Atheists... why the heck are you on RELIGIOUS forums?!

[mikkel_the_dane]

Oh just too picky for me, matey.

Well, to me the everyday world is to complex to just reduce it down to religion or atheism, but that is just me.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

It does not

Now, you are young. If you stay at it and in the end learn to learn in general and then learn to understand your own nature and nurture you will learn that there is more than just religion versus atheism.

 

[Hermit Philosopher]

I don’t mind atheists being here but as a former atheist myself; I wouldn’t even have found my way to a this site, let alone have partaken in it, before I found God and became of faith.

How and why atheists end up on here has always puzzled me a little.


Humbly
Hermit

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I don’t mind atheists being here but as a former atheist myself; I wouldn’t even have found my way to a this site, let alone have partaken in it, before I found God and became of faith.

How and why atheists end up on here has always puzzled me a little.


Humbly
Hermit

Well, as an atheist I am also religious in the social science sense, but not in the standard Western folk belief definition of religion.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Why, they are here to preach of course.

Yes, a lot of us are. Including me.

You don’t preach from the pulpit mikkel. In other words you don’t, in my experience, talk down to people.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I’ve seen a few religious people on this site complain about the general presence of atheists on RF.
I mean, it’s called RELIGIOUS forums. So they say.
Do atheists have a place on this site? I feel like the answer is obvious, but maybe it could be addressed.
The obvious answer is yes.
So, atheist, why the heck are you here? What draws you to a religious site? Are there no adequate atheist forums?
I have this thread in the debate forum, rather than the Q&A, because, if you feel like irreligious people don’t have a place on this site, I’m interested in why. I’ve seen it said on this site, so let’s hear why you think there should only be religious people on RF.

Atheists can be spiritual but not believers.

That's why there are religions out there that have no gods.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

You don’t preach from the pulpit mikkel. In other words you don’t, in my experience, talk down to people.

Well, to be honest. I am really good at being passive aggressive and that sometimes get the better of me.

I will give you an example in short.
Someone: I only have beliefs and it is a fact, that you are wrong.

Or: I only use rational evidence and you are wrong.

Those 2 can get me go really passive aggressive.

 

[Twilight Hue]

It's a topic I enjoy discussing.

And debating. Thats where all the spice is.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Atheists can be spiritual but not believers.

That's why there are religions out there that have no gods.

I am not spiritual nor a standard religious believer, yet I am a believer.

 

[firedragon]

I’ve seen a few religious people on this site complain about the general presence of atheists on RF.
I mean, it’s called RELIGIOUS forums. So they say.
Do atheists have a place on this site? I feel like the answer is obvious, but maybe it could be addressed.
The obvious answer is yes.
So, atheist, why the heck are you here? What draws you to a religious site? Are there no adequate atheist forums?
I have this thread in the debate forum, rather than the Q&A, because, if you feel like irreligious people don’t have a place on this site, I’m interested in why. I’ve seen it said on this site, so let’s hear why you think there should only be religious people on RF.

Do you know that Atheists are the biggest group statistically in this forum? Some one had a survey recently. And I know in every single survey I have seen in this forum throughout the years, atheists come out as the biggest group.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Do you know that Atheists are the biggest group statistically in this forum? Some one had a survey recently. And I know in every single survey I have seen in this forum throughout the years, atheists come out as the biggest group.

Yet, when you look closer we are not just that.
In short, if you have to do it too simple, we are rationalists or some form of anti-rationalists.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Well, to be honest. I am really good at being passive aggressive and that sometimes get the better of me.

I will give you an example in short.
Someone: I only have beliefs and it is a fact, that you are wrong.

Or: I only use rational evidence and you are wrong.

Those 2 can get me go really passive aggressive.

Yeah, I get that. But when someone is absolutely convinced that they are right and you are wrong, then no matter what the subject, their certainty is generally coming from a place of insecurity. Wisdom always goes hand in hand with at least a modicum of doubt.

 

[firedragon]

Yet, when you look closer we are not just that.
In short, if you have to do it too simple, we are rationalists or some form of anti-rationalists.

Who do you mean by "we"?

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Yeah, I get that. But when someone is absolutely convinced that they are right and you are wrong, then no matter what the subject, their certainty is generally coming from a place of insecurity. Wisdom always goes hand in hand with at least a modicum of doubt.

Well, here are 2 cases I learned from over the years.
A scientist claiming that it was an observable physical fact that some brains are wrong.
An atheist and a standard religious believer with contradictory epistemologies agreeing on that it was a fact, that I was wrong.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Who do you mean by "we"?

Atheists in general by the standard of rational.

 

[John53]

And debating. Thats where all the spice is.

Wouldn't be much of a debate without at least 2 opposing ideas.

 

[firedragon]

Atheists in general by the standard of rational.

Okay. Thanks for clarifying who your "we" group was.

BTW, on what basis are you claiming your "we" group are rational? Is that rationalism at all to even make that claim? Please clarify.

 

[Augustus]

Are there no adequate atheist forums?

Atheist forums tend to be a group think riddled, circle jerk populated by people who are convinced of their own superior rational and critical thinking faculties, while at the same time banging on endlessly about how "The Christian Dark Ages" totally repressed science and if we had been like the secular humanist Greeks we'd be living in castles on the moon by now; that Christians systematically destroyed ancient learning out of hatred; that Christmas was really "pagan" and Horus and Mithras were born on the 25 Dec; the Easter was Pagan and copied from the goddess Eostre; that Christians burned down the Great Library of Alexandria setting science back centuries; that Constantine invented the Bible; that religion has caused most of the violence in human history; that literalists and fundamentalists are the "true" Muslims/Christians/etc. and others are just engaging in dishonest cherry-picking, and all kinds of other irrational and easily disproved nonsense that they have a fanatical emotional attachment to

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Okay. Thanks for clarifying who your "we" group was.

BTW, on what basis are you claiming your "we" group are rational? Is that rationalism at all to even make that claim? Please clarify.

No, I am not claiming that we are rational in the strong sense. I am myself a limited rationalist or irrationalist. Rational is a human behavior like walking. Both work in a limited sense.
But you can among both atheists and religious people find strong rationalists.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Atheist forums tend to be a group think riddled, circle jerk populated by people who are convinced of their own superior rational and critical thinking faculties, while at the same time banging on endlessly about how "The Christian Dark Ages" totally repressed science and if we had been like the secular humanist Greeks we'd be living in castles on the moon by now; that Christians systematically destroyed ancient learning out of hatred; that Christmas was really "pagan" and Horus and Mithras were born on the 25 Dec; the Easter was Pagan and copied from the goddess Eostre; that Christians burned down the Great Library of Alexandria setting science back centuries; that Constantine invented the Bible; that religion has caused most of the violence in human history; that literalists and fundamentalists are the "true" Muslims/Christians/etc. and others are just engaging in dishonest cherry-picking, and all kinds of other irrational and easily disproved nonsense that they have a fanatical emotional attachment to

Been there, done that but I moved on.