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Why do atheists spend so much time talking about religion?

13567

Comments

  • #62
    mikhail
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,862 ✭✭✭mikhail


    Would it help if I told you you're both acting like ****s?

    The word "NAME-CALLING-DELETED" isn't automatically censored here.(*)

    .


  • #63
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    I think they are stars too Mikhail. :p


  • #64
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,627 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    mikhail wrote: »
    Would it help if I told you you're both acting like ****s?
    Would it help if I stepped in and closed the thread?

    No, so everybody relax.


  • #65
    nozzferrahhtoo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,367 ✭✭✭nozzferrahhtoo


    Deus Ex Machina wrote: »
    I think a lot of, but certainly not all, atheists talk about religion because it makes them feel smarter than other people.

    I think what people are asking you in the thread so far, and you may have taken their questions as a little more hostile than you should, is.... aside from the fact you think it, have you anything at all to back up this position that is not... a personal anecdote or 2? You call it later in the thread a "hypothesis" but if it is merely something you thought up with no more backing than the fact you did not like a couple of people you met, then you may need to choose words a little less lofty than "hypothesis". "Musing" perhaps.


  • #66
    amacachi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,315 ✭✭✭✭amacachi


    I've noticed on the Rugby forum people seem to almost only every talk about Rugby, they must have nothing else to live for.


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  • #67
    Goduznt Xzst
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,353 ✭✭✭Goduznt Xzst


    antiskeptic wrote: »
    I'm curious. When I scan down the list of topics in this forum I see that nigh on every issue revolves in some way around religion, in the anti sense of the word naturally.

    If I come home from a leisurely stroll with the missus and see a bunch of monkeys throwing sh!t at my house you're damn sure I'm going to turn to her goodself and talk about it.

    I would never personally engage in the act of throwing sh!t at my own house, but while the problem affects me directly I think I would be entitled to discuss how I may go about stopping it and the reasoning behind why these cheeky monkeys think throwing their feces all over my place is a good idea.


  • #68
    Deus Ex Machina
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭Deus Ex Machina


    nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »
    I think what people are asking you in the thread so far, and you may have taken their questions as a little more hostile than you should, is.... aside from the fact you think it, have you anything at all to back up this position that is not... a personal anecdote or 2? You call it later in the thread a "hypothesis" but if it is merely something you thought up with no more backing than the fact you did not like a couple of people you met, then you may need to choose words a little less lofty than "hypothesis". "Musing" perhaps.

    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, more so than the devoutly religious. The evidence I use to back this up, unsurprisingly, is that I have met a few people the likes of which I described. I never said it was anything other than a small percentage, that is the point which is being taken with hostility if any point is. The hypothesis was a another matter altogether, it was directed towards the other poster which whom I was discussing this matter, and has been mistaken as an ad hominem.


  • #69
    Deus Ex Machina
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭Deus Ex Machina


    Ickle Magoo wrote: »
    Get yourself a dictionary?

    This is now hilarious.


  • #70
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    I was asked my religion for the first time in years yesterday! In Hospital of all places.

    I was a little taken aback at first, didn't realise they still asked that stuff! I gave a little chuckle to myself as I peeked over at the copy of 'The God Delusion' as it sat on my bedside table.

    Other than that, I never talk about religion unless someone else brings it up.


  • #71
    sh1tstirrer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,485 ✭✭✭sh1tstirrer


    antiskeptic wrote: »
    I'm curious. When I scan down the list of topics in this forum I see that nigh on every issue revolves in some way around religion, in the anti sense of the word naturally.

    I know that atheists consider themselves to be defined as people who lack a belief in God but that shouldn't mean their sole interest is being anti-religious. Surely there are thousands of topics relevant to your position as an atheist that you'd like to discuss other than the anti-theist position.

    Why is this? Why is it that the raison d'etre for this forum centres around (nay requires the existance of) an unbelieved in God. Should I suppose that if Ireland was 100% secularised there would be no topics of discussion left for atheism?
    Because they have nothing to believe in so all they can do is spend their time [OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE DELETED] and moaning about other peoples beliefs.


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  • #72
    checkyabadself
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 471 ✭✭checkyabadself


    antiskeptic wrote: »
    My point was that atheism seems to concern itself with theism excessively, when there should be (I'd imagine) a whole raft of issues that could be addressed from the atheistic viewpoint. Morality struggles, sickness and death, life meaning, arguments that undergird your position. None of which need make any central reference to theism.

    Atheism might seem excessively obsessed with theism for a good reason. Most of the main religions teachings contains a violent, hateful, repressive, sexist, racist, genocidal warrant to suit their particular creed.
    While not every subscriber to these religions partakes in the evils prescribed b their ancient text, quite a lot do. As long as there are those who kill others in the name of a deity. I and others like me will never stop
    arguing against the legitimacy to attach their "moral" teachings to state constitutions, educational syllabuses, court rulings, etc.

