JCS

And this applies to only you and not her? :notworthy

Ensign Steve

Aspen Mama,

I think this may have been the wrong forum for this. The emails were just an example, but I think I did a better job of explaining my position in my second post to this thread.

Regardless, I wasn't so much expecting any advice over what to do (although any I receive is much appreciated), but I more wanted to vent my frustration that these are the hangups I'm getting from my atheist family. Sort of like, "If I can't do right by atheists, who can I ever expect to do right by?!"

Sorry if it doesn't belong here, feel free to move it, or even delete it by this point. It's a new day and I am over it.

Thanks guys!

Jen

AspenMama

Jennifer-- it was fine to post here. This forum isn't simply about offering advice to those with problems-- it is also here to discuss the issues that atheists face living in a predominately theistic society. If you simply wanted to rant-- which is fine too--- perhaps another forum would've been better.

However, I think you have brought up some interesting aspects about inter-generational atheism and about how respect often feels like a one-way street to most atheists. I am disturbed by how often showing respect for another's god-belief is defined as silence on our part. Any dissenting voice, no matter how polite, is labeled as disrespect and squashing of their religious rights.

Shake

*checks Jen's website*

Nope, you look damn fine to me!

Check the Photo Gallery thread to see other fine Infidels!

Ensign Steve

You flatter me! I've checked out that thread. Looks pretty cool, but apparently Bill doesn't want to put my pic up.

Maybe I look so damn good I make others look bad? Hmmm... never thought of it that way, LOL!

Jen

cesoid

I can understand respecting people, but why is it necessary to respect their beliefs? By saying this, what I mean to imply is this: Preaching at someone constantly because they believe something is disrespectful to the person, not the beliefs, which is why I wouldn't do it. But to me, respecting the beliefs themselves means admitting that they won't hurt anyone, and therefore doing nothing proactive about it at all.

I think that being free to believe what we want, as we are supposed to be in America, is not out of respect for what we believe, but out of respect for the people that have the beliefs.

I find many things about Christianity and other faiths to be disrespectful to life, and therefore I myself have little respect for these beliefs. I think that Jen's aunt and grandmother, and in fact, a lot of people, are under the impression that some beliefs are immuned to being harmful. I don't think that any system of beliefs is immuned to be harmful, because no system of beliefs is perfect.

People in general should be more open to criticism, and in return the people criticizing them should be better at giving it without pissing them off. From Jen's story I see no reason to believe that she is being inflamatory about anything.