When Atheism Becomes a Religion
Jason P
Posts: 19,156
I’ve noticed an increase in reports of atheist groups filing permits to take spots in public places where in the past religious groups have put up nativity scenes during the holiday season. In replacement, they put up signs stating the God is not real or compare him to imaginary things like Santa Clause. They also seem to only be targeting Christian celebrations (but that may be due to Christianity being this country’s major religion).
I have several thoughts / questions:
1) It’s not very tactful. It’s like if it was my birthday and someone stood at the end of my driveway with a “Jason P Sucks!” sign.
2) Why are atheists that participate in campaigning against Christianity overzealous to recruit people to the religion of atheism?
3) It’s a very confrontational tactic. It turns holiday cheer into anger.
4) To me there are two types of atheists. There are the non-believers and there are those that really, really hate God and people that believe in God. I assume the latter suffered some sort of emotional or physical abuse from someone that was religious … or they have a big bug up their butt.
I find it to be rather perplexing. The whole “separation of church and state” argument is blah, blah, blah to me. It’s the one time of year where major religions bring family together in this country to enjoy each others company and love. Be it Jesus Christ or the Spaghetti Monster, there are long-standing traditions that the majority of people enjoy and look forward to. When you grab a bullhorn and piss on these traditions in front of these people, well, that’s just being a dick.
I assume these people that protest are a slim majority of atheists, yet know enough to legally interrupt and disrupt the holiday season. My advice to them is to grab a cup of eggnog, break out the Scrabble, and enjoy time with friends and family that are in town to visit.
A Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukah, an awesome Asura, a festive festivas, and a beautiful Boxing Day to all ….. and to all a good night.
Cheers and peace!
I have several thoughts / questions:
1) It’s not very tactful. It’s like if it was my birthday and someone stood at the end of my driveway with a “Jason P Sucks!” sign.
2) Why are atheists that participate in campaigning against Christianity overzealous to recruit people to the religion of atheism?
3) It’s a very confrontational tactic. It turns holiday cheer into anger.
4) To me there are two types of atheists. There are the non-believers and there are those that really, really hate God and people that believe in God. I assume the latter suffered some sort of emotional or physical abuse from someone that was religious … or they have a big bug up their butt.
I find it to be rather perplexing. The whole “separation of church and state” argument is blah, blah, blah to me. It’s the one time of year where major religions bring family together in this country to enjoy each others company and love. Be it Jesus Christ or the Spaghetti Monster, there are long-standing traditions that the majority of people enjoy and look forward to. When you grab a bullhorn and piss on these traditions in front of these people, well, that’s just being a dick.
I assume these people that protest are a slim majority of atheists, yet know enough to legally interrupt and disrupt the holiday season. My advice to them is to grab a cup of eggnog, break out the Scrabble, and enjoy time with friends and family that are in town to visit.
A Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukah, an awesome Asura, a festive festivas, and a beautiful Boxing Day to all ….. and to all a good night.
Cheers and peace!
Be Excellent To Each Other
Party On, Dudes!
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
Godfather.
To be fair, there are also two types of believers. There are believers who hold the notion "to each his own" and then there are the believers who want to force their beliefs down your throat. So having or not having religious beliefs have no exclusivity when it comes to having big bugs up one's butt.
For the record, I'm not atheist, but I try to see things from all angles.
Peace brother!
ADD: Atheists have that militant wing, as Jason describes... but, Christians have to lay claim to people like the Westboro Baptist Church as one of theirs.
In other words, everyone has their black sheep... very few are pure. We should focus on the ones away from the fringes.
Hail, Hail!!!
how are they over zealous? ive had many people of the christian belief come and knock on my door spreading the word of the Lord, trying to recruit me to the religion of christianity. but never have i had an atheist approach me and tell me Gods a bunch of bullshit and perhaps i would like to think about that. ive never had an atheist approach me and tell me im damned. ive never had an atheist approach me and tsk tsk me because my children are all born out of wedlock. ive never had an athiest show concern that my children are not baptised. not that any of those actions are over zealous.. just saying.
oh and atheism is an absence of belief... therefore, it is not a religion.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
are going out of their way to ruin the celebration for those who believe.
Very different than a believer approaching an atheist to speak on the topic of
religion or an atheist doing the same. It is implied it is an organized protest.
Thats kind of naughty...
Why would anyone want to ruin someone's Christmas?
if the actions of these atheists are the measure, then can it not be said that the actions of the christians whom their actions have replaced are also over zealous? have your God, have your celebrations but have them in the church where it belongs, not in the public space.
if the OP is referring to what has happened in santa monica..those positions were drawn by lottery as far as i know. so the OP is telling me only christians have the right(due to tradition) to fill the spaces provided. :think:
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/15 ... t-20111215
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
allow is a funny word for me when it comes to emotions
This is the substance of this thread.
Christmas is for everybody.
Hail, Hail!!!
I have an atheist friend who explained to me that there is a difference between an "atheist" and an "anti-theist". An atheist is, simply, someone who does not believe in God. An "anti-theist" is someone who does not believe in God, but is also very hostile towards anyone who does. I had never heard that term before I talked to her, so I thought it was interesting.
You know who waged a War On Christmas? The original settlers of this nation... The Pilgrims. They actually set up laws, banning Christmas Celebrations, feasts and merriment.
But, you know... those Puritans were known to be notorious tight asses.
