R-e-s-p-e-c-t
Offline Ok, now I have that oldies song stuck in my head. So my question for everyone is what kind of respect (or lack of) do we give to religion? I know Dawkins touched on this in The God Delusion, but i'm a little confused. Do we respect the right to hold those beliefs, but not the beliefs themselves? I think this is what alienates most theists. They feel that we must respect their ridiculous beliefs and if we don't we're being extremely rude. But how can you respect such beliefs after what they have done to the world and mankind? All the killing, genocide, bombings, hate, etc....My girlfriend is an atheist and goes to a Unitarian Universalist church where the only thing they ask you to do is respect other people. She wants me to come with her, but I don't respect other beliefs because they are silly,absurd, and potentially dangerous. Thoughts?
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personally, i respect every person as a person but i will not respect people's insane religious beliefs.
would you 'respect' someone's irrational beliefs in an area that did not involve religion?
I agree. The person deserves respect (in most cases.) Religion definitely doesn't.
I agree with you guys, but what about explaining that to the rest of the public that firmly believe that you do not question someone's religion, that it's "sacred" and off limits?
Personally, I give respect to religion on a case-by-case basis. A belief in God doesn't make a person bad. It's what they do with it. If they engage in or approve of certain activites (killings, genocide, hate, bombings, etc.) based on their religious beliefs, then of course they deserve no respect whatsoever. But I know several theists who have much the same values as I do and are against all of that crap. The only difference is they believe there is some sort of god in control of things, and I don't. I find their belief in a god disappointing, but I also know that their belief is simply a result of indoctrination. And it doesn't make me want to disrespect them.
Nobody I know was brainwashed into being an atheist.
Why Believe?
Call me old fashioned but I have little respect for someone who chooses to believe the unbelievable. It's no difference than someone believing something based on race, the only difference is that the race issue is much different as it's a born and bred thing.
Now, I could care less if a person has been religious his entire life, but if one chooses to become a religious nut at any point... there is no respect.
I think you can be a person that doesn't respect religion and not be a dick about it. I only talk about religion if it's already been brought up. And then, the gloves come off. I don't personally give a shit about "god" on the money or in the pledge, so I don't make an issue out of it. If someone is grieving and they say "God got me through this," who am I to start a religious debate then? Then I would be just as bad as the religious person saying "It's God's will." I mean, you have to be really self-aggrandizing to need to feed off of inappropriate theological debates.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=SnerdWilliams Independent Atheist Movement Forums
I suppose I would have to also say it would be a case by case decision. I can certainly be respectful to a person regardless of whether they were religious or not. I am generally respectful and polite to a person until they give me reason not to be. And just because a person has a delusional belief isn't enough reason for me to not respect them or be rude to them when they're behavior really doesn't warrant it.
On the other hand, if they're trying to shove it down my throat, it's no holds barred as far as I'm concerned.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
I like the input so far, but again, i'm not talking about disrespecting the individual, but the beliefs they might hold. I'm all for respecting a person for the simple fact they are another human being, but I don't have any respect for their beliefs. They are two seperate things. Again, I wouldn't be a dick about it and bring it up when a person was suffering, but people just expect you to have reverence for their insane, unproveable, and dangerous belief systems. They think its a major fopa to say "Well thats just stupid" when talking about people's religious views.
I found this page very interesting. Check it out. (Click the article about respect and religion )
http://atheism.about.com/od/aboutreligion/p/RespectReligion.htm
Let's put it this way - Let's say I'm talking to someone and they reference the Bible in their little anecdote. I might smile politely but inside my head I'll be thinking, 'Really? This person is silly enough to believe that nonsense?' Now, because this is probably just a regular old conversation with an acquaintace or co-worker, I'm not going to press the issue.
In the same token, I went to a Catholic wedding. I sat very quietly in the pew when all the others got down on their knees to pray. I continued to sit when they went up for the eucharist and I stood politely but did not engage in any singing of the hymns. I'ts simply not my religion. I did get some funny looks from people but I don't think it was a big deal.
