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For anyone wondering how I feel about religious people - this is my stance (major rant). I don't necessarily hate all religious people in general, as a whole, across the board. I hate what they believe. I hate that their beliefs shape and skew their perception of reality, their way of thinking and the way they interact with the world around them. I've met a few good and decent people that are religious but I despise their beliefs and how it negatively affects their behavior, actions and thought process. What I really hate most is assholes, people that go around committing acts of assholery and douchebaggery - if they happen to be religious too, then I despise them and their entire existence, and wish for them to leave this world, so that they cannot continue to hurt others. This goes for anyone in this category, even friends and family members. If someone is clearly an outright asshole/douchebag, going through life committing acts of assholery and douchebaggery towards and against other earthlings, I believe they should have no place on this earth to exist. That said, I do not spend my time and effort trying to change a person's mind, perception or belief. This, to me, feels like not only a fruitless effort but a complete and utter waste of time. Not only that but in trying to do so, it invites a whole lot of ugliness into my life in the form of stress, irritation, discomfort, etc. I'm a sensitive person. I do my very best every day to avoid as much stress, chaos, irritation, confrontation, etc. as possible. I certainly don't invite it in. I have tried, in all manner, to reason and enlighten believers in the past, and all it did was to reinforce their determination to stick to their guns. They just push back, usually harder. Perhaps some of you have had success with this and that's great, but I have not, and would only pursue this avenue again if a believer asked me to help them deconvert. I do not socialize with believers unless it is out of obligation or cannot be avoided (family, coworkers, etc.) Personally, I believe that the most effective way to create more atheists and convert more believers is to lead by example. To live my life morally with determination, courage, strength, dignity, etc. never wavering in my dedication to my lack of beliefs in fairy tales and bullshit. Continuing to consistently stand firm, stand up, speak up, speak out and against religion, and all the horrors it creates, commits and perpetuates. Not letting fear of rejection, fear of hate, fear of harm to my person, fear of anything, stand in my way or stop me EVER. Furthermore, I believe the most effective way to create more atheists and convert more believers is to network with other non-believers, atheists, antitheists, etc. The more our numbers grow in volume the less believers there will remain. We all know the various reasons why believers believe and behave the way that they do but in actuality there are countless believers that don't actually believe in any of the bullshit they say they do. Some of them are just afraid to stand out, stand up, assert themselves, single themselves out from their herd, be/feel rejected, ostracized, etc. I believe that the more we stand firm in our lack of beliefs, the more we speak up, speak out, the more we are seen and heard, the more we network and branch out - the more our numbers will grow, the more "normal" being non-religious will be seen, accepted, endorsed, embraced and encouraged.

antireligious 5 Sep 21
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3

You can't argue people out of religious belief. What you can do is plant 'seeds of doubt.' by asking questions, pointing out problems witth a story in their little holy book, and so on.
I have also encouraged xians to actually read their little holy book and not just pick out the 'good' passages- you know, the ones preachers use or the ones found in devotionals. How many xians know stories such as japeth, who sacrificed his own daughter? Or that david had to bring back foreskins of the phillistines for a dowry? Or how about the psalmist who says to take the enemies babies and dash them against a wall? There is so much horror, misogany, genocide and other terrible thimgd in the old tedtsment. And in the new testament as well.

And thanks to everyone leading by example, and putting to rest that old lie that atheists are "bad people."

Yes, I have stated before that arguments with religious people get never anywhere as they just dig in and double down. But the seed of doubt thing you mentioned does happen, and through some kind of internal osmosis they can turn off their own religious switch, by 'changing their minds'. That's at the personal interaction level. What I strongly believe is that we have to stand up to the power of religion, the influence of religion, the structures of religion, and call these out boldly and actively seek to challenge religion. That's what anti- theist means to me.

3

Many people accuse me of wanting me to MAKE atheist. I could care lesss about that. I am concerned that people diacover what is real for themselves and make real life chioces on what is real. Religious mythology causes people to start crusades and fly airplanes into buildings.

4

Now that's the kind of 'in your face here it is too bad if you don't like it' kind of atheism I'd hoped to find when I joined this site.

The 20th Century atheist approach was to be polite, respect people's religion, and we'll all gradually move toward greater secularism. How did that work out? Evangelism, Islamic fascism, Church sexual and other criminality, the creeping collusion between religious extremism, moralism and anti modernism and anti-diversity, and political fascism. I call that a failure. New Century, new approach. The more they call atheists names and vilify us, the more they reveal their fear of secularism, the more I know we are succeeding. It's a long haul. As Bertrand Russell said, the struggle against mysticism, supernaturalism and magic based thinking -- the real fundamental issue here --- has been going on since the time of the Greeks. It's still going on. That is what religion is. It's like this horrid COVID virus -- it keeps coming back, mutates and seeks to spread wherever it can. Evil viruses, both biological and mental, have only one solution: eradication, no matter how long it takes.

I agree

1

I'm tired of being angry...........But we need to control some of that energy for the real conflict. Hang on......

3

Yeh as difficult as it is... It’s important to rise above the anger, and let it be known we hate the belief, not the believer. I used to let myself get angry but after so long it just turns to pity. I feel most pity about the time people have wasted.
I think the best thing you said in your rant was, to lead by example, to have the courage to say what we need to say. When people like Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris etc. made the time to very publicly stand up against religious bullshit earlier this century, it did have a positive affect, and we need to keep the ball rolling.

Mvtt Level 7 Sep 21, 2020
1

Look, haters are going to hate, but come on, why hate? You ruin your own health.

2

I don't hate anybody. I just wish religious people would STFU.

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