"5 stupid things about atheists"

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

And this is how it should be on both sides of the debate.

The problem is that atheism doesn't have any particular creed so there's no onus on atheists to spread the word. Some religions, on the other hand, have written in to their DNA that their adherents must convert other people.

I'd agree that in an ideal world people would believe what they believe and let other people get on with believing what they believe, but atheism and some religions simply aren't equivalent on this matter.

 

[Manopolus]

The problem is that atheism doesn't have any particular creed so there's no onus on atheists to spread the word. Some religions, on the other hand, have written in to their DNA that their adherents must convert other people.

I'd agree that in an ideal world people would believe what they believe and let other people get on with believing what they believe, but atheism and some religions simply aren't equivalent on this matter.

Atheism sort of does have reasons for spreading though. Rationality and resistance to indoctrination are generally considered positive forces within most of the atheist population. Many of us consider these things quite important, as a matter of fact. It's a counter to unseemly sorts of prejudice, as well as an openness to reason. Religions have a tendency create blind spots and mental blocks that aren't particularly helpful to understanding things.

Of course, religion isn't the only societal affectation that does these sorts of things, but it is the most obvious one to non-believers.

There are certainly exceptions, too. People cease believing in fairy tales for different reasons. Some of them never believed to begin with, and the state of disbelief came from their parents the same way that belief does for believers.

For my part, I think my lack of religious doctrine is much more important than my lack of belief in a deity. So... yeah, I'm one of those that thinks the spread of non-religion is a good thing. I consider religion to be a bad influence. Strangely, I think that their stubborn resistance to reason comes from the fact that people REFUSE to think about it all that much. The most likely to reject religion eventually are actually those that think about it the most. For that reason, I love talking to believers about their religion -- and not in an aggressive or negative way, but rather in a way intended to clarify what their own sect actually believes.

 

[Tassman]

The problem is that atheism doesn't have any particular creed so there's no onus on atheists to spread the word. Some religions, on the other hand, have written in to their DNA that their adherents must convert other people.

I'd agree that in an ideal world people would believe what they believe and let other people get on with believing what they believe, but atheism and some religions simply aren't equivalent on this matter.

...except in self defence when the faithful try to impose their values on the rest of us via legislation or social censure.

 

[The Greater Fool]

Atheism is as much of a belief as not playing sports is a sport or as much as not being alcoholic is an addiction or as much as not killing is a murder.

My atheism is a belief. I was once a Christian, so my choice to now be an atheist (and somewhat anti-religion) is a positive belief.

I don't disagree with the rest, being anti-religious and all, though am perhaps less aggressive about it (not an accusation).

I happen to be an asportist, also a positive (if disinterested) choice, and for the life of me I can't imagine attacking the sports I have no interest in as you have attacked a god/messiah you have no interest in. For instance, I have heard of Tom Brady deflating a ball, but I couldn't care less since I don't follow baseball. I do get annoyed when sports intrudes into real life, like when Firefly kept getting moved because of some sport, but I wouldn't know enough about the offending sport to rail effectively against it.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

Atheism sort of does have reasons for spreading though. Rationality and resistance to indoctrination are generally considered positive forces within most of the atheist population. Many of us consider these things quite important, as a matter of fact.

Most people who subscribe to any given philosophy believe that the world would be a better place if other people also subscribed to that philosophy. This is a different thing to it being inherent to that philosophy that you must attempt to persuade others to also subscribe to that philosophy.

Being an atheist, you may consider it important to try to spread atheism. Not necessarily, though. On the other hand, you cannot be a Jehovah's Witness (for example) and not go door-to-door telling people about your religion. Going door-to-door is a condition of being a Jehovah's Witness, and it's something that every Jehovah's Witness is obliged to do.

So it's not a zero-sum game. The two things are not equivalent.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

And, of course....

 

[Pup]

Most of the theists I know have a tendency to get drunk on Saturdays. I'm not sure that's something that would be particularly different from any given atheist.

I suspect this has something to do with who one hangs out with, so it's anecdotal at best. Are there any reliable statistics?

Anecdotally, I've had difficulty finding any gathering of atheists that doesn't involve alcohol, but church functions without alcohol are a dime a dozen around here, so my subjective, anecdotal observation is that alcohol is more important to local atheists' lives than theists'.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I suspect this has something to do with who one hangs out with, so it's anecdotal at best. Are there any reliable statistics?

Anecdotally, I've had difficulty finding any gathering of atheists that doesn't involve alcohol, but church functions without alcohol are a dime a dozen around here, so my subjective, anecdotal observation is that alcohol is more important to local atheists' lives than theists'.

Atheists aren't afraid of going to hell for having a drink or two. I gave PZed a little brown jug of Missouri whiskey at Skepticon IV.

And for churchies, I know two kinds. The kind that drink and the kind that drink in secret.

 

[MG1962]

so my subjective, anecdotal observation is that alcohol is more important to local atheists' lives than theists'.

