Hedwig

That's one heck of an assumption to be made. Check out the thread on the "A.I." DVD. Atheists can argue over just about anything.

And I fail to see how atheists can "'keep the faith' in atheism."

Media-1

(parts above were snipped)

I don't deny that religion continues to have a major role in wars and numerous persecutions. But your worries are rather skewed to one side. You seem to ignore the other side of it:

1. Atheism is capable of stirring up something like religious passion too. How can you be sure that some atheistic world leader might not launch an all-out war against religion and religious people?

2. Many atheists deny that human beings really possess "human rights" as human rights are generally understood. This would seem to follow because if no god exists, where would we humans get any of our rights from?

3. Many atheists are moral relativists. If no objective standard (GOD) exists to decide what is and isn't wrong, then each individual must decide on his/her own what is/isn't morally right.

4. If no god exists, is human life worth any more than ant life?

Taken together, these are some very good reasons to hope that theism remains a dominant cultural influence. Even though most religious people are obviously far from perfect, for the reasons above, a world populated by imperfect theists seems vastly safer and more humane than a world of imperfect atheists.

Media-1

Eudaimonist

Sure, but UFO cults, such as the Raelians, aren't the majority belief system, nor do they have political power. If they did, atheists would be discussing Raelianism much more often than Christianity.

Echo

I don't believe in UFOs either, but unlike you I *do* like to talk about them. In fact, I like to talk about all sorts of bizarre beliefs that people hold. That's why I participate on a number of paranormal message boards and chat rooms. However, you can rest assured that just because I participate in discussions of the paranormal, I do not believe in UFOs, or astral bodies, or channeling, or poltergeists...or god(s). We obviously just have different tastes when it comes to the kinds of topics we find interesting to talk about.

Of course, if I used your logic, then the world's most well known creationists and intelligent design proponents must really believe in evolution since they spend so much time talking about it.

Media-1

I disagree. It shouldn't be surprising that creationists and ID'ers want to refute theories that they believe are in direct conflict with the bible. That is usually viewed by creationists as a necessary step in trying to convert non-Christians to Christianity.

Media-1

Hobbs

Sort of like how theists get together once or a few times a week to try to keep themselves convinced that their fantasies are real?

Hobbs

That sounds remarkably like what I used to think back when I was a believer. It reflected a complete lack of understanding of and knowledge about atheists, and it was totally off base from the reality I've found now that I'm on the other side. Stick around, Media-1, you may find that we're not nearly as frightening or depraved as you have imagined.

Hondo

Media-1
If my aunt Polly had balls, she'd be my uncle Paul! No affiliation with Paul the myth maker.

One could come up with more reasons than any of us could care to list, but I'll try a few:
1. Our President Shrub tell the Chineese that 95% of all Americans believe in god, whose god, what god, where the hell is my god?
2. The Attorney General of the United States, annoits himself in oil, has daily prayer sessions, spends hard earned tax money to cover perfectly good statues, sings funky religious songs, and is supposedly looking out for the welfare of all- Americans.
3. Billy Graham, Mr. Xtianity himself, makes perfectly deplorable anti-semitic remarks, with the leader of the free world.
4. Xtians try to circumvent science at all costs.
5. The God of the bible is one of the most perfectly reprehensible beings ever created. Does the killing of children, and raping of virgins ring a bell?
6. Xtians base their reality on a book, that is full of more holes than the moon.
7. How does a theocracy sound to you?
Other than the thing I mention above and a myriad of others, I can't really think of any good reasons.

Hondo

Hobbs

What if those believers constantly knocked on your door and tried to convince you that UFOs are real? What if neighbors and co-workers were suspicious of you because you don't believe in UFOs? What if family members rejected you because you reject the existence of UFOs? Might you be forced to have a bit more interest in the subject then?

Or, what if you used to be a strong believer in UFOs but you have since come to your senses, and, having been there, you are now interested in the strange phenomenon of people having such beliefs?

Media-1

You seem to be saying that the belief system of the majority must be some sort of threat to the values of those in the minority. There are instances in which that has been true, but in general, this is not the case. Historically, small minorities have successfully controlled, dominated, and oppressed sizable majorities on numerous occasions. I would fear a tremendously oppressive minority rule far more than a mildly heavy-handed majority rule.

Media-1