Atheists & agnositcs: How do you view religious people?

[Angilion]

If anything I envy religious people, as they believe that when they die they go to a better place. Whereas I believe when I die nothing will happen, I'll just cease to exist for eternity. Feels bad man .

Why? You won't be aware of it.

In any case, if they really believe that then they must believe this life is trivial and irrelevant, of no importance at all. It's nothing more than a tiny fleeting instant in what they think their life is, so why would they care at all about it? That sounds much worse to me.

 

[Castiel]

People lie for various reasons. Money is a fairly common one.

Mistaken about the source of his own work, ascribing it to his imagination rather than divine inspiration. EDIT: Or, in the case of Conan (or Star Wars, etc, etc) magic. Maybe someone used a spell to transmit the story of Conan through time into a compatible mind so that he would never be forgotten, but since Robert E. Howard lacked the necessary training in magic he thought the stories came from his own imagination instead.

Ok, so you believe that Conan or Star Wars were real and some form of magic transmitted them to the authors. That's fine, if that is what you believe, although the evidence (the authors own statement to contrary, and the fictional nature of the setting of each story) belie that assertion.

Seems fine to me.

Well, it would, you believe that magic induced George Lucas to write Star Wars.

Your distinction is arbritrary. You make it for no reason.

It's not arbitrary at all, I make it based on knowledge and considered opinion on the validity of any given evidence and whether that evidence suggests a specific conclusion or not.

I disagree.

If you can't speak of the non-existence of any particular deity, you can't speak about the non-existence of any particular fairy, superhero or any non-falsifiable explanation for anything.

Your opinion does not make the fairy argument ridiculous.

Of course I can. For example the fairies you speak of are mainly an invention of a particular 16th Century Playwright and the Daoine Sidhe for example are completely different entities. I can point to the authors of any given comic superhero who will confirm that they invented said superhero.

The same can be said of any specific human interpretation or anthropological personification of God, I can decide whether I dismiss the evidence offered by any given religion as to the veracity of their particular personification without dismissing the concept of God entirely.

The mere fact that every Human Being is atheist about something, be it Christians being Fairy-atheist or Muslim being Vishnu-atheist or whatever make that argument ridiculous.

 

[EdGey]

I think the world would be a far better place without religion.

I dont judge people by their religion.

I do judge people if they do something bad in the name of their religion, or support bad things. For example sacrificing an animal.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

I think the world would be a far better place without religion.

Why?

 

[izzy eckerslike]

Sorry, not correct. Where did I say I'd been converted? I've enjoyed their company, and continue to do so, and feel very welcome into their family, church etc, wherever it extends, but I so far have not been, as you say, converted. I think they understand that would have to come from me, from within me, but it just hasn't happened, and they know that.

Doesn't stop all those qualities I see in them being present and true, though. They're not doing it for my benefit.

Your quote: ' I've even found myself quite enjoying church once or twice '

That says it all, you met them and enjoyed their company and went to their church. I'm afraid it all points to you being converted to their way of thinking regardless of how you may seek to deny it.

 

[Angilion]

Ok, so you believe that Conan or Star Wars were real and some form of magic transmitted them to the authors. That's fine, if that is what you believe, although the evidence (the authors own statement to contrary, and the fictional nature of the setting of each story) belie that assertion.

You're saying it's what I believe. You're wrong.

Well, it would, you believe that magic induced George Lucas to write Star Wars.

And you're still wrong.

It's not arbitrary at all, I make it based on knowledge and considered opinion on the validity of any given evidence and whether that evidence suggests a specific conclusion or not.

And your knowledge of god is...what?

Of course I can. For example the fairies you speak of are mainly an invention of a particular 16th Century Playwright and the Daoine Sidhe for example are completely different entities. I can point to the authors of any given comic superhero who will confirm that they invented said superhero.

And I can point to a different explanation, which you can't disprove. Just as I can't disprove the existence of your god. My position is internally consistent - I don't believe either because I don't know of any evidence for either.

The same can be said of any specific human interpretation or anthropological personification of God, I can decide whether I dismiss the evidence offered by any given religion as to the veracity of their particular personification without dismissing the concept of God entirely.

