What gives with tolerant atheists?

[Monkeyfinger]

In religion debates you'll inevitably see some people say something to the effect of "I'm atheist, but why should I care what religious people believe? They aren't hurting us, so stop insulting them and being narrow minded, and let them believe what they want."

How stupid. Do these people not realize that we live in democratic societies where people vote and influence the laws of their country based on what they believe? Religions aren't simply beliefs in something being true, they're beliefs that AFFECT HOW THEIR FOLLOWERS LIVE. To use the dominant religion in my home country of the United States, Christianity, as an example: Christians base a lot of their morals and make important life decisions based on the word of the bible. The bible is fiction, so this is a very bad thing, comparable to basing those things off of books written by Tolkien, or L. Ron Hubbard. They use the bible's outdated teachings to justify votes and actions that make no sense these days.

In light of that, how can anyone call people like me narrow minded for pointing out what a cancer Christianity is and refusing to simply let its followers "believe what they want"?

 

[Chairman Meow]

or L. Ron Hubbard.

Watch out, the Scientologists might take you calling their "scriptures" fiction to be something to sue over.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Heck, I see no reason to put the word "scriptures" in quotation makers. Dianetics is clearly scripture - it is considered sacred or divinely inspired by someone, ergo it is real scripture regardless of whether it has any basis in reality.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

In religion debates you'll inevitably see some people say something to the effect of "I'm atheist, but why should I care what religious people believe? They aren't hurting us, so stop insulting them and being narrow minded, and let them believe what they want."

How stupid. Do these people not realize that we live in democratic societies where people vote and influence the laws of their country based on what they believe? Religions aren't simply beliefs in something being true, they're beliefs that AFFECT HOW THEIR FOLLOWERS LIVE. To use the dominant religion in my home country of the United States, Christianity, as an example: Christians base a lot of their morals and make important life decisions based on the word of the bible. The bible is fiction, so this is a very bad thing, comparable to basing those things off of books written by Tolkien, or L. Ron Hubbard. They use the bible's outdated teachings to justify votes and actions that make no sense these days.

In light of that, how can anyone call people like me narrow minded for pointing out what a cancer Christianity is and refusing to simply let its followers "believe what they want"?

Because you've no more right to tell them what to believe than they do you.

Further, the United States is a majority religious nation. You know what percent of Americans are atheist or agnostic? 15 percent. That's 45 million in comparison to the 255 million believers. If you've that much of a problem with people believing in something, then go somewhere where more atheists are. There is no place for religious intolerance here.

 

[sysyphus]

I don't want religious people telling me how to live, it's only fair I treat them the same way.

 

[gallego]

Because you've no more right to tell them what to believe than they do you.

Further, the United States is a majority religious nation. You know what percent of Americans are atheist or agnostic? 15 percent. That's 45 million in comparison to the 255 million believers. If you've that much of a problem with people believing in something, then go somewhere where more atheists are. There is no place for religious intolerance here.

Arguing about how something ought to be is not intolerance. He's not advocating violence, just energy in advocating one's beliefs. By your standard, people who vote along religious lines regarding abortion rights and education, for example, are intolerant.

 

[skadistic]

There is no place for religious intolerance here.

What about intolerance by religious against those who don't believe? Like you just showed by telling him if he doesn't like it to leave.

If you've that much of a problem with people believing in something, then go somewhere where more atheists are.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Arguing about how something ought to be is not intolerance.

No, but complaining about tolerance (in the thread title) could be considered intolerant. At least, if the word is to mean anything.

 

[Elrohir]

In religion debates you'll inevitably see some people say something to the effect of "I'm a Christian, but why should I care what non-religious people believe? They aren't hurting us, so stop insulting them and being narrow minded, and let them believe what they want."

How stupid. Do these people not realize that we live in democratic societies where people vote and influence the laws of their country based on what they believe? Atheists don't believe in Jesus and don't believe in the Bible, which sets out the moral rules that society should live by. This is a bad thing. They use their nonbelief in the Bible to justify all sorts of immoral activity.

In light of that, how can anyone call people like me narrow minded for pointing out what a cancer atheism is and refusing to simply let atheists "believe what they want"?

 

[Kraznaya]

In religion debates you'll inevitably see some people say something to the effect of "I'm a Christian, but why should I care what non-religious people believe? They aren't hurting us, so stop insulting them and being narrow minded, and let them believe what they want."

How stupid. Do these people not realize that we live in democratic societies where people vote and influence the laws of their country based on what they believe? Atheists don't believe in Jesus and don't believe in the Bible, which sets out the moral rules that society should live by. This is a bad thing. They use their nonbelief in the Bible to justify all sorts of immoral activity.

In light of that, how can anyone call people like me narrow minded for pointing out what a cancer atheism is and refusing to simply let atheists "believe what they want"?

The thing is, quite a few more religious people make this argument rather than the other way around.

 

[Zarn]

Arguing about how something ought to be is not intolerance. He's not advocating violence, just energy in advocating one's beliefs. By your standard, people who vote along religious lines regarding abortion rights and education, for example, are intolerant.

The OP was clearly putting all the Christian eggs in one basket.

BTW, it is possible to have worldly views similar to the clergyman of a person's religion, without actually taking their word for it.

