In my experience, satan worshiping to a ten year old is “playing with a Magic 8 Ball.” Of course, the kids learn this by attending church twice a week, and going out and shopping for full length denim skirts.
No, I’m not exaggerating. Magic 8 Balls are satanic because, “they tell the future.” I remember this conversation in elementary school very clearly. Later that same girl would express shock that anyone would vote for Bill Clinton because, “he’s against god.”
You should never hide your lack of religion. That only helps perpetuate these lies about atheists.
Politely, firmly, and honestly. That’s how to deal with the religious.
Today two women knocked on my door and asked “if they could share a thought from the bible.” To which I responded with a polite, “No thank you,” and closed the door.
Last month, a mormon missionary decided to chat with me while I was walking down the street, and asked if I was interested in Mormonism. “Not really, thank you.” Not taking “no” for an answer, she asked me what I knew about Mormonism, and I told the truth. “Only what I read in Wikipedia. It was founded in upstate New York by Joseph Smith, who said that the angel Moroni gave him gold tablets that were written in ‘reformed Egyptian’ (a language with no factual basis or evidence for). These tablets (which later conveniently disappeared when people wanted to see them) said that Native Americans were actually Jews, and that the Garden of Eden was in Missouri. Honestly, it actually sounds stunningly stupid, and I can’t imagine anyone actually believing this even if they grew up in the religion. It’s kind of like a 19th century Scientology.”
French Canuckians passing as Republicans?
I have difficulty with this survey question. If there were two otherwise identical candidates, one of whom was an atheist, and one of whom wasn’t, I wouldn’t vote for the atheist. I know that’s not popular round these parts, but I’ll own up to it. However, in a two-party two-candidate system, the atheist candidate on the spectrum is way more likely to share my political beliefs. I’m not going to let Joseph R. Klansman win an election just because the other dude is an atheist. What does this question really measure? Am I not getting something about how this survey was conducted?
Some of them are actually opposed to the idea, in the abstract, others like me, just pictures some anti-theist internet idiot first and might have well have chosen the option, but after a moment I thought about it, which atheist? Carl Sagan? Stalin? Some internet idiot who keeps telling me how stupid I am for thinking the earth is six thousand years old, without bothering to even imagine that I don’t. So in the absence of context I might have imagined them first, and I’m at least in theory much less prone to thinking that way that many people who would identify as theist, which is some sort of majority, I think. Hard to say how many don’t in fact believe, but think saying so will gain them something, even if it’s just the basic tolerance they deserve.
Sometimes the logical, be they theist or not wonder at the real objections some atheists have to otherwise meaningless intrusions of pseudo-religion in daily life, in God we trust on money, being sworn in a holy book, clearly traditions which have some root in religion, but have almost zero religious meanings for most, do those people object to Friday being named after Freya? Probably not, unless I just sparked a movement. I get that there is real, and significant prejudice, and genuine harm comes to atheists out of intolerance, but usually the case that gets the press is silly or insignificant anyway, because the essentially atheist, but nominally religious media is looking for ratings, not out to educate or inform anyone about anything.
Anyone serious about their religion has probably realized it’s between them and God, and anyone serious about their lack of religion has probably realized it’s between them and their lack of God, those with an axe to sharpen, and who see a profit of some sort in exploiting conflict between those who have chosen a side, rather than come to some belief (Or lack of.) get the press, ratings, youtube views, sell the books etc.
As an atheist, who was raised a christian, I would wholeheartedly vote for Jesus as president. That guy was awesome. Feeding the poor, benefit of the doubt, cast not the first stone, down with the money-changers.
I just don’t believe he was the son of some god who imagined me into being.
The best people I know happen to have found a home for their love of people within religion.
You don’t have to believe in fucking magic to believe in people though.
I distrust people whose justification for leadership lies in their religion. If you have the soap box, please use it to talk about things that really could effect change.
Remember, most people in life,love and work are just faking it.
The principle of the separation of church and state would prescribe bifurcation for those particular politicians.
I like to plunge Believers into existential crises by asking them if the only proof of His existence is our perception of His creation, then isn’t it rather likely we’re just His dream?
Absolutely agree. Although if I have the time I love engaging with the door knockers. Asking them where Jesus proclaims himself to be the son of god (he proclaims himself the son of man often) normally puts paid to the argument as they shuffle furiously for John 14:6, the closest they can get to a claim.
