Atheists Do It Better

[Altfish]

It's totally fine... I didn't make the claim without having examples in mind.

Examples:

Claiming belief in God is the same as believing in a Cosmic Superman, Leprechauns, sky-fairies, Thor.

Claiming belief in the creation story in Genesis is the same as believing in God-Magic.

I can provide 4 examples. In at least 2 of them, the poster was teasing and making fun of the belief in God.

In the one of the other examples, it's a boarder-line case of teasing, but it was grossly misrepresenting other people's religious beliefs.

In the last example, I think the poster was trying to help, but was in actuality proselytizing Atheism.

If you want quotes, PM me.

Those are not dogmatic, prejudiced or intolerant. - they are based on FACTS or in religions, case a lack of them.
Why is a belief in fairies or Father Christmas any more daft than a belief in a god?
I realise that it may offend you but to atheists it is just incredulous that you can accept one yet not the other.
Do you believe in Thor or Woden? No, neither do I, they are gods I dismiss as fake, I just go one god further than you and religious people do.

 

[Altfish]

@Altfish

OH... my friend... I forgot about the anti-Islam threads...

Oh dear... I can provide at least 1 more example. But probably many many many more....

so that's a total of 5 examples in under 6 months.

All these posters, BTW, I have 6 in mind, they are all self-identifying Atheists.

They're not consistently dogmatic, prejudiced, and intolerant. It's just a trap they fall into from time to time.

We have come to a decision that gods do not exist; they are a man-made phenomena.
Defending or explaining that knowledge is not dogmatic, prejudiced, or intolerant ... it is just consistent.

 

[charlie sc]

This is why it is so disappointing to me when Atheists here on RF present arguments which are dogmatic, prejudiced, and intolerant.

But I suppose we are all hypocrites sooner or later.

The truth is none of these things, "dogmatic, prejudiced, and intolerant."

This meta-analysis demonstrates that those with less cognitive ability are more likely to be right wing, prejudiced, ethnocentric and believe in authoritarian ideologies. Similarly, another study actually measured theism/atheism, intelligence and liberalism. It came to the same conclusion. Theists are far more dogmatic in every respect. As we know, atheists are, in general, more intelligent than theists. Therefore, it's quite easy to see the connection.

Science.

Let me guess, this is wrong because of your anecdotes or because faith conflicts with it?

 

[dybmh]

Those are not dogmatic, prejudiced or intolerant. - they are based on FACTS or in religions, case a lack of them.
Why is a belief in fairies or Father Christmas any more daft than a belief in a god?
I realise that it may offend you but to atheists it is just incredulous that you can accept one yet not the other.
Do you believe in Thor or Woden? No, neither do I, they are gods I dismiss as fake, I just go one god further than you and religious people do.

What you said here is not offensive. And it's not dogmatic. I'm speaking about specifc cases and you are speaking generally.

Which is why I think it's disappointing when Atheists present arguments which are dogmatic, or, prejudiced, or intolerant. Because it does a disservice to Atheism in its pursuit of FACT over FICTION.

 

[dybmh]

We have come to a decision that gods do not exist; they are a man-made phenomena.
Defending or explaining that knowledge is not dogmatic, prejudiced, or intolerant ... it is just consistent.

Again, this is a general statement that I think is a good representation of tolerance, fair-minded-ness, etc...

 

[dybmh]

The truth is none of these things, "dogmatic, prejudiced, and intolerant."

This meta-analysis demonstrates that those with less cognitive ability are more likely to be right wing, prejudiced, ethnocentric and believe in authoritarian ideologies. Similarly, another study actually measured theism/atheism, intelligence and liberalism. It came to the same conclusion. Theists are far more dogmatic in every respect. As we know, atheists are, in general, more intelligent than theists. Therefore, it's quite easy to see the connection.

Science.

Let me guess, this is wrong because of your anecdotes or because faith conflicts with it?

I don't follow you at all.

What did I say that was wrong?

 

[Altfish]

Again, this is a general statement that I think is a good representation of tolerance, fair-minded-ness, etc...

I'd just like an example, so that I know what you are talking about.

 

[dybmh]

I'd just like an example, so that I know what you are talking about.

OK, I'll PM you a little later, OK?

 

[Altfish]

OK, I'll PM you a little later, OK?

Appreciated. I may take a while to respond as I'm out later.

 

[charlie sc]

I don't follow you at all.

What did I say that was wrong?

My bad, you're right, some atheist will probably give dogmatic arguments. You don't have a problem with the OP

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I'm not doing anything of the sort, I asked for an example to prove the point.

The OP of this thread?

 

[viole]

Atheists have really inflated egos.

Not true. I consider myself the most modest person in the Universe.

