I'm not religious enough to call myself...

[Carrot Flower King]

Sweden is a very secular society, so it's not really an issue here; most people couldn't care less about the beliefs of others, even if they tried. And the kind of passionate anti-theism that seems to exist in the US, is difficult to find here; as far as I can tell, it's a reaction to an overly religious upbringing, and as such, understandable. That said, I have had people here come up to me to tell me that Jesus loves me, but no one has ever thought it important to approach me with the news that Jesus doesn't love me.

Jesus doesn't want you for a sunbeam...

 

[Helen]

Jesus doesn't want you for a sunbeam...

His loss!

 

[Thermal]

... And the kind of passionate anti-theism that seems to exist in the US, is difficult to find here...

Pretty difficult to find here, too. Its only online that I see the rabid Battle Royale taking place. I've got serious doubts that the slathering fangs we see on the web are so vicious in meatspace.

Which might be understandable? Like, the Web is the place to vent ideas around anonymously, in exactly the way you wouldn't do to some rando on the street.

... I have had people here come up to me to tell me that Jesus loves me...

Over here, its largely more passive and indirect. Someone might say "have a blessed day" or make some other subtle religious allusion, but it doesnt often go much farther. Again with the caveat that I'm only speaking about my own meatspace experience. If you live near the Westboro Baptist Church HQ, you'll likely have a very different experience, lol.

but no one has ever thought it important to approach me with the news that Jesus doesn't love me.

I do actually opine that fairly often, especially when things are going stunningly wrong.

 

[Helen]

Pretty difficult to find here, too. Its only online that I see the rabid Battle Royale taking place. I've got serious doubts that the slathering fangs we see on the web are so vicious in meatspace.

Which might be understandable? Like, the Web is the place to vent ideas around anonymously, in exactly the way you wouldn't do to some rando on the street.

Over here, its largely more passive and indirect. Someone might say "have a blessed day" or make some other subtle religious allusion, but it doesnt often go much farther. Again with the caveat that I'm only speaking about my own meatspace experience. If you live near the Westboro Baptist Church HQ, you'll likely have a very different experience, lol.

I do actually opine that fairly often, especially when things are going stunningly wrong.

Some of the more rabid ones seem to be quite ubiquitous in US politics, however... And eager to speak about their religion.

 

[sackett]

Some of the more rabid ones seem to be quite ubiquitous in US politics, however... And eager to speak about their religion.

I assume youre talking about semi-professional atheists. Give us some leeway. Exasperation, disgust, and (occasionally) alarm can roughen one's manner, over here in a stubbornly puritan country where the bod-gothering simply never stops.

 

[theprestige]

In my experience, there is a bit of a difference between people that identify themselves as atheist online vs offline. In the offline version, most people they know don't even notice that many of them are atheists.

Part of it has to do with the difference in time constraints. In person, you have this tendency to be subjected to both interruptions and emotional blackmail that just isn't available in text (relies on nonverbal cues and timing).

What I'm saying is, I can't remember the last time someone has, in person, subjected me to an interruption or emotional blackmail, being a theist who wanted to tell me what I believe.

I can see having that experience of being told what I believe online, if I go into a theist space and start drama. But since I never do that, I've never experienced, online, what Gawdzilla is complaining about. And I can't remember the last time it happened to me in person. It may well have never happened to me in person.

I've had atheists on this forum tell me many times what I believe, though.

 

[Manopolus]

Some of the more rabid ones seem to be quite ubiquitous in US politics, however... And eager to speak about their religion.

Part of why it ends up in politics is because Republicans have branded themselves as the Christian party to the degree that every Republican politician is required to bring up God every so often. That isn't to say that there aren't plenty of Democrats who are also Christians. It's just that it isn't part of their identity brand. Dems focus more on minority status as an identity, as well as several other things. It's basically the whole urban/rural divide that has been there since the beginning of time, really, but with a few specific differences in the demographics. Basically, we divide the urbans from the rurals so that the suburbs get to have their side win, whichever that happens to be that year.

The rest is just the noise that results from carrying out that plan. And yeah, I'm overgeneralizing.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I bide people "farewell" with my own adieu, "Via con diablos." ~One in ten hears what I said.

 

[theprestige]

I bide people "farewell" with my own adieu, "Via con diablos." ~One in ten hears what I said.

One in ten? I doubt it's come up more than once in the past thirty years of your life.

 

[acbytesla]

...an atheist. I just don't care about the squabbles. Pushy folks on both sides take note.

Then clearly you don't know what an atheist is.

 

[acbytesla]

I bide people "farewell" with my own adieu, "Via con diablos." ~One in ten hears what I said.

I use that farewell myself. English speakers rarely get it.

 

[acbytesla]

I don't call myself an atheist anymore than I call myself a non-believer in unicorns.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I don't call myself an atheist anymore than I call myself a non-believer in unicorns.

I use a combination of Tagalog, Hindi, and Urdu. Doesn't translate well into print.

 

[theprestige]

I use a combination of Tagalog, Hindi, and Urdu. Doesn't translate well into print.

No you don't.

Stop posturing.

 

[Manopolus]

I bide people "farewell" with my own adieu, "Via con diablos." ~One in ten hears what I said.

If you mean "go with the devils" then it's "Ve con los diablos." It doesn't really work as a plural otherwie. It still works as a joke, but not grammatically. If you mean a specific devil (Satan, whatever), it's "Ve con el diablo." The article is mandatory in this case. Also, it's "vaya" if you're referring to "Vaya con Dios." Via is a noun.... meaning "the way" or "the route." Vaya is "go."

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

If you mean "go with the devils" then it's "Ve con los diablos." It doesn't really work as a plural otherwie.

I speak fluent Spanglish.

 

[theprestige]

If you mean "go with the devils" then it's "Ve con los diablos." It doesn't really work as a plural otherwie.

Don't judge barfly humor. It's a protected art form. According to barflys.

 

[Manopolus]

I speak fluent Spanglish.

That's okay. I sometimes speak German when I try to speak Spanish. Or vice versa. Españdeutschlish can get a bit wonky, though.

 

[theprestige]

I speak fluent Spanglish.

No you don't.

 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

That's okay. I sometimes speak German when I try to speak Spanish. Or vice versa. Españdeutschlish can get a bit wonky, though.

I've slept in seventy-two countries and bits and bobs of the local patois still pop up and this can render my speech unintelligible even for me.