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Originally Posted by Dirty
I don't think many people are really concerned with having a collective voice or even having a label. But by definition, non-believers are atheists. I don't think it's a choice to have that term associated with you or not. It's a word with a definition and it describes non-believers and that's the end of it. The "idea of atheism" is not believing in a higher power, so how is that self-defeating?? I think you see atheists as scumbags or something and have a poor mindset regarding what atheism is. Atheist doesn't imply anti-religion or people who hate those who practice. I'd say that most atheists are probably people like me who just don't care about religion but you seem to be focusing on atheists who are anti-religion and live to bash others. Which ironically is kinda what you are doing.
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I wouldn't say it's what I'm doing, cos imo it's perfectly justifiable to "bash" the "bashers" - stance of defense, not aggression.
I don't think all atheists are scumbags, no. I just can't respect the idea, it seems infantile to me. "The grouped of non-group-eds"
For example - the bus ads in the UK. Some Christian group put out an ad saying smething like
"Have faith in God live a good life" etc. your general "We love Jesus" sort of thing
So what do the local "atheist non-theocratic committee of non-commited non-group" group do?
Put out an ad saying
"There is no God. Live your life"
If atheism is not a group, if atheism is not a religion, why would they feel they need to counter a message like that? The goal of atheism ultimatly as a group, which is what it is, is to eradicate all religion.
Maybe individual atheists have no problem with religion, but as a group, that is the main agenda. If they're trying to spread atheism with ads like that, that means they want as many atheists as possible - they want to expand and spread their message. Therefore, they want to eradicate religion, pretty simple man.
If you are how you say, then People like yourself aren't the ones I have a problem with, and I think by calling yourself atheist you're actually allying yourself with something more than just non-believing. So long as people are half-decent, I can respect it if they say "piss off I'm not joining your group I dont believe" - their choice.
I can't respect it if they say, "piss off I'm not joining your group, I'm gonna go join this other group for people who don't wanna be in your group " because they've made it competitive.
It's like making it the "cliques" of the world, thats stupid.
If you don't believe, fine. If you believe different to me, fine.
If you begrude me my belief, thats not fine.
Just as though, I said - don't have a problem with religion, have a problem with the people who corrupt it.
Well same principle; I have no problem with a lack of religion. I have a problem with people who corrupt the non-religious.
atheism is a cult imo.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by music_phantom13
As long as I'm here, I'll put my views up for the world since I'm a little different than a lot of people. I was raised Christian and I'm still Christian, though I don't consider myself the best example. I grew up in the Lutheran Missouri Synod faith, going to church every Sunday. What I didn't like is that most people didn't do anything. They went to church and maybe were involved in meetings for the church and all, but no form of community service. The youth group, which I was involved in, did a tiny bit of community service events, but still not much. And for the adults, the extent of the community involvement was a yearly event holding up signs saying that abortion kills babies and the like. That really pisses me off. Also, during my mid to late teenage years a lot of members sort of looked down on me and thought I was a bad person because of what I did outside of church (drugs). The hypocrisy of a group that preached living like Jesus but, for a majority of members, never bothered to actually try to help anyone that needed it, just doesn't do it for me. Instead I volunteer my time helping people. This further separated me from my church, because I chose to volunteer in DC at a needle exchange clinic. I was actually told to my face by multiple people that I was doing a horrible thing, so I said **** it I'm done. I'd prefer to spend my time helping people that need it than worshiping God and saying Christians should help everyone but then deeming some people unworthy.
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What is needle exchange, something to do with drugs?
That would explain why they didnt like you helping, but tbh, you gotta look at the bigger picture here man.
If you didnt help them exchange needles, they would get ill, they would spread disease. So they've fallen in a bad way, they're doing drugs and bad ****. But it's up to them to pull themselves out of it, all you can do is guide the lost sheep through the canyon.
What you did was a service to God and Humanity, man. Herding the lost flock. One day, one of those people will get clean maybe, they'll live a decent life, have a family.
That's thanks to you sir. If no-one exchanged the needles, they'd get aids or some **** and be dead in a ditch.
As long as you're not the one actually giving them the drugs, then screw what your Church said, be proud of what you did dude I respect that.
(if on the other hand it wasnt drugs related and it was purely medical needles, then they're a bunch of crazy ****ing ****s what sort of Christians are they)