Related Information to Atheists Not To Be Feared!

Atheists Not To Be Feared! - Page 7

Offtopic but, I always thought of myself as an atheist, but on any application forms that counts as Church of England in the UK, I think.

Well thanks to all these posts in here I guess I'm classed as an Agnostic or is it Atheist, although through choice I'm neither, I'm just me I guess. I have no religious beliefs, as far back as I can remember I never have.

I guess I follow the same rules as society, if they are the same as a religion then so be it, they are what my parents instilled in me.

I dont believe in 'a God' and 'an after life' and I never Feared Atheists as a group of people. If I am one of these labeled 'people' then why would I be feared anyway?

Considering there is a Church of One religion or another in every Village, Town and City in the UK, I'd be very interested in finding out where you got this information from, because in all the 29 years in this country I have always believed that I as a 'Non believer' in a God to be in the minority.

I think you will find it is a Christian majority in the UK, but declining rapidly

Edited: Karniest on 27th Feb, 2006 - 3:42pm

Feared To Atheists

Having read through this amazing thread with fervour and zest, I am astounded by the conflict that has been voiced. As has been clearly stated in several posts, this is a religious board, and therefore I thought it may be a little more tolerant of differing points of view. I hate to say it but some of the posts in here smacks of "My bat- My ball - I'm going home", to the reader.

I am an atheist through and through. I am not to be feared because I believe that the laws of the land, imposed on us by our governments, are fair and proper. I do not care where those laws came from, as they are present day laws, and the history of them is not the issue. In my humble opinion There is no way that today's laws (or the basis of them) were handed to us through stone tablets on mountain tops. Sorry I can't se it.

I have had the classic upbringing, where I was sent to Sunday School, and was taught that it was cool to get pretty pictures of men and women in robes and color them in. I didn't relate that to religion of any sort, but I look back now and see it as the basis of a McDonalds type marketing system, get them young and you've got them for life. For me religion just doesn't fit .

I'm not into the who's right / wrong debate that seems to have taken place here, as the thread is not about that, but to say the atheists are not to be feared. Can I ask why anyone would fear someone simply for their religious views. And really how do you tell? I can't say that I can walk down the street and tell if someone is a LDS, an atheist, or a roman catholic, can you? Or is it something that religious people get taught to see. I'm sorry but to fear someone simply because of an implied religious belief or non belief as the case may be seems to be the highest form of prejudice there can be.

I fear prejudice more than atheism

Edited: MyInitials on 28th Feb, 2006 - 9:58am

Atheists Not To Be Feared! Beliefs Religious General

I'm not saying its possible or there is even the slight chance there is a god nor do I "hope" there is a god either. You totaly missed my point again what I was trying to say is how can you deny there is a god if it is proven you couldn't it would be like calling the sun purple you would look a fool.

Page 7 Feared To Atheists

MyInitials said:

A bit more tolerant? I do not see any part of this thread being intolerant towards anybody. We may have our strong opinions and we all are entitled to it. Now, if you are talking about people disagreeing with a specific point of view then this is what a debate is! I personally do not find the thread attacking anyone.

Just because you think there is no reason to fear atheists does not mean other people think the same way you do. If you notice almost all posters in this thread say they do not fear atheists, so I do not understand why you're talking about being intolerant. Like I expressed on my views before, I have never met a truly atheist, most of the people I have ever met were in fact agnostic. I am not afraid of anyone: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics, Satanics, etc. But I do know for some people that if someone tells them they are atheist, they will be not only in total shock but they will not want to associate with them period.

Armstrong said:

I think you are missing the point. Of course you would look like a fool if someone can prove the existence of God. My point is (I will try to say it one more time ) that atheists do not think, need or look for a proof since they say they know there is not such thing as God. But the Agnostic feels somehow different. They do not believe in the existence of God but if there is a remote possibility that can be proven then they are all ears. Do you understand what I am trying to say?. You stated in this thread that you do not believe in God and if there is a God then prove it, the fact that you challenge then proof shows you are not an Atheist but an Agnostic.

Feared To Atheists

I think that the title of this topic is designed to excite interest in the discussion.

I don't fear atheists. I dislike many of the agendas that I see coming from people who claim to be atheists, such as demanding that a privately donated "Ten Commandments" monument be removed from a public place, or attempting to change the culture by demanding that "In God We Trust" be removed from our money. These really are small things in the full view of history, but they are evidence of an underlying agenda by some atheists to marginalize Christianity and other religions.

