> -----Original Message-----
> From: John D. Giorgis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2003 7:10 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Question Regarding Religion and Atheism
>
>
> Can somebody help me out here?
I posted on this last week. A big long speech on why Athiest and Agnostics
are hostile. My theory was that they, by their very nature, are those who do
not "feel God" like others. This allows them to become guardians against
abuses by religion.
While you may take it personally, it is a natural, and necessary social
niche they fill.
>
> It seems that there are two basic types of people, albeit with some
> gradations, and hence, two types of Brin-L'ers. These people are
> essentially those who believe in God, and those who do not.
>
> Yet, it seems that people who believe in God, at least on Brin-L, seem
> perfectly capable of discussing non-belief in God in a calm
> and civilized
> manner.
This may be so, but they do have trouble with other religions... which seems
pecular since Christians and Jews believe in the same God.
>
> In contrast, the people who do not believe in God, or at
> least a number of
> those people on Brin-L, seem to be utterly incapable of
> discussing belief
> in God without being petulant, insulting, petty, and ultimately
> uncivilized.
Are you generalizing (which is surprising to hear coming from you), or are
you talking about The Fool, who could be considered a "hostile" defender of
athiesm.
I mean, this has now happened how many times in
> the last six
> months? And always from people in what is roughly the same
> belief-set.
>
> Why is this?
>
> Is it some inherent correlation with non-belief in God that
> causes one to
> react like a Neanderthal against those who profess a belief
> in God? Or is
> it just that Brin-L is a small sample, and our resident
> anti-religionists
> who are speaking out on that subject as of late are just
> doing a poor job
> of representing the larger group of people that hold their viewpoint?
>
> Otherwise, I just don't get it - but that attitude from the
> anti-religionists here certainly makes Brin-L a much more
> not-nice place to
> be.
Athiests view the world as a not-so-nice place _because_ of religion. I
personally do not agree with most Christian values.
Agreed? Its not that I don't want atheists around
> here - in fact,
> I find challenges from atheists very interesting and intellectually
> refreshing. I'm just wondering if there's a way to have
> that viewpoint
> represented here other than via the flame-bait and the nasty
> snide remark.
Again, are you talking to me or are you talking to The Fool. I posted an
essay of sorts last week, where I proposed the idea that Athiests actually
make religion stronger, by confronting the worst of the bad religious ideas,
since many people are too close to the dogma and canon of their religion to
seriously questions it. Questioning the behavior and actions of strong
religious figures is to risk losing what is fragile enough as it is, which
is Faith.
John, take a step back and look at what I am saying here, and you will see
the irony, that as athiests work toward absolving religion, they strengthen
it. This is by no means intentional, for Athiest believe that if somehow one
was to understand the athiestic arguments, that logic should prevail. I
learned long ago, there is no point in arguing about god's existence, for
the premises in which each side start from are too far to ever be able to
successfully worked through.
You should smile the next time someone trashes the religion du jour. They
just made the world a bit safer for the believers.
Nerd From Hell
>
> JDG
>
>
> _______________________________________________________
> John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> "The liberty we prize is not America's gift to
> the world,
> it is God's gift to humanity." - George W. Bush 1/29/03
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>
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