And quoting John is just asking for a verbal bashing.
I presume you’re a Christian of some flavour. Imagine if instead of In God We Trust being on your money, it said In Thor We Trust. And that city council meetings were opened with a prayer to Thor. Imagine if every day 3/4 of the kids in classrooms started off the day by being led in a prayer to Thor by the teacher. Imagine if the remaining 1/4 of kids were bullied by the majority and told that if they didn’t stop believing in that bullshit god Jahweh, Thor would murder them with his hammer.
No one objects to the days of the week being named after different gods because most don’t realize it and those that do know that very few people worship The Sun, The Moon, Tyr, Odin, Thor, Frigg, or Saturn.
I did say “I get that there is real, and significant prejudice, and genuine harm comes to atheists out of intolerance” And I do, and I object that for a number of reasons. (Mostly because it’s wrong.)
I also object to people being required or urged to swear in on some holy book, it’s preposterous, probably against my religion, and certainly against what large number of Americans believe in.
I also object to having “In God we trust” on our money as it is, even though at least nominally they’re referring to “my” God.
When someone tells me that they don’t believe in God, I think to myself. “Okay, cool, we’re going to have a conversation, maybe one or both of us will learn something.” When they tell me that God wants them to do this, or that, I think the same thing. When they tell me there’s no God, or that God wants me to do this or that, I think to myself. “How do I get out of here, this is a waste of breath.”
Thank you for falling into the former category.
I like that, but I’m not at all sure if it’s more than a special case of the simulation hypotheses. For that matter we have only the testimony of our own unreliable perception to suggest that the external universe exists. How do you even know you know anything? (Not exactly a new sentiment, but until that’s been satisfied seems impossible to move on to anything else.)
Everyone should have a few good existential crises, otherwise they really don’t know what they do or don’t believe, they are usually just saying what they imagine makes people around them happy. How many Americans are actually atheists? Four or five times the quoted number? How many more only “believe” in God because they’ve been terrorized or scared into doing so and haven’t given the matter much thought at all, given the supposed significance of the question in their lives.
That’s why I suggested that atheist is too broad a question to be very meaningful and most likely causes many people to conjure an instant image of some youtube anti-theist, blowhard who they feel has a great deal of fun mocking their religion. And that what kind, or who specifically should be the important question. Think of Dr. Arroway in Contact. (Short version, atheist scientist who espouses essentially that she dug Jesus) I never met Carl Sagan, and I’m attributing some of that morality to him, since he’s dead it seems fair to speculate, seems to have been a right thinking individual, doesn’t really matter for purposes of my example if he in fact was secretly a huge jerk.
For me, the least-trusted characteristic of American politics is the “politics” part (not that the “American” bit does much to help).
It’s always hilarious when people bash hardcore, anti-religious atheists, forgetting that atheism is still hugely unpopular in the US. If you can forgive the unsavory elements of the Christian majority for touting racism, homophobia, and straight-up murder, then maybe you’ll find it in your heart to forgive a couple of idiots for making fun of religion on YouTube.
heck w/ the discussion – where can I get the shirt w/ the logo shown in the home page? oh, here: http://www.knoddingskull.com/products.php?id=31
My acid test for Christianity is along those lines - given that the views of the practitioners, or stated beliebers, are so black and white, then I confidently assume that any transgression, however minor, is an indication of fraud or self-delusion.
Bumping into people in a church is a good way of telling. If they get cross, or give you the stink-eye, then you know they lack forgiveness. Uh-Oh!
Can you explain why? Serious question. Why would a thoughtful person of faith distrust an atheist prima facie? Would the type of faith (Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc.) of the other candidate factor in?
It’s an indication that the survey was not created by a proper statistician. You’re right: two variables, no constant means each respondent has to individually figure out which of those variables is the one to concentrate on.
E pluribus unum was the perfect motto for the U.S. It was changed specifically to insert a Christian presence into the government.
Being sworn in on a specific holy book is also considered wrong by some Christians, you know. Have you ever wondered why there is the alternate option of “affirm”? It’s because some people object to the inference that they would only tell the truth if they were being sworn to it under threat of punishment by their god. Quakers/Friends are a well known example of this.
