A little bit ago I posted five things christians shouldn't say to atheists. But now, I should turn it around a bit and give a few examples of what atheists say to christians, and shouldn't. We should fix some of our bad habits too. :)
#1: You believe only because your parents believe, you only believe because you fear death. etc.
Although some christians will only believe for these reasons, do not assume all do. This is just as insulting as them saying we are atheists only because we want to sin.
#2: Don't dismiss religion so easily.
Most of us always dismiss any religion very easily, saying all bad things about them. While these are still true, a lot of christians are members for the sole purpose of it makes them happy, and the charity work. That is a good thing, feeding and helping others. Not all of it is terrible, but most is.
#3: Don't say there is one "correct" form of christianity.
Although none are true, don't say one is better than the other. Telling people what they believe is the wrong kind of belief hurts. It hurts us too. And one other reason I left my church.
#4: Don't call them stupid for believing in god.
Okay, so even though they believe in an invisible man in the sky that kills and tortures his children forever, not all christians are dumb. I know a few who are quite intelligent. So don't go right to assuming all are dumb.
#5: Don't call religion a virus, or mental illness.
Nobody likes people telling them their beliefs they feel to be true are just a result of a virus or illness. I mean come on, atheists, you hate it when religious say similar things to you, so don't say the same. We need to be better.
Thanks for reading, comment below and I'll check them out!
Stay logical my friends,
-Happythecat
Na, You can't be soft on them at all.
Quote from: Happythecat on July 07, 2014, 04:12:32 AM
A little bit ago I posted five things christians shouldn't say to atheists. But now, I should turn it around a bit and give a few examples of what atheists say to christians, and shouldn't. We should fix some of our bad habits too. :)
Did any of those Christians listen to your advice?
Quote#1: You believe only because your parents believe, you only believe because you fear death. etc.
Although some christians will only believe for these reasons, do not assume all do. This is just as insulting as them saying we are atheists only because we want to sin.
In fact, MOST Christians (or Muslims, Jews, <insert other religion here>, as Drunkzie pointed out) believe for these reasons. And what are the reasons covered under "etc."? As I see it, you could include each and every reason under that clause.
Quote#2: Don't dismiss religion so easily.
Most of us always dismiss any religion very easily, saying all bad things about them. While these are still true, a lot of christians are members for the sole purpose of it makes them happy, and the charity work. That is a good thing, feeding and helping others. Not all of it is terrible, but most is.
You're conflating religion and religious people. Religious people who do charity work will probably do it also if they were atheists. Being the member of a club because it makes them feel happy doesn't automatically mean we shouldn't dismiss the club.
Quote#3: Don't say there is one "correct" form of christianity.
Although none are true, don't say one is better than the other. Telling people what they believe is the wrong kind of belief hurts. It hurts us too. And one other reason I left my church.
I've never seen any atheist here saying there's one correct form of Christianity (or Islam, or Judaism). In fact, that would go against the very concept of atheism, given that recognising one form of religion as correct would also imply recognising one concept of deity as correct.
Quote#4: Don't call them stupid for believing in god.
Okay, so even though they believe in an invisible man in the sky that kills and tortures his children forever, not all christians are dumb. I know a few who are quite intelligent. So don't go right to assuming all are dumb.
Many religious people are very good at compartmentalising, with the result that they can be brilliant at some things while stupidly accepting some dogma like sheep. So yes, when it comes to their religious belief they still sound quite dumb.
Quote#5: Don't call religion a virus, or mental illness.
Nobody likes people telling them their beliefs they feel to be true are just a result of a virus or illness. I mean come on, atheists, you hate it when religious say similar things to you, so don't say the same. We need to be better.
Problem is, religion has all the characteristics of a mental illness. It severely diminishes critical and rational thinking (it's actually a basic requirement of a good believer) and spreads like a virus thanks to brainwashing of the masses. Why shouldn't we point it out?
QuoteThanks for reading, comment below and I'll check them out!
Stay logical my friends,
-Happythecat
As a final comment, I'd like topoint out that many of the positions you say atheists shouldn't hold wouldn't be necessary if there weren't systematic attempts by religion and religious people - especially in certain cultures and countries - to marginalise and/or straight harassing atheists.
I don't bother with the petty arguments with them over any of this stuff. I simply tell them I don't buy any of it. No gods, spooks, ghosts, goblins, angels or boogiemen under my bed.. I just tell them to go play their silly games elsewhere. I'm far to busy doing nothing all day to stroke their egos.
If the shoe fits Christians they should wear it---and not with pride. :butt: :razz: Solitary
Quote from: Happythecat on July 07, 2014, 04:12:32 AM#2: Don't dismiss religion so easily.
Most of us always dismiss any religion very easily, saying all bad things about them. While these are still true, a lot of christians are members for the sole purpose of it makes them happy, and the charity work. That is a good thing, feeding and helping others. Not all of it is terrible, but most is.
Don't say the truth? :think:
Here's my list of five things an atheist shouldn't tell a Christian:
1. I believe you
2. Yes, Jesus is King indeed
3. Of course I don't need any evidence
4. I agree, prayer works
5. Please tell me more
I reject your list and proclaim that every "rule" you cite should in fact be mandatory to say because every one is absolutely true.
You are just suppressing the truth in your unrighteousness.
Here's the deal,
I, and many other atheists, don't often voluntarily speak to religotards about religion without being confronted first on our lack of belief. If a christard wants to confront me about religion then they open the door for mocking.
When christers show me the respect they demand for themselves is when I'll show them respect in turn.
