The Atheist and Agnostic Society at my college
Posted on: January 30, 2007 - 2:16pm
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The Atheist and Agnostic Society at my college
I was at my AAS meeting earlier this semester. I could not believe so meany atheists and agnostics could be so against things like what the RRS do. The were saying things such as if there wasn't religion people would just use something else to hurt people. There was one person, i think, that was for people becoming more rational . So i thought i would ask what everyone here though about this. And if it comes up again what i should say (if i get the courage to say it I'm pretty shy).
Zach
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No one can telly when to open up or how to open up or whom to open up to. Some people are in more difficult situations and could risk losing a job, a military carrier or family relationships. It is not an easy decision to make and certainly should be up to the individual.
There are pleanty of open atheists who are laying the groundwork for it to be easyer for future generations to question religious claims without fear.
I'd at least attend the campus meetings and listen to all the debates and learn how to debate. There is alot more to critical thought than just saying, "I think that story is bogus".
Absorb everything you can and when you get stumped, and you will, do not simply say, "I got stumped so the believer must be right". It merely means you may not have heard that argument before and may not know the fallacies behind it.
LEARN LEARN LEARN!
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That is a terribly nihilistic attitude they have. Even if people do use something else to hurt others, so what? Is that a reason to allow as many irrational reasons as possible to thrive within a society? No matter how many reasons people have isn't society necessarily made at least minutely better by each and every unnecessary reason to hurt others that is removed? That's like saying there's no use putting murderers in jail because somebody else would still murder people. It is hardly a rational attitude for them to have.
“Philosophers have argued for centuries about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, but materialists have always known it depends on whether they are jitterbugging or dancing cheek to cheek" -- Tom Robbins
Yea i thought the exact same thing. They sound like we can never improve society because someone is always going to do something bad. I really thought for people who are atheist mostly that this is a very confusing to me to why they have this view.
that's b/c many agnostics and atheists (speaking as an agnostic myself) consider some of RRS's methods just as extreme as fundy christians. that's why. when one looks at it objectively, that is how it seems. and that number is growing
Any time they want to come up with an alternative that actually works, instead of hiding in the shadows for another two thousand years.....
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
I am unsure how they are like fundies. They speak using logic and they provide challenges that get our voices heard. Fundies speak from dogma and want to oppress people, which the RRS, i hope and think, would never want to oppress anyone.
This is the problem with most of my nonreligious friends too, but it's not just pessimism about the world, it's a general apathy in life. Hardly any of my atheist/agnostic friends are opposed to religion, and if they are, only in words, and not very strongly. Most of them are of the mind "live and let live," and "if it makes them happy let them believe." I'm the only atheist I know in my circle that is actively opposed to irrationality and superstition. However, I'm also the only one of my friends that comes from a fundamentalist christian family, and I think if they experienced the brainwashing, the demonizing, and the learned guilt and fear first hand, more people would care. Apathy, and not just about religion, is something that we really have to work against, because so many problems could be solved if only we could get people motivated and mobilized.
Do You Worship an Evil God?
I am unsure why i'm so against it. My mother is about as liberal of a christian as you can get and sitll be considered "christian". The only one who's fundy is my sister who is mid to late 30s, but i do agree with most else you are saying. My girlfriend like i said above is against religion and irrationality about as much as me, just not as "activist" about it, which is because i think she's shy and doesn't think she can argue to well.
I'm pretty shy, but I don't let that stop me from doing what I believe is right. I know what I'm talking about when I take on theists, and that alone gives me the courage to confront people and try to open minds. Public debate isn't so my thing, but I'll take on people one at a time, and I'd say I'm pretty good at it. If your girlfriend is afraid to argue, then she doesn't need to. If the theist can't keep calm and civil and just talk about things, they don't deserve anyone's attention to begin with. I've been in a couple of discussions where the opposition got emotional and unreasonable, and I just call it off then. It's also not a good idea to discuss religion while drinking, I've found, haha. This one guy I was talking with had just two beers and was already drunk and getting agitated, so I told him to chill out and we'll talk later. That was pretty ironic since his whole argument was about morality. I wish I had it on film.
Do You Worship an Evil God?
I agree with this view completely. I too was raised in a religious family and was brainwashed and taught the fear of eternal damnation. Now when I debate fundys I often get agressive at attacking their views. Those on my side will repeatedly say that I'm being "blunt". But I get so angry with religion with what it did to me and to an extent still does to me.
It's hard to free your mind after it's been shackled since birth by your very parents.
"I am an atheist, thank God." -Oriana Fallaci
I'm quite shy in everyday life, but I tend to be very bold about my atheism. Not that I go about screaming it at everyone I meet, mind you. Although I don't try to bring it up at work though, just because I 'm sure there could be negative effects of doing so (at least until I'm more comfortable there).
JESUS SAVES!!! .... and takes only half damage!