Comments on: Religion, atheism and authority http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:38:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Pedro Timóteo http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3683 Pedro Timóteo Sun, 15 Oct 2006 09:43:37 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3683 Kren: that part - as the different color, the quotes before it, and the fact that I said which site I quoted it from should suggest - wasn't mine. I was quoting, and commenting on, a post in a different blog. I live in Europe, and we're actually pretty secular over here. Most people here are agnostics - there are also many atheists, but atheism is a "strong position", which requires a bit of thinking, and most people are too apathetic to have "strong positions". So I am not usually attacked for my atheism... unless I go online. Still, replies like the ones I quoted <b>are</b> common. Look at the "hate mail against the FSM" section at the FSM site, and you'll see a lot of those - I don't mean just a couple, but dozens, perhaps hundreds, on a site that is relatively new. Read some other atheist sites. For some reason, mine has been relatively spared from those comments, but I see them all the time in others. "You're going to hell if you don't accept Jesus", "I'll be laughing from heaven while you burn", and so on. Or see the article mentioned <a href="http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/08/17/are-the-myths-about-atheists-real-or-not/" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">here</a> for examples of what many people in America think about atheists and atheism. In many places, atheists are seen as the scum of the earth, as the devil incarnate, as amoral monsters. This is not my invention. These days, you can't discriminate against blacks. You <i>can</i> discriminate against gays, if you say you're doing it because of God or the Bible. But atheists... not only <i>can</i> you discriminate, it's actually <i>fashionable</i> to do so. Kren: that part - as the different color, the quotes before it, and the fact that I said which site I quoted it from should suggest - wasn’t mine. I was quoting, and commenting on, a post in a different blog.

I live in Europe, and we’re actually pretty secular over here. Most people here are agnostics - there are also many atheists, but atheism is a “strong position”, which requires a bit of thinking, and most people are too apathetic to have “strong positions”. So I am not usually attacked for my atheism… unless I go online.

Still, replies like the ones I quoted are common. Look at the “hate mail against the FSM” section at the FSM site, and you’ll see a lot of those - I don’t mean just a couple, but dozens, perhaps hundreds, on a site that is relatively new. Read some other atheist sites. For some reason, mine has been relatively spared from those comments, but I see them all the time in others. “You’re going to hell if you don’t accept Jesus”, “I’ll be laughing from heaven while you burn”, and so on.

Or see the article mentioned here for examples of what many people in America think about atheists and atheism.

In many places, atheists are seen as the scum of the earth, as the devil incarnate, as amoral monsters. This is not my invention.

These days, you can’t discriminate against blacks. You can discriminate against gays, if you say you’re doing it because of God or the Bible. But atheists… not only can you discriminate, it’s actually fashionable to do so.

]]> By: Kren http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3682 Kren Sun, 15 Oct 2006 06:11:39 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3682 [quote post="158"]Strike up a conversation with a religious person, and claim to be a member of any religion other than the one of your subject. Usually this will result in a nod, or maybe a weird look, or maybe some questions. Now, strike up another conversation with a religious person, and this time, say you are an atheist. Whole other ball of wax, huh? Popular reactions include: * “You’re Stupid” * “You’re going to hell” * “I’ll pray for you” * “You think you have all the answers, huh?” * “You’re the reason the world is all fucked up!”[/quote] Pedro, if you actually had these experiences... WOW. You must be from an extremely STRUCTURED religious society. I myself came from a small town, and moved to a large city. Neither of which have I seen such a reaction from the GENERAL religious people, to atheism. Sure some people are just judgemental. But not because they are religious... because they are judgemental. The other four are harsh, but I must ask, what's wrong with "I'll pray for you."? Even thinking that prayer won't make a difference at all, it at least means that the person speaking will think to wish you well. [quote post="158"]Strike up a conversation with a religious person, and claim to be a member of any religion other than the one of your subject. Usually this will result in a nod, or maybe a weird look, or maybe some questions.

Now, strike up another conversation with a religious person, and this time, say you are an atheist. Whole other ball of wax, huh? Popular reactions include:

* “You’re Stupid”
* “You’re going to hell”
* “I’ll pray for you”
* “You think you have all the answers, huh?”
* “You’re the reason the world is all fucked up!”[/quote]

Pedro, if you actually had these experiences… WOW. You must be from an extremely STRUCTURED religious society.

I myself came from a small town, and moved to a large city. Neither of which have I seen such a reaction from the GENERAL religious people, to atheism. Sure some people are just judgemental. But not because they are religious… because they are judgemental.

The other four are harsh, but I must ask, what’s wrong with “I’ll pray for you.”?

Even thinking that prayer won’t make a difference at all, it at least means that the person speaking will think to wish you well.

]]> By: Jim http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3611 Jim Wed, 11 Oct 2006 02:14:29 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3611 How true! It reminds me of how my wife and I finally figured out a way to shut up the Jehovah's Witnesses that inevitably accosted us. Once we converted to Buddhism we found that when they came up to us we just responded, "No thank you, we're Buddhist." The look on their faces was golden. They had answers for everything else apparently, but not that. They usually mumbled something and left. How true! It reminds me of how my wife and I finally figured out a way to shut up the Jehovah’s Witnesses that inevitably accosted us. Once we converted to Buddhism we found that when they came up to us we just responded, “No thank you, we’re Buddhist.” The look on their faces was golden. They had answers for everything else apparently, but not that. They usually mumbled something and left.

]]> By: new illuminati http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3600 new illuminati Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:48:29 +0000 http://www.wayofthemind.org/2006/10/10/religion-atheism-and-authority/#comment-3600 A good post for a post-bicameral consciousness. Aye, Julian Jeynes knew what it was to hear voices. Today we call them thoughts, where once they were the voice of deity. Of course, thinking for oneself is anathema to someone who believes in toeing the line and towing the weight of their ancestor's superstitions. Hail the sky fairy! A good post for a post-bicameral consciousness. Aye, Julian Jeynes knew what it was to hear voices. Today we call them thoughts, where once they were the voice of deity.
Of course, thinking for oneself is anathema to someone who believes in toeing the line and towing the weight of their ancestor’s superstitions.
Hail the sky fairy!

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