Religions Q&A Subforum The Religions Q&A subforum was created as an alternative to the Discuss Individual Religions (DIR) forums for outsiders asking questions about various religious traditions in a discussion-only environment (see RF Rules for more information about DIRs). In a...

www.religiousforums.com

 

[LuisDantas]

In all fairness, if anyone thinks that being an atheist somehow stymies our ability to understand and respect religions... then you are just not paying attention.

Atheism isn't opposed to religion, and could never be. To a significant degree it is caring about religion that made atheism necessary and useful.

And one of our main roles is protecting religion from unleashed, destructive, reckless irresponsibility of belief. Not necessarily theism as such and not all of theism.

 

[LuisDantas]

I've noted that anti-theists(not atheists) are generally Abrahamic in the views, which is somewhat ironic.

I can't talk with them most of the time, because they don't hear what I'm saying. My views aren't Abrahamic, so most of them don't seem able to compute what I'm talking about.

Here is hoping that I can be an exception at least some of the time, George.

 

[JustGeorge]

Here is hoping that I can be an exception at least some of the time, George.

I didn't know you were an anti-theist. You've certainly never bothered me about my theism.

 

[LuisDantas]

I didn't know you were an anti-theist. You've certainly never bothered me about my theism.

I don't intend to either. Just don't rely on me to advise you to seek it.

Ultimately, I want to believe that responsibility about one's own beliefs is the decisive factor.

 

[JustGeorge]

Ultimately, I want to believe that responsibility about one's own beliefs is the decisive factor.

Can you share more on this?

 

[LuisDantas]

Can you share more on this?

Sure.

You see, people will of course hold various and contrasting, often mutually exclusive beliefs. There isn't a lot that can be done to help that.

It does not have to be a problem either - and often it is not. But it can be a very serious problem when people are careless or irresponsible.

There is a saying - a Muslim one, as it happens - about tying up one's camel before praying for Allah not to allow it to go stray.

It is a sensible lesson to teach and to take to heart. There are beliefs, there are facts, and there is a moral duty to be reasonable with ourselves and with others.

At a minimum, we all should strive to be aware that other people may suffer consequences of our actions and beliefs and that we should better be capable of dealing with those consequences when it turns out that we are mistaken.

One of the main reasons why I consider myself an antitheist is because I have far too often met people who seem to expect that statements of belief in god will somehow excuse them from actually showing concern and respect for what is known to happen and exist, including the need for basic respect and decency for others.

Here in Brazil, specifically, there is a whole mainstream cultural trait of treating god-belief as a virtue in and of itself. I have actually seem preachers stating that we should refrain from questioning "god's chosen" even when there are good reasons to consider whether they may be misguiding others.

That is just not healthy, and IMO, at best, cheapens the creeds that are presumably "protected" by those attitudes.

 

[JustGeorge]

One of the main reasons why I consider myself an antitheist is because I have far too often met people who seem to expect that statements of belief in god will somehow excuse them from actually showing concern and respect for what is known to happen and exist, including the need for basic respect and decency for others.

Here in Brazil, specifically, there is a whole mainstream cultural trait of treating god-belief as a virtue in and of itself. I have actually seem preachers stating that we should refrain from questioning "god's chosen" even when there are good reasons to consider whether they may be misguiding others.

That is just not healthy, and IMO, at best, cheapens the creeds that are presumably "protected" by those attitudes.

I could see how that would make a person anti-theist.

 

[Audie]

In all fairness, if anyone thinks that being an atheist somehow stymies our ability to understand and respect religions... then you are just not paying attention.

Atheism isn't opposed to religion, and could never be. To a significant degree it is caring about religion that made atheism necessary and useful.

And one of our main roles is protecting religion from unleashed, destructive, reckless irresponsibility of belief. Not necessarily theism as such and not all of theism.

I'd say care far more than theists do.

They'd eliminate all but their version of their.personall y chosen edition of their chosen religion. .

Atheists often point out foolish errors that they make in their own faith, which like as not are deeply disrespectful of the God they nominally worship.
Which act is not what I'd call caring about their religion.

Insisting on foolishness like " flood" demonstrates caring
most about self, ego, as infallible.