Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The atheists who post here are usually far more close minded and tedious than the atheists I know in real life. They engage in patronizing, gross oversimplifications and reductive thinking that actually puts me off atheism. I remain open to agnosticism since we can’t prove metaphysical beliefs one way or the other.

You've expressed your opinion, and now I'll express mine: I don't care if your characterization of anything anyone says here "puts you off atheism". I hope no one is religious or non-religious because they were "put off" by someone. I think being put off by someone is a terrible reason for believing or not believing.

We know a tree by the fruits it bears.

I pay a lot of attention to character. Not a religious literalist and don’t resonate with dogmatism in either religion or atheism.

There's no dogmatism in atheism because there's no dogma. It's simply lack of belief in theism (any religion).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The atheists who post here are usually far more close minded and tedious than the atheists I know in real life. They engage in patronizing, gross oversimplifications and reductive thinking that actually puts me off atheism. I remain open to agnosticism since we can’t prove metaphysical beliefs one way or the other.

You've expressed your opinion, and now I'll express mine: I don't care if your characterization of anything anyone says here "puts you off atheism". I hope no one is religious or non-religious because they were "put off" by someone. I think being put off by someone is a terrible reason for believing or not believing.

We know a tree by the fruits it bears.

I pay a lot of attention to character. Not a religious literalist and don’t resonate with dogmatism in either religion or atheism.

Anonymous wrote:The atheists who post here are usually far more close minded and tedious than the atheists I know in real life. They engage in patronizing, gross oversimplifications and reductive thinking that actually puts me off atheism. I remain open to agnosticism since we can’t prove metaphysical beliefs one way or the other.

You've expressed your opinion, and now I'll express mine: I don't care if your characterization of anything anyone says here "puts you off atheism". I hope no one is religious or non-religious because they were "put off" by someone. I think being put off by someone is a terrible reason for believing or not believing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Really, what are you saying about Christianity? It absolutely has an important place in western civilization, and that's not a reason to believe in it. The Greek and the Roman civilizations, with all their gods, which we call mythology now, could be also called the foundation of western civilization. We rightly give the Greeks and the Romans a lot of credit for their foundational roles in western civilization and no one believes in their gods any more.

All I am saying is that most of the atheists posting have never thought critically about why they believe the things that they do. They are particularly ignorant of how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution.

Takes such as “Christianity oppresses women and therefore is bad” are so unbelievably ill-considered that they are barely worth engaging with.

And what about most religious people posting here? Have they thought critically about why they believe what they do? Have they thought about how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution? If they have and are still religious, it could be because they fear death and want to believe that they'll live in heaven for eternity. It's a nice thought, but it's hard to imagine what they would do for eternity.

I'm one of the religious (religious, not Christian) posters here and, yes, I reevaluated and changed my beliefs as a teen and again an adult and again more recently as I am raising my own kids (though less fundamentally this time than the first two times). Part of that reevaluation included thinking about how my religious beliefs fit with my understanding of history and science/nature and human nature. I don't believe in life after death, so I'm not just religious because I fear death, and I'm not just blindly doing what I grew up with. I don't think you are giving people enough credit.

Will you say what religion you are that does not have a belief in life after death, or is that perhaps your personal belief and not part of your religion? I would certainly like to know about this religion. I know of Jews who say they don't believe in God or life after death, but they identify as Jewish and practice Judaism, at least to some extent.

Whatever, I think you are very unusual.

The atheists who post here are usually far more close minded and tedious than the atheists I know in real life. They engage in patronizing, gross oversimplifications and reductive thinking that actually puts me off atheism. I remain open to agnosticism since we can’t prove metaphysical beliefs one way or the other.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Really, what are you saying about Christianity? It absolutely has an important place in western civilization, and that's not a reason to believe in it. The Greek and the Roman civilizations, with all their gods, which we call mythology now, could be also called the foundation of western civilization. We rightly give the Greeks and the Romans a lot of credit for their foundational roles in western civilization and no one believes in their gods any more.

All I am saying is that most of the atheists posting have never thought critically about why they believe the things that they do. They are particularly ignorant of how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution.

Takes such as “Christianity oppresses women and therefore is bad” are so unbelievably ill-considered that they are barely worth engaging with.

And what about most religious people posting here? Have they thought critically about why they believe what they do? Have they thought about how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution? If they have and are still religious, it could be because they fear death and want to believe that they'll live in heaven for eternity. It's a nice thought, but it's hard to imagine what they would do for eternity.