    As for wondering why the atheism forum is excessively dominated by threads about religion.......there's very few topics in here about buddhism, as compared to Catholicism or Islam. This is due to the lack of Buddhist paedophilia, Buddhist genocide, Buddhist fatwas against fiction authors.
    My point is, when (not if) the brands of religion that preach and practice violence against innocent people
    stop killing raping and torturing people, the atheism forum will probably hang up its boots, just in the same way as antiwar protesters tend to stop talking about dictators, corrupt regimes and war crimes, etc, when the war is over.
    I'll stop talking about religion when it stops threatening the lives of humankind.


  • #73
    Ickle Magoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,485 ✭✭✭✭Ickle Magoo


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    I was asked my religion for the first time in years yesterday! In Hospital of all places.

    Oh it gets better than that in hospitals. I was harangued every day by a priest to bless my premature baby - every day, I'll never forget his smirking insidious face.


  • #74
    Deus Ex Machina
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭Deus Ex Machina


    Ickle Magoo wrote: »
    Oh it gets better than that in hospitals. I was harangued every day by a priest to bless my premature baby - every day, I'll never forget his smirking insidious face.

    Is it so bad a thing for a preist to attempt to bring religion to your child? Bear in mind that he believes his religion to be true, and that those who don't follow it are going to be worse off for doing so. He is just trying to help your child according to the way he sees the world, not something which I would consider to be worthy of scorn.


  • #75
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    Deus Ex Machina wrote: »
    Is it so bad a thing for a preist to attempt to bring religion to your child? Bear in mind that he believes his religion to be true, and that those who don't follow it are going to be worse off for doing so. He is just trying to help your child according to the way he sees the world, not something which I would consider to be worthy of scorn.

    When they ask once that flies alright. When you have to repeatedly tell them you aren't interested and they keep coming back chancing their arm I'd say it's worthy of scorn alright. How would you feel if you were in hosptial with a sick child and a Scientologist kept coming over to you and asking you to let him perform a thetan reading on the baby? What if a neo-nazi came over and offered to sign your baby up to the White Power movement and have a big cross burning for him? How about if a Voodoo hougan came over and after you telling him several times you didn't want him to sacrifice a chicken for your sick baby he kept coming back again and again and asking the same question? It's fukking annoying let me tell ye.


  • #76
    Deus Ex Machina
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭Deus Ex Machina


    strobe wrote: »
    When they ask once that flies alright. When you have to repeatedly tell them you aren't interested and they keep coming back chancing their arm I'd say it's worthy of scorn alright. How would you feel if you were in hosptial with a sick child and a Scientologist kept coming over to you and asking you to let him perform a thetan reading on the baby? What if a neo-nazi came over and offered to sign your baby up to the White Power movement and have a big cross burning for him? How about if a Voodoo hougan came over and after you telling him several times you didn't want him to sacrifice a chicken for your sick baby he kept coming back again and again and asking the same question? It's fukking annoying let me tell ye.

    I don't find it annoying. I have been approached by members of many faiths, and I often listen to them in order to see their perspective. There is nothing inherently nasty in the actions of this preist.


  • #77
    Sam Vimes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,611 ✭✭✭✭Sam Vimes


    sh1tstirrer wrote: »
    Because they have nothing to believe in so all they can do is spend their time [OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE DELETED] and moaning about other peoples beliefs.

    Aptly named I must say


  • #78
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    Deus Ex Machina wrote: »
    I don't find it annoying. I have been approached by members of many faiths, and I often listen to them in order to see their perspective. There is nothing inherently nasty in the actions of this preist.

    I don;t think there is anything inherently nasty in his motivation anymore than I think their would be anything inherently nasty in the motivations of my Scientoligist from the previous post. Both are, presumably, doing what they think is best for the baby.That's not the issue. In both cases I believe that thier beliefs are brainless giberish. If I tell either of them I am not interested then they should fukk off.


  • #79
    MagicMarker
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    Deus Ex Machina wrote: »
    I don't find it annoying. I have been approached by members of many faiths, and I often listen to them in order to see their perspective. There is nothing inherently nasty in the actions of this preist.
    Once he was given an answer he should have left them alone. It's really quite simple.


  • #80
    Ickle Magoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,485 ✭✭✭✭Ickle Magoo


    MagicMarker wrote: »
    Once he was given an answer he should have left them alone. It's really quite simple.

    Exactly. Like it's not bad enough we had a premature and sick baby and I was really very sick as well but someone who is supposed to show compassion and caring was getting a real kick out of haranguing a sick woman, even the nurses commented on it and it was only when my husband intervened that he stopped.


  • #81
    sensibleken
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭sensibleken


    why do pacifists talk about war?

