BF2S Forums Atheists and Christmas

tuckergustav wrote:

mtb0minime wrote:

The atheists that hoot and holler and rub it in your face about how there is no god are just as bad as the theists who hoot and holler and rub it in your face that there is a god and if you don't believe what they believe, you're going to hell.

Good...no...GREAT point.

I never understood "Organized Atheism"...

I agree to a degree, although I believe certain areas of the country have made it both inevitable and somewhat necessary for atheism to organize.

For example, when states like Texas push for teaching intelligent design in science courses, atheists (and religious people that actually know better) should fight back.  In that respect, it is important for atheists to make alliances with moderate religious people.

Overall, the focus should be on reason, which ironically is not being followed by the people who claim to prioritize reason but spend it on billboards like the one in the OP.

DrunkFace wrote:

unnamednewbie13 wrote:

@ OP pic:

Thanks for celebrating your lack of religion by proselytizing your lack of religion to everyone else.

DrunkFace wrote:

But I should get time off for boxing day.

And anyway, Dec 25 has more to do with the winter solstice and the pagan festivals which go with it, then any birth of ----> some douche who wasn't even born on that date.

Edited in by DrunkFace to troll Jesus.

you mad?

Art furious.

inb4jesuswasstolenfromtehegyptians

mtb0minime wrote:

I was meaning from an extreme social aspect, though. People randomly interrupting me to tell me I'm stupid for believing in a god after I say I celebrate Easter or whatever are just as annoying as people randomly interrupting me to tell me I'm going to hell for not going to church every Sunday.

As far as the education aspect and focusing on reason, I completely agree. When there's evidence of Earth being 4.5 billion years old and the first organisms arose from primordial soup, public schools should not be teaching otherwise.

No argument here.  I'm an active atheist, but I'm not militant about it.  Unfortunately, there are quite a few militants in some of the atheist groups I'm associated with.  Part of why I stay with these groups is to attempt to be a moderating influence, since I can show them that I have a lot of good friends that are religious.

I suppose you could say moderate atheists owe it to themselves to keep the militants in check just the same as moderate Christians and Muslims should keep fundamentalists in check.

Wreckognize wrote:

11 Bravo wrote:

there is no god

Adults with imaginary friends are stupid.

aye.  and they shouldnt teach it to kids.

Turquoise wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

No argument here.  I'm an active atheist, but I'm not militant about it.  Unfortunately, there are quite a few militants in some of the atheist groups I'm associated with.  Part of why I stay with these groups is to attempt to be a moderating influence, since I can show them that I have a lot of good friends that are religious.

I suppose you could say moderate atheists owe it to themselves to keep the militants in check just the same as moderate Christians and Muslims should keep fundamentalists in check.

I think this is the lamest thing you've ever typed.

Seriously?  I figured you'd agree with me.  You're not militant about atheism, right?

Absolutely not. But pretending that you're some moderating force is... lame. You have no control over what they do or say and most of them will continue to be butthurt dicks. And lol at 'atheist groups'.

JohnG@lt wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

I think this is the lamest thing you've ever typed.

Seriously?  I figured you'd agree with me.  You're not militant about atheism, right?

Absolutely not. But pretending that you're some moderating force is... lame. You have no control over what they do or say and most of them will continue to be butthurt dicks. And lol at 'atheist groups'.

You're not big on social networking, eh?

I'm not saying I'm the most charismatic guy in the world, but I have been somewhat successful at making militant people become more reasonable.

The argument you're making is essentially also sending the message that religious groups can't weed out extremism.  That's a rather pessimistic assumption.

JohnG@lt wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Absolutely not. But pretending that you're some moderating force is... lame. You have no control over what they do or say and most of them will continue to be butthurt dicks. And lol at 'atheist groups'.

You're not big on social networking, eh?

I'm not saying I'm the most charismatic guy in the world, but I have been somewhat successful at making militant people become more reasonable.

The argument you're making is essentially also sending the message that religious groups can't weed out extremism.  That's a rather pessimistic assumption.

It's also truth. If they fail to gain a mainstream audience they will simply go further underground. Then you end up with a misanthropic outcast with a vendetta. People rarely change their opinions and studies have shown that when presented with factual refutation of their arguments people actually become more belligerent and stubborn. I don't know why, but that's how it is.

John, if that was universally true, then the world would be a much, much shittier place than it currently is.

For a guy that seems to be rather optimistic about what people can achieve through ambition, you seem awfully cynical about getting people to become more reasonable.

JohnG@lt wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

It's also truth. If they fail to gain a mainstream audience they will simply go further underground. Then you end up with a misanthropic outcast with a vendetta. People rarely change their opinions and studies have shown that when presented with factual refutation of their arguments people actually become more belligerent and stubborn. I don't know why, but that's how it is.

John, if that was universally true, then the world would be a much, much shittier place than it currently is.

For a guy that seems to be rather optimistic about what people can achieve through ambition, you seem awfully cynical about getting people to become more reasonable.

No, I'm just realistic. People generally learn a handful of things in their life, hold them close to their chest, and become angry when challenged. Nature of the beast. That billboard in the OP isn't going to change a single mind, just make people angry.

Was that billboard meant for the religious though? Or for Atheists like myself who still celebrate Christmas?

JohnG@lt wrote:

Ticia wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

No, I'm just realistic. People generally learn a handful of things in their life, hold them close to their chest, and become angry when challenged. Nature of the beast. That billboard in the OP isn't going to change a single mind, just make people angry.

Was that billboard meant for the religious though? Or for Atheists like myself who still celebrate Christmas?

"You know it's a myth" with Christmas imagery? That's like over the top douchebaggery on their part.

Does it offend you or something?

JohnG@lt wrote:

Turquoise wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

It's also truth. If they fail to gain a mainstream audience they will simply go further underground. Then you end up with a misanthropic outcast with a vendetta. People rarely change their opinions and studies have shown that when presented with factual refutation of their arguments people actually become more belligerent and stubborn. I don't know why, but that's how it is.

John, if that was universally true, then the world would be a much, much shittier place than it currently is.

For a guy that seems to be rather optimistic about what people can achieve through ambition, you seem awfully cynical about getting people to become more reasonable.

No, I'm just realistic. People generally learn a handful of things in their life, hold them close to their chest, and become angry when challenged. Nature of the beast. That billboard in the OP isn't going to change a single mind, just make people angry.

I can agree with that.  That's part of why I didn't support putting it in NJ.

I do somewhat support it in the Bible Belt, but that's another discussion....