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I guess today is "Ask an Atheist Day." Is anyone else inviting people to ask?

Deb57 8 Sep 17
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16 comments

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0

No, I'm social distancing and all my household is atheist.

0

Ask what ?

Questions.

1

I missed this one. But apparently there's one in April, too. I'll be ready to participate then, but hell, I'll get grilled by believers long before that. [wheniscalendars.com]

2

I didn’t even know this was a thing! I’m still in the closet because I’d be shunned if people knew. If I ever come out then I’d love to participate in this.

kdmom Level 6 Sep 17, 2020
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Didn't know there is an official day for asking. And if true, why bother?

To converse and disambiguate, I guess? I mean, some people don’t even know what an atheist (and ALL atheists) is, by definition. Even on this site.

@Mvtt if what you say is true, where's proof? Hearsay ain't reality. Yet, even if part of what you claim is true, these people must be halfwits ergo conversing to disambiguate, as you guess, would be futile and still a waste of time.

It's been my experience that there are people who are swayed a lot more by the views of someone they are familiar with, whether it be sexuality, race, or religion. They think I look relatively normal, so if I believe something, maybe it's okay. I don't mind being the impetus for that mental journey of theirs. Maybe it will give them the courage to pursue it.

3

Half the draw of being an atheist is to not need to convince people that they have to think like me.
I see no point in being an evangelist if you're not evangelical.
In the past more often people approach me and I ask questions, like why do you believe this? Why should I believe this. I'm sorry you haven't convinced me, line of conversation.
People don't approach me like that anymore.

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I would but I'm not nearly as fast as I used to be at dodging thrown objects

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Nope, 2 things I don't FB about anymore religion and politics, worse than a bar since the haters have anonymity.

Yeah, and they've gotten really familiar with the "Report" function, so it's annoying to be banned to time out. 😕

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Not me, but a friend does it every year on his FB page and he's had a lot of responses so far today. Maybe 30? Some went into discussions, some were snarky, and some were friends who wished they were brave enough to do it.

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Why do atheists embrace leftist dogma?

In my experience it is mostly to take care of our needy and old with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. The right has no record of doing that and since everyone is not rich I suppose the answer is to throw them out in the streets. Certainly a 401K does not take care of the problem. Then I often meet the liars who claim no person in their entire family needs any of these services.

Perhaps because most atheists arrived at the conclusions they reached because they tend to be readers and thinkers, and less gullible and/or fear driven than most believers.

I would rather be open minded than blindly follow dogmatic beliefs. I feel I could go either way left/right depending on the topic and how the zeitgeist changes over time, and as I age.
Do you have examples of the left presenting their ideas as “undeniably true” more than the right?

Leftist Dogma? You mean evidence-based thinking?

@Mvtt [qz.com]

@Mvtt, @BitFlipper No, I really mean leftist dogma.

@PBuck0145 that’s an interesting viewpoint thanks for sharing.
Here’s what I got out of it. I don’t agree with all of it and some accusations could easily be accused of the Right too, but some of it I think are good criticisms.

The dogma from the article is:
the left think mental health is purely biological and haven’t updated their opinion alongside new and accepted scientific consensus.
The left dictates that everyone is born equal.
Left believes gender is purely a social construct.
Left enforces implicit bias training which is not scientifically backed.
The dogma from the video is:
The last few years topics have become sacred. Left suffers from primordial tribal fundamentalist religious thinking rather than scientific reasoning.
Showing signs of close-mindedness and illiberal behaviour.
Now republicans are saying universities are a bad thing because they’re making things worse. So universities are losing the support of half the country.

Do you mean that they are more likely to have a social conscience ?

@Mvtt Excellent steel man summation!

@Moravian No, i mean "Why do atheists embrace leftist dogma?"
I am fully aware that atheists have social integrity. So do most classical liberals, centrists and conservatives.

@PBuck0145 your question smells like straw, man. How about you present a definition of what you consider "leftist dogma." Examples would be nice, too.

@Deb57 Your interest is appreciated.

Besides the items listed by @Mvtt previously, some observed leftist dogmata::
Collectivism good, individualism bad
Islam OK, Judaism/Christianity bad
Democrats intelligent, Republicans stupid
Equality of outcome righteous, meritocracy harmful
Marxism/Socialism/Communism good, free market economy / capitalism bad
Globalism good, patriotism evil
Open societies / open borders desirable, national borders pointless
"Palestine" praiseworthy, Israel malevolent
European Union democratic and laudable, U.S. theocratic and tyrannical

Over the past several decades, academia has endeavored to indoctrinate our youth with leftist ideals. They have been far too successful. The West is now in stage three as described by Yuri Bezmenov back in 1985:

Far too many leftists in Western nations sincerely assume to have exclusive ownership of virtue, and are more noble and ethical than both the "uneducated masses" and those who are educated but have rejected the leftist indoctrination.

@PBuck0145 While there is some basis for truth in the "Democrats intelligent, Republicans stupid" statement, the rest is conjecture. I'm afraid you don't get to decide what I believe to be true. And when you claim to do so, I will call out your dishonesty.

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I posted this to my facebook accounts, but no questions yet.

0

I’m an Anti-theist Atheist. Ask me anything.

Mvtt Level 7 Sep 17, 2020
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I suspect we’ve advanced quite a ways from the Tom & Lanny Show, and their radio appearance on a Portland (OR) talk station … thirty years ago.. Answering questions about Atheists was so popular - they were asked to stay on an additional hour!

Any more, I find little of interest in educating those having avoided it for a lifetime. It’s occasionally interesting, though, I get far more satisfaction directly taking on a street preacher 😉

Varn Level 8 Sep 17, 2020
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Someone, please do ask us questions!

Mvtt Level 7 Sep 17, 2020
0

Go ahead...ASK ME!

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Didn't know about it. I call myself an Atheist who practices Zen Taoism and happy to reply to any query about that.

An awesome combo 👌

I read Lao Tzu and Chang Tsu (Not sure that's his second name), it still influences me.

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