Nylan
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I do not think it happens as often as is implied, Defiant, but your reasoning is fairly sound.
Is this the Atheist Fanatics Forums Off-Topic?
- Thread starter Danielos
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Hundegesicht
Manly Studmuffin
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Nowhere even close. It's not even in the top 25: http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html
I was in Iceland last summer, and I actually found it to be a lot more conservative and religious than any other European country I've been to.
Yared
That Guy
I'll just add my own 2 cents by saying that religion is kinda practiced differently in different countries. Most of the Christians in Sweden don't go to church on a weekly basis (i.e on Sundays). They get baptized and when they become 15 they go to confirmation camps and that's it. Of course we do have some of those hardcore (for Sweden
) Christians that go to church on every Sunday and go around knocking on people's doors, etc.A very loose way to measure the amount of those hardcore people is through the looking at the polls made by companies regarding the "if you could vote today, whom would you vote for?" thingy.
4.2 % would vote for Kristen Demokraterna(kd) - the most conservative party.
Don't know why I wrote it but I hope it was contributing somehow. Also, can't we just have a anonymous poll in this tread?
I'm thinking more of the "block" that atheists encounter when arguing with theists. My best friend has told me of a "block" that causes one to automatically shut down, from our previous conversations before he was atheist. It is only now that I'm starting to understand why the block is there and why it is so strong.
Sure, theists have plenty of reasons to believe. And plenty of other things make their beliefs strong. However, the main reason they will shut down and not want to talk about it anymore is because of what it would entail for their social situation. If you even merely threaten those other things (such as, the reasons why to believe in God), then this also comes in. One wouldn't want to think "hmm, maybe this logic is sound, I should investigate further" when it would mean becoming alienated from most of who are close to them.
Hell, I was nearly drawn into the Christian community during my escapades in High School because they were so damn close, nice, and friendly. I can then imagine already being a part of that community, and what it would entail to "essentially" break off (even though they'd still love me and like me, there'd be distance, it wouldn't be the same).
Which is exactly what I meant, but without going through the whole argument again.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
You'll find the same thing on almost any other internet forum, save for the religious ones like "Rapture Ready". I think it makes perfect sense:
1. The demographic that internet forums attract coincides with the largest non-believing demographic
2. Most young people in the West tend to be nonbelieving, save for people from the U.S.
1. The demographic that internet forums attract coincides with the largest non-believing demographic
2. Most young people in the West tend to be nonbelieving, save for people from the U.S.
classical_hero
In whom I trust
Perhaps.
The main problem is often that many of the objections that ar raised against religion are often repeated refuted and yet we continue to hear the same arguments over and over again, which does become quite tedious saying the same thing over again, no matter how many times you give an answer and they still will not listen to what you are saying and say that you have not answered the question, even if you have answered it to the letter, since they do not want to hear what the answer is.
I don't see how you jumped from "strategies" to "God" or how people who "think a lot" are less likely to be governed by emotions.
I was jumping from 'thinking' to 'thinking'.
And contrasting the opposites of thinking and feeling.
Nylan
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Oh, ok. Consistent of them.
Perhaps.
The main problem is often that many of the objections that ar raised against religion are often repeated refuted and yet we continue to hear the same arguments over and over again, which does become quite tedious saying the same thing over again, no matter how many times you give an answer and they still will not listen to what you are saying and say that you have not answered the question, even if you have answered it to the letter, since they do not want to hear what the answer is.
How very interesting, I feel the exact same way!
Ziggy Stardust
Absolutely Sane
You can make this argument about 80% of the topics discussed here. Environment, evolution, politics, economics, evolution, all kinds of social issues, you name it.Perhaps.
The main problem is often that many of the objections that ar raised against religion are often repeated refuted and yet we continue to hear the same arguments over and over again, which does become quite tedious saying the same thing over again, no matter how many times you give an answer and they still will not listen to what you are saying and say that you have not answered the question, even if you have answered it to the letter, since they do not want to hear what the answer is.
