Atheist-Bashing

Talliesin

Hivemind187 wrote:

1) Einstein was not a theist. He renounced his faith, though not particularly publically.

Pretty non-publicly since he wrote about his religious views frequently.

He renounced his faith, but he replaced it with Pantheism, not Atheism.

Hivemind187 wrote:

Stalin, though subscribing to an atheistic view, was first and formost a communist

And Marxist-Leninist Communism is Atheistic. That's like saying "I'm not an Irishman, I'm a Dubliner" or something.

Hivemind187 wrote:

Religion has been the driving influence behind many military and genocidal actions. Lest we forget the crusades, the wars between the Isrealities and the Caananites etc

Do two tribes that want the same territory tend to live at peace otherwise?

Hivemind187 wrote:

Atheism does not lead to persecution on religious basis.

Nor does most religious views.

That Atheism does not lead to persecution on religious grounds is not the same as it having some mystical ability to prevent it. The religious difference between an Atheist and a Theist is hardly smaller than that between a Roman Catholic and an Anglican, is it?

indough wrote:

He was definitely an atheist. Taoism as a religion didn't exist in those days afaik

Well, when did it exist from? From the publication of the Tao Te Ching? That makes it anything from a century older that Sun Tzu or 2 centuries more recent.

Hardly conclusive, and it's rather dubious to say that there is such a close relationship with a particular book and the faith (Judaism, Islam, Christianity and Thelema have a strong link to a particular book but that doesn't follow for most religions even if those religions have scriptures).

He could have been a co-religious of Confucius (remember that Confucius was a scholar of accepted philosophies first and a developer of new thinking a distinct second if at all).

He could have been an animist.

Besides, he wrote a book on war. :rolleyes:

Scofflaw

Surprise, we have bigots for neighbors - here.

cordially,
Scofflaw

5uspect

Scofflaw wrote:

Surprise, we have bigots for neighbors - here.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Reminded me of this.
This one is way over the top tho...

Zombrex

Quite disturbing news report about a 16 year old girl in small town America, who faced discrimination in her school when they found out she was an atheist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTRDRP2n4Sk

robindch

I was in Iran last week and was recommended by a journalist to keep mum about god's non-existence. He also mentioned that printing anything that even suggests the possibility that god doesn't exist will land you a long spell in jail. Which would explain why the bookshop around the corner from the hotel was well stocked with Harry Potters, but lacked somewhat of Dawkins, Dennet and the rest.

Help! I feel persecuted!!

5uspect

Wicknight wrote:

Quite disturbing news report about a 16 year old girl in small town America, who faced discrimination in her school when they found out she was an atheist.

Those are some crazy accusations against the school.
Should be interesting to watch the case develop.

Edit: Here's some more on that story:
http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/smalko1.htm

Dades

robindch wrote:

Help! I feel persecuted!!

It's all right - you're safe here!

Zombrex

5uspect wrote:

Edit: Here's some more on that story:
http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/smalko1.htm

www.atheist.org wrote:

The night of the verdict, tornados of unusual violence descended on the panhandle of Oklahoma. The home of the Principal who had brought the false charges against Chuck Smalkowski was severely damaged.

This fact has no relationship whatsoever to the verdict.

Scofflaw

Not quite atheist-bashing, but a reminder that we live in quite a secular state - from Doonesbury's Sandbox military blogs. Quoted in full, for once:

FAITH ON A SHOESTRING
Name: Anne Freeman
Posting date: 9/7/07
Spouse: Stationed in Iraq
Milblog url: calmbeforethesand.blogspot.com

While Milo's been toiling away in the sand and heat, I spent most of this weekend at a unit family retreat in the mountains. I feel guilty sometimes, having fun while he's away, but I needed this break. I spent the weekend hiking, biking, swimming, getting massaged, and attending mandatory seminars on how to build a healthy marriage. As much fun as I had, I came to dread those seminar sessions. They were helpful sometimes, but I take offense at being subjected to extensive Biblical teaching and group prayer at mandatory, government-funded information sessions. I take offense at being taught how to "achieve victory in Christ," and told that "those who belong to Christ are already victorious." If I don't belong to Christ, am I not victorious then?

I was raised in an Evangelical Baptist family, and as I grew up I began to chafe at the hypocrisy inherent in the beliefs I was raised with. I questioned, I learned, and I left the church for another path. It's a real point of contention with my family, so we just don't talk about it. I wonder if we ever will, or if it's just better this way. Family issues aside, I've run into even more problems as a "non-Christian" in the military. I know the Chaplain's office is supposed to meet the needs of all, but I can't help feeling like Christian traditions are being jammed down my throat at almost every turn. How is it appropriate to recite Bible verses and lead group prayers at mandatory information briefings? The worst part is that when I express my discomfort over being placed in such situations, the response of my Christian counterparts is so often, "Oh please, it's not hurting you any."

