Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Orpheous99 · 02-18-2002, 03:42 AM

Many theists on here will bring up the evil done by atheists whenever atheists show the evil done in the theist's god's name as a counter point. But, just because they may have been atheists doesn't reflect on all other atheists for the simple fact that atheism is not an organized belief system with common rites and rituals, and the like, as religions like Christianity, Judaism, or even Islam have.

The only thing which all atheists have in common is that they don't believe there is a god. On the otherhand what one theist does will reflect on on all other theists, of the same belief system, since they do have set rites and rituals and other dogma in common.

There can be no excuse of "But they were not real atheists..." since there is no atheism as a coherent belief system as there is with theists.

In other words each atheist is responsible for his/her own actions, whereas each theist is responsible to their god.

[ February 18, 2002: Message edited by: Orpheous99 ]</p>

sullster · 02-18-2002, 06:09 AM

I find that theists seem desparate to lump all us atheists into an organized group. They are very threatened by the idea that an individual would not believe their nonsense on his very own. Perhaps this is actually more of a threat to theism than an organised group would be.

As violently athiestic as the communists were, they mostly succeeded in only forcing religious belief underground and actually made it a rallying point for opposing the commuinist regimes. This reveals that theism can well survive an organised threat, but what about individuals just not believing anymore? If one person after another just stopping believing and supporting religion, it would eventually die.

It is essential for the leaders of theism to lump us all into a group organised to threaten them. If we looked at as individuals, then we would be out of reach and become their biggest threat. The person who stays home on Sunday pisses off the religions more than you think.

ohwilleke · 02-18-2002, 06:44 AM

Just to be a contrarian, I think that in our present social climate that atheists do have things in common, and often do share liberal social ethics.

Orpheous99 · 02-19-2002, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ohwilleke:
<strong>Just to be a contrarian, I think that in our present social climate that atheists do have things in common, and often do share liberal social ethics.</strong>

But is is still not a coherent system as it is with theists. they have their beliefs "Written in stone" for them, so to say.

02-18-2002, 03:42 AM	#1
Orpheous99 Banned Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Posts: 1,258	Reflecting on.... Many theists on here will bring up the evil done by atheists whenever atheists show the evil done in the theist's god's name as a counter point. But, just because they may have been atheists doesn't reflect on all other atheists for the simple fact that atheism is not an organized belief system with common rites and rituals, and the like, as religions like Christianity, Judaism, or even Islam have. The only thing which all atheists have in common is that they don't believe there is a god. On the otherhand what one theist does will reflect on on all other theists, of the same belief system, since they do have set rites and rituals and other dogma in common. There can be no excuse of "But they were not real atheists..." since there is no atheism as a coherent belief system as there is with theists. In other words each atheist is responsible for his/her own actions, whereas each theist is responsible to their god. [ February 18, 2002: Message edited by: Orpheous99 ]</p>

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02-18-2002, 06:09 AM	#2
sullster Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: North of Boston Posts: 1,392	I find that theists seem desparate to lump all us atheists into an organized group. They are very threatened by the idea that an individual would not believe their nonsense on his very own. Perhaps this is actually more of a threat to theism than an organised group would be. As violently athiestic as the communists were, they mostly succeeded in only forcing religious belief underground and actually made it a rallying point for opposing the commuinist regimes. This reveals that theism can well survive an organised threat, but what about individuals just not believing anymore? If one person after another just stopping believing and supporting religion, it would eventually die. It is essential for the leaders of theism to lump us all into a group organised to threaten them. If we looked at as individuals, then we would be out of reach and become their biggest threat. The person who stays home on Sunday pisses off the religions more than you think.

02-18-2002, 06:44 AM	#3
ohwilleke Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Denver, Colorado, USA Posts: 4,834	Just to be a contrarian, I think that in our present social climate that atheists do have things in common, and often do share liberal social ethics.

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