The mere fact that every Human Being is atheist about something, be it Christians being Fairy-atheist or Muslim being Vishnu-atheist or whatever make that argument ridiculous.

On the contrary, it's what makes it applicable.

 

[nicks3607]

Your quote: ' I've even found myself quite enjoying church once or twice '

That says it all, you met them and enjoyed their company and went to their church. I'm afraid it all points to you being converted to their way of thinking regardless of how you may seek to deny it.

Then I don't think you understand the nature of faith.

 

[izzy eckerslike]

When you look at how the two main religions spread across the world you can see that it wasn't by divine intervention where a supernatural glowing being said 'come unto me my children' Rather it was watching your village elders being disemboweled & mutilated by the Spanish in South America that made them rush to sign up or face the same fate.

It's the same the whole world over, whichever missionaries got there first decided the religion of that country till this very day. Hence most of British Africa was Christian and the North Islamic. Britain was absent from South America on any large scale but Catholic Spain rampaged all over. So from that we can work out that man was murdered & bludgeoned into accepting their invaders religion

 

[semi-pro waster]

I don't feel anything particular towards religious people - I'd apply the same standard to them as anyone else i.e. their belief or lack of it is a personal matter for them, provided they aren't hurting others with or because of their beliefs and aren't trying to force their beliefs on others then I don't care what they do choose to believe.

Essentially it's a bit of simple respect, believe what you want and allow others the same freedom.

 

[Castiel]

You're saying it's what I believe. You're wrong.

And you're still wrong.

Which why that argument is so ridiculous, you made it up and admitted it so why would I give it any credence.

And your knowledge of god is...what?

Which God?

And I can point to a different explanation, which you can't disprove. Just as I can't disprove the existence of your god. My position is internally consistent - I don't believe either because I don't know of any evidence for either.

What God, I'm agnostic, I know I cannot prove the existence or non existence of a God concept. Your starwars/conan explanation is easily dismissed by the assertion of the authors and their knowledge that it is purely fiction.

On the contrary, it's what makes it applicable.

No it doesn't. The same as the flying spaghetti monster, I can dismiss that as invention while being open to the concept that the flying spaghetti monster is a human representation of a Godhead.

 

[Deiwos]

Each to their own, but I think anyone who follows religion is retarded. That doesn't mean I don't/won't like someone for being religious, I just think they're idiots for blindly following religion as if it's the answer to all their problems.

 

[Sharlaw]

I have no issue in the main with people, no matter what they believe, if anything.

I don't mind an open an honest debate about people's views, but I certainly don't like it when people try to force their views and beliefs on others.

I find religion fascinating, and enjoy learning more about other religions that I don't understand all that well. Just because I can't bring myself to believe it doesn't mean I can't respect and appreciate it.

Sometimes I feel who's right or wrong isn't even an issue. If it helps you to inrich yours and others lives around you, what's the problem?

Yes there are those who aren't so honest in their intentions. Using religion to gain wealth, control over people, or for political or social gain. But that's the way of the world, even something started with the best of intentions can be missused.

 

[SexyGreyFox]

Your quote: ' I've even found myself quite enjoying church once or twice '

That says it all, you met them and enjoyed their company and went to their church. I'm afraid it all points to you being converted to their way of thinking regardless of how you may seek to deny it.

I disagree.
I'm an atheist but I have enjoyed religious services because I like to take in the atmosphere and listen to the religious crap they spout.
It may be that his friends church has a groovy Vicar and likes to spice up the service a bit.
I went to one earlier this year where they had a christian rock band doing the hymns.

 

[Usher]

I disagree.
I'm an atheist but I have enjoyed religious services because I like to take in the atmosphere and listen to the religious crap they spout.
It may be that his friends church has a groovy Vicar and likes to spice up the service a bit.
I went to one earlier this year where they had a christian rock band doing the hymns.

Maybe the two of you should start your own closet Christian group

 

[MookJong]

I'm a big fan of religious values especially Christian, they have done a lot of good for the world but those who follow organised religion too closely are in my mind brainwashed and need to start thinking for themselves.