Notice that when people try to do these things that so many Christians find repugnant, they do so by going through the courts. They know that they can't get laws passed, since any legislator knows that if he really ticks off the Christians, he won't get elected again.

So, it isn't FEAR speaking. And, it isn't prejudice. (Well, not for me, and not for anyone that I personally know.) It is the knowledge that the worst attacks against my personal beliefs and the culture that I hold dear come from people who claim they are atheists. It is also recognition that the greatest tragedies of humanity in the 20th Century came from official atheists, who frequently justified horrific actions based on their atheism. (Stalin, Lenin, Pol Pot, Mao, etc.)

Now, before you say it, I know that this is only a small percentage of people who identify themselves as atheists. But the common perception - and my perception as well - is that if these people didn't identify themselves as atheists, they wouldn't be doing things that are so offensive.

And, I recognize that a lot of religious people do things that are just as offensive to agnostics and atheists. And I have seen an awful lot of prejudice among atheists and agnostics towards religious people. Including expressions of 'fear' of what the religious people are trying to do to preserve our cultures, beliefs, and ideals.

One example: Attend any rally for "gay rights" and see how many expressions you hear about how the "religious right" is trying to destroy their lives. Fearmongering is alive and well on both sides of these debates.

Atheists Not To Be Feared!

I used to live in Manchester, it was published in the newspaper during the early 90s. It was just as surprising to me as it is to you and up to some months ago I kept the printed version. Recently I did see a similar report, it may be discussed somewhere around here if you search. I also found that when I approached many of them to discuss religion that they would not politely say "no", but instead were rather insulting and loud.

Offtopic but, I served a full time two year mission in England / Wales and believe me, there are many Atheists in Britain, however I am not stereotyping the country, merely responding to your interest without going off topic.

Atheists To Feared! - Page 7

I didn't take it as stereotyping its ok.

I'm not questioning your report or findings you understand, but just shocked that these were the results I guess.

I'm going to do a quick search to see if I can find this report, interesting reading I bet, certainly for a Brit.

Offtopic but, QUOTE I also found that when I approached many of them to discuss religion that they would not politely say "no", but instead were rather insulting and loud. Was this typically on the streets, in shopping centers etc handing out leaflets? As although I'm not particualy rude or offensive, a gentle sway of the head at most from me. The reasons, there are just so many If I stopped to chat, which sometimes if I'm just wandering, I do. It would take me a week to head along Deansgate (one of the Main Manchester Streets)

Was this typically on the streets, in shopping centers etc handing out leaflets?
As although I'm not particualy rude or offensive, a gentle sway of the head at most from me.

The reasons, there are just so many If I stopped to chat, which sometimes if I'm just wandering, I do. It would take me a week to head along Deansgate (one of the Main Manchester Streets)

Atheists To Feared! General Religious Beliefs - Page 7

LDS I guess my point was missed, as seems to be happening from the start of this thread. What I was trying to get across is that I realise most of the people in this thread have a religious point of view, and as such seem to come across as being VERY defensive about their point of view. I was not implying that you were attacking anyone, and I do know what a debate is.
Thats the O/T stuff out of the way.
Atheism (in your opinion) may be the biggest mistake anyone can make, but it is a choice. Surely everyone has the right to make their own choices, and I have made mine. I do not need to beleive in a higher being to feel complete and happy in my life. I have no problem with people who have chosen a different path, and that is one of the reasons why I have remained a member of this Discussions group. I enjoy the debate, and quite frankly I don't think everything that is discussed in this board needs to be based around a persons religion.
I take the inference from

this quote that you were insulted by people on the street.
I am one who would have said "no" politley, but I can see why some people get insulting, as this work can be seem as a complete invasion of ones personal space. Similar to telemarketing, it is something that people feel they have a right to do. I do not go out of my way to try to convince people of any religious group that they are wasting their Sunday's as that is their choice, and frankly I don't have the time to try, conversely it could be asked what give the religious zealot the right to try and convert me to their way of thinking.
This is the difference between atheists and religious people, the fact that I really do not care what any one thinks, and the religious people are (In my humble opinion) overtly voiciferous as to what others should be thinking. I enjoy the difference and see it as a great source of debate.