Defending beliefs.
As an agnostic, I accept that each persons beliefs are their own, and part of their individual perception of the universe, that defines their individual realities. I have found that I spend far more time defending religion from atheists, than atheism from religion. I find this unusual, because "good religious" people, don't want the consequences their beliefs hold, to befall others, whereas atheism has no consequence other than personal responsibility.Why do you think this is? Why do atheists hold such a conviction to their disbelief?
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Are you talking about on this site, or in general?
If the answer is the former, then consider you are on a primarily atheist/agnostic website, so the membership are mostly inclined to be somewhat hostile towards religion in general. If you're defending believers' right to believe in what many of us think is fiction, then you're barking up the wrong tree. I mean, sure, they have that right, but they might as well believe in Santa Claus and will probably get that same amount of respect as if they did.
If you mean in general, then can you tell me where you hang out that there are so many atheists, that religious people need to be defended from them? Because I'm going to move there ASAP.
Paul4747
Level 8
Sep 8, 2019
2
Don't confuse attacking ones religion with attacking someone's faith. Religions are dangerous organizations not to be confused with a person's personal beliefs or faith, whatever that might be. We have every right and responsibility to attack these organizations as they are trying to control the way we conduct our lives.
Sticks48
Level 9
Sep 8, 2019
2
It’s s common thing around here. Militant atheism always draws the crowds. Quite an entertaining side show to the main feature!
Geoffrey51
Level 8
Sep 8, 2019
0
It may just be who you are engaging with. Because you are agnostic, people may feel more free to complain to you about theists. I feel I should point out though, there are places you could be jailed or killed for being agnostic. I've got dirty looks for not participating in prayer at former workplace. I have been told people who do not believe are stupid and arrogant at work. I was asked to accept the Christ as Lord at work. There have been shootings attempting to suppress free speech. I have been at a UFO festival and witnessed a group of people holding signs with bible quotes telling everyone they are going to hell. Funerals have been picketed. etc etc..
thinkwithme
Level 7
Sep 8, 2019
1
I've heard those stories before, but I've never experienced it myself. I understand that in countries where there is no division between church and state, that persecution because of personal beliefs is accepted. The reason why, I believe, is that religion is a method of social behavioural patterning and conditioning, and just one person in that culture expressing their own views may get a following that has the capacity to overthrow their system of governance, and cause deterioration to the quality of life for the rest of the inhabitants of that region. What I'm trying to work out, is the sociological ramifications of a society of individuals, of individual beliefs. In short, I'm trying to understand the religion of atheism... because, when defending atheists from religion, I encounter the same arguments... but strangely, when defending religion from atheists, I'm also up against the same debates... which were pretty much the ones that you put forward, predominately "they persecute us as a group"... but I've never encountered that, personally... I tend to get an "Oh well, you're going to hell. I got better things to do" attitude...
It's hard for me to express in words what I'm trying to learn... but Winston Churchill once said, "a fanatic is someone that can't change their mind, and won't change the subject"... Is it just fanaticism that drives the conflict... or is it the difference of faith between the differing sects of religions of sentient god, and non sentient god?
@Dreegle Dude, this quote from you "I believe, is that religion is a method of social behavioural patterning and conditioning, and just one person in that culture expressing their own views may get a following that has the capacity to overthrow their system of governance, and cause deterioration to the quality of life for the rest of the inhabitants of that region." is kind of terrifying.. Do you really think that? One person is going to deteriorate life for the rest of the population for expressing ideas that are contrary to the religion that is being imposed on people?
@thinkwithme I suppose, it is terrifying... but it's also history. The innovative thought of individuals has manipulated society since civilisation began... but we only remember the ones that were right. In religious context, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed are the individuals that manipulated societies... Non religious, and the arguments against them would be Da Vinci "if god had wanted us to fly, he'd have given us wings", Gallileo on heliocentricity "The Earth is the centre of the universe", Magellan on flat earth, "I have seen the shadow of the earth on the moon"(citation needed that he said that)... The best example of one that was wrong, would be Adolf Hitler (or the organisation he was a puppet of.... There is evidence to suggest he wasn't pulling the strings)... Irrespective of "right", or "wrong", those individuals, with their individual beliefs, changed the world as they knew it, to what we know it as now.
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