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Atheists???

Morpheus

Member
Just a question for y'all: Why would there be so many athiests subscribing to a religious forum?
Isn't it a bit like vegetarians queuing up in front of a butchers shop?:shrug:
 

TJ73

Active Member
That has been asked here several times. Even with the answers provided I am still confused. So often I feel apprehensive about posting because I know the harsh responses to expect from atheists. On a RELIGIOUS EDUCATION forum I always anticipate hearing how ridiculous it is to be religious. Is that they type of education we are supposed to get?
I would really like to know the history and development of this website. Who founded it and why and what was the mission and was it always intended as a debate floor of believers and non believers ? I have kinda resigned to it. I enjoy reading and posting here and am amazed by the knowledge shared by all. I just don't quite get the harshness from some atheists when they proclaim the non-existence of God.
 

Caladan

Agnostic Pantheist
Just a question for y'all: Why would there be so many athiests subscribing to a religious forum?
Isn't it a bit like vegetarians queuing up in front of a butchers shop?:shrug:
The best study of religion is through uncompromising criticism.
 

Morpheus

Member
That has been asked here several times. Even with the answers provided I am still confused. So often I feel apprehensive about posting because I know the harsh responses to expect from atheists. On a RELIGIOUS EDUCATION forum I always anticipate hearing how ridiculous it is to be religious. Is that they type of education we are supposed to get?
I would really like to know the history and development of this website. Who founded it and why and what was the mission and was it always intended as a debate floor of believers and non believers ? I have kinda resigned to it. I enjoy reading and posting here and am amazed by the knowledge shared by all. I just don't quite get the harshness from some atheists when they proclaim the non-existence of God.

Thats my concern too. Harsh denial seems like such a waste of time. Surely you subscibe to an educational forum to learn things? Simply being critical because someone elses view doesn't match your own isn't going to promote much learning. I'd much rather see people question differing beliefs in a humble attitude of learning rather than throwing rocks at them. But, I guess, as the Merovingian says "it is the way of all things"
 

Caladan

Agnostic Pantheist
That has been asked here several times. Even with the answers provided I am still confused. So often I feel apprehensive about posting because I know the harsh responses to expect from atheists. On a RELIGIOUS EDUCATION forum I always anticipate hearing how ridiculous it is to be religious. Is that they type of education we are supposed to get?
I would really like to know the history and development of this website. Who founded it and why and what was the mission and was it always intended as a debate floor of believers and non believers ? I have kinda resigned to it. I enjoy reading and posting here and am amazed by the knowledge shared by all. I just don't quite get the harshness from some atheists when they proclaim the non-existence of God.
Faith and religion unchallenged will decay and become obsolete.

On Religious Education Forum. for a decent amount of years. all groups have been debating and discussing together. criticising each others religions or lack of religion to no end with some decent results. how else would we understand, deal and move our social interests?

If religion is just the comfort of believing in something, without the challenge of examining how this religion fits in world affairs, most people are going to consider it a problem.
 

TJ73

Active Member
Faith and religion unchallenged will decay and become obsolete.

On Religious Education Forum. for a decent amount of years. all groups have been debating and discussing together. criticising each others religions or lack of religion to no end with some decent results. how else would we understand, deal and move our social interests?

If religion is just the comfort of believing in something, without the challenge of examining how this religion fits in world affairs, most people are going to consider it a problem.
This is all true. But not what I am describing. I am talking about the insensitivity, the harshness, the arrogance. It, to me, is not beneficial to discussion as it polarizes the discussing parties. Of course I invite and accept opinions other than my own and share opinions that may not be shared by anyone else, but i choose to do so in a way that shows my understanding that it is simply my belief.
When someone speaks with harshness or arrogance the listeners stops taking in the information and focuses on the speaker.
 

Looncall

Well-Known Member
Just a question for y'all: Why would there be so many athiests subscribing to a religious forum?
Isn't it a bit like vegetarians queuing up in front of a butchers shop?:shrug:

Some of us see religion as a toxic feature of human behaviour, and rather puzzling.

Here, we can try to understand religion and test approaches for talking people out of it.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
....I feel apprehensive about posting because I know the harsh responses to expect from atheists. On a RELIGIOUS EDUCATION forum I always anticipate hearing how ridiculous it is to be religious. Is that they type of education we are supposed to get?
I suggest that the harsh responses are the ones noticed & remembered. But the most vicious criticism I
ever see is between believers of similar religions. On another forum I visit, it's the Catholics vs the JWs.
The red red krovy sure flows there. We all should develop a thick skin, for no one is immune to abuse.
 

