Stigma of Atheism

[PratchettFan]

Not THIS again.

How about you go read the dozens of other threads that started with the same bull-oney?

And then say why it is that you so-called christians are always about putting people down, name calling, nastiness and lies?

As long as you're not trying to shove them down my throat, you're more than welcome to your beliefs. Why won't you extend that same courtesy to others?

MYOB.

because hyper religious zealots hate people who don't agree with their narrow world view and pretend what they think is legitimate.

to the o/p.... no... no one thinks atheists are evil except for the rabid religious right. most people judge the person.

personally, I see a lot more immoral so-called religious types than I do immoral atheists.

Of course. There are more religious types than there are Atheists. I'm sure you see a lot more religious types wearing t-shirts than Atheists, that doesn't mean they don't wear them.

 

[jillian]

Not THIS again.

How about you go read the dozens of other threads that started with the same bull-oney?

And then say why it is that you so-called christians are always about putting people down, name calling, nastiness and lies?

As long as you're not trying to shove them down my throat, you're more than welcome to your beliefs. Why won't you extend that same courtesy to others?

MYOB.

because hyper religious zealots hate people who don't agree with their narrow world view and pretend what they think is legitimate.

to the o/p.... no... no one thinks atheists are evil except for the rabid religious right. most people judge the person.

personally, I see a lot more immoral so-called religious types than I do immoral atheists.

Of course. There are more religious types than there are Atheists. I'm sure you see a lot more religious types wearing t-shirts than Atheists, that doesn't mean they don't wear them.

if you mean religious types are more visible... yes, they are, because they insist on imposing their beliefs on people. are there *more* religious types? In this country? yes. but that doesn't negate the stupidity of thinking someone who doesn't worship as you do is inherently evil.

nor does it change the fact that I see far more of what I would consider "immorality" from the hyper religious.

but then again, I suppose that depends on what one finds immoral.

 

[Darkwind]

It strikes Me that a few atheists could benefit from a Stigmata or three...

 

[Darkwind]

because hyper religious zealots hate people who don't agree with their narrow world view and pretend what they think is legitimate.

to the o/p.... no... no one thinks atheists are evil except for the rabid religious right. most people judge the person.

personally, I see a lot more immoral so-called religious types than I do immoral atheists.

Anyone else see it? I have hit My quote for ironic for the day.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Wonder what the script for door-to-door atheists would be?

"We'd love to talk to you for a while about the utter futility of life and existence."

 

[Delta4Embassy]

It strikes Me that a few atheists could benefit from a Stigmata or three...

Stigmata, what psychologists now call cutting and self-harm.

 

[Darkwind]

It strikes Me that a few atheists could benefit from a Stigmata or three...

Stigmata, what psychologists now call cutting and self-harm.

No....but nice try....

 

[PratchettFan]

Not THIS again.

How about you go read the dozens of other threads that started with the same bull-oney?

And then say why it is that you so-called christians are always about putting people down, name calling, nastiness and lies?

As long as you're not trying to shove them down my throat, you're more than welcome to your beliefs. Why won't you extend that same courtesy to others?

MYOB.

because hyper religious zealots hate people who don't agree with their narrow world view and pretend what they think is legitimate.

to the o/p.... no... no one thinks atheists are evil except for the rabid religious right. most people judge the person.

personally, I see a lot more immoral so-called religious types than I do immoral atheists.

Of course. There are more religious types than there are Atheists. I'm sure you see a lot more religious types wearing t-shirts than Atheists, that doesn't mean they don't wear them.

if you mean religious types are more visible... yes, they are, because they insist on imposing their beliefs on people. are there *more* religious types? In this country? yes. but that doesn't negate the stupidity of thinking someone who doesn't worship as you do is inherently evil.

nor does it change the fact that I see far more of what I would consider "immorality" from the hyper religious.

but then again, I suppose that depends on what one finds immoral.

Not more visible, just more. Atheists represent less than 3% of the adult population in the US, of course you are going to see less immoral Atheists, but not because they are any less immoral. It's because there are less of them. Atheists are human beings, just like any other human beings.