    I talk about religion cause its funny


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  • #82
    checkyabadself
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 471 ✭✭checkyabadself


    Deus Ex Machina wrote: »
    I don't find it annoying. I have been approached by members of many faiths, and I often listen to them in order to see their perspective. There is nothing inherently nasty in the actions of this preist.

    Why a priest is allowed into a hospital is beyond me. It is essentially cold calling, which for companies is illegal.

    Unsolicited interfering with peoples freedom is surely religions biggest and most deplorable crime.


  • #83
    Zombrex
    Closed Accounts Posts: 25,848 ✭✭✭✭Zombrex


    Deus Ex Machina wrote: »
    Is it so bad a thing for a preist to attempt to bring religion to your child? Bear in mind that he believes his religion to be true, and that those who don't follow it are going to be worse off for doing so. He is just trying to help your child according to the way he sees the world, not something which I would consider to be worthy of scorn.

    That is like asking is it such a bad thing that my child is taught maths by someone who thinks 2+2=22.

    The way the priests sees the world is stupid and teaching it to my child would be detrimental to the development of my child's learning abilities, such as critical thinking and skepticism, things I want my child to excel in.

    So yes it is a bad thing.


  • #84
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 54,571 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    Why a priest is allowed into a hospital is beyond me.
    because a significant proportion of those in there might gain some solace from his presence.

    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'.


  • #85
    Ickle Magoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,485 ✭✭✭✭Ickle Magoo


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

    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'.

    Which would mean he doesn't need to harass those that don't, surely?

    I can assure you, if you had a premature baby at risk from infection in an incubator in a special care unit and you were an atheist, you would not be letting some priest you didn't know anywhere near them just to satisfy their own wants, to suggest otherwise is just ludicrously short-sighted and sadly just trying desperately to score a point.


  • #86
    gbee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,384 ✭✭✭gbee


    antiskeptic wrote: »
    I'm curious. When I scan down the list of topics in this forum I see that nigh on every issue revolves in some way around religion, in the anti sense of the word naturally.

    Now, you might have a point here, but it is an Atheism forum, thus I'd expect an anti-established, organised religious bias.

    Organised religion is just another form of human slavery and mind control, it is very dangerous and should be banned [along with the concept of Government too actually, not too much difference IMO].

    Now, a faith or a personal belief is fine, in fact it would be encouraged, principals to live one's life by and live with other people. We'd have had far fewer wars and far smaller ones only we [as in religious peoples] had to answer the call of Allah or The Pope or die for the emperor.

    If left to ourselves to make our own minds up an assess each 'threat' separately, we'd certainly have war like individuals who would wage war no matter what on all sides, but he'd not be able to command vast armies or populations to wage HIS personal war for him, as has been our history.

    And to that end also, religion was ripe to exploit as The Popes called for the 'Crusades' and the Knights saw new Kingdoms to conqure for themselves.

    Almost none of it had or has any baring in the existence of God ~ if we really did believe in God, we could NOT have done what we have.


  • #87
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 54,571 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    of course he doesn't need to harass those that don't want his help, i wasn't suggesting he did.

    and my other answer was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but somewhat informed by a discussion i had (not on boards) about the phenomenon of grandmothers 'baptising' grandchildren whose parents had not chosen to have them officially baptised. the common link being a 'religious intervention' which the parents did not have any faith in.


  • #88
    Sam Vimes
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,611 ✭✭✭✭Sam Vimes


    gbee wrote: »
    N
    Organised religion is just another form of human slavery and mind control, it is very dangerous and should be banned [along with the concept of Government too actually, not too much difference IMO].

    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 don't like religion any more than you do but you can't force people to live the way you want them to.

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


  • #89
    checkyabadself
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 471 ✭✭checkyabadself


    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'.

    I can now appreciate the level of intellectual retardation that was possessed by Abraham when faced with the dilemma of his own child.


  • #90
    Improbable
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭Improbable


    checkyabadself wrote: »
    I can now appreciate the level of intellectual retardation that was possessed by Abraham towards his own child.

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

    Having said that, priests shouldn't be doing this.


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  • #91
    Ickle Magoo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,485 ✭✭✭✭Ickle Magoo


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    of course he doesn't need to harass those that don't want his help, i wasn't suggesting he did.

    and my other answer was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but somewhat informed by a discussion i had (not on boards) about the phenomenon of grandmothers 'baptising' grandchildren whose parents had not chosen to have them officially baptised. the common link being a 'religious intervention' which the parents did not have any faith in.

    I had one of my mother-in-laws friends make the sign of the cross on one of my kids. While being a little taken aback and thinking it was a little inappropriate, I also thought it was quite sweet that in her own way she was trying to put some kind of fairy-godmother-esque protective enchantment on my wee one. However, in the context of hounding someone who is very sick in a hospital, completely stressed out wondering if their child is going to even live, praying on vulnerable people just to satisfy their own lust for proselytising? Pretty sick puppy, tbh.


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