Until then, fuck 'em
Quote from: Moralnihilist on July 07, 2014, 09:24:03 PM
Here's the deal,
I, and many other atheists, don't often voluntarily speak to religotards about religion without being confronted first on our lack of belief. If a christard wants to confront me about religion then they open the door for mocking.
This times 68,000,000,000,000,000
Sent from your mom
Quote from: Happythecat on July 07, 2014, 04:12:32 AM
#2: Don't dismiss religion so easily.
Most of us always dismiss any religion very easily, saying all bad things about them. While these are still true, a lot of christians are members for the sole purpose of it makes them happy, and the charity work. That is a good thing, feeding and helping others. Not all of it is terrible, but most is.
#3: Don't say there is one "correct" form of christianity.
Although none are true, don't say one is better than the other. Telling people what they believe is the wrong kind of belief hurts. It hurts us too. And one other reason I left my church.
#4: Don't call them stupid for believing in god.
Okay, so even though they believe in an invisible man in the sky that kills and tortures his children forever, not all christians are dumb. I know a few who are quite intelligent. So don't go right to assuming all are dumb.
#5: Don't call religion a virus, or mental illness.
Nobody likes people telling them their beliefs they feel to be true are just a result of a virus or illness. I mean come on, atheists, you hate it when religious say similar things to you, so don't say the same. We need to be better.
Thanks for reading, comment below and I'll check them out!
Stay logical my friends,
-Happythecat
Number 1 is non existent to me, because i am indeed a 3rd gen atheist. Number 2: They maybe happy, they even may be good people, but even the nicest people can be nazi's. Number 3: Catholic church is the 1st one and all others are fanfiction. Number 4: To even say god is good and holy makes them all hypocrites. The old and new testament are 2 opposite polar and just to use the 2 is a contradiction. So yeah I say they are pretty stupid and just adding science makes them look like vegetable stupid. Number 5: just to believe or think that there is a giant god in the sky is enough to convince that my ancestors and today's christains have mental illnesses. I mean c'mon look at these excorsisms and to condemn to burn in hell for all eternity someone cause they are different. I know that I got my mental disabilities from such ancestors.
"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off" - Gloria Steinem
Quote#1: You believe only because your parents believe, you only believe because you fear death. etc.
Although some christians will only believe for these reasons, do not assume all do. This is just as insulting as them saying we are atheists only because we want to sin.
Most do only believe because they are indoctrinated as a child. There are exceptions, but they are a very small percentage to the actual number.
Quote#2: Don't dismiss religion so easily.
Most of us always dismiss any religion very easily, saying all bad things about them. While these are still true, a lot of christians are members for the sole purpose of it makes them happy, and the charity work. That is a good thing, feeding and helping others. Not all of it is terrible, but most is.
Giving religion a pass because of the "good things inspired by it" is basically saying "Yeah well, Hitler looked really peaceful to that little girl in that one picture, so that means he was a good guy. Stop focusing on how he was responsible for the ethnic cleansing of 10 % of 1940's entire human population."
Quote#3: Don't say there is one "correct" form of christianity.
Although none are true, don't say one is better than the other. Telling people what they believe is the wrong kind of belief hurts. It hurts us too. And one other reason I left my church.
I don't know of anyone that says there is a correct form of Christianity when they challenge a christian with this point. The reason for this is mostly to bring up that there are so many different versions of it and hopefully bring notice that their version is no more on point than the other ones that they say is wrong.
Quote#4: Don't call them stupid for believing in god.
Okay, so even though they believe in an invisible man in the sky that kills and tortures his children forever, not all christians are dumb. I know a few who are quite intelligent. So don't go right to assuming all are dumb.
They are. It's no less stupid than a grown adult believing in Santa Clause thinking a fat guy comes down their chimney to bring them presents. The difference is that people kill for the other imaginary friend. So not only is it stupid to believe in an imaginary friend like that, it also can be dangerous.
Quote#5: Don't call religion a virus, or mental illness.
Nobody likes people telling them their beliefs they feel to be true are just a result of a virus or illness. I mean come on, atheists, you hate it when religious say similar things to you, so don't say the same. We need to be better.
I actually agree with that you shouldn't call it a mental illness. Only for the reason that it insults people with actual mental illnesses though. I think that calling it a virus is very accurate though. It sure can spread like one.
I get where you're coming from. I personally wouldn't call people stupid or mentally ill unless they were disrespecting me in a similar manner. But I likely wouldn't want to talk about religion/atheism with a religious person unless they were pestering me in the first place... sooo...
Quote from: Happythecat on July 07, 2014, 04:12:32 AM
A little bit ago I posted five things christians shouldn't say to atheists. But now, I should turn it around a bit and give a few examples of what atheists say to christians, and shouldn't. We should fix some of our bad habits too. :)
#5: Don't call religion a virus, or mental illness.
Nobody likes people telling them their beliefs they feel to be true are just a result of a virus or illness. I mean come on, atheists, you hate it when religious say similar things to you, so don't say the same. We need to be better.
Thanks for reading, comment below and I'll check them out!
Stay logical my friends,
-Happythecat
I agree that organized religion is not a mental illness, but it more or less is a virus. It makes people feel insecure about their sexual preferences, makes people feel like they are evil sinners, and it makes people reject reason and logic for bronze age mythology. And since religion especially Christianity is more widespread then atheism or agnosticism it influences the politicians to be ignorant bigots as well since that's what is "popular" and of course the politicians apply their warped perception of reality whether it be real or just an act to the law making procedures and you end up conservative right wing policies, or in extreme cases you end up with a country like Afghanistan where the religion is LAW