I'm relatively open about my atheism and for the most part, people have been very polite about it.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
Sure, they're technically two different things. But it's an extremely fine line. Actually, I think you could rationally argue that beliefs are part of an individual - and if you disrespect a person's beliefs, then you're disrespecting them too to a certain extent. It happens to us as atheists all the time. When a theist says "Athiests are stupid!", is our first thought "Oh, they're not disrespecting us, they're just disrepecting our beliefs...", or is our first thought "They're disrespecting us!". I'll admit for me, I think the latter.
I guess I'd like to know if/why you're keen on the words "disrespect"/"respect". Is there something to be gained by actively disrespecting someone's beliefs, as opposed to simply not sharing them, if you want to maintain respect for the person at the same time? I'm sure you can do that, but if the other person finds out you disrespect their beliefs, then you shouldn't be surprised if they think you're disrespecting them as a person.
Nobody I know was brainwashed into being an atheist.
Why Believe?
I don't remember who it was, but someone once said that he'd respect another person's religious beliefs only to the extent that he'd respect the other guy's opinion that his wife is hot or his kid smart.
Good night, funny man, and thanks for the laughter.
For me, i treat every with respect (until i deem that person unworthy of respect), but that doesn't mean i respect that person. To me respect is earned not given. religious belief is a negative when it comes to determining ones respectability, for me, but i do respect some theists so it isn't like its a veto negative.
If you feel the beliefs are irrational then there is no reason to respect them. Why should you? Irrationality shouldn't be respected. The fact that it has been for thousands of years is the reason we are in the mess we are in now.
Co-Founder of the Atheist/Freethought website Pathofreason.com
www.pathofreason.com
Check it out
The only things in life you should respect are those which you think are beneficial everything else that is not directly harmful sh ould be 'tolerated.
I do not 'respect' anyone belief in god but I tolerate people who do as they have every right to
Religion should only gain the respect it deserves. If they truly want more respect, they shouldnt be asking for it, they should already be recieving it. Customs such as humiliating women, obviously deserve no respect. However, customs such as praying, do. And although you may never, ever be able to respect a religion, you can atleast, respect some aspect of their belief, long enough to have a civil conversation with them. Or, if not, long enough to simply walk past them without laughing, shouting, or sticking the middle finger up their arse.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
So you would act disrespectful to your boss if you found out he or she was a Christian? I might think their beliefs are dumb and dangerous, but that doesn't mean I'm going to spit in the face of a nun or something.
While I would probably remain quiet in general if a person brings up religion, I certainly wouldn't if that same person was bashing gays in front of me. I think of it as diplomacy.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
This is the sort of respect weve been handing out for years. And frankly, its done more harm than good. The fact that we give them the respect they so deeply DONT deserve, only feeds their cause. Sure, i wont spit in a nuns face. But i also wouldnt refrain from telling the nun, how i feel about her religion. Just like how i wont refrain from telling a muslim, how i feel about his(of course, after i check whether he has a gun, knife, or pointy object with him first).
The truth is, that this "diplomacy" you talk of, is nothing more than wussying out. Just because you care about what others think of you, that doesnt mean you should care enough to give respect where it is least deserving. Now, im not telling you to bash on your boss for his religios beliefs, every time you meet him. But, im also telling you not to withhold your opinion of his religion, if he ever mentions it. If he withholds you from a promotion you rightfully deserve because of it, it makes him a bad man, and not you. After all, no one likes a suckup.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
What'd you think? Do you respect Christianity? Islam? Buddhism? Do you personally feel reverence for people who embrace popular delusion? If not, then I'm not sure why you would seek fellowship in a community (like UU) that, at its foundation, holds on to the naive idea that "all faiths are equally true and are to be respected". This, I think, is a profoundly problematic belief system (& one that I embraced when I was a Christian ... I was a very, very liberal Christian).