What they don't understand is that it is.

As I mulled these issues over in the travel journal I keep for my mother-in-law, I wondered how any devout Christian woman would feel in my shoes. What follows is the best I could do to share my situation.

Let me try to explain where I'm coming from here. You're a military spouse -- imagine your family has been stationed in a country where your religion is not welcome. The only comparison I can come up with is Islam. Imagine being stationed in a Muslim country; one where the constitution defines Islam as the state religion, and a portion of every paycheck is paid to the Church of Islam. Imagine that a large portion of those Muslims believe that your religion is the product of Satan, and that you "worship the devil".

Kind of Uncomfortable, huh?

Now imagine that there are no other Christians in your new community, and no Christian services. The Chaplain's office promises to include everyone, but they offer only Muslim services because there just aren't enough Christians in the community to warrant your own service. What's more, they read the Koran to you at nearly every public event. They spend more time trying to convert you than helping provide you with spiritual support.

Maybe you consider trying to find other Christians and start a prayer group. So you ask the Chaplain's office and they promise to email you with info, but they don't. While you're waiting for your email, you see a vitriolic letter in Stars and Stripes. Apparently, some Christians in the next community started a prayer group at their chapel, and the community is protesting. Imagine that Muslims in that community refuse to use the same building as someone of your faith. The letter writer goes on to call Christianity the product of Satan, and Christians unfit for service in the Army and the community.

Lonely yet? 'Cause I sure am.

I am living in a community with no other members of my faith. I am surrounded by people who think my beliefs are either evil or illegitimate. There are no services, no spiritual support groups, no sympathy. The worst part of it all is that my husband is no better off than I am. He is a soldier with no spiritual support network, no spiritual counsel, and no guidance. He is on his own to deal with his family troubles or his existential crises. The very people who promise to support him make it abundantly clear that they support only those whose faith mirrors their own.

I totally understand that Milo and I are in the minority in this community, and that the chaplaincy has limitations. I can deal with all of that. What I cannot deal with is all that plus being forced to partake in a religion that I walked away from long ago. I think the chaplaincy serves an important purpose, and I take comfort in the ability of others to practice their religion freely. What I take offense at is being required to practice with them.

All I ask is the same consideration afforded to everyone else

cordially,
Scofflaw

DerKaiser

Josef Stalin was an atheist communist Russian dictator during World War II. He was defeated by Adolf Hitler, despite Hitler also being an atheist.
Retrieved from "http://www.conservapedia.com/Stalin"

I cannot find this text at this link, if this site is suggesting that Hitler at any point during WWII defeated Stalin it should be shut down and the monkeys behind it sent to history grinds

PDN

DerKaiser wrote:

Josef Stalin was an atheist communist Russian dictator during World War II. He was defeated by Adolf Hitler, despite Hitler also being an atheist.
Retrieved from "http://www.conservapedia.com/Stalin"

I cannot find this text at this link, if this site is suggesting that Hitler at any point during WWII defeated Stalin it should be shut down and the monkeys behind it sent to history grinds

No, the text doesn't exist at the link.

While I think Conservapedia is a bad idea generated by morons, I think any laughable quote from that source should be treated with caution. This is because people like the good folks at Rationalwiki have a history of registering with Conservapedia and then deliberately posting parodies of conservative positions. These parodies are then in turn cited by other liberal/atheist websites and blogs who hold them up as 'hazards of belief'.

The problem with parodies is that you need a minimum amount of intelligence (not very much, admittedly) to spot a parody. Therefore you run the risk of some well-meaning individual taking a parody seriously. An example occurred on this board recently with the posting of an Onion parody on 'intelligent falling'. Within 24 hours a poster was, in a debate with me, trying in all seriousness to cite 'intelligent falling' as a real life example of the dangers of unthinking reliance on the Bible!

Dades

Scofflaw wrote:

Not quite atheist-bashing, but a reminder that we live in quite a secular state - from Doonesbury's Sandbox military blogs.

I would imagine the military community to be more Christian-heavy then the US average. But TBH I'm not sure what kind of spiritual guidance that woman is expecting to be offered.

Scofflaw

The Atheist wrote:

I would imagine the military community to be more Christian-heavy then the US average. But TBH I'm not sure what kind of spiritual guidance that woman is expecting to be offered.

Well, I would think that would essentially mean "emotional and intellectual support and guidance devoid of religious tenets".

cordially,
Scofflaw