 

[Iceweasel]

This thread seems to have evoked hostile comments on the merits of atheism rather than on the intended topic ----- why does a stigma associated with atheism exist in a society that prides itself on first amendment freedoms.

Who is taking any rights away from you? Aren't they just expressing their opinion as well? If there is a stigma it's because atheism isn't a widely held belief, and in fact, almost all the time I've had the discussion I found them to be agnostic. But they like the words atheist i this culture because it has an anti-Christian flair to it.

 

[jillian]

Not THIS again.

How about you go read the dozens of other threads that started with the same bull-oney?

And then say why it is that you so-called christians are always about putting people down, name calling, nastiness and lies?

As long as you're not trying to shove them down my throat, you're more than welcome to your beliefs. Why won't you extend that same courtesy to others?

MYOB.

because hyper religious zealots hate people who don't agree with their narrow world view and pretend what they think is legitimate.

to the o/p.... no... no one thinks atheists are evil except for the rabid religious right. most people judge the person.

personally, I see a lot more immoral so-called religious types than I do immoral atheists.

Of course. There are more religious types than there are Atheists. I'm sure you see a lot more religious types wearing t-shirts than Atheists, that doesn't mean they don't wear them.

if you mean religious types are more visible... yes, they are, because they insist on imposing their beliefs on people. are there *more* religious types? In this country? yes. but that doesn't negate the stupidity of thinking someone who doesn't worship as you do is inherently evil.

nor does it change the fact that I see far more of what I would consider "immorality" from the hyper religious.

but then again, I suppose that depends on what one finds immoral.

Not more visible, just more. Atheists represent less than 3% of the adult population in the US, of course you are going to see less immoral Atheists, but not because they are any less immoral. It's because there are less of them. Atheists are human beings, just like any other human beings.

or maybe it's because you don't hear about atheists trying to take food away from children or fighting to pass laws that discriminate against our citizenry....

 

[jillian]

This thread seems to have evoked hostile comments on the merits of atheism rather than on the intended topic ----- why does a stigma associated with atheism exist in a society that prides itself on first amendment freedoms.

what was pointed out is that the only "stigma" attached to atheism is from religious zealots.

 

[jillian]

Even today, however, the self-proclaimed atheist incurs a stigma of being evil, a heretic who deserve to be a pariah in a society that ostensibly adulates freedom of speech, thought, and religion.

you forgot "irrational"......that's the primary characteristic of atheists......

Atheism is irrational only to the extent it is based upon belief. It is no more irrational than Theism.

be sure to tell steven hawkings that he's "irrational".

while i'm not an atheist, there is nothing irrational about atheism.

 

[asterism]

Discussion of atheism was known in classical antiquity [eg, Cicero, De Natura Deorum] and permeated philosophy in the Age of Enlightenment. Mark Twain gave a humorous but contemptuous view of Christianity in his ''Letters from the Earth,'' as did Robert Ingersoll in his various writings. The numerous arguments generally fall under three rubrics-

[1] lack of empirical evidence of a god,
[2] existence of evil, and
[3] multiple religions with conflicting dogmas.

Even today, however, the self-proclaimed atheist incurs a stigma of being evil, a heretic who deserve to be a pariah in a society that ostensibly adulates freedom of speech, thought, and religion.

I invite discussion of your opinion or experiences on this rather atavistic stigma associated with atheism.

Most atheists that advocate in favor of their beliefs are assholes to anyone that disagrees with them. That small but very vocal minority completely drowns out the rational atheists who are respectful and simply disagree.

 

[JakeStarkey]

There is no general stigma to atheism, only a sorrowfulness.

 

[sealybobo]

Take God from the equation for billions whose lives consist of toil, hunger, and drudgery, and what do they have left? Take the abstraction called faith-based "hope" from their lives, and what do they have left?

So religion is a tool to keep the poor down? Arrestive Development a rap group sang a song about it called Fishin For a New Religion. They sang, "the pastor told the lady to cope with her problems but the word cope and the word change are directly opposite not the same, she should have been praying to change he woes but the pastor said pray to cope with those..."