Now, on the otherhand, if you're trying to make a concession to your partner and go to services with her, then by all means go ... My only comment is, instead of asking us what you should feel about religions, belief systems, interrogate yourself on what you feel ...
I'm off myspace.com so you can only find me here: http://geoffreymgolia.blogspot.com
Um, where did you pull that bullshit from? It has nothing to do with what other people think of me. Granted, I'm not going to get myself fired from my job by telling my boss he's a delusional nitwit but...
First of all, I never said I was witholding my opinions. In fact, if you had bothered to even read some of the stuff I wrote, you'd see that I said the opposite. Here are some examples:
Also this:
Anyone who knows me or works with me closely knows I'm an atheist. I also can assure you that they know what I do and don't agree with. If someone mentions they are a Christian, I think it would be really fucking stupid and immature to immediately start hammering away at them. I hardly think that's wussying out. I see nothing that will be gained by telling a religious person that you think their religion is dumb or dangerous.
Why don't you try reading my posts next time instead of putting words in my mouth.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
Honestly, for me its a case by case basis... a person by person discussion. In class i'll say that god is no more real than santa clause... When Scientolgy gets laughed at i point out that it no more or less ridiculous than christian beliefs. (Its amazing how christians cant comprehend this). If i end up in a religoius discussion and someone says they are christian, i have many different techniques i use in different situations to show that i dont respect their religious beliefs... mine main one is giving them "thats cute" or "silly" line.
This past saturday i was about to get on a train at about 8am, and i was sitting next to this older black lady. After a min or 2 she says to me she turns to me and hands me this card... now of course i knew... here is the prostelatizing and then she asks if i "know jesus", so i answered "yeah ive heard of jesus from the bible", so then she continues "well did you accept him" and i was like "nah its not for me, it just doesnt make much sense" and we continued a little friendly banter for about 20 mins, me bringing up different fallacies, asking fun little questions. Explaining the history of the bible, explaining evolution, and how morals are developed outside of religion and so forth. Basically, i was respectful but i said quite firmly that there is no good reason to believe it so i dont.
I was replying to you comment about not speaking up if it was your boss or not.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
Do you work to support yourself? I'm guessing not since you think it would be perfectly acceptable to insult your boss. Let me tell you, unless my boss was a real big dick about it, I'm not going to give him shit for his religion. You think that's being a suck up? It's called keeping your job. You think that's being 'wussy'? Well, I like to eat and have a place to live and people need jobs to do that.
If he wants to make comments to me, that's a different story. And trust me, I've had bosses that have made comments to me. In fact, at my last job my atheism would get me in trouble with the boss and a couple of the secretaries, which is why I quit. My new boss has an upside down tattoo with a skull on the back of her neck. She doesn't give me problems.
I take issue with being told that I'm either a suck up or a wussy because I understand that there is a certain decorum that must be maintained in a working environment. Until someone's behavior in the work place actually begins to affect me, giving them a problem about their religion isn't the smartest thing to do.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
Angel, I'm going to have to agree with Pariah on this one. I am the boss in my office. If someone got shitty with me because of a subject that should remain outside of the office, I would fire them. So, you can "rage against the machine" in your own little world and by yourself, young man. Reality requires quite a different set of attitudes.
"Tis better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven." -Lucifer
Social skills, people. Social skills.
There are ways to let people know you don't hold the same beliefs as someone else without being rude to them. That's not being wussy. You want someone to refuse to hear anything you have to say? Immediately going on the attack will guarantee that result.
I'm not talking about giving respect to religion. I don't respect religion & religious beliefs. I also would prefer to deliver that message in a way that reduces defensiveness of the listener, hopefully allowing my godless heathen ideas to plant their seeds in the minds of the "faithful".
Why are the "New Atheists" (Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, et al) getting so much attention? Not because what they're saying makes sense, but because they're pissing people off. This is not a criticism, it's an acknowledgement. They've done the very tough job of blazing the trail. Now that the floodgates are open, let's continue to spread the ideas that science, reason and logic are of more value to us than primative superstitions.
