Stop!

[Beaudreaux]

Since, if when a religious person does something wrong, it is the fault of the faith, then can it also be said that if an atheist does something wrong, it is because they have no God? If not, then it is a double standard.
Just remember that we are judged by the same standards that we judge with.

When a person of faith does something wrong because of their faith, then the faith is open to criticism. For instance, if their faith tells them to bomb an abortion clinic, or fly planes into a building. You find very few people killing others to advance the principles of atheism...

 

[Storm]

When a person of faith does something wrong because of their faith, then the faith is open to criticism. For instance, if their faith tells them to bomb an abortion clinic, or fly planes into a building. You find very few people killing others to advance the principles of atheism...

I'd be willing to bet the percentages are the same.

 

[Beaudreaux]

I'd be willing to bet the percentages are the same.

Who can you cite who has committed atrocities to advance the cause of atheism?

 

[Storm]

Who can you cite who has committed atrocities to advance the cause of atheism?

The thugs of Stalin and Mao, for starters. They murdered and oppressed believers who refused to be "freed" from the "poison" of religion.

It's not about worldview, though. It's about power.

 

[Beaudreaux]

The thugs of Stalin and Mao, for starters. They murdered and oppressed believers who refused to be "freed" from the "poison" of religion.

It's not about worldview, though. It's about power.

Well, that's what I would say as well. Those murders weren't done to advance the principles of atheism. They were done to keep a regime in power.

Atheism isn't really a worldview to begin with andyway. It says "here's something I DON'T believe." There is no cause to advance, really.

 

[Ringer]

Did anybody else get a vision of MC Hammer when they saw the title of this thread?

 

[Storm]

Well, that's what I would say as well. Those murders weren't done to advance the principles of atheism. They were done to keep a regime in power.

And 9/11 wasn't to advance the principles of Islam. It was to fight American imperialism (real or perceived).

Some people are bad. Most people are religious. Therefore, it's inevitable that there will be bad people who happen to be religious. That's not religion's fault, though.

Atheism isn't really a worldview to begin with andyway. It says "here's something I DON'T believe." There is no cause to advance, really.

It's not a religion. It is a worldview, part of one's understanding of the world.

 

[Paraprakrti]

hello,

something has been bothering me. now, im not against atheist or agnostics, but what i am against are the anti-religious people. It seems that there are many people out there who see that one religious person does something wrong and then blame it all on religion, when religion didnt do it, the person did it. so please stop saying that religion is bad or poison, because even too much anti religion it poison.

thank you.

Hare Krishna!

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

Who can you cite who has committed atrocities to advance the cause of atheism?

China has launched a 'Final Solution' — a systematic state-sponsored movement and encouragement of ethnic Chinese into Tibet — to overwhelm and expunge the Tibetan nation. Besides, it has embarked upon a three-year mission to promote atheism among Tibetan Buddhists as "the key to economic progress".

Tibet: Before and After Invasion | Friends of Tibet (INDIA)

Over a million Tibetians have died. Like Mao said "religion is poison"

 

[Beaudreaux]

And 9/11 wasn't to advance the principles of Islam. It was to fight American imperialism (real or perceived).

Wasn't there a promise of many virgins in heaven for carrying out the will of Allah?

Some people are bad. Most people are religious. Therefore, it's inevitable that there will be bad people who happen to be religious. That's not religion's fault, though.

You don't feel that there are people who feel it is their religious duty to perform acts you and I would consider immoral? Abortion clinic bombers? Suicide bombers?

It's not a religion. It is a worldview, part of one's understanding of the world.

Atheism is not a worldview. Atheism does nothing more and nothing less than refuse to posit the existence of a God. Whether I am a naturalist, rationalist, phenomenologist, etc. after that is independent of my atheism.

 

[Storm]

Wasn't there a promise of many virgins in heaven for carrying out the will of Allah?
You don't feel that there are people who feel it is their religious duty to perform acts you and I would consider immoral? Abortion clinic bombers? Suicide bombers?

I'm sure there are, just as I'm sure some of the aforementioned Communist thugs who so persecuted the religious felt it was their duty to stamp out the evil of religion. That doesn't mean it's the worldview's fault.

Atheism is not a worldview.

Not a complete one, no. But it's a component.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

The thugs of Stalin and Mao, for starters. They murdered and oppressed believers who refused to be "freed" from the "poison" of religion.

Not to further "atheism", though; it was to further their particular forms of communism. Their worldviews and philosophies are opposed just as much by atheistic freethought as they are by any theistic religion.

Some people are bad. Most people are religious. Therefore, it's inevitable that there will be bad people who happen to be religious. That's not religion's fault, though.

Not always, but some people do bad things because of their religions. The parents who let their children die because they rely on prayer to save their kids instead of medical care, for instance.

 

[Storm]

Not to further "atheism", though; it was to further their particular forms of communism. Their worldview is opposed just as much by atheistic freethought as it is by any theistic religion.


Not always, but some people do bad things because of their religions. The parents who let their children die because they rely on prayer to save their kids instead of medical care, for instance.

How do you know that not a single one of the oppressors carried out their actions in the hopes of spreading atheism? Because it strikes me highly unlikely.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

STOP!

In the name of Love...

Sorry just had to.

As to the OP, I think the anti-religion folks are over the top but free speech allows for them to spread their hatred just like everyone else. I'm all for requesting them to stop and respect the beliefs and feelings of others but we can't force them too.

 

[Storm]

Absolutely, Trey.

 

[Beaudreaux]

STOP!

In the name of Love...

Sorry just had to.

As to the OP, I think the anti-religion folks are over the top but free speech allows for them to spread their hatred just like everyone else. I'm all for requesting them to stop and respect the beliefs and feelings of others but we can't force them too.

My hatred?????? Who exactly do I hate?

 

[Storm]

My hatred?????? Who exactly do I hate?

Who specified you?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

How do you know that not a single one of the oppressors carried out their actions in the hopes of spreading atheism? Because it strikes me highly unlikely.

For one thing, I don't think that those involved in supporting Stalin or Mao were hoping to spread atheism as a whole, since what they were doing went against major categories of atheistic belief and philosophy.

 

[Storm]

For one thing, I don't think that those involved in supporting Stalin or Mao were hoping to spread atheism as a whole, since what they were doing went against major categories of atheistic belief and philosophy.

Since when does atheism have "belief and philosophy?"

At any rate, the religiously motivated examples also go against the teachings of their relgions.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

My hatred?????? Who exactly do I hate?

I'm going to take a wild guess and say Sarah Palin.