Islamaphobia?

Ethiopia and Eritrea used to be one country. I have just checked, the number of Christians for Ethiopia is actually 43% based on their last census. And 33% are Muslims.

"I see how facts, data and evidence, constraints, etc work. But I do regard them as socially constructed"

They are the opposite of "socially constructed". Facts, data, and evidence are about observable things/events that exist independent of societal expectations.

"there's always room for a voice that's pondering whose evidence, to whose standards, why, what do we mean by that word, why that meaning, etc."

Questions are fine. You should always question what you are told.

Those questions are asked and answered in every discipline.

"Maybe I am a Vulcan."

Vulcans (as in Star Trek) are very literal-minded, scientific and mathematical in their thinking. You are the opposite of a Vulcan. (not an insult - some people would consider it a compliment)

Yes, Buffy, I know it's hard

"One of the comments somebody down the post was that some christian countries in Africa practice FGM. To be honest their isn't one... Some will practice FGM but defiantly not a whole country."

You are wrong. I can think of not one but two:

Ethiopia (63% Christian, 34% Muslim) has 74% FGM rate.

Eritrea (63% Christian, 36% Muslim) has an 89% FGM rate.

Buffy - "I understand that the way Bert regards her atheism is that it is not part of a system of belief."

How Bert regards her atheism is irrelevant. Even if you find someone in the world who "regards her atheism" as a belief system, it still isn't one.

Lack of food isn't a meal, not having a hobby isn't a hobby in itself, lack of academic qualifications is not a degree, and lack of belief is not a belief system.

Do you understand this?

I don't have god in my life in anyway, therefore I'm nothing when it comes to a 'belief' system. For me saying you are Atheist is acknowledging there is a god but you don't believe it.

Nor am I spiritual. I can't stand that nonsense. It's obvious that we are humans living in a planet with multiple diverse eco and living systems, in a solar system that is part of a universe.

It's obvious that humans know right from wrong. It's obvious that animals know this too.

Most religions derive from earth as being an eden like paradise and it's always the woman who is the temptress that destroyed this, always the woman who opens the Pandora's box to release all evil. Always the woman who needs a paternalistic checking. This is the medieval message that still pervades and still troubles us today.

Buffy, are you of the opinion that a "lack of belief in God" and "a belief that there is no God" are two different things?

"I suppose I think that science caused atheism (see previous post)"

Because the (ideal) scientific method starts from a position of doubt?

This method is surely more consistent with agnosticism then. And plenty of scientists (Einstein etc) weren't atheists.

Oh and some things just are. Like the earth goes round the sun. Like birth and death. Light and dark. They aren't socially constructed.

Slug you could say they were.

We have put our human definition, understanding of what we think they are.

When we evolve things will change.

Cloning could eliminate birth or your definition of birth. The understanding for light and darkness may change too.
We already know that we could say light and darkness when referring to the ray of light and an opec object being in its way creating darkness. Or darkness which religious groups use a social construct to mean evil or the unknown world you don't want to be in.

Death can easily be solved one day by rejuvenation process.

When a person ceases to exist, we as a society have decided to call that death. Something else maybe happening, and it may not be death.

Based one what the ops past is about, she is making sweeping judgment on on Islam from the point of view on what she has read and seen.

What I would like for the Muslim mns is to clarify where Isis and other Islamic fundamentalist get their ideas if it is not in the Koran. We all know that they do quote the Koran and please don't say culture because they seem to quote the holly book and Allah

I think this is what the op is strangling with.

The fact that you see them calling for slaughter of all infidels who don't want to convert to Islam.

Malala was a prime example of a young school girl who wanted to learn and was being denied it by Islamic extremist who didn't want education for women.

From an outsider Islam comes a cross as very oppressed religion for women.

We do hear a lot about women who have asked for divorce and have been refused it on grounds that their husbands don't, Or their children taken way form them. Yes, I know this happens all over the world too but I don't think they quote the bible to say you can't get an annulment because of AB C. The vica or priest may advice on not getting done but it's not up to them in the uk for example. Not now days.

Op, back to your first post.

One of the comments somebody down the post was that some christian countries in Africa practice FGM. To be honest their isn't one. Most of the subsaharan countries have more than one tribe within it. Some have up 40. With all those tribes they are individuals whose Cultural norms are totally different to one another.

It's like having a Chinese tribe with a British person as neighbours.

Some will practice FGM but defiantly not a whole country. I also, don't know how many Islamic countries endorse it as part of their countries law.

I believe it's always worthwhile although sometimes very challenging to think about how we think.

So basically, you're saying that,in your opinion, I am doing atheism wrong. Despite my explanation - and the dictionary definition of the word

I find the irony of that on this board and between these posters almost unbearable.

Time for me to go, I think. Christmas shopping calls.