Speaking for myself, you have to understand that me asking about religion makes a lot more sense than asking about atheism. Since I know about it, I am one and there isn't much to discuss. And don't get me started on how many times I have had to explain what agnosticism and atheism are for instance. If I tell certain people that I am an atheist because of my agnosticism, I get a "does not compute".
Thing is, when discussing religion or atheism, or any other topic for that matter, always try not to attack the person or people who subscribe to a certain way of life. In my opinion it's perfectly fine to criticise and even attack Christianity or Atheism, not Christians or Atheist. Ideas and arguments are free game, no matter how convinced one is about it's truthiness.
Nylan
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Yes, that clarifies the issue quite well.
Interestingly enough, this is similar to the difficulty Mormon missionaries deal with frequently.
Well, I would believe that Christians would get offended and provoked by me. I think I agree with the more aggressive atheist Dawkins position, and is actively trying to argument with Christians, rather than just take a passive position. Every one is of course entitled to believe whatever they want, but I dislike religion so passionately that I have real difficulty to just shut up. 
I agree with Dawkins calling religion a "virus of the mind" and religious people "slaves to superstition", and while I don´t wholly agree with Dawkins scientophilia, I think the world would be a better and more reasonable place without religions. But of course, then we would not be able to argue about it anymore...
I agree with Dawkins calling religion a "virus of the mind" and religious people "slaves to superstition", and while I don´t wholly agree with Dawkins scientophilia, I think the world would be a better and more reasonable place without religions. But of course, then we would not be able to argue about it anymore...
Yes, the block is pretty strong. It is not only a social construct, but also a disturbing existential one. Consider you have believed all your life that death is not the end, that your soul is eternal and that deceased friends and family family members are still "alive" in Heaven, and that you will be reunited with them after your death. And then you as malevolent atheist pull that naive safety blanket away from them and makes them see the grim truth. Of course, that could lead to a deep personal crisis and depressions...
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
Agreed, and with the trolling and flaming by the more obnoxious militant atheists on the board. I am not supprised to see why most theists on this forum would rather keep quiet than engage with an argument with an offensive atheist who rants "you're stupid cause you believe in God!", etc. And hold an air of superiority and thinking that they are better than theists. Being as vocal as the atheist on this board won't help anything nor would it make em ceace assaulting religion.Well most of the Theists here generally keep quiet, except on a few occasions, since most of the talk by the Atheists here would raise a lot ofin many of the hard hitting Christian forums. Many of us just prefer to talk about the game rather than our beliefs, which is a shame, since we do need to be as vocal as the Atheists on this board. So to speak, get the message out.
Sorry, but you're not right. No matter how egotistcal militant atheists getAh, but the difference is we are right!
. How do YOU know you are right? You could face Jesus when you die then tells you you're going to hell, or some deity from a religion denies you into heaven/nirvana/whatever.Agreed, I even got tired of thick headed atheists who ask questions about a religion then refuse to accept the answer because they don't want to hear anything. I don't play games here, if you are genualy curious I will answer the question. But if you (general you) start to not want to hear it and refuse to listen. I stop right there because I don't want to put up with the imature games atheists play. I have better things to do with my time than argue with an atheist on religion.
Sorry, but you're not right. No matter how egotistcal militant atheists get
Well, I think atheists are more open to realise they might be wrong than most theists. Many Christians have a very cocky attitude about their religion and the "evidence" for it. It is almost as they seem to think: "Yeah, yeah, go ahead and insult me and my beliefs. I know where you will finally end up"
Sorry, but you're not right. No matter how egotistcal militant atheists get
I was being facetious.
And I honestly believe that if:
(1) There is a supernatural entity or entities
(2) There is a final judgment at the end of my life that determines access to the afterlife
Then the judgment will not be based on religious belief, but actions and intentions instead.
Just my personal belief (and I'd rather not start debating religion in this thread, since that's not its purpose). Any other God is not truly worth worship, IMO, and even if I did know that It would do that, I still couldn't bring myself to worship it honestly and faithfully.
