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News & General Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: bussta333 on December 12, 2015, 08:43:16 PM

Title: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: bussta333 on December 12, 2015, 08:43:16 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN0w2sFQGRU
I recommend watching until the end, is a great scientific/philosophical video for anybody to watch.  Both inspirational and even motivational & eye-opening.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Gawdzilla Sama on December 12, 2015, 08:52:36 PM
I must be weird. I have almost never had an issue with someone over religion (except on the web, of course). Never went to church (except when ordered by the Navy), never been challenged about being a believer.

Maybe the 18" biceps had something to do with that?
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: stromboli on December 12, 2015, 09:51:52 PM
Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on December 12, 2015, 08:52:36 PM
I must be weird. I have almost never had an issue with someone over religion (except on the web, of course). Never went to church (except when ordered by the Navy), never been challenged about being a believer.

Maybe the 18" biceps had something to do with that?

Yeah, skinny guys don't get picked on.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Feral Atheist on December 21, 2015, 11:37:59 AM
Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on December 12, 2015, 08:52:36 PM
I must be weird. I have almost never had an issue with someone over religion (except on the web, of course). Never went to church (except when ordered by the Navy), never been challenged about being a believer.

Maybe the 18" biceps had something to do with that?
Even without the 18" biceps I never have either, and I live in the buy bull belt, except for the keyboard christian warriors of the internet.  Also marched to church during basic in the Navy, but that was the rare chance to sit down and do nothing for an hour.

It is not uncommon that when introduced to someone around here, one of their first questions is "where y'all go to church?"  We don't usually ends that topic of conversation though, nor do they recoil in horror and start speaking in tongues.  The most persistent will make at least 2 attempts to get us to go their church, but quick 'no thanks' usually end that.

And if I really want to mess with them, I just tell them that "I'm a god fearing atheist" and watch the confusion set in.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Nonsensei on December 21, 2015, 05:18:19 PM
I simply don't tell people I'm an Atheist. One time my boss at one of my old jobs saw me browsing these forums during my lunch break. He didn't say anything but from that point forward he put effort into driving me out of the company and within a year I was gone. Until that point we had gotten along fine.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Baruch on December 21, 2015, 06:20:57 PM
Quote from: Nonsensei on December 21, 2015, 05:18:19 PM
I simply don't tell people I'm an Atheist. One time my boss at one of my old jobs saw me browsing these forums during my lunch break. He didn't say anything but from that point forward he put effort into driving me out of the company and within a year I was gone. Until that point we had gotten along fine.

Sorry you self outed.  If Mash was real, you couldn't have gotten out even if you cross-dressed at work ;-)
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Johan on December 21, 2015, 07:41:07 PM
Quote from: Nonsensei on December 21, 2015, 05:18:19 PM
I simply don't tell people I'm an Atheist.
Same here. No one can treat me poorly for being atheist if they don't know that I'm atheist.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: GSOgymrat on December 21, 2015, 10:06:33 PM
Quote from: Feral Atheist on December 21, 2015, 11:37:59 AM
It is not uncommon that when introduced to someone around here, one of their first questions is "where y'all go to church?"  We don't usually ends that topic of conversation though, nor do they recoil in horror and start speaking in tongues.  The most persistent will make at least 2 attempts to get us to go their church, but quick 'no thanks' usually end that.

I typically say "I'm not religious" and people usually just accept that.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: GreatLife on December 21, 2015, 10:55:28 PM
I usually inform them that I am atheist and people who argue against me nearly always convert to atheism if they hang around. If they don't hang around, I don't care about their opinion of me anyways.

I am retired now. But at work I always avoided the topic with casual friends with a statement such as "I was raised Methodist."  If you were an actual friend, then you had to accept the added phrase "but I am now an atheist."

Of course, one fundamental neighbor called me the spawn of Satan due to this after her daughter converted. But she never argued about religion with me... Cause Satan was on my side and all.

My strategy? I quietly and quickly pick apart arguments using logic. They can't win and they know it. Make them comfortable with new knowledge and most fence sitters fall quickly. Fuck the rest of em... They are just plain fun to pick on.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Shiranu on December 21, 2015, 11:19:23 PM
I mention I'm an atheist to basically anyone who asks ( which isn't very many) and have never had any problem... from Texan Christians to Hindus and Muslims. A least in my age group no one cares.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Mermaid on December 22, 2015, 12:05:39 PM
I have so many people on Facebook who post things like this. It's so hard sometimes not to post something like "REALLY!???!!!"

(https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/12004871_10153193263121167_7174701427675817697_n.jpg?oh=c7e5ec0afa5e12eb1fdf8308f7d56fe0&oe=56D600CB)
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Unbeliever on December 22, 2015, 06:00:36 PM


QuoteFear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
Jer 5:22

Does this mean there can be no tsunamis?
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: SGOS on December 22, 2015, 09:28:59 PM
Quote from: Mermaid on December 22, 2015, 12:05:39 PM
I have so many people on Facebook who post things like this. It's so hard sometimes not to post something like "REALLY!???!!!"