Caladan

Agnostic Pantheist
This is all true. But not what I am describing. I am talking about the insensitivity, the harshness, the arrogance. It, to me, is not beneficial to discussion as it polarizes the discussing parties. Of course I invite and accept opinions other than my own and share opinions that may not be shared by anyone else, but i choose to do so in a way that shows my understanding that it is simply my belief.
When someone speaks with harshness or arrogance the listeners stops taking in the information and focuses on the speaker.

I can tell you that this is something members of all religions and the secular groups of RF are doing. it is not unique to any single group.
it just exists as in all other places of the net. RF somehow elevated itself above that, as with all the head butting there are also good and productive debates and healthy bonds between people who debate and even mildly humiliate each other in other threads.

In RF, we have been blessed to also have scholars and educated students. we have New Testament and Greek scholars, Academic Rabbis, Biologists, Archaeologists, American-British-Israeli veterans, and other people who dedicated a good portion of their life to study all the things we debate here.

Its best to get over and see beyond the harsh criticism and drive straight to the point. so that the debate can progress instead of drag around in hours of circular reasoning.
 

TJ73

Active Member
I certainly agree with both things said by revolt and cal. I certainly agree that I am biased and notice what offends me most, and inter-religious folks do the same.So my criticism is across the board. I can get over it and continue to post. I must be able to or I wouldn't be here.
Heck, I have to do it just to get through the day in my own home with arguments and I make the same criticisms of the people I know and love the most.
 

Morpheus

Member
I certainly agree with both things said by revolt and cal. I certainly agree that I am biased and notice what offends me most, and inter-religious folks do the same.So my criticism is across the board. I can get over it and continue to post. I must be able to or I wouldn't be here.
Heck, I have to do it just to get through the day in my own home with arguments and I make the same criticisms of the people I know and love the most.

That type of honesty will take you a long way TJ.
Caladan has some good points too, but I see a line between discussion and debate, and criticism. Discussion and debate focusses on the issue, while criticism can be taken personally and that is where I feel it is unhelpful.
But I still find it curious that people who don't believe in a creator want to join a forum discussing religion. Perhaps athiests do subconsiously believe in something greater than them?
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Just a question for y'all: Why would there be so many athiests subscribing to a religious forum?
Isn't it a bit like vegetarians queuing up in front of a butchers shop?:shrug:
No, it's more like anarchists wanting to talk politics.

Or people who aren't members of any hockey team at all joining a forum about the NHL.

But I still find it curious that people who don't believe in a creator want to join a forum discussing religion. Perhaps athiests do subconsiously believe in something greater than them?
Sure... and all members of the Society of Creative Anachronism would rather live without flush toilets and antibiotics, too.

Personally, I find the idea that a person of no faith would want to discuss many faiths no more curious than the idea that a person of one faith would want to discuss many faiths. Perhaps the fact you're here talking to people of all religions means you're subconciously unsure of your own beliefs?

Does this reasoning work for you? If not, then what makes you think it works for me?
 

TJ73

Active Member
That type of honesty will take you a long way TJ.
Caladan has some good points too, but I see a line between discussion and debate, and criticism. Discussion and debate focusses on the issue, while criticism can be taken personally and that is where I feel it is unhelpful.
But I still find it curious that people who don't believe in a creator want to join a forum discussing religion. Perhaps athiests do subconsiously believe in something greater than them?
I have thought similarly: perhaps some are trying to secure their belief that God does not exist, or trying to convince others. I notice many people want to convert others to their personal belief as if to help justify it, believers and the non. I also think a lot of atheists have been offended by the religious and their staunch beliefs and have found an opportunity to strike back.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
...I still find it curious that people who don't believe in a creator want to join a forum discussing religion. Perhaps athiests do subconsiously believe in something greater than them?
No greater power here....never had one.
The people & how they think interest me....plus, they're a captive audience for limericks.
The forum does cover politics too.
 

chinu

chinu
Just a question for y'all: Why would there be so many athiests subscribing to a religious forum?
Isn't it a bit like vegetarians queuing up in front of a butchers shop?:shrug:
Morpheus ji, Its not like vegetarians who want to purchase Meat, Its like line of food inspectors who want to check the quality of Meat,

But why are they so many, :D:D:D

_/\_
Chinu
 
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