Susan
Thank you, for taking what i said, throwing it in the garbage, and posting a reply based on your assumptions. No, really.
I never said to insult your boss. Read what i wrote, carefully.
Yes, thats what i said. I never told you to bash on his beliefs. However, i did tell you to state your opinions about what you believe. If, by chance, he brings up the topic of religion, and asks about yours, you should tell him what you believe. What im saying is a wussies way out, is simply nodding in agreement like an idiot, or conforming to his belief.
Good for you. And infact, it is against the law to be fired for what you believe in. You might as well be fired for your sexual preference.
My "wussy" remarck was based on your unwillingness to speak up when someone else mentions religion. If someone talks about religion, or their religious views, then you should respond in kind.
To Nero:
You too, have taken what i said, thrown it in the shitter, and responded in kind. I never said to bash your boss. However, i did say to respond in kind, when your Boss brings up the subject. I never told you to persistently bring up the subject. The fact that you either a). misunderstood what i said, which is poor reading skills on your part, or b) Simply read pariahjanes response, which is again, poor reading skills on your part, clearly show that you are the one at fault here.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
There is a time and place for everything. You remind me of the guy who suggested that I tell my grandmother, while we were standing in front of my grandfather's coffin, that she was wrong when she said that he's 'in heaven now'. He also thought I was wrong in not correcting her at that moment.
If someone makes a passing mention of their religion, I'm not going to say anything. If they ask me whether I go to church, what religion I am, etc., I reply truthfully, which is what I said before.
You'll see, one day when you grow up and enter the real world, that there are certain ways a person needs to act in certain... situations. Do you act the exact same way around your friends as you do your grandparents? I highly doubt it. It's neither being 'wussy' or a 'suck up'. It's called being mature.
See, the funny thing is you never bothered to read my other posts in the first place, which is what you accused both myself and Nero of doing. If you had, then you would have read that I don't hide my stances or my atheism.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
I am not trying to be a dick, but when you are 19yrs old and most likely live at home or in a college dorm, how can you tell someone who needs their job to feed themselves and pay the rent that they need to confront their boss about religion? I agree when asked we should not be afraid to state we lack belief, but to immaturely cause yourself grief because you want to show you're not a 'wussy' is asinine.
If the boss is trying to push his beliefs on you, that is one thing... but every situation needs to be handled independently. The persons involved know if it is best to address the issue or not. For you to tell someone else how to act is rather arrogant and smacks of someone who has not had a lot of experience in the work world.
If you are wondering where I got the "19yrs old" figure I found it here, the email used in the account is the same as the one for your account on these forums.
In an effort to try to steer this thread away from those who think publicly taking any theist to task regardless of the situation, I have a question for you Medieval - have you had any experiences such as a theist insisting that you respect their beliefs? Personally, I mean.
I ask because I live in the midwest, which is pretty heavily theistic and this has never happened to me. My sister hinted at it once (and I love her dearly) but she conceded the point that my right to non-belief deserves just as much respect. I guess, I am just wondering if something happened that caused you to ask this. I know we talk a lot here about this sort of thing, but I have found that in real life situations most theists are fairly reasonable and don't necessarily DEMAND respect for their beliefs. But, again, this hasn't happened to me so perhaps you have a more informed view of things.
For me, it's not the content of the beliefs that determine respect, it's their attitude to them. After all, rationality isn't defined by the result - an idiot could get things right out of a lucky guess. Rationality is defined by a person's attitude to belief.
There are good traits associated with rational thinking, like open mindedness, the ability to recognise the falibility of your existing beliefs, the honesty to struggle with problems and admit that you don't have all the answers. That's why I don't agree with theists, but can still find their beliefs incredibly respectable. (In the same way, I can have no respect for atheistic beliefs if the person has an irrational attitude to them.)
