I find their concept of “compulsory love” quite repugnant.

It’s odd because agnostics/atheists tend to be individualistic.
I’m not convinced this is a trait unique to agnostics/ atheists. In fact, it is true of virtually any cult/religion out there. For groups, it is about building numbers, for some it’s about gaining confirmation that their beliefs are “right”

I don't like it when theist try to force religion on anyone. I don't force atheism on people.

The people who hurt me the most were my parents in their own misguided way. They meant well but later in life I felt like "Marjoe" except that he had religion forced upon him from a very early age. My folks did not use me for money but they pushed the ministry upon me. They were the god that called me to preach. Oh, well. What else do you do when you have no money to send your kid to college?

The headline is what I felt when I was 'forced' to go to Sunday school and church as a kid. Mom would drop us off at the door and come back later to pick us up. This may have been so the parents could have adult time without us kids around. I think it probably irritated the some church members that our parents were not showing up. Methodists can be SO judgmental. Dad was ex-Catholic and as I later came to find out Atheist, which later morphed into more agnostic. As the youngest in a very Catholic family he was suppose to be a priest but that, clearly, did not work out. He did enjoy reading and studying the Bible, as he said, "Lots of good stories in it." He could also spot hypocrisy a mile away. I digress, I never felt welcome and my bullshit-o-meter was constantly going off so at 12 I just said, "Not, going." and mom said, "It's good for you." I said, "If it's so good for us why do you just drop us off at the door?" and just like that I was free. My twin did the confirmation thing, not quite the show the Catholics put on but I guess the Methodists have some ritual, and she is still doing the Christian thing. We all each find our own way and what works for us. I just think a lot of people need to stop judging or trying to force others to their way of believing.

meh ... don't get too gaga over them. ask them to offer up an epistemological alternative for the hard problem with consciousness and they all become just as close-minded as any religious fanatic. atheists and agnostics both are far too rigid in their thinking.

To the very best of my knowledge , Atheism has no book of rules , and isn't studied , per se ' . We each need to decide for ourselves what the right rules to follow are . As it isn't written down , we need to think for ourselves . We may , therefore , arrive at very different answers as to what is right and what is wrong . Being , " outcasts ," from the majority of religious groups , we are , hopefully , less judgemental of others ,

Studies have shown and have proven the fact that non believers are more compassionate and generous. [nydailynews.com]

Ha! Apparently it works that way in the Bible too lol, the Good Samaritan, the Roman Centurion, etc

There are very bad people who call themselves Christians but they are not very "Christian". I know good people of faith, so I don't generalize. I don't begrudge people their beliefs provided they don't preach to me.

Funny how that works. I would think that nonbelievers tend to be more sincere when they embrace you, because they don't have to, they aren't commanded to.