in today's world, atheism is basically irrelevant

[Ayatollah So]

That other thread about atheism allegedly harming children (or whatever) reminded me of something I just realized recently.

Atheism is basically irrelevant.

I don't mean personally. I mean socially - as a worldwide force, atheism ... well, isn't. It's not a force of any significance. Neither good nor ill of significant magnitude can be expected to result from it (chaos theory be damned), it's just too small.

Thus, it's just not getting worked up over. The real battle isn't there - it's between various religious viewpoints. Most notably, IMHO, the battle is between those who think humans are supposed to use this life to earn God's love, versus those who think we're here to spend it. I'm rooting for the latter bunch.

Oh yeah - by the way - I'm an atheist (thank God!)

Poll coming.

 

[holy king]

how could it be? there are no atheist organizations unlike religious ones...

 

[Fifty]

The anti-atheist people generally think that atheism is responsible for some sort of general "decay of the moral fabric" that they think they perceive. Of course its all BS, but they take it on faith and authority that atheism leads to badness.

 

[Cutlass]

Atheism is such a small matter that it makes no real difference to anything.

 

[GenMarshall]

Atheism is basically irrelevant.

 

[Ecofarm]

Atheism is the most important thing to happen since we climbed down from the trees and invented religion for personal gain. We're it not for the disillusionment of religion, we would still be praying for crops, medical cures, and just about everything else.

That gives me an idea for a novel: a world that developed completely devout, where everything is prayed for and a whole existance is warped around why some prayers get answered and others don't.

If you do not think atheism is important, imagine a world full of fundies.

Would you rather a world full of irrational fundies, or atheists? Exactly, that's why all religions will be dead soon.

 

[Defiant47]

As the maturity of our species increases as it has slowly over time, we will notice more and more people adopting non-religious (or atheistic) beliefs.

We have been able to notice this. The church has lost much of its power in the past, and the decline continues. I have faith (ironically) that one day we will rid ourselves of religion for good.

 

[Shadylookin]

Well there are a lot of atheists in the world. However there is no atheistic religious/political force because atheists don't clump together in groups. Atheism has no tenants, no doctrine, no leaders, no hierarchy. It would be like starting a political force of people that don't believe in lepricons or the bogeyman. So I would say that when it comes to influencing large groups of people it is irrelevant because atheism doesn't force any type of group mentality.

 

[hossam]

double post

 

[hossam]

Atheism is the most important thing to happen since we climbed down from the trees and invented religion for personal gain. We're it not for the disillusionment of religion, we would still be praying for crops, medical cures, and just about everything else.

That gives me an idea for a novel: a world that developed completely devout, where everything is prayed for and a whole existance is warped around why some prayers get answered and others don't.

If you do not think atheism is important, imagine a world full of fundies.

Would you rather a world full of irrational fundies, or atheists? Exactly, that's why all religions will be dead soon.

since when is religion about praying for everything you want and getting it anyway?

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

It is irrelevant. Theism has a monopoly on the world's belief systems.

 

[Ecofarm]

since when is religion about praying for everything you want and getting it anyway?

Well, I didn't say you'd get it by anything more than coincidence.

But religion is about praying for things, are you going to deny that?

Show me a religious person who doesn't pray. Now, imagine that's what everyone did (fundies, not refridgerator religious) for everything. How pathetic would this world be? The whole world would be one constant Haj.... This could be a good novel.

 

[Defiant47]

Well, I didn't say you'd get it by anything more than coincidence.

But religion is about praying for things, are you going to deny that?

Show me a religious person who doesn't pray. Now, imagine that's what everyone did (fundies, not refridgerator religious) for everything. How pathetic would this world be?

There are some religious belief system that do not involve prayer. However, most religions are not like that. Despite that, there are plenty of people that are religious passively (and thus not into the prayer thing).

 

[Ecofarm]

There are some religious belief system that do not involve prayer. However, most religions are not like that. Despite that, there are plenty of people that are religious passively (and thus not into the prayer thing).

How can you believe in a god and not pray to it? I call BS on your non-prayer religious people.

And besides, we are talking about real religious people here, not the refridgerator variety. People with one foot out the door don't count. I'm not talking about kinda religious. I'm talking about religious.

Bringing up semi-religious people who think they can live however they want and still pull god out of the butt when convienient does not prove anything. It only serves to obscure (through the introduction of grey) the point. Don't be an obstructionist. When we say religious people, we mean actual religious people. Not your uncle bob who goes to church only on christmas and easter. He doesn't count as a religious person; he counts as an ass who is too weak to tell those putting pressure on him to screw off.

 

[Jerrymander]

Atheism isn't irrelevant, it's just not a formidable philosophy.

Most atheists I know are complete dolts who just say it because 'its cool'. D:

 

[Ur_Vile_Wedge]

How can you believe in a god and not pray to it? I call BS on your non-prayer religious people.

It's very simple. You believe that you are there for God. And not that God exists to answer your pointless and often idiotic requests. Therefore, it is the height of arrogance to ask for an infinite being to give you some treat.

 

[Defiant47]

How can you believe in a god and not pray to it? I call BS on your non-prayer religious people.

Just because a God exists does not directly and intrinsically imply that you should or shall pray to it.

And besides, we are talking about real religious people here, not the refridgerator variety. People with one foot out the door don't count. I'm not talking about kinda religious. I'm talking about religious.

I was mainly referring to the religions that don't include a God in their system of belief (i.e. Buddhism to the best of my knowledge).

 

[Ecofarm]

It's very simple. You believe that you are there for God. And not that God exists to answer your pointless and often idiotic requests. Therefore, it is the height of arrogance to ask for an infinite being to give you some treat.

And what religion is that? Please tell.

Personal religions don't count.

And buddhism includes god(s). All of the gods of hindu + sidartha gutama. Vishnu, Shiva, all those guys and yes, buddhists do pray to them, at altars in their homes every day. And after Hindus (and buddhists?) do their proper prayers, they put the little red dot on their head. That's right... The dot signifies having done your proper prayers that day.

So, again, I request evidence that there is a single religion in existance that does not pray (personal religions aside, of course). Probably the only one that semi-qualifies is Confucianism, but that's more a philosophy than a religion so I don't think it counts. Good luck finding another.

Real religion = prayer.

 

[hossam]

Well, I didn't say you'd get it by anything more than coincidence.

But religion is about praying for things, are you going to deny that?

Show me a religious person who doesn't pray. Now, imagine that's what everyone did (fundies, not refridgerator religious) for everything. How pathetic would this world be? The whole world would be one constant Haj.... This could be a good novel.

yes actually i am going to deny that because religion is about worhiping a divine being that created everything you know of and you can pray when you need to but your supposed to do your job first and then pray for extra "luck" so to speak, farmers prayed for a good harvest AFTER they finished doing all their farm work.

 

[hossam]

Well, I didn't say you'd get it by anything more than coincidence.

But religion is about praying for things, are you going to deny that?

Show me a religious person who doesn't pray. Now, imagine that's what everyone did (fundies, not refridgerator religious) for everything. How pathetic would this world be? The whole world would be one constant Haj.... This could be a good novel.

yes actually i am going to deny that because religion is about worhiping a god that created everything you know of and you can pray when you need to but your supposed to do your job first and then pray for extra "luck" so to speak, farmers prayed for a good harvest AFTER they finished doing all their farm work.