To think the atheists on MN are a bunch of miserable whingers

[GothAnneGeddes]

Every bloody week it's a new thread whining on about how terrible it is that there is religion in the world.

A prominent feature of such threads is the intolerance and stupidity of religious folk, yet threads by believers insulting atheists are very rare.

Besides, aren't you all meant to be so happy to be freed from the shackles of religion, that you're too busy having fun to moan?

Ah, are you making the very naive mistake of assuming that because some people from group X complain, then group X is a group of complainers?

I imagine that MN is full of happy contented atheists (I'm one), formula feeders who aren't conflicted about that choice, people who have no difficulty balancing their budgets and posters with fulfilled happy relationships.

They're not the things we post about, though, are we?

I've never thought of myself as 'freed from the shackles of religion', though. That sounds like an assumption made by someone for whom religion is a starting point. It's not even on my radar.

Contented atheist here. Happy in my beliefs and happy for other people to have theirs.

Atheists spend much more time worrying about religious folk then the religious ever spend worry about the them.

In all my years hanging around different forums i have never seen a thread started to ram religion down the throats of atheists but there has been plenty started by the Godless to ram their non disbelief down everyones throats.

erm what about the atheists that don't start threads or contribute to any of the religion ones (either for or against).

but no, let's make an assumption about a whole class of people based on what a few people post and forget the fact that majority just simply get on with their lives and keep out of it.

so YABU

Another contented atheist here. People should have the freedom to believe what they want (within reason, obviously).

Cantspel, this thread, the one that you are actually on , was started by a religious believer to criticise atheists. So I think you need to take back the "I have never seen" part of that post. You have.

No it is a thread moaning about atheists being intolerant not a thread stating any religious view. I dont even know if or what religion the op is as no belief is stated.

I am a cheerful soul. I am also an atheist, but I don't bother anybody. HTH.

She calls atheists "you" not "us" and is therefore not an atheist.

A non-atheist is a religious believer. The OP is a religious believer.

Are you having trouble with simple logic?

In RL I've noticed that atheists (and it's probably just the ones I know) are much more forceful and derogatory than the believers I know.

BUT.

There are probably a lot of people who are atheist/agnostic who just keep quiet.

Anyway, I'm not sure if YABU or not. There are some whining atheists on here and some not, so it may be that some people are just whiners in general regardless of belief, or lack thereof.

I'm a Christian, if it matters.

I have to admit I've been really surprised at how religious people there are on MN. In my circles it is relatively rare to meet someone with religious beliefs.

It is 12.30pm. I'm considering what to get for lunch.

I think the thing about being a member of a mainstream religion vs atheist is, if you are the former you probably don't notice how much religious rhetoric is woven into everyday life. It's a bit like people who say "I don't mind gays, I just wish they didn't flaunt it so much", and never notice how many times they themselves mention their wife, or make assumptions about relationships, or use casual slang without noticing. Because if you're straight you don't realise that you are, in fact, flaunting your heterosexual status all the time.

I tried to cut out all religious slang from my life recently, and I was astounded at how often I say, without thinking, things like "Oh holy crap" or "Christ, did he really?". And I've never been religious: atheist from birth. Those terms are just a really common part of our parlance. As are various religious (Christian, in this country) cultural mores. Easter is a public holiday, the shops are currently full of Easter stuff, crucufixes are common pieces of jewellery, etc.

I don't care, and I realise that's not the same thing as being derogatory, but it's still a fact that atheists live in a world where religion is the norm. If you subscribe to the major religion of your country, I bet a lot of it is just as invisible to you as my, say, able-bodied privilege is to me.

but there is other choices besides God or atheist. The op could be agnostic as many goths are (and she does have goth in her name so i assume she is a goth)
She could be pagan, wiccan or even a Satanists for all i know.

Pagan, Wiccan, and Satanist are religious beliefs, you numpty. I haven't said God anywhere in any of my posts.

That could very well be Tortoise. It most likely is invisible to me; most people here (America) are Christian or, even if they're atheists, still do Christian-y things(holidays, etc), because they're so firmly part of the national culture.

12:30 on what day? It's quarter after 9 on Sunday night here. :)

Fair enough, I will concede that not all atheists on here go on and on and Ariston about it. However there are a lot who are dreadful whiners.

I have no intention of ramming religion down anyone's throat (especially as mine is a rather acquired taste), I'm just baffled how they can consistently moan so much. And sneer.

Monday.

I now they are religious beliefs that wasn't my point.

The point is the op doesn't mention any religious belief of which there are many so i cannot see how it is a thread ramming a religious view point at anyone

It's a thread criticising atheists. Your complaint about 'the Godless' ramming their nonbelief down people's throats is nonsense. You can't ram nonbelief down someone's throat, by definition: all you can do is criticise believers or various beliefs.

The OP is doing the exact thing that you and she are complaining atheists do; hurling generalising insults at a group who are only defined by their belief system or lack thereof.

Yes this thread is generalising but it doesn't change the fact there is loads of threads by atheists slamming religion and being intolerant of religious views.

It always strikes me as quite odd as most on here would see their selves as pretty liberal but when it comes to religion their liberal beliefs tend to fly out the window.

And that doesn't change the fact that you said you had never seen a thread slamming atheists, despite posting on one.

That was my entire point. I'm glad you concede it now.

Tortoise I think I used the word 'rare' as opposed to never and trust me, plenty will turn up to moan about the oppression of faith schools and prove my point.

Yes this thread is generalising but it doesn't.... change the fact that I'm shamelessly generalising love it!

define 'loads'

and ones where people are genuinely complaining about religious views being put to their DCs don't count.

Oh, I know, Anne. It was only cantspel that said "never"!.