I personally don't see an issue with shows like this. The purpose is just to spread secular thought and promoting something and while it may come off as being proselytizing, I would argue that there is a legitimate reason in the form of showing that you don't have to "hide" yourself anymore and be more open about what you personally believe in a majority religious country. Besides, it's really the religious people who are the vast majority of callers on those programs who are willing to make themselves seem less educated on the matters of theological discussions.
I don't deny that the religious callers' lack of intellectual rigor is glaring, but I personally (and this is just me) don't feel that atheists should promote atheism. We should promote science, not belief. And believing there is no being is just as unscientific as believing there is one. Many pro-atheism pundits sound more like "anti-theists" than atheists. I agree with you 100% about it not being necessary to hide anymore. I never have and have gotten used to the horror and shock of believers since age 11. I think the public space is far too Christian and religious, with little space for those of other faiths or no faith at all. But the best way to roll back religion is with more science.
I agree with everything you say here, and while it's necessary to promote science and reason, I do feel that there is an incentive to speak on the notion that it's perfectly fine to be an atheist. It's a rejection of the idea of supernatural entity, and despite a more progressive today, there are still horrible stereotypes that needs to be addressed in the larger community. Also, simply promoting science won't curb religious ideals at all. After all, we have situations in which the argument of creationism and intelligent design are being put into practice in many places in the US, especially the south. Even if science finds a way to replicate the origin of existence via the Higgs Boson, there will be religious skeptics willing to quickly debunk any of the finding's validity. So, it'll forever remain in flux...except that we may see that change in 50 years from now.
Why does an atheist feel the need to debate anything with religious people if they believe that people who believe in God have a mental handicap. Do you debate mental patients at the crazy ward?
Defense mechanism? It would be great if people could just believe what they want, or not believe what they don't want and be left alone.
Live and let live. In a perfect world this would be what we would live by but this is not a perfect world and there will always be people who feel that they know best and have the need to make you see their truth. Live and let live
So... ummm, it's ok for the religious to express their religion freely, but it isn't ok for Atheist to express their lack of religion freely?
Not if expression means putting down those believe something different from you. Anyonre who has to constantly cram their beliefs down everyones throat doesnt really believe what theyre preaching.
Unfortunately, there are people like that in many religions. Some of the threads are oozing with it. So, I figure, if they can do it, so can he. If it bothers some, they can always avoid it like they avoid my feminism threads...LOL!!!
Yeah, I know. I believe in and support gender equality. I just don't feel that feminism is a representation of it. But, anyway, I think Mr. Majestic is within his rights and should carry on.
You have to remind yourself that religious dogma doesn't stop in the home. It's been heavily extended to where people are teaching things like creationism and intelligent design in the [science] classrooms. And to keep silent on that matter would only destroy the very meaning of science and reason and how far we've all evolved because of the advancements made by the man-made field of study...which yield incredible results over the centuries. So, it's not a matter of cramming throats as you may imply. But rather, pushing back some unnecessary jargon in the mindsets of many when placed into secular institutions. Ignoring such would only devolve our country further. I personally wouldn't mind people's religious ideas if they weren't ingrained into or pressed onto institutions where it doesn't belong. We've always been [officially] a secular nation and we have to continue that if we don't want become another country hellbent on appeasing a certain community because a snippet of that majority takes a wholly more outrageous position.
Unfortunately, the OP is so proliferate with his anti-God threads/posts. He is hell-bent (no pun intended) on proving there is no God. I often wonder who he is trying to convince, really. Personally, I will share my beliefs, if appropriate or if asked. But I try very hard not to cram my beliefs down someone's throat. I want to be free to believe what I believe, therefore I have to extend that same respect to someone else. Honestly, I typically stay out of atheist threads, because I have little to contribute, and I'm not about trying to talk them out of their belief. But if I see that someone I tend to "follow" has posted, I hop in to check it out (thus why I'm writing now). I'm fine with someone saying he/she is an atheist or they don't believe in the God I believe in. But then please, don't try to constantly prove to me that my God doesn't exist. This is why, at one point, MS was asked to start his own threads rather than posting in the religious ones, which he did. I respect that and stay out of them (usually. )