 

[Elrohir]

The thing is, quite a few more religious people make this argument rather than the other way around.

So? Intolerance in theists does not justify intolerance in atheists, anymore than intolerance in atheists justifies intolerance in theists.

I'm nice to atheists because I try to live by the Golden Rule - you know, that religious idea that you should "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It doesn't seem unreasonable to me to expect similar treatment from atheists, and to find it offensive and absurd to be intolerantly accused of intolerance by an atheist when I am not. That's the great irony here.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

The thing is, quite a few more religious people make this argument rather than the other way around.

Maybe so, but they never made threads here in CFC about it, so . . .

 

[Nylan]

In religion debates you'll inevitably see some people say something to the effect of "I'm atheist, but why should I care what religious people believe? They aren't hurting us, so stop insulting them and being narrow minded, and let them believe what they want."

How stupid. Do these people not realize that we live in democratic societies where people vote and influence the laws of their country based on what they believe? Religions aren't simply beliefs in something being true, they're beliefs that AFFECT HOW THEIR FOLLOWERS LIVE. To use the dominant religion in my home country of the United States, Christianity, as an example: Christians base a lot of their morals and make important life decisions based on the word of the bible. The bible is fiction, so this is a very bad thing, comparable to basing those things off of books written by Tolkien, or L. Ron Hubbard. They use the bible's outdated teachings to justify votes and actions that make no sense these days.

In light of that, how can anyone call people like me narrow minded for pointing out what a cancer Christianity is and refusing to simply let its followers "believe what they want"?

Because your belief is not law. Just as you wouldn't want Christians shoving their religion down your throat, you shouldn't shove your beliefs down theirs.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

What about intolerance by religious against those who don't believe? Like you just showed by telling him if he doesn't like it to leave.

I never said I wanted him to leave, or even said he should leave. I said he could leave. He obviously doesn't like the idea that religious people can have an opinion, so being in a prodominently religious nation isn't going to solve his problem of relgious people having influence on things in his life, hence why I advised him to leave.

There's quite simply no way that religion could be excluded from politics. Politicians will always be guided by their personal feelings and morals, and at least some of them will be guided by religion. You could go to the extreme and make an all-atheist government and legislature, but then you've got an oligarchy, where the country is ruled by athiests who no more represent the wishes and ideas of their religious constituents than a religious politician does his athestic constitutents.

 

[North King]

Well, I'm agnostic, and certainly not Christian... but I find that people who live by the rules of Christianity tend to be either the same as anyone else, or if they truly believe, very moral and kind individuals. Moreover, how should I know if the Bible is fiction or fact? Or if God is real or not? There's no reason for me to tell them what they should believe; I respect their opinions as much as I do any other persons. It is when someone steps on another person's toes that they get offensive.

 

[GenMarshall]

Most of the time, I don't see very much tolerant atheists. Mostly it's just atheists belittling and attacking Christians and other religious people.

 

[LightFang]

In religion debates you'll inevitably see some people say something to the effect of "I'm a Christian, but why should I care what non-religious people believe? They aren't hurting us, so stop insulting them and being narrow minded, and let them believe what they want."

How stupid. Do these people not realize that we live in democratic societies where people vote and influence the laws of their country based on what they believe? Atheists don't believe in Jesus and don't believe in the Bible, which sets out the moral rules that society should live by. This is a bad thing. They use their nonbelief in the Bible to justify all sorts of immoral activity.

In light of that, how can anyone call people like me narrow minded for pointing out what a cancer atheism is and refusing to simply let atheists "believe what they want"?

Oh, that's awesome. Yeah.

 

[Perfection]

In religion debates you'll inevitably see some people say something to the effect of "I'm atheist, but why should I care what religious people believe? They aren't hurting us, so stop insulting them and being narrow minded, and let them believe what they want."

How stupid. Do these people not realize that we live in democratic societies where people vote and influence the laws of their country based on what they believe? Religions aren't simply beliefs in something being true, they're beliefs that AFFECT HOW THEIR FOLLOWERS LIVE. To use the dominant religion in my home country of the United States, Christianity, as an example: Christians base a lot of their morals and make important life decisions based on the word of the bible. The bible is fiction, so this is a very bad thing, comparable to basing those things off of books written by Tolkien, or L. Ron Hubbard. They use the bible's outdated teachings to justify votes and actions that make no sense these days.

In light of that, how can anyone call people like me narrow minded for pointing out what a cancer Christianity is and refusing to simply let its followers "believe what they want"?

As a tolerant atheist (except on internet forums where I'm just an all around dickhead), the answer is pretty simple. Be nice because being a dick to religious folks is just gonna end up with pissed off religious folk and pissed off atheists. You can't convert some Christian by insulting the crap out of him you're just going to make him hate atheists which is bad thing.

 

[GenMarshall]

As a tolerant atheist (except on internet forums where I'm just an all around dickhead), the answer is pretty simple. Be nice because being a dick to religious folks is just gonna end up with pissed off religious folk and pissed off atheists. You can't convert some Christian by insulting the crap out of him you're just going to make him hate atheists which is bad thing.

Not to mention the religious develop a negative image of atheists. Regardless if they are encountered here or in RL.

But pretty much runs to your point of them "hating athiests".