Joking aside, who has a more inflated ego: someone who thinks she is here for no particular reason at all, or someone who believes that the whole Universe has been created for her by an infinite divinity who has a plan for her?

Ciao

- viole

 

[Nakosis]

Fantastic post! Now please explain what the heck it's doing posted on a RELIGIOUS FORUM for people to explore RELIGION, not how the lack of it is a "virtue".

Several have claimed that atheism is a religion.
The virtue is being able to deal directly with folks without having to judge them according to antiquated moral concepts.

 

[ChristineM]

No. That's not what I want. Does it seem that I way? Do I somehow come off that way?

I am. I do. Why do you think I don't. That's an assumption on your part. You are prejudging me. Currently. As we speak.

Your saying "most". That is an assumption. The truth is you are speaking about a select few. You are speaking about the ones you are debating with here on RF. While at the same time grouping all God believers into one camp, one group... it's labeling. And it's inaccurate.

Please. I am not trying to be rude.

In my observation, most people who believe in God do not believe in God-Magic. They believe in a more practical realistic approach.

They believe that God created Science.

Christine, I want to focus on two things you said that, in my opinion, are good examples of prejudging.




From my observation, people rarely claim "I can prove it". If they do it in a debate and someone calls them on it; that's totally fair.

But I think that an honest assessment will show that the claim, "I can prove it" is assumed. And I think that there are some Atheists who prejudge from time to time that the person they are debating with claims "I can prove God and the Bible are inerrant".

It's an assumption. And it's prejudice.

regarding your comment: "shoved down your throat..."

It's the same thing here. I think that, apologies, maybe, there are times on RF where an assumption is made that a God Believer is "shoving their beliefs" down other people's throats. But, it's not like that at all.

It's assumed, it's prejudging. It's better to wait for the person to demonstrate the "shoving down" their ideas, then call them on it.

Here's an example.

In a recent thread a poster engaged in Hate speech calling me, "the Jew".

I assume the person is racist, bigoted, and has some real problems. But I didn't treat them that way in the thread.

In addition, in the next thread, I won't assume that this person who engaged in hate speech is still racist, bigoted, etc... until they bring that into the next debate.

It's possible that the person has a change of heart; or maybe they are having problems in their personal life; or maybe they are just sleep deprived...

That is me trying not to be prejudiced. Emphasis on **trying**, because really, everyone prejudges all the time.

Yes thats how you appear to come across, i dont think its deliberate but you seem to consider other views as dogmatic and intolerant, which is kind of funny.

Any judgement on my part is based solely on the content of your posts. I find nothing objectionable in your posts but typical of a subset of religious believers.

It is no assumption of the religious i have encountered it is experience. Perhaps i deliberately pick them out but most certainly most of those i have encountered claim proof.

You are not rude in any way that i can see. I hope i am not also but i do now i can be cutting and to the point.

Of course they do, they shun magic in order to glorify their god, the fact remains that creating a human being from dust can be explained no other way. And why did god create science thousands, millions or billions (depending on your view) after he crated man from dust?

The claim of proof is usually followed by just look at the world around you, or similar. It is far from proof but they will not admit it.

Nope, it is proselytising, and yes it is like that. I have been threatend, my family, my children have been threatened because i would not accept proselytising. When someone threatens my children i do not wait to see if they mean it or not, they are judged on their abuse.

If you encounter hate speech then report it.

There is a difference between us, you say you give people a second chance. I have learned a persons personality goes with the person. If they engage in hate speech etc it is for sure they will again. This is not pre-judging, it is judging based on experience.

 

[Nakosis]

Tithing, volunteering to help those in need, teaching, participating in community activities, finding the meaning in good and bad circumstances...while not exclusive to believers, these are all aspects of the experience of belief in participants in a religious community.

It seems a bit insincere to not be aware of this.

As you say, it's not exclusive to believers. I'm looking for some unique benefit that believers have.

 

[Nakosis]

You missed out humble

My bad!

 

[Nakosis]

Err...I'm yet to work out if this thread is serious...

Well, I'll put it this way, only my last comment I have any serious position on. The rest, I just presented the article for discussion. IMO it's kind of silly to try and characterize atheists as anything specific.

 

[Nakosis]

Atheists have really inflated egos.

I benefit of not having to deal with guilt.

 

[Revoltingest]

I benefit of not having to deal with guilt.

Also our innate intellectual superiority.
(Exceeded only by our modesty.)

 

[Nakosis]

how about?.....the correct answer
when you stand before God and heaven

what do you believe?

Nothing

who told you that?

Nobody

why......did you believe it?

Believing in something without a way to verify the truth of that belief seemed unreasonable.