(https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/12004871_10153193263121167_7174701427675817697_n.jpg?oh=c7e5ec0afa5e12eb1fdf8308f7d56fe0&oe=56D600CB)

I encountered and oddity in Washington State's Puget Sound, which may have been similar to what's going on in the picture above.  The Sound is a big body of water and the tide ebbs and flows through a constricted access of the Straight of Juan de fuca.   Water rushes towards water or away from water in great volume and does strange things.  On a relatively calm day, I drifted into a waterfall a mile off shore.  The waterfall extended as far as I could see in kind of a curved line.  It was about there feet high.  You could motor into it in either the uphill or downhill direction.  Another boat was out there just going back and forth over the waterfall.  It didn't seem dangerous.  It was just weird.  I only saw that once.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Nonsensei on December 22, 2015, 10:11:12 PM
Quote from: SGOS on December 22, 2015, 09:28:59 PM
I encountered and oddity in Washington State's Puget Sound, which may have been similar to what's going on in the picture above.  The Sound is a big body of water and the tide ebbs and flows through a constricted access of the Straight of Juan de fuca.   Water rushes towards water or away from water in great volume and does strange things.  On a relatively calm day, I drifted into a waterfall a mile off shore.  The waterfall extended as far as I could see in kind of a curved line.  It was about there feet high.  You could motor into it in either the uphill or downhill direction.  Another boat was out there just going back and forth over the waterfall.  It didn't seem dangerous.  It was just weird.  I only saw that once.

No, god is doing it sorry.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: doorknob on December 23, 2015, 08:14:22 AM
Um I just want to say I feel this pain. I've been in many uncomfortable situations where religion was being jammed down my throat where it was not wanted. I tried being polite but people are very passionate about their religion and since they have very little contact with atheists around here the reaction is to start preaching immediately. I've since stopped saying I'm an atheist in so little words. I now say that I'm a human secularist since most people are too dumb to know what that is. It has cleared up the problem of getting preached at the instant I announce that I'm an atheist. And I don't advertise because of that reason.

My atheism is a problem in my own family. I was raised catholic and believe me when I say I know bigotry. They think they know every thing there is to know about atheists because their bible tells them so.

Bible the biggest source of misinformation around for ages.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Mermaid on December 23, 2015, 09:23:17 AM
Quote from: SGOS on December 22, 2015, 09:28:59 PM
I encountered and oddity in Washington State's Puget Sound, which may have been similar to what's going on in the picture above.  The Sound is a big body of water and the tide ebbs and flows through a constricted access of the Straight of Juan de fuca.   Water rushes towards water or away from water in great volume and does strange things.  On a relatively calm day, I drifted into a waterfall a mile off shore.  The waterfall extended as far as I could see in kind of a curved line.  It was about there feet high.  You could motor into it in either the uphill or downhill direction.  Another boat was out there just going back and forth over the waterfall.  It didn't seem dangerous.  It was just weird.  I only saw that once.
It's just physics. Differences in turbidity, salinity, temperature. I've seen it several times when fresh water rivers run into salt water oceans.

Er. Or maybe it's God. Cause that's the kind of stuff you see when God doodles.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: SGOS on December 23, 2015, 01:30:13 PM
Quote from: Mermaid on December 23, 2015, 09:23:17 AM

Er. Or maybe it's God. Cause that's the kind of stuff you see when God doodles.

It sounds more like the Devil.  Arrrgh, the Devil.  He be playing tricks on poor lads that venture on the sea.  He's a cunning one he is.  Cursin' yer soul and deceivin' the God fearin'.   :pirate:
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Unbeliever on December 23, 2015, 05:37:55 PM
Quote from: Mermaid on December 23, 2015, 09:23:17 AM
It's just physics. Differences in turbidity, salinity, temperature. I've seen it several times when fresh water rivers run into salt water oceans.

Er. Or maybe it's God. Cause that's the kind of stuff you see when God doodles.

It's probably Pascal's demon! He's really got his work cut out for him...
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Baruch on December 23, 2015, 06:17:16 PM
Quote from: Unbeliever on December 23, 2015, 05:37:55 PM
It's probably Pascal's demon! He's really got his work cut out for him...

Maxwell's demon is more kinetic ;-)  Even reverse entropy he can.
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Unbeliever on December 23, 2015, 06:54:51 PM
Oh, yeah...I got my demons confused!  :embarrassed:
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: gentle_dissident on December 23, 2015, 09:54:53 PM
I make it known that I'm a non-believer. However, I think the problem in my world isn't Christianity. It's dumb people. They like to gang up on me, since there's safety in numbers. I think they go after me mainly because I'm smart. They may then think, "and, he's an atheist."
Title: Re: Life as an atheist - Struggles, reality, and more
Post by: Baruch on December 24, 2015, 10:07:45 AM
Quote from: gentle_dissident on December 23, 2015, 09:54:53 PM
I make it known that I'm a non-believer. However, I think the problem in my world isn't Christianity. It's dumb people. They like to gang up on me, since there's safety in numbers. I think they go after me mainly because I'm smart. They may then think, "and, he's an atheist."

Well hang out with smarter people then ;-)  Also if you wear glasses, don't be wearing them around Cambodian communists ... and don't be seen in public reading a book ... a video on an iPad is OK though.  Basically if you are amongst a herd, and they figure out you smell different, you are likely to be trampled.  This is what can happened to a wolf is sheep's clothing.

As for me, I often have a book with me if I am dining alone.  I wear glasses when reading.  I really stand out even without a yarmulka.  You can take this book from my cold dead hands .. you wooly brained sheep ;-)