When Atheism Becomes a Religion

Jason P · December 2011

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!

7RayZ · December 2011

Atheism is a religion.

Just as all in religions it is a belief about God or Gods. Its their belief not to choose to believe in a power greater than themselves. There is this awesome guy who speaks of being part of "the nothing" (cant think of his name, atm, just woke up) and its actually tremendously spiritual.

Godfather. · December 2011

Jason P wrote:

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!

XLNT POST !!!

Godfather.

Jamminonthe1 · December 2011

The Nothing was from "Neverending Story"

7RayZ · December 2011

Yeah something like that just wait til the Paradox hits and the world becomes anew. Then Im riding my big white fluffy dog home.

Jeanwah · December 2011

Jason P wrote:

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.

Cheers and peace!

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!

pandora · December 2011

I love tradition

Cosmo · December 2011

Jeanwah wrote:

Jason P wrote:

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.

Cheers and peace!

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.

catefrances · December 2011

Jason P wrote:

2) Why are atheists that participate in campaigning against Christianity overzealous to recruit people to the religion of atheism?

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.

pandora · December 2011

I thought the point was that the atheists that are being spoke of here
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?

catefrances · December 2011

your christmas can only be ruined if you allow it. 8-)

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

pandora · December 2011

quote="catefrances"]your christmas can only be ruined if you allow it. 8-)

I feel too much for that ....

allow is a funny word for me when it comes to emotions

Cosmo · December 2011

Jason P wrote:

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!

...
This is the substance of this thread.
Christmas is for everybody.

iamica · December 2011

Jason P wrote:

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 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.

Cosmo · December 2011

catefrances wrote:

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.

...
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?" "
6a00d8341ce62853ef015437fda2b5970c-pi

...
Good thing they aren't around now... Bill O'Rielly would bust a nut vein about their 'War On Christmas'.

your move now · December 2011

whilst protesting against religious beliefs might be wrong so are the bible bashers who approach you and won't accept that you don't want to be saved. if there were athiest celebrations due you not think that christian groups and other religious groups would attack them?
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.

7RayZ · December 2011

The rise of non-believing. Which is fine. Living in this place would make anyone lose their faith. Its a disconnect.

Sorry you cant feeling part of everything and then feel you have to be part of nothing.

Ive been to the nothing.

Enjoy your ride there.

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.

your move now · December 2011

a lack of religion and/or spirituality means that you at a void? really?

Also I think it's a mistake to equate spirituality with religion it can function seperately

7RayZ · December 2011

Nowhere in my statement did I equate religion to spirituality. I never do. EVER.

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.

your move now · December 2011

well i have to say beyond the spirituality you find in music, art, friends, animals or anything like that yes I'm without spirituality.
I'm not at a void

7RayZ · December 2011

What is your definition of spirituality? Im just trying to understand where you are coming from.

When Atheism Becomes a Religion

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