miata

It has been my experience that every discussion I have had on the web about my lack of belief in any God I have been attacked by extremist. I have been told 97% of people believe in God. Why do they feel the need to attack atheist. If the fundies get on and start damning this site I'll go away and start over.

Brother Daniel

I might as well get my 2 cents in before the mods kick this thread to GRD (or wherever).

Welcome to IIDB, miata. If you stay with us for a while, you may find that some of our local theists are likely to treat your expressed frustration as evidence that you are picking on them. Whether you find this amusing or irritating will depend, perhaps, on your personality type.

Again, welcome.

[edited to add words "some of"]

Plognark

Welcome

Well, there are some moderate theists here...and some not so moderate ones as well...but at least we have safety in numbers here, and no one puts up with their bullcrap. Poke around, there's some fun threads going on right now

Selsaral

It seems most religious fundamentalists are hostile to not only atheists, but to other theists as well...essentially hostile to humans other than those who belong to their own particular sect. Notice the Muslims who are hostile to each other (sunni vs shiite), the christians who are hostile to each other, muslims who are hostile to atheists, christians who are hostile to atheists. Also notice similar hostility occurs between people of different ethnic groups, social classes, political affiliation, nationality, etc. And don't forget the spite and hostility some atheists show some theists.

So I don't think it's necessarily based upon a christian's objection to atheism. I think it's based upon human being's tendency to be hostile to others.

I have seen much more venom thrown around in some political discussions than in some religious discussions.

miata

I don't mind a mature debate or exchange but not name calling and hell fire seems over the line. I went to a Christian site weeks ago and asked and I was bluntly told to go away.
I hope there is safety in numbers because everyone I know personally is or pretends to be a born again Christian so we do not discuss it. They can't understand why I want to be damned to hell.

dado

it happens here to. i am - it is rumored - some kind of moderate theist - and i have been told in no uncertain terms here on IIDB to piss off. usually by a high school kid who's just discovered Sartre but is still an SAT (or two) away from formal logic.

thin skin and chat boards don't mix, whatever the topic.

AJ113

It is against the forum rules to flame. Posts will be edited or deleted according to the severity of their transgressions. If you don't agree with someone, state your case and back it up with reason. The vast majority of posts do not need to be edited because we all, atheists and theists alike adhere to the rules.

Faith

The simple answer is...true Christians shouldn't attack others for their beliefs. Please consider that the next time someone is hostile to you in the name of Christianity.

Mageth

Are you familiar with the "No True Scotsman" fallacy?

For that matter, are you familiar with Luke 11:37-54?

Yahzi

What? Yes they should. According to Christianity, beliefs matter. Not just in some abstract way, but in a direct, immediate, God-will-punish-our-nation and you-will-burn-forever way. True Christians should lay down in the street blocking traffic until everyone comes to believe in God. Of what value is life on Earth to the True Christian, except as a test to get into Heaven?

If I really, really believed that you were about to step off a cliff into a lake of fire, would I say, "Oh, I think your doing the wrong thing, but I have to get to work now, so I guess I'll just walk away." Of course not, because I am a moral and compassionate human being.

So it follows that if you were doing something even stupider than playing with matches in a gasoline factory, I would be morally compelled to go to almost any length to stop you. The fact that so many people seem to think Christianity is a cafeteria, and if you don't like whats on the menu you can always go to another resteraunt, just goes to show there aren't very many True Christians.

The average Christian's loyalty is akin to a sports or music fan's loyalty: they've heard some stuff this Jesus guy has done, and they like the sound of it. They hope he wins the tournament, because they've got five bucks riding on him. That's as deep as it goes. I don'th think Jesus would be amused.

The fact that people commit such horrible crimes in the name of relgion does not show how deep their faith is, but rather, how little it takes to get people to do horrible things.

Edit: Just to make it clear - the only system that allows you to believe whatever you want is secular humanism, because it denies that mere belief matters. SH doesn't care what you believe, it cares what you do. If you can believe in fairy tales and not allow that to influence your actions, fine (although that strikes me as nigh impossible). The point is, all this tolerance you are preaching is a secular humanist value, a product of the Enlightentment, and forced onto the Christians at gun-point.