So you have never been to a Catholic Parish dance have you

 

[Leumas]

Atheists aren't afraid of going to hell for having a drink or two. I gave PZed a little brown jug of Missouri whiskey at Skepticon IV.

And for churchies, I know two kinds. The kind that drink and the kind that drink in secret.

Not to forget that many of them are there trying to sober up from their alcoholism and other substance abuse among other "sins" they hope or think Jesus will atone for.

 

[Pup]

So you have never been to a Catholic Parish dance have you

That doesn't refute what I said.

Note that I didn't say all church functions ban alcohol. There are some religions, like Catholicism and any others that use alcohol in the sacrament, that actually require faithful members to drink alcohol.

Anecdotally, though, it's still true that I can find numerous local church functions without alcohol but no atheist or skeptic functions.

Edited to add: Because I don't enjoy the atmosphere of bars or places where there's drinking, that means I socialize with my wife's theist friends and we seem to have more in common socially, so it works well. I don't find them to be liars on the subject of drinking, but again, that's anecdotal. I'm sure many theists do lie on the subject, and probably many non-theists too. But atheist/skeptic meetings without drinking or without being held in pubs/taverns/etc., seem to be almost impossible to find. Anyone know of any, anywhere, out of curiosity?

 

[Leumas]

That doesn't refute what I said.

Note that I didn't say all church functions ban alcohol. There are some religions, like Catholicism and any others that use alcohol in the sacrament, that actually require faithful members to drink alcohol.

Anecdotally, though, it's still true that I can find numerous church functions without alcohol but no atheist or skeptic functions.

I bet a Catholic priest about to violate a little child in a church must have partaken of a little more alcoholic consumption than Jesus might have approved of.

I wonder if that would come under the category of a church function though?

 

[Monketi Ghost]

To sum up the video.

1. Atheists think they are better
2. Atheists are smug
(1 and 2 seem pretty similar, but I am probably the only one who noticed that.)
3. Atheists argue trivialities (at this point he refers to theists as "non atheists" *groan*)
4. Atheists forget they are a diverse community. This from an atheist in the middle of a video pigeon holing atheist's behavior. I wish all atheists would stop doing this.
5. Atheists prefer debate over conversation. I don't know about that but I sure as **** prefer both over this video.

#3 and #4 are so ironic given the time and effort he put into making this video about trivial behaviors that are exhibited by portions of every group. This could be remade as 5 stupid things about baptists or whalers or biologists.

Here's the pitch... it's a fastball with nothing on it, and Biscuit's eyes light up, he swings and there's no doubt about this one, folks, it's leaving the park and Biscuit touches all the bases.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Not to forget that many of them are there trying to sober up from their alcoholism and other substance abuse among other "sins" they hope or think Jesus will stone for.

Yeah, drinkers. I know a few sober drunks. One of them operates a moonshine still and sells to anyone with the money. Very popular with underage drinkers, I hear.

 

[MG1962]

That doesn't refute what I said.

Sorry I was being tongue in cheek.

 

[MG1962]

Yeah, drinkers. I know a few sober drunks. One of them operates a moonshine still and sells to anyone with the money. Very popular with underage drinkers, I hear.

In the book "The Very Worst Of Times" Tim Egan relates a story about one of the biggest producers of whiskey during prohibition was one of the senators who'd sponsored the bill introducing prohibition in the first place.

 

[Squeegee Beckenheim]

It is not positive atheists that are

Persecuting Gays and denying them equal citizenship privileges.

...although using "effeminate" as a disparaging term is somewhat homophobic...

 

[pharphis]

My atheism is a belief. I was once a Christian, so my choice to now be an atheist (and somewhat anti-religion) is a positive belief.

I don't disagree with the rest, being anti-religious and all, though am perhaps less aggressive about it (not an accusation).

I happen to be an asportist, also a positive (if disinterested) choice, and for the life of me I can't imagine attacking the sports I have no interest in as you have attacked a god/messiah you have no interest in. For instance, I have heard of Tom Brady deflating a ball, but I couldn't care less since I don't follow baseball. I do get annoyed when sports intrudes into real life, like when Firefly kept getting moved because of some sport, but I wouldn't know enough about the offending sport to rail effectively against it.

I'm not sure what you mean, here. By "atheist" do you mean you lack a belief in god(s) or do you mean you believe there are no god(s)?
The latter is a belief, while the former is not.

I also don't consider either a choice but rather a consequence of one's experiences and other beliefs so your wording confused me further.

 

[The Greater Fool]

I'm not sure what you mean, here. By "atheist" do you mean you lack a belief in god(s) or do you mean you believe there are no god(s)?
The latter is a belief, while the former is not.

I also don't consider either a choice but rather a consequence of one's experiences and other beliefs so your wording confused me further.

Apologies. The latter.

Are not choices often affected by contemplating previous experiences?

 

[Biscuit]

Here's the pitch... it's a fastball with nothing on it, and Biscuit's eyes light up, he swings and there's no doubt about this one, folks, it's leaving the park and Biscuit touches all the bases.

This is such an honor. First I have to not thank god because he doesn't exist.