Biff the unclean

Another one who condemns methods (shoved down my throat) that were never mentioned or even implied. What gives with you guys? Why even bring up these obvious strawmen?

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It was an opinion, Biff, not a commentary on the original statement. I apply the views I stated in my post to all lines of thinking, from political to religious.

Tangie

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Even if they are wrong, there isn't a way to make everyone believe everything.

If everyone on this planet right now were atheist, someone would come up with the idea of a god because it is something different and new. People would still divert to other beliefs given time, not because atheism is not valid, but because it is human nature to seek out new things and different ways of seeing the world.

You would end up with contradictory views regardless, IMO.

My two cents.
Tangie

The AntiChris

False dilemma.

The alternative to erroneous beliefs isn't "to make everyone believe everything".

I find it odd that in every other sphere of human endeavour false beliefs about the real world are generally discouraged - that's why we educate our kids in schools and universities.

Religious beliefs are about the real world and they therefore have real-world consequences for all of us. Why make ignorance borne of religious belief a special case?

Chris

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Again, my two cents:

The reason I also left Christianity was because of the idea that everyone that did not agree with the theology was ignorant, wrong, going to hell, in denial that there is a God and so on. There were people that I met that were intolerant of anything that said anything contrary to their worldview, particularly science, which they said had the capability of wiping humanity off the face of the earth by failing to have moralistic guidelines for its endeavors.

How is this any different when the tables are turned and it is atheists speaking negatively about those things that run contrary to their worldview and accusing the religous of the same things? Or saying that religion seeks to put us back into an age of darkness where knowledge is shunned?

Neither view of the other is entirely correct. There are atheists just as capable as Christians in making real-world consequences for us all.

So I don't agree that I have created a false dilemma. I have met those that would impose atheism upon the masses in the same manner as Christians seek to convert the entire planet. The viewpoint might be different but the result is the same: failure to tolerate another viewpoint.

I honestly do not know which theology or lack thereof is correct. I have my beliefs but I am flexible enough to know that they may shift and change with time and experience. I don't know everything about the world, nor do I claim to. We will all find out in the end when we pass from here, won't we? Until then I believe we are pissing in the wind about what cannot be definitively proven until we die.

Tangie

The AntiChris

Well it did seem to me (from comments in your previous posts) that you were implying that the only way atheistic belief might become universal would be as a result of some kind of bullying indoctrination.

It should be obvious that this isn't necessarily the case just as it shouldn't be necessary for me to point out that those of us who believe that the world would be a better place without religious belief are not advocating shoving our views down the throats of others or 'making others' believe anything.
Theistic belief isn't a harmless subjective partiality such as a preference for a particular genre of music or flavour of ice cream. As I said before, religious beliefs are beliefs about the real world and they have real-world consequences for all of us.

You shouldn't confuse the desire to correct factual misconceptions of others with a failure to tolerate matters of harmless personal taste.

Chris

Biff the unclean

I don't view religion as a naturally occuring phenomenon. I see it, rather, as a very wide spread con job that is inflicted on innocent people. That is why I say that Atheism is for everyone. "Atheism" meaning the state of not being victimized.

JohNeo

I may be nit-picking on semantics, but I think I agree with what you are saying. Religion actually is naturally occurring, just like anything else in time and space, including humans. What it is NOT is supernaturally occurring, or divinely inspired, in my opinion.

I also agree (for probably the third time now), atheism should be for everyone--again, just my opinion. Religion certainly doesn't make the world a safe place.

JohNeo

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And atheism does?

Tangie

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And you just happened to skim over the post I was replying to:
In comparing religious thought to drug addiction, this brings to mind intervention. Which is the thought behind my original post. I took the statement as intervening on the religious beliefs of others because one happens to see it as an addiction. To me, that is imposing your view on others.
If I misunderstood, I apologize to everyone.
See above.
And my next quote:
Atheism also entails beliefs about the real world that can result in consequences.
Worldview is a subjective phenomenon. Being human will bring about consequences for all of us, regardless of worldview. Just my two cents.
Depends on what your definition of factual misconceptions are. If I believe there is a god based on personal experience and you don't, it may be your opinion that I believe a factual misconception, but it remains your opinion since there is no solid objective proof either way.
If you are defining a misconception as belief that the earth is 6,000 years old, then I agree with you.

My two cents as devil's advocate.
Tangie