Although I think that atheism is the correct answer, I can understand how a theist can come to their answer. Although a lot of the arguments on this board makes atheism sound obvious, many of them rely on premises that are controversial and counter-intuitive, and some even I believe to be plain wrong. I mean, if you think about what a minority 'our' strand of atheism is, if it was that obvious then why don't more people agree? Many great thinkers disagree.
I think that the attempts to explain away the beliefs of such people often come across as conspiracy theory.
If your grandmother knew what you believed in, then telling her, comforting her that your grandfather stilll lives on in heaven, will only seem more empty.
This reminds me of a scene in the movie "Lord of war", where Nicholas Cage is confronting his wife on their wedding day. All the friends invited are his, and her parents are dead. He approaches her, saying "im sorry, it must be tough." She replies that it would be nice if she had some more people from her side of the family. Nicholas replies, "Im sure theyre watching right now". But, his new wife, knows that hes an atheist, replies, "Thank you... But, you dont believe that, Yuri. remember?"
That is what i am critisizing you about. If someone is talking about their religion to you, then why dont you speak up?
Sorry, i didnt notice our age difference. Youre 84, right?
I give my friends the same respect i give my grandparents: The amount they deserve. And thats ultimately what im talking about. Handing out respect towards people with different religious views. I NEVER said to be rude. However, i did say to voice your opinions, to talk with the respect that they deserve.
Youll see, one day when someone gives you the respect you rightfully deserve, you will understand that respect is infact earned. Being courteous, or polite to your boss, is not the same as respecting him.
See, the funny thing is, your lack of critisism is whats wrong with society. The fact that we have "avoided" confrontation whenever possible, is what made religion such a large, and tough opponent today. Though your passivist views do not advance the march of religion, they sure dont help.
Gods greatest, and worst gift of all: Assumption. Thank you for branding me as a 19 year old colledge student, sucking the money off my parents, and being ignorant of society around me.
In all seriosness, try walking past a group of christian activists, calmly talking about Atheism and how god could not possibly exist. Then, see how many flyers and humans come flying at you at once. A christian would not hesitate FOR A MOMENT, to correct you, to mock your views, to brand you as evil. Now, this is one reason why i thank my parents for raising me as an atheist, but this is also a reason why i think theism is generally winning the war. The fact that passive atheists that simply allow the world to keep going, dont help the cause of stopping this mindless delusion from going out of hand, is never good.
If you didnt want grief in the first place, then join christianity, or Islam, or whatever religion your boss worships.
I completely agree. This is why i stated, that you should NOT badger your boss about it, and only talk about it when HE mentions it.
Seriously, what is this unsubstantiated negative assumption you keep throwing towards me? How can you possibly assume that i am some kind of kid who hasnt earned his weight in gold, or worked his weigh to pay for his rising cost of daily necessities?
Ah, this takes me back. You should really check my Youtube account.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
The reason I said you were 19yrs old is because the accounts states you were born in 1988. That would make you 19, correct? If not why would you lie when setting up that account?
Either way, BGH, we have a lad here who has zero idea what it is like to be in the workforce. This, I believe, was the crux of Pariah's posts. I have read all of the posts and know my reading skills to be acceptable for this particular discourse. Further, I recognize an inherent ignorance of how the world really works.
Angel, it is fine that you have no real world experience for this sort of conversation. We were all 19 once upon a time. What is not acceptable is making belligerent assertions based on some fallacious facade. If you are not a member of the full time workforce, accept that and look for areas that allow for your experience set. You are walking down an unpleasant path. I would advise allowing truth to lead you.
"Tis better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven." -Lucifer
I respect every human being. The irrational beliefs many hold i do not have respect for.
No, that's called fucking heartless. Rather than remind Grandma that I don't believe in heaven, I gave her a hug. If you feel a funeral is an appropriate time for a debate, that's your perogative. I think that's fucked up.
If someone happens to mention they go to church, why would I take offense to that? Do you seriously engage every single person you come across in debate about religion? Do you go up to people that are wearing crosses and tell them their delusional? If you do, you're an asshole.
