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Mom, I'm an atheist...

There was an earlier thread about this, and I must say the video seems to be spreading quite quickly.

I was even more surprised when I recently heard some parents, who are not even very religious, react in with the same kind of denial when their son said he was an atheist. His father simply responded "No, you're not. I mean, think about it." I could not help but think about how extremely ironic it would seem to many atheists that he dismissed his son's opinion by implying he hadn't thought about it.
 
Crap. I forgot to do a search first.... Thanks for pointing out my oversight. A moderator can close this thread if they see fit.
 
wombatwal said:
I smell a hoax.
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Why?

It seems strange to me that people proclaim "hoax!" everytime they see a video that either disagrees with their viewpoint, or involves people that are highly emotionally charged...
 
Lonewulf said:
Why?

It seems strange to me that people proclaim "hoax!" everytime they see a video that either disagrees with their viewpoint, or involves people that are highly emotionally charged...
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Wishful thinking :) Exactly the same as fundies believing in ID.
 
Lonewulf said:
Why?

It seems strange to me that people proclaim "hoax!" everytime they see a video that either disagrees with their viewpoint, or involves people that are highly emotionally charged...
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I'm not so sure that wombatwal is in this category... a cursory search of his/her posts reveals one in which he begins with " I am no Christian but don't taint Christians with the antics of this woman." This about the crazy lady on wife swap a few years ago.
 
money said:
I'm not so sure that wombatwal is in this category... a cursory search of his/her posts reveals one in which he begins with " I am no Christian but don't taint Christians with the antics of this woman." This about the crazy lady on wife swap a few years ago.
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"Or involves people that are highly emotionally charged" was in reference to the people inside of the video, not to the person watching. I put it in in case wombatwal isn't a Christian or fundamentalist.

Most people that say, "This looks like a hoax..." seem to do so because the characters involved act incredibly emotionally, or demonstrate some form of bad acting.

I did not see bad acting, only charged emotion. I've seen arguments much like that in the video, that ran very similarly, but over entirely different issues. I have experienced and observed this form of human behavior, and I do not think that it is necessarily fake.
 
I smelt a hoax because that video seemed to be over the top and another video on that site about a man being absolutely stupid amongst alleged Muslims. He actually went into a room in the Mosque where all of these "hijabed" women were and became very friendly in an unislamic way. He then left the room but the video continued inside after the men left, it looked to me to be a hoax. I of course being a sceptic have an open mind and until I can get evidence that these videos are "rigi dig" I remain sceptical.
 
wombatwal said:
I smelt a hoax because that video seemed to be over the top...
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Over the top? It doesn't seem over the top to me. I've overheard far worse arguments than this. Over far more minor things, like Myspace accounts and crap.

...and another video on that site about a man being absolutely stupid amongst alleged Muslims.
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"That site" seems to be a free-sharing website where anyone can host videos. Saying that some others put up hoaxes does not make this one a hoax. It does not matter how "out there" the muslim video was; that's an entirely different video with no bearing on this one.

I of course being a sceptic have an open mind and until I can get evidence that these videos are "rigi dig" I remain sceptical.
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That's fine, I guess, but I have no reason to question this particular video.
 
Lonewulf, so if it fits your world view it is ok, no need to question.
Yes I agree about the two videos having no connection and really on reflection on my part a poor example, but I remain sceptical and accept nothing until convinced.
 
wombatwal said:
Lonewulf, so if it fits your world view it is ok, no need to question.
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I don't see any reason to proclaim that it is likely a hoax. I don't see why it's over-the-top. I don't see why one can't assume that there are mothers that overreact. This is nothing special. This is nothing incredible. I've seen atheists yell just as bad as theists, so don't think it's me being prejudiced or anything. So if you want to think that my worldview is this:

1) There are people that get angry.
2) There are people that have videocameras.
3) There are people willing to use that videocamera to film people getting angry.

Then yeah, I guess you could say it fits my worldview. And?

If you want to be 100% skeptical about everything you see, to the point where you accept absolutely nothing as real unless you're on the scene, seeing it with your own eyes (but ah! Skepticism: How do you know your eyes work well enough to not deceive you? Evidence? Guess you can't know anything at all), that's fine. But that's now how I live my life, and I would rather you not be snarky about it.

If there's a good reason to question the video, then I'll question it. There is no good reason to question the video. If it was acted, the acting was great. It wasn't over-the-top, I've seen first-hand arguments that were far worse, over far smaller things. I've *been in* arguments that bad with my parents. And I guess you could say I'm "skeptical" of "Arguments from Personal Incredulity" ;)

If I lived my life 100% skeptical of every single thing I've ever heard, I wouldn't progress anywhere in life. I'd have to stop my math instructors every second given a formula just to get all the mathematical proofs that lead one to make the conclusion that led up to the formula. I'd have to buy my own chemistry lab just so I can spend every second of my life re-inventing the wheel and re-proving all of scientific data; I couldn't rely on any textbook, I couldn't rely on a doctor for medical information (so I'd have to put myself through medical school, but then I'd have to be skeptical on what the school told me!)

But hey, if you want to live your life that way, I'm down with that. Just don't mind if I actually prefer getting things done.

Yes I agree about the two videos having no connection and really on reflection on my part a poor example...
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Good then.

...but I remain sceptical and accept nothing until convinced.
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That's fine, then.

But this thread goes nowhere, then, as evidence is impossible to provide for this scenario. I don't know the individuals involved, and I doubt anyone here does.
 
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I dont' think it's over the top either. I grew up with a mother who would trash my room-throw everything I own into a pile in the middle of the floor for me to clean up- if the things on my dresser were crooked. Anything out of order would get me into a screaming match with my mother, or get lifted off the ground by my ears-I didn't clean my room for that one. If anyone saw these scenes on youtube(and if we had a camera I'm sure my brother would have filmed us), no one would believe it, but there are people who go to extremes over minor things. Because of my experience, I don't think the video is faked based on the mother's reaction.
 
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