Why do atheists spend so much time talking about religion?

checkyabadself

Improbable wrote: »

There is a significant difference between letting a priest give a blessing and causing physical harm...

True, but I consider an unsolicited blessing harmful to patients of a hospital. It is invasion and uncomfortable to an essentially captive audience.
We all know where to find the priest if we want him, isn't his office the tallest building in every town.

strobe

Sam Vimes wrote: »

As for banning government, I assume you've never taken a bus, used a hospital, been helped by a garda etc?

I really really don't want to start another libetarian thread but none of those things require a government. Not the present idea of a government in anyway. The one that will readily enslave it's citizens at will and force them to go murder other enslaved citizens. The one that will force itself into your home, steal your property and hold you captive for a period of time of its choosing for doing something that harms no one. I could go on......

magicbastarder

checkyabadself wrote: »

True, but I consider an unsolicited blessing harmful to patients of a hospital. It is invasion and uncomfortable to an essentially captive audience.

you would consider it invasive, but do you accept that most people wouldn't?

Mark Hamill

magicbastarder wrote: »

because a significant proportion of those in there might gain some solace from his presence.

I'd gain some solace from having a stripper in my hospital when I'm sick, and I'm sure I wouldn't be alone. Can we get them instead? Sure, more people may die from lack of faith, but at least we will go with smiles on our faces.

magicbastarder wrote: »

as regards what i'd do if a priest asked me could he bless my sick baby, i reckon my response would be 'whatever makes you feel good about yourself'.

My response would be "If you aren't a doctor, you are going to need one, get the hell out". Doing crap like, patrolling a building looking for the weak and needy is slimy salesman behavour at best and predator behavour at worst. Its sickening and someone honestly believed that god would only help a sick child or adult because they chose them, then there is something seriously wrong with them.

Mark Hamill

magicbastarder wrote: »

you would consider it invasive, but do you accept that most people wouldn't?

I actually thin a lot of people would, especially if they where sick and the priest sort of appeared, ready to bless, out of the blue. If people want a priest, they can call for one. And this doesn't just go for priests, I wouldn't homeopathes wandering hospitals asking if random sick people wanted sugar pills either.

magicbastarder

Mark Hamill wrote: »

Doing crap like, patrolling a building looking for the weak and needy is slimy salesman behavour at best and predator behavour at worst. Its sickening and someone honestly believed that god would only help a sick child or adult because they chose them, then there is something seriously wrong with them.

put your belief about the efficacy of that blessing to one side for a second - do you accept that some people will gain solace from a blessing by a priest?

checkyabadself

magicbastarder wrote: »

you would consider it invasive, but do you accept that most people wouldn't?

I can accept that, of course. My point is that it shouldn't be an opt out process. I have no real problem with any priest than was respectful of my refusal of a blessing. It's the harassment of hospital patients that I consider shameful.
I cannot see how a priest needs to be involved with a child in he precious first days of it's life, even more importantly when the child is still in an incubator.

magicbastarder

checkyabadself wrote: »

It's the harassment of hospital patients that I consider shameful.

i'd agree with you that if a priest pestered someone about it, it's very ill-judged, but i see no issue with a nice (once-off) polite offer to perform a blessing. and i'd forgive a failing of memory if a priest offered again, having forgotten that the previous offer was rebuffed.

strobe

magicbastarder wrote: »

put your belief about the efficacy of that blessing to one side for a second - do you accept that some people will gain solace from a blessing by a priest?

Religious people would. Like Mark said, by all means have a priest on standby somewhere so if someone wants a blessing they can have him come bless them. But don't have the chap roaming through the corridors like a vulture hassling people.

gbee

Sam Vimes wrote: »

No they really shouldn't be banned. 95% of people believe in some form of god/religion so the only effective way to ban it is through violent oppression. ?

I'd say, why do you think this is the only way? By using violent oppression it's just one monster for another.

It's the ORGANISED part of religion that I'd ban, the Baptism [of children], etc and so on ~ after all in John the Baptist baptised adults, Hitler wanted a child until he was seven ~ similar principals ~ all that is bad.

One should be free to grow up and question for ourself and find or not, a God, truth and honesty and have our eyes open enough to see.


And in fairness, the government [Our government] comment and your defence of it ~~ today like?

magicbastarder

strobe wrote: »

But don't have the chap roaming through the corridors like a vulture hassling people.

i'm finding all this overblown imagery a bit bemusing. generally speaking, if the priest is being polite, he's just trying to help.

checkyabadself

strobe wrote: »

Religious people would. Like Mark said, by all means have a priest on standby somewhere so if someone wants a blessing they can have him come bless them. But don't have the chap roaming through the corridors like a vulture hassling people.

Exactly, you can seek a priest out if you need one, unfortunately there isn't the option to go to a secular hospital ( open to correction on this) where religious intrusion wouldn't be allowed b the hospital administration.