 

[bam0]

The most frustrating thing about these discussions is that many, many people seem to come from a position of assuming that religion == christianity/islam. They posit that some part of these is wrong or abhorrent therefore all religion is the same, while being completely unaware of the breadth of beliefs covered by "religion".
These topics always turn out the same way, yet people keep starting them...

 

[NeilF]

Do you think they are misguided or naive, brainwashed, stupid etc. or do you respect their beliefs?

Conversely, relgious people, how do you view atheists and agnostics?

I totally endorse the right to believe in what they want to believe. That said, I can't understand how any intelligent and logical person can believe...

 

[izzy eckerslike]

I'm a big fan of religious values especially Christian, they have done a lot of good for the world but those who follow organised religion too closely are in my mind brainwashed and need to start thinking for themselves.

Define your view of ' done a lot of good for the world' because there's an awful lot of bad stuff been done by devout Christians either in the name of Christianity or not.
Are Christians automatically kind generous helpful people and atheists incapable of being friendly, helpful and doing charity work etc?

Why are Christian aid groups seemingly incapable of helping others unless they can use it as an opportunity to' spread the word' at the same time ?

The well known but now infamous Xmas shoebox collection where you can fill a box with items for children of certain ages ( baby up till teenage) and include not only small toys but things like toothbrushes & soap, hairbrush etc for children in places like Romania , you then wrap the box in Xmas paper & label it boy/ aged 6-10 or whatever is suitable for the contents

This has been defiled because all the boxes at the collection centres were discovered to have been unwrapped in order to add a load of religious pamphlets etc so behind all these Christian acts there's always a hidden agenda. My wife and daughter used to fill as many as 15 boxes every year and we actually caught them in the act of ripping the paper off our boxes and emptying the contents when we popped back with three more boxes from a friend.

When I asked them to explain why they had emptied our boxes they said it was normal practice to redistribute the items because some peoples boxes aren't as full as others. Then I saw the piles of pamphlets & crucifixes
Needless to after a large number of complaints organisations like the Lions have now offered to collect the boxes and guarantee they won't be tampered with.

 

[Castiel]

Define your view of ' done a lot of good for the world' because there's an awful lot of bad stuff been done by devout Christians either in the name of Christianity or not.
Are Christians automatically kind generous helpful people and atheists incapable of being friendly, helpful and doing charity work etc?

Why are Christian aid groups seemingly incapable of helping others unless they can use it as an opportunity to' spread the word' at the same time ?

The well known but now infamous Xmas shoebox collection where you can fill a box with items for children of certain ages ( baby up till teenage) and include not only small toys but things like toothbrushes & soap, hairbrush etc for children in places like Romania , you then wrap the box in Xmas paper & label it boy/ aged 6-10 or whatever is suitable for the contents

This has been defiled because all the boxes at the collection centres were discovered to have been unwrapped in order to add a load of religious pamphlets etc so behind all these Christian acts there's always a hidden agenda. My wife and daughter used to fill as many as 15 boxes every year and we actually caught them in the act of ripping the paper off our boxes and emptying the contents when we popped back with three more boxes from a friend.

When I asked them to explain why they had emptied our boxes they said it was normal practice to redistribute the items because some peoples boxes aren't as full as others. Then I saw the piles of pamphlets & crucifixes



Needless to after a large number of complaints organisations like the Lions have now offered to collect the boxes and guarantee they won't be tampered with.

They will be tampered with, they will be redistributed and checked in the exact same way, security will check them again and whatever bumpf they wish to add will be. You are naive if you think they will not.

Also Romania and places like it are very religious, who are you to decide what they can and cannot believe just because you are an adherrent to the latest fashionable religion that is atheism.

 

[britboy4321]

Another one in the 'kind of ognore them' category.

A couple of friends who are mega-athiest and very verbal about how stupid religeous people are got married in the church 'for the nice pictures and because I've always wanted to walk down the church aisle' so did all the 'kneeling in front of god' etc.

That's a bit low if you ask me ..