I'm one of the religious (religious, not Christian) posters here and, yes, I reevaluated and changed my beliefs as a teen and again an adult and again more recently as I am raising my own kids (though less fundamentally this time than the first two times). Part of that reevaluation included thinking about how my religious beliefs fit with my understanding of history and science/nature and human nature. I don't believe in life after death, so I'm not just religious because I fear death, and I'm not just blindly doing what I grew up with. I don't think you are giving people enough credit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Another stupid canard, meaning lie, that I claimed otherwise. You are so dishonest.

So then you agree.

That you are a dishonest poster? Yes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not Christian, but the conflation of all Christianity with Evangelical Christianity has been really off-putting from the atheists who post here. The atheists I know IRL don't waste their time obsessing over "disproving" God or arguing pointlessly with Biblical stories.

+1

Could be that some of the atheists you know IRL post here.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not Christian, but the conflation of all Christianity with Evangelical Christianity has been really off-putting from the atheists who post here. The atheists I know IRL don't waste their time obsessing over "disproving" God or arguing pointlessly with Biblical stories.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Another stupid canard, meaning lie, that I claimed otherwise. You are so dishonest.

So then you agree.

As another poster said [bold added]: "The Greek and the Roman civilizations, with all their gods, which we call mythology now, could be also called the foundation of western civilization. We rightly give the Greeks and the Romans a lot of credit for their foundational roles in western civilization and no one believes in their gods any more."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Another stupid canard, meaning lie, that I claimed otherwise. You are so dishonest.

So then you agree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Really, what are you saying about Christianity? It absolutely has an important place in western civilization, and that's not a reason to believe in it. The Greek and the Roman civilizations, with all their gods, which we call mythology now, could be also called the foundation of western civilization. We rightly give the Greeks and the Romans a lot of credit for their foundational roles in western civilization and no one believes in their gods any more.

All I am saying is that most of the atheists posting have never thought critically about why they believe the things that they do. They are particularly ignorant of how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution.

Takes such as “Christianity oppresses women and therefore is bad” are so unbelievably ill-considered that they are barely worth engaging with.

And what about most religious people posting here? Have they thought critically about why they believe what they do? Have they thought about how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution? If they have and are still religious, it could be because they fear death and want to believe that they'll live in heaven for eternity. It's a nice thought, but it's hard to imagine what they would do for eternity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Really, what are you saying about Christianity? It absolutely has an important place in western civilization, and that's not a reason to believe in it. The Greek and the Roman civilizations, with all their gods, which we call mythology now, could be also called the foundation of western civilization. We rightly give the Greeks and the Romans a lot of credit for their foundational roles in western civilization and no one believes in their gods any more.

All I am saying is that most of the atheists posting have never thought critically about why they believe the things that they do. They are particularly ignorant of how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution.

Takes such as “Christianity oppresses women and therefore is bad” are so unbelievably ill-considered that they are barely worth engaging with.

Based on what I've read here, I think that most if not all of the atheists posting here have thought more critically about why we don't have religious beliefs than the religious believers have. Many of us are former religious believers ourselves. Many of us understand the important role religious beliefs have played in history and understand also that such beliefs are outdated, just as certain medical practices are outdated (e.g., bleeding as a means of removing the "bad blood" that was thought to cause disease).

I think that some of the religious believers here say untrue things about atheists to try to convince themselves and others that atheists should not be taken seriously despite the fact that atheists make accurate statements about the universe that don't require religious faith.

Some atheists here can be harsh when they speak about religion. Like all people, irrespective of religious beliefs, some atheists are good and some are bad. Nonetheless, they are correct about religion, i.e., belief in the supernatural is incorrect.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Another stupid canard, meaning lie, that I claimed otherwise. You are so dishonest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another thread in which atheists and anti-theists are desperately trying to pretend they don’t care about religion or God or other people’s beliefs while desperately desperately worrying about religion, God, and other people’s beliefs 24/7/365. One would think they would have better things to do, but apparently, they center their lives worrying and debating and being focused on religious people.

You keep posting this canard in every thread, and it is just as silly every time.

Atheists post here because they care about what is true. Many atheists think religion is a problem and that logic needs to be exhibited to combat the problem.

No one says they don’t care. Despite your claim. Which is a lie.

You are free to think whatever you want. But most smart atheists know that Christianity is the foundation of western civilization, even if they don’t actually believe in god themselves.

Really, what are you saying about Christianity? It absolutely has an important place in western civilization, and that's not a reason to believe in it. The Greek and the Roman civilizations, with all their gods, which we call mythology now, could be also called the foundation of western civilization. We rightly give the Greeks and the Romans a lot of credit for their foundational roles in western civilization and no one believes in their gods any more.

All I am saying is that most of the atheists posting have never thought critically about why they believe the things that they do. They are particularly ignorant of how their beliefs fit into the larger arc of history and evolution.

Takes such as “Christianity oppresses women and therefore is bad” are so unbelievably ill-considered that they are barely worth engaging with.