I understand what you are saying, but I have a problem with it. Why are sooo many people dealing with toil and hunger? What is religion doing about it? What does Islam or Catholics do for the poor of the world? I know they do "some" but not enough. There shouldn't be those things! If that's the best religion can do, NEXT!

 

[sealybobo]

Discussion of atheism was known in classical antiquity [eg, Cicero, De Natura Deorum] and permeated philosophy in the Age of Enlightenment. Mark Twain gave a humorous but contemptuous view of Christianity in his ''Letters from the Earth,'' as did Robert Ingersoll in his various writings. The numerous arguments generally fall under three rubrics-

[1] lack of empirical evidence of a god,
[2] existence of evil, and
[3] multiple religions with conflicting dogmas.

Even today, however, the self-proclaimed atheist incurs a stigma of being evil, a heretic who deserve to be a pariah in a society that ostensibly adulates freedom of speech, thought, and religion.

I invite discussion of your opinion or experiences on this rather atavistic stigma associated with atheism.

Most atheists that advocate in favor of their beliefs are assholes to anyone that disagrees with them. That small but very vocal minority completely drowns out the rational atheists who are respectful and simply disagree.

Well it is also true that asshole Christians completely drown out the good Christians.

 

[sealybobo]

There is no general stigma to atheism, only a sorrowfulness.

PLEASE don't feel sorry for us. We sometimes feel sorry for you because life is too short to be like you are. Sorry you are so miserable you need an imaginary friend to get you through this terrible life. Don't worry, one day heaven awaits. LOL

When I became convinced that the universe was natural, that all the ghosts and gods were myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood, the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. The walls of my prison crumbled and fell. The dungeon was flooded with light and all the bolts and bars and manacles turned to dust. I was no longer a servant, a serf, or a slave. There was for me no master in all the wide world, not even in infinite space.

I was free to think. Free to express my thoughts, free to live in my own ideal. Free to live for myself and those I loved. Free to use all my faculties, all my senses. Free to spread imagination’s wings, free to investigate, to guess, and dream and hope. Free to judge and determine for myself. Free to reject all ignorant and cruel creeds, all the inspired books that savages have produced, and the barbarous legends of the past. Free from sanctified mistakes and “holy” lies. Free from the fear of eternal pain, free from the winged monsters of the night. Free from devils, ghosts and gods. For the first time I was free.

There were no prohibited places in all of the realm of thought. No error, no space where fancy could not spread her painted wings. No chains for my limbs. No lashes for my back. No flames for my flesh. No Master’s frown or threat, no following in another’s steps. No need to bow or cringe or crawl, or utter lying words. I was free; I stood erect and fearlessly, joyously faced all worlds.

My heart was filled with gratitude, with thankfulness, and went out in love to all the heros, the thinkers who gave their lives for liberty of hand and brain, for the freedom of labor and thought to those who fell on the fierce fields of war. To those who died in dungeons, bound in chains, to those by fire consumed, to all the wise, the good, the brave of every land whose thoughts and deeds have given freedom to the sons of men. And then, I vowed to grasp the torch that they held, and hold it high, That light might conquer darkness still.

-Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)

 

[asterism]

There is no general stigma to atheism, only a sorrowfulness.

PLEASE don't feel sorry for us. We sometimes feel sorry for you because life is too short to be like you are. Sorry you are so miserable you need an imaginary friend to get you through this terrible life. Don't worry, one day heaven awaits. LOL

When I became convinced that the universe was natural, that all the ghosts and gods were myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood, the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. The walls of my prison crumbled and fell. The dungeon was flooded with light and all the bolts and bars and manacles turned to dust. I was no longer a servant, a serf, or a slave. There was for me no master in all the wide world, not even in infinite space.