If people make comments like 'those bad atheists' or 'the bible says homosexuals are sinful' then yes, I might say something. If they say, 'On Saturday I went to a wonderful sermon at church. What did you do?' I'm simply going to tell them what I did Saturday night. Why? Because there is no point in criticizing and attacking every person I speak to.
Respect and behavior or two different things. Do you swear in front of your friends? In front of your grandparents? Do you go to the bar or the clubs or whatever you do with your grandparents? How about your friends? As I've said a million times before, there are certain behaviors required for certain social situations.
Honestly, I tend to critize a lot, I just happen to think that being a belligerent jerk to every person I come across isn't very effective. Apparently you feel it works for you. If you knew me, you would know that I don't avoid confrontation and that I stand up for what I believe in. I just don't think it's necessary to confront every single person I come across.
I completely agree. This is why i stated, that you should NOT badger your boss about it, and only talk about it when HE mentions it.
Because you are acting like one.
If god takes life he's an indian giver
AngelEngine: You are certainly entitled to your point of view and Pariahjane is entitled to hers, and while many here will appreciate your gung ho statements, reality is reality. The very thing you are promoting is the very thing most of us hate about theists. Generally speaking, people don't want another persons beliefs or lack thereof shoved down their throats. This thread has turned into a ridiculous argument over you defending a position on which you are not educated simply because you are unable to concede that experience in this area might just lead to a bit of wisdom.
I have no idea your age, but I hope you are not a teenager as that would be insulting to teenagers. I have two of them - neither would ever behave the way you describe to their employer or grandparents. Give it up already.
I too live (well, attend college) in an extremely theistic area, but to be honest with you, no, I can't really recall a specific time when a theists has demanded my respect for their religion. The closest i've come is having theists expecting me to pray with them before a meal, or at a family reunion. I was just curious since I was talking about this problem with my girlfriend, the UU. And Conn, no i'm not thinking about joining the UU because of this exact problem, I don't think all the other religions are equal and deserve the deference they ask for. I really do think this is a fine line. People confuse deference, respect, and toleration. I honestly don't know what the correct answer is, that why I want to discuss it.
Yes, why in gods name would i post my real age in a public forum aimed at children?
Nero. In all seriousness, you are way more Juvenile than i could ever be. Why? Well, here it goes.
If you type that as a response to someone who just wrote:
Youve obviously got some sort of literacy problems.
Furthermore, after i JUST told BGH that assumptions are bad, you make the exact same assumption towards me. Not that BGH did any better than you, nor did Pariahjane, but the three of you seem to recognize a sort of close bond with that word in general.
Its a shame that you cannot grasp why someone would want to post a fake birthday in order to avoid conflict in that forums. What is not acceptable is making belligerent assumptions based on some inability to ask. Have you ever asked what i do for a living? Have you asked me my age? How i possibly support myself, or even affrod to have internet connections?
You are walking down an unpleasant path. I would advise you to ask for the truth before leading yourself down that path.
No need to swear. We were having a nice conversation, and you messed it up.
I try my best. And yes, i do believe that people who badger others on the streets are assholes. Infact, i get attacked by these assholes wearing crosses every day when i pass by their church. Do i silently walk by while they keep badgering and bothering people about their religion? Of course not. Theyre 1). Bothering a ton of people who quite frankly dont want to be bothered by this nonses, and 2). If i talk to them, atleast they wont be talking to others.
I would go "Sigh, church. The one place god would never visit in his lifetime." And thats all it takes. Again, i never told you to go out and seek people, nor did i tell you to keep an open ear for every comment made about religion. However, if someone is speaking to you about the subject at hand, you should respond in kind. They are telling you what they believe, and you should do the same.
Respect is naturally intertwined with behavior. Now, you can constrict behavior and still have no respect, but if you respect someone, you would naturally behave well infront of them. The more respect, the more behavior.
Oh, and if my grandparents asked me to go to the bar with them, i would. Why wouldnt I?
