So I was going to message Agnostic directly and decided to just ask the community. Brutality has occurred in the name of religion and also due to simple ignorance, a lack of emotional control, lack of vision, the perception of no alternative, bigotry and misogyny, selfishness and apathy. The anti christian, antimuslim, antibuddhist, antisemetic signs (religious symbols with crosses in them in a recent ad for Agnostic.com) seem to denote a bit of hostility towards these groups of people. Is that part of what this group is supppose to be about or is this a place for peaceful discourse and intellectual discussion with moments of levity or something else?
Some are openly hostile to any form of faith, some are more diplomatic. Even within groups there is a continuum of tolerance. One may at the same time be hostile to certain ideas in general and congenial in the company of those that may hold them. Civil discourse is indeed possible but must be adhered to by all parties. Some feel deeply and personally injured by religious practice they have experienced while others have had more gentle experiences. I would agree that open hostility and rancor is counterproductive.
I do not belittle other people's beliefs. I do however resist religious people forcing their nonsense on everyone else and doing so much harm to humanity and this planet.
Ah ha ha ha. It took you probably two and a half seconds of typing to contradict yourself.
GOOD QUESTION... it strikes me as rather pointless and ridiculous for any serious organisation to bother to give itself various detailed names to describe the fact that it does not believe such childish nonsense as perpetrated by the purveyors of religious crap..........It is like fighting hard to tell the world that you do not believe that "Mary had a little lamb " [ biologically rather unlikely. ]
While I agree with Harris that 'atheism' shouldn't need to be a word, the fact of the matter is that it does. And all of those words don't mean simply that you are a non-believer. You may want to look each one up and read the definitions for your own edification.
Prejudice is a way of choosing not to understand I would hope that this site is a place were we can talk and strive to understand. And not simply belittle other peoples' belief systems.
Most of the religious I know are quite sensible probably more so than a lot of the left wing liberals on this website as they practice their religion more because of tradition rather because they are serious believers. Most of the ones I know are hard working businessmen who are more concerned with doing well and making money than they are with religion as they rarely talk about religion.
Some people are angry and have valid reasons for being so. This is a safe place to vent. Most here appear to live and let live, they share experiences and are quite happy to talk about their interests and make some friends.
This site (especially as it grows) has many personalities with different life experiences and is and will continue to be a combination of peaceful intelligent discussions, funny, sarcastic, and sometimes hostile with compassionate understanding.
This is our safe place, please don't to have restrictions put on us.
I wasnt thinking of restricting anyone. I was more concerned with the advertising that someone might interpret this as a hate group. It is normal to feel outrage by infringement on human rights and abuse. We want to talk about how we feel and heal from that, make progress.
There is nothing wrong in being anti religion but never be anti people.
Srijith is correct. Most of us are antitheist but never anti-humanist
I personally hold nothing against anyone who practices a faith. I work as a carpenter and visit homes of all different people. Christians , Muslims priests, vicars and I even put a swastika up the other day (it was Hindu). I do have a problem with faith schools that deny evolution, high street bible thumpers who call me (and everyone else) evil because we are not them and religious groups who try and influence laws to suit their own doctrinal agenda.
It's possible to be pro something without being anti towards opposing views. In sales it usually works better to discuss the features and benefits of your own product or service rather than running down the competition. Promoting the good in your position without denigrating the other possibilities allows free thinkers the courtesy of forming their own position. Respect disagreement for what it is. You may be wrong too. Be graceful and let criticism speak for itself.
I think you'd find most of us would be peaceful. There are things about religion that anger me. There are things about superstition that anger me. However not going to take it out on the groups that believe that. Might try to change their minds if they are open to it. So far no wars have been started by Atheists (To my best knowledge). However so very many wars have been fought based on differences in religious beliefs.
I have to do a little bubble bursting here though. [listverse.com] Both religion and science can be used for warfare or to commit violent crimes.
@thinkwithme Well those are mostly folks who wanted to be worshiped themselves? Is that science or is that wanting to be a god?
@RavenCT I think its narcisism
Idk. Ask the theist on here whom a little while ago commented on my YouTube video on the falsehoods of creationism, trying to convince me that god is real. My answer is atheists/agnostics.
I am just atheist. Not carrying any warfare with any religion or sect. Not bother by god anymore.