To wonder why some atheists are so obsessed with being atheist?

[Fanfeckintastic]

I say this as an atheist myself, so many people seem obsessed with "not believing"! I don't mean just being vocal in their disgust at the Catholic church etc (completely understandable) I mean Ricky Gervais for example, somehow I have "liked" him on Facebook and he never stops posting skeptic stuff.

Why do non believers put so much effort and thought into "not believing"

On a side note, I'm in Ireland and sometimes get very pissed off with how much control the church still has, it sickens me actually. But I'm talking about just atheists almost making a hobby of being atheists?

AIBU in my observation?

I'm not a pushy atheist, and certainly don't go around scoffing at people who have faith...but at the same time, I don't 'respect' that faith. How could I possibly have respect for it?
I can respect people and mind my manners...but do not expect me to have respect for their giant in the sky fantasy, as something that is understandable or credible, or to be taken seriously as an intelligent viewpoint, because it simply isn't. It is dangerous and delusional, and causes great harm to society.

Shocking, most people who have faith are not fundamendalists! I identify as Christian, but loathe fundamendalism of ALL kinds, including fundamentalist atheists.

Those of you who say that Christians hold a privileged position - you're right of course, politically, in this country there is the established church (which I am opposed to, even though C of E). However, as an individual who attends (a very liberal) church regularly, among my urban neighbours, I'm looked upon as a total weirdo. I never prostletise, but I don't deny it either if asked directly. Awkward silence ensues, then sarcasm and insult usually. It would be more acceptable to admit to drug addiction than faith.

Herc, your last post made me laugh!

It is dangerous and delusional, and causes great harm to society.

Of course it isn't. Also, the local churches do lots of positive thngs for local society which wouldn't happen without the religious organisation behind it.

I'm an atheist, never think to mention it unless someone asks, it comes up in conversation anyway, or I'm being ambushed by a religious person in the street (this has happened, a Christian group with leaflets and bibles, trying to convert me on my way to the shops ).

I think religion is silly, but it's up to everyone else what they choose to believe. As long as it isn't causing harm to anyone else. Although on the other hand, religion is to blame for a lot of conflicts, past and present.

Owl...because no charity has ever existed without a religious affiliation.

I put religion a close second,behind the concept of "ownership of land", as being the most destructive and dangerous notion conceived by man.

rpitchfo - ownership full stop, surely? Ownership of people (slaves, women, children) is worse than land surely? (not that I disagree about ownership of land, obviously).

I'm very acquisitive in some ways (does a 'stage glance' towards the piles and piles of books everywhere. Also, the apple tech) but still - it's not good, is it. :(

I'm fine with people believing what they want to believe as long as they have no expectation or wish for their beliefs to be reflected in the laws and operation of the society in which they live, and thus imposed on others who do not share that belief. I keep my beliefs private and I would greatly appreciate others doing the same - recognising that their belief is not universal, not universally accepted as correct, and they should have no expectation that their beliefs trump others'.

We do not live in that society. Many faiths - predominantly but not only Christinanity - have a disproportionate influence in public policymaking and public debate. Children of (again predominantly Christian|) religious parents receive active, positive discrimination in the education system. We have 26 bishops who play an active role in the upper house of our Parliament, where they regularly urge amendments to laws where those amendments would actively discriminate against other faiths.

Oxford summed it up perfectly. Christianity in particular is in a position of significant institutional privilege in thsi country.

hate the atheist twats who keep referring to people's religious beliefs as superstitions

Superstition is the general term that religion comes under. Your religion is just a specific superstition. It's not just something to say. There really IS no difference.

Those who say it is insulting should apologise to all the people out there who believe in other things because the implication is that THEY are ignorant and wrong, but that your belief is true and better

OwlCapone Thu 17-Jul-14 10:05:23

I hate the atheist twats who keep referring to people's religious beliefs as superstitions. It is exceptionally rude and intolerant.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Matthew 7:1-5

Sorry, couldn't resist

rpitchfo, I am always a bit wary when people say that religion is the root of all evil. Some very very bad things came from it (list is too long to develop), some wonderful things too.

However, some of the latest and deadliest human catastrophes we experienced in the past century did not stem from religion, or religious people, au contraire:
-Nazism: created by atheists, for a millenium of good atheist paradise (Hilter and his cronies despised Christianism).
-Soviet communism: again, some 60 good years of widespread massacre and oppression, by people that loathed religions.
-Khmers Rouge: hatred for religions and everything related to education. A senseless slaughter of anybody considered middle to upper class.