Who said that you should act mean, or be a jerk towards them? You can be polite, and still get your message across. I mean, christians can either say "believe in god, or burn in hell for eternity", or "believe in god, and you will be saved".
I completely agree as well.
As opposed to you, who swears and name calls your opponent? Hey, dont get me wrong, adults can swear too. But, that still makes the action juvenile.
To JCE:
I agree, we should really drop this soon. Im getting tired of posting the same thing over and over, as the others endlessly assume my age, my workplace, my stance, without actually asking me. And no, im not a teenager, so your children can rest easy tonight.
Also, its just that my point of view differs from others. The fact that ive experienced things in my life, is proof that ive even gained this point of view to begin with.
My last words? Well, to Nero, id suggest to read more carefully about what someone types out, and then reply. To both BGH and PariahJane, well, assumptions are never good, as they do not help your cause, nor are they always correct.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
I am sorry, you can try to shift blame and call my conclusions "assumptions", but reviewing the evidence there was ONLY ONE conclusion to be had. It was not an assumption.
You may have lied on the other website for whatever reason, that does not make my conclusion faulty, it was based on the evidence at hand.
Regardless... this discussion has gotten way off topic and I do not think it is fair to Medevilguy to continue any longer.
P.S.
Who?
I completely agree, you are to blame. I have posted on this forums, and in this very topic, hints on how old i am. The failure on your part of recognizing them, and your unwillingness to search for them, is your fault.
In the end, it is your unwillingness to actually ask the person of their current stature, instead of assuming their stature. Even now, you havent asked me my age to confirm your assumptions, and still try to defend that you had ample reason to assume the way that you did.
I completely agree. I apologize to Medevilguy about how this topic has become somewhat of a flame war.
Its a figure of speach. Like, "kick your ass" might involve no kicking whatsoever.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
You know, BGH, I went and looked at SniperTak (aka Angelengine) and examined his posts. He's been there two years and seems to be very involved in the place. I find it difficult to believe an adult would have spent so much time in such a place. I feel fairly secure that he is 19.
"Tis better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven." -Lucifer
Thought we dropped this already?
Anyways, take a look at my Youtube account. Seriously, why did you think i said it in the first place?
Of course, i still find it puzzling, that you post speculation about me, yet still havent actually ASKED me what my age is.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
Well, for crying out loud just state your age instead of acting all coy about it. Sheesh!! This is utterly ridiculous. PLEASE TELL US YOUR AGE SO THIS ISSUE CAN BE PUT TO BED. The thing is, your age makes little difference here. You blatantly contradicted yourself in two different threads and have spent the rest of the time on this one uselessly slinging ad homs around rather than just admit that your original statement was an incorrect representation of how your feel on this issue.
As have you, with your ad hom attacks towards me. Anyways, thanks for asking. Your the first one.
Although you didnt need to type in capitals, which i assume is you yelling, or atleast emphasizing. Im 22. Which isnt far from your estimates, but ive had my share of bad moments. Both my parents are already dead, and ive got a little sister whos living with my grandparents now. Ive also got no stream of income coming from anyone except myself, and pay my university education with my work money as well as a studen loan, which doesnt help pay EVERYTHING. Ive also had a stream of jobs, some part, some full, and bosses who ive discussed religion about too.
Anyways, hope this clears things up.
I'm infallible. I don't know why you can't remember that.
Honestly, I thought she was a bit of a ninny before, but now I think she's just whacko.
To answer the question... I don't respect their crazy beliefs, but I see no reason to stir the pot.
Just walk away and/or keep your mouth shut, unless they're trying to drive their drivel down your throat. However, I still don't recommend pulling the Athiest card out, because that usually makes them try even harder...
It's just not worth it to stir the pot. You're not going to change their minds any more than they'll change yours, so why waste your breath. At the very least, seeing as you're more rational than them, you can agree it's not worth the time...
That reminds me. There are people today who actually believe that the Earth is flat.