@magicbastarder.... Do you think it's appropriate to have priests randomly offering catholic blessings, in a cold calling fashion. What about a scenario of being approached by Muslim, Jewish, Scientology clerics? My guess is that the hospital staff wouldn permit that level of intrusion on their patients. I just go one further and take issue with even one intrusion.

magicbastarder

gbee wrote: »

It's the ORGANISED part of religion that I'd ban, the Baptism [of children], etc and so on ~ after all in John the Baptist baptised adults, Hitler wanted a child until he was seven ~ similar principals ~ all that is bad.

y'know, some societies have tried this before.

gbee

The dying comment and a priest, presumably this means a Catholic priest?

I hope I don't change on my own deathbed, but I've seen others who did call for the priest, despite a life-long hatred of anything in a black frock.

I'd like to think I'd stick to my beliefs ~ but none of ye will ever know ....

magicbastarder

checkyabadself wrote: »

What about a scenario of being approached by Muslim, Jewish, Scientology clerics?

if a significant proportion of patients in a hospital were jewish, i can see the logic behind having a jewish chaplain.
actually, is the word chaplain a christian word? does the phrase 'jewish chaplain' make any sense?

strobe

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'm finding all this overblown imagery a bit bemusing. generally speaking, if the priest is being polite, he's just trying to help.

Histrionic? That is like a dagger through my heart. Like Ceaser feeling the dagger plunged into his back by Brutas. Must we really engage in this galactic battle of mythic proportions with our words. Woe, woe is me!

C'mon man, you know what I mean. Have the priest there for people that want one but he shouldn't be soliciting.

magicbastarder

gbee wrote: »

I'd like to think I'd stick to my beliefs ~ but none of ye will ever know ....

"now is not the time to be making enemies".

liamw

Mark Hamill wrote: »

I'd gain some solace from having a stripper in my hospital when I'm sick, and I'm sure I wouldn't be alone. Can we get them instead? Sure, more people may die from lack of faith, but at least we will go with smiles on our faces.

If you have a private room I don't see why not. Just hope that your family don't walk in during those visiting hours.

magicbastarder

strobe wrote: »

Histrionic?

i didn't edit that quickly enough...

Ickle Magoo

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'm finding all this overblown imagery a bit bemusing. generally speaking, if the priest is being polite, he's just trying to help.

It's not amusing in the slightest being harangued by a priest in hospital, I can assure you and the assumptions its all politeness and doddery memory is what I find bemusing. I have an 80yr old relative who is a regular church goer who was giving out about a priest knocking on her door "every five minutes". Hospitals should be a place of rest and solitude for people to get well, people shouldn't be having to have words with over-zealous religious evangelist who won't leave them in peace.

magicbastarder

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

It's not amusing in the slightest being harangued by a priest in hospital

i'm not trying to defend such behaviour; i'm arguing against the idea that there should be no priests in a hospital; i'm not saying they should be able to get away with anything and everything.

Ickle Magoo

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'm not trying to defend such behaviour; i'm arguing against the idea that there should be no priests in a hospital; i'm not saying they should be able to get away with anything and everything.

I don't think there is anything wrong with having a religious representative for each and every faith in a hospital, it's the fact they seem to do ward rounds here that I object to...

magicbastarder

my opinion of priests may be slightly skewed by the fact that i have known several who were quite happy to debate the existence of god, and where they got their faith from. so i'm used to discussing atheism with priests whose faces don't fall in pity when i discuss my lack of belief.

nozzferrahhtoo

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

You have misunderstood, just like the other poster. The point I am making is that I have met a few people the likes of which I described, and that they were excruciating to be around

I do not see how I have misunderstood you. Here are your exact words:

“I think a lot of, but certainly not all, atheists talk about religion because it makes them feel smarter than other people.“

You now appear to be changing this to:

“I have met a few people the likes of which I described”

So what I was pointing out to you is that your “hypothesis” about a “lot” of people seems to be supported by nothing except the small “Few” people you have met and you seem to want to extrapolate this anecdote into a generalised statement about what you “think” is true about “a lot” of people.

So again, I have to ask…. Aside from the fact you “think” it, is there any reason to lend this credence other than a couple of assholes you met on occasion?

Deus Ex Machina wrote: »

I never said it was anything other than a small percentage

You used the words "a lot" which IS "other than" saying it is a small percentage. Yet the words "a lot" do give the impression of more than a "small percentage". Maybe the reason you think people are misunderstanding you, is that you could choose your words a little more carefully??

Mark Hamill

magicbastarder wrote: »

put your belief about the efficacy of that blessing to one side for a second - do you accept that some people will gain solace from a blessing by a priest?

Sure. So let them call for one. There is no need to have one prowling around a hospital incase the sick patients dont appreciate their stripper.

Mark Hamill

liamw wrote: »

If you have a private room I don't see why not. Just hope that your family don't walk in during those visiting hours.

Just hang a stethoscope on the door

sh1tstirrer

Sam Vimes wrote: »

Aptly named I must say

No sh1t Sherlock.

Sam Vimes

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

No sh1t Sherlock.

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine

liamw

Sam Vimes wrote: »

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=66960489&postcount=29

Watch out, he can hold his drink

MrPudding

strobe wrote: »

Like Mark said, by all means have a lawyer on standby somewhere so if someone wants legal advice about their accident they can have him come and tell them how much money he could get them. But don't have the chap roaming through the corridors like a vulture hassling people.

You could almost be talking about lawyers.

MrP