Do a tally of the victims. Not all horrors and war come from religions, far from it. Self-Righteousness is the danger, not personal faith.

It has got quite aggressive, especially on and around YouTube.

I loved the atheist scene on YouTube about 5-6 years ago. Everyone seemed to be reading the likes of Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris and Dennett ('Four Horsemen') and having proper video debates with Christians and Muslims. Then all of a sudden it was about dickswinging your way onto a grieving child's memorial video and informing her that no, she would not be seeing her grandmother in heaven and here's why... I got sick of the 'No such thing as a Muslim child, gathering atheists is like trying to hard cats, atheism is merely an absence of belief' lines which kept going round and round, because today's online atheists ARE as easy to herd as cats, whether they like it or not.

I liked the fact that initially atheists seemed to be freethinkers by default - pro gay rights, feminism, civil rights. Now it's a very testosterone soaked environment, and I knew a woman who actually name-changed to appear male so she could be as involved in discussions as before. It's gone from no-movement to dozens of atheist sub-cults. And the last time I watched a Richard Dawkins video he was saying the exact same things he was saying 5 years ago, preaching to his devoted choir.

It doesn't change the fact that I don't believe in any deities, it's just a shame that that supportive and knowledgeable group warped into a little atheist herd charging round the internet trolling the religious. There was so much potential in the beginning!

What do I have to do to respect other people's faith?

*I meant atheists are easy to herd. I hear cats are still very resistant to that...

forcing a debate, browbeating with continued referencing and point-scoring, refusing to let the other person state their position

Have you experienced that on MN?

How exactly did the other person 'refuse to let you state your position' or 'force a debate'?

"it does limit the arguments to disproving someone else's beliefs"

You don't need to believe in something else to point to something and say "see that? that contradicts what you just said". It's not a case of "my belief is stronger than yours" except when two religons fight.

Atheists just need evidence, or in the case of religion, to simply point out that there isn't any evidence for religion.

Gotta love Shakespeare. LOL

On another note, why do people use the phrase "atheist beliefs"? Surely atheism is lack of "belief", or reliance on irrefutable facts, if you will.

And yes, why should you respect someone's belief if you think it's utter bollocks? You can respect the person as a person, and think their so called beliefs are moronic. I'm not going to respect a belief which believes little babies are sinners, for example.

I never used to like Ricky Gervais until I discovered him on Facebook.

I think the more oppressed and negatively affected by something you've been, the more anti you become.

For me, I loathe the term 'feminist' because my choices have been critised by so called feminists who see it as rejecting the traditional role of a woman. I'm more of an equal rights bod. I want the right to choose what's right for me and my family and not be lambasted as setting back 'the cause'! So I'm vehemently anti feminism as I'm pro choice and equal rights.

OfaFrenchMind

If you think religion is harmless then Google FGM and have a good time watching someone slice up a little girl to please the lord.

Or some child having the devil beaten out of him,

Or allowed to die and then tossed into a septic tank because Jesus doesn't like kids whose parents are not married in Paul's church

While you're there look at the slaughter and abuse where one religion can't bear the existence of people who belong to the wrong one. You won't hear an atheist talk about the wrong religion or blasphemy.

But in the long run it's even more damaging that religion teaches the young and vulnerable that decisions should be made on the basis of what some ancient tribesman thought. That if you are not sure then whatever pops into your head was put there by god and must be ok, and that thinking things through and looking for evidence is rude and insulting to the lord and to be avoided.

Oh dear, the nazis were atheists myth...I'm out.

Oh and Hitler was a Catholic since you brought it up. What he did seems to have been for political ends, not religious so I won't hold him up as an example of Catholicism, but christians who try to use him as proof that atheists are evil are on very shaky ground.

Plus it suggests that they don't know what 'atheist' means.

I call Godwin's Law...

BackOnBriefly I never said religion is harmless. Please do not simplify my opinion to fit yours.
However, I like to mitigate some of the assertions I saw in this forum. Religion is source of evil and good, militant Atheism is not blameless either.

Like I said in my not so long message, self righteousness is dangerous. Be it religious or not.

Were they or weren't they though? Nazis I mean. I'm really confused. Easily done.