I was free to think. Free to express my thoughts, free to live in my own ideal. Free to live for myself and those I loved. Free to use all my faculties, all my senses. Free to spread imagination’s wings, free to investigate, to guess, and dream and hope. Free to judge and determine for myself. Free to reject all ignorant and cruel creeds, all the inspired books that savages have produced, and the barbarous legends of the past. Free from sanctified mistakes and “holy” lies. Free from the fear of eternal pain, free from the winged monsters of the night. Free from devils, ghosts and gods. For the first time I was free.

There were no prohibited places in all of the realm of thought. No error, no space where fancy could not spread her painted wings. No chains for my limbs. No lashes for my back. No flames for my flesh. No Master’s frown or threat, no following in another’s steps. No need to bow or cringe or crawl, or utter lying words. I was free; I stood erect and fearlessly, joyously faced all worlds.

My heart was filled with gratitude, with thankfulness, and went out in love to all the heros, the thinkers who gave their lives for liberty of hand and brain, for the freedom of labor and thought to those who fell on the fierce fields of war. To those who died in dungeons, bound in chains, to those by fire consumed, to all the wise, the good, the brave of every land whose thoughts and deeds have given freedom to the sons of men. And then, I vowed to grasp the torch that they held, and hold it high, That light might conquer darkness still.

-Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)

How can one be an atheist and believe that one has a soul?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

There's two kinds of atheists, the atheist who doesn't believe in God, but thinks everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and the atheist who doesn't believe in God, and claims that those who teach Catholicism to their children are worse than child abusers. I only object to atheist number 2.

There are two kinds of christians -

Those who actually love by the supposed teachings of their god and those who just copy/paste long preachy nonsense and then post hatred for the very people their god said he loved.

Personally, as long as they keep it to themselves and don't try to control my life and my country, I don't give a large mouse's behind what someone says they believe.

Preach whatever you want in your tax free churches but keep religion (and government) out of our private lives.

 

[sealybobo]

There is no general stigma to atheism, only a sorrowfulness.

PLEASE don't feel sorry for us. We sometimes feel sorry for you because life is too short to be like you are. Sorry you are so miserable you need an imaginary friend to get you through this terrible life. Don't worry, one day heaven awaits. LOL

When I became convinced that the universe was natural, that all the ghosts and gods were myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood, the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. The walls of my prison crumbled and fell. The dungeon was flooded with light and all the bolts and bars and manacles turned to dust. I was no longer a servant, a serf, or a slave. There was for me no master in all the wide world, not even in infinite space.

I was free to think. Free to express my thoughts, free to live in my own ideal. Free to live for myself and those I loved. Free to use all my faculties, all my senses. Free to spread imagination’s wings, free to investigate, to guess, and dream and hope. Free to judge and determine for myself. Free to reject all ignorant and cruel creeds, all the inspired books that savages have produced, and the barbarous legends of the past. Free from sanctified mistakes and “holy” lies. Free from the fear of eternal pain, free from the winged monsters of the night. Free from devils, ghosts and gods. For the first time I was free.

There were no prohibited places in all of the realm of thought. No error, no space where fancy could not spread her painted wings. No chains for my limbs. No lashes for my back. No flames for my flesh. No Master’s frown or threat, no following in another’s steps. No need to bow or cringe or crawl, or utter lying words. I was free; I stood erect and fearlessly, joyously faced all worlds.

My heart was filled with gratitude, with thankfulness, and went out in love to all the heros, the thinkers who gave their lives for liberty of hand and brain, for the freedom of labor and thought to those who fell on the fierce fields of war. To those who died in dungeons, bound in chains, to those by fire consumed, to all the wise, the good, the brave of every land whose thoughts and deeds have given freedom to the sons of men. And then, I vowed to grasp the torch that they held, and hold it high, That light might conquer darkness still.

-Robert Green Ingersoll (1833-1899)

How can one be an atheist and believe that one has a soul?

There's the physical (body) and the thinking feeling part of us that we all call the "soul"

Incorporeal or uncarnate means without a physical body, presence or form.

The soul, in many religious, philosophical and mythological traditions, is

I think he was being philisophical.

Ask if what happens to his soul when he dies and I don't think he thinks it goes to heaven. That's just wishful thinking. Bible talk.