"In 1659 the Massachusetts Bay General Court officially banned the holiday; anyone caught taking the day off or even 'feasting' was liable for a fine. Cotton Mather himself declared Christmas an "affront unto the grace of God". "Can you in your consciences think that our holy savior is honored by mirth," he demanded of his flock, "by long eating, by hard drinking, by lewd gaming, [or] by rude reveling? ... Shall it be said that at the birth of our Saviour ... we take the time to please the hellish legions and to do actions that have much more of hell than of heaven in them?" "
...
Good thing they aren't around now... Bill O'Rielly would bust a nut vein about their 'War On Christmas'.
Hail, Hail!!!
A couple of years ago I was invited to an athiest convention - yep I couldn't believe it existed either - an eventually decided not to attend because believing or not believing whatever you want is one thing but preaching about a lack of belief seemed somewhat unnecessary and disrespecrful.
That said anyone who is a true believer in their religion is not going to be swayed by the athiests and therefore these actions are irrelevent.
I have to say i have never had an athiest try to tell me how to live my life and most of their moral standings are based on their own logic not just because a book says as some religous people have admitted to me theirs are.
Sorry you cant feeling part of everything and then feel you have to be part of nothing.
Ive been to the nothing.
Becoming divine is also part of your spiritual evolution and the reason for the lessons in the manifestation of your human existence. Humans were not meant to evolve biologically alone but also spiritually.
Also I think it's a mistake to equate spirituality with religion it can function seperately
Religions are made but the spiritual lessons upon the paths for your lifetime. It is a guide, an inspiration it holds truths about the life lessons you are "here" learning.
There are many people who are highly spiritual without prescribing to a religion.
You are at a void. Yes. Doesnt mean a spiritual energy cannot cross a void, energy blackhole, hell, nothing whatever you want to call it.
I'm not at a void
why might it be wrong? because it might offend the sensibilities of the christians??
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
If I had to describe my religious leanings then the most accurate word I can think of would be 'pagan'.
Regarding several posts, including the original that attempt to categorize people .... For example "two types of atheists" or "two types of Christians" ... These are false dichotomies. There are many different types of Christians and atheists in this world, who believe many different things, act in different ways, and present themselves to the world in different ways. If you think about it, saying there are only two possible types of this or that limits your own self because you are saying you belong to one those categories... And by implication you are making a statement that the other category is inferior in some way ... Whether it be morally, logically etc, etc. To me, this is one of the problems with the world... Placing people into categories ... It just emphasizes differences. We're all just people.
Doesnt mean that I couldnt find the "odd" answers, I was looking for in the spiritual or metaphysical.
Hell, I think Rock & Roll is a religion... sooooooo...
Happy Holidays and Rock ON!
I guess comparing atheism to a religion wasn't the right term ... a "cause" is a better description. And I don't think Christians have the only right to put out displays. I'm more confused on why a group that believes in nothing is trying to promote the belief of nothing. As another poster noted, they are not going to somehow sway someone walking down the street. To me, it's about getting in someones face and picking a fight ... and in the end, I feel it is counterproductive to what they are trying to achieve. It's comparable to throwing rocks at a hornet's nest.
I know five people that have went out and bought nativity scenes for their homes because of atheists making headlines. These are not super religious people either. But it disturbed them enough that they felt they needed to make a statement ... and who knows, maybe they will start attending church as a result. So who is the big winner here?
And I agree that pigeon-holding into two groups isn't right either. I'm trying to get a better understanding of those that, as one other poster noted, hold atheism conventions. I'm guessing it's a pretty short meeting. All right people. So everyone agree that there is nothing? Ok, good. Meeting adjourned.
In regards to the Westboro Baptist Church, they are a cult more then a Christian group. But they are lawyers, they know how far they can test the limits of the law, and thus we cannot drag them from their beds and into the public square for a good tar and feathering (although I'm still surprised some former sniper hasn't taken them out). Due to a "slippery slope" being created by precedent, our judicial system will factor out common sense on some occasions even though society should grab this group by the shoulders and give them a real good shaking.
One last thought on atheism. It is my opinion that being absolutely sure there is no supreme being is just as absurd as being 110% sure that there is one. The universe is so vast and we know so little, we are only making observations based on the microcosm of our own planet.
Maybe, thats why they call it "Faith."
Its not easy to move past this world and search upon the realms of possibilities, but I cannot deny my ethereal experiences.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
I've never been to one, but the "atheist conventions" I think are probably geared to the broader "Skeptic movement." Noted atheists like Richard Dawkins, James Randi, Christopher Hitchens, etc. are also tied into skeptic communities that are involved in stuff like disproving conspiracy theories, exposing scam artists, promoting science based medicine (as opposed to stuff like homeopathy), etc. Also, religion doesn't have a monopoly on ways people can get together in a group and do something that is fulfilling ... just because you're an atheist doesn't mean that you don't long for a community of people with common beliefs/morals ... it's a perfectly human thing to do and not necessarily religious.
Also, I think most atheists would say they are "agnostic atheists" if put to the test ... meaning they don't believe in any God or Gods, and also believe that whether there is a God or Gods is unknowable or presently unknown. I think they'd also argue that non-belief in a God is much less absurd then any of the current descriptions of God ... one of the reasons being the vastness and awesomeness of the universe and the new stuff we find out about it every day (in other words, if God really does exist, then he/she/it must be way cooler than anything described in any religious text).