Atheists, when you say things like "God is imaginary" or "religion involves delusion" in...?

I say whatever seems relevant at the time.

The fact of the matter is that invisible space chappies do NOT exist, BUT if they do, they do NOT involve themselves with the happenings on PlanetOurs.

Anyone can test that assertion out by the SIMPLE act of looking around; anyone can see that shït happens to all and sundry regardless of ANY thought, deed or circumstance, exactly as if there was NO invisible space chappie pulling any strings at all.

If innocence could keep us alive we’d all be saints.

I like the words of one of the USA's greatest atheists ...

Robert Ingersoll:

The king said to the people: "God made you peasants, and he made me king.

He made rags and hovels for you, robes and palaces for me.

Such is the justice of God."

And the priest said: "God made you ignorant and vile.

He made me holy and wise.

If you do not obey me, God will punish you here and torment you hereafter.

Such is the mercy of God."

The king ruled by force, the priest by fear, and both by both.

The king owned the bodies and the priest the souls, of men.

One lived on taxes, the other on alms.

One was a robber, the other a beggar, and each was both.

~

It's essentially a nature vs. nurture question applied to religion. If "god" supposedly created the world, including our natural inclinations then why wouldnt we accept god from birth? It's actually really interesting, and I would love to read a logical religious answer. I dont believe in any religion so I cant even begin to fathom how someone is going to logically explain this one. Oh, and to Catti-brie. . . . bad bad analogy. If anything, it directly supports the dude's thought that nurture is what shapes a person's religion, not nature. edit: mcshughes, speech is natural because it's our evolved form of communication. Communication is natural and learned from birth. Infants can use sign language and CRYING to get their point across. Crying is the very first thing a baby does once out of the womb. It is a verbal communication.

As an atheist, if I say something like "God is imaginary", I believe I am simply telling the truth, not actually trying to offend anyone. Let's move this statement to more neutral ground - Do Christians ever say things like "Zeus is imaginary" or "Ishtar is imaginary"?

Well if they did, I would agree with them! I believe all those gods are imaginary too. As Richard Dawkins once said, everyone is an atheist when it comes to almost all gods - atheists just go one further.

The arguments for believing in imaginary beings could be used to get people to believe ANYTHING, and is not just restricted to God-belief(s). UFOs, Big foot, etc could be supported with the same basic formula. The arguments almost always involve question begging, special pleading, bait-and-switch, smoke and mirrors or moving the goal posts or trying to keep their beliefs sheltered in a theological "safe zone", where reason cannot penetrate. Con-artists routinely use similar arguments to hood-wink people out of their money.

I don't attempt to be mean as a matter of habit, which it seems as though you are implying. I will use scorn and ridicule in instances where it is deserving. Thomas Jefferson had a quote about this, "Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions. Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them..."

I find this stance useful at times. Unchallenged, Christianity would see young-earth creationism would be taught in public schools and our rights eroded Afghanistan-style.

If I attack a position with scorn, it is an attack upon the position. The poster's feeling are collateral damage,

Citation? Post a link? And using "Atheist to the death" doesn't count!

Oh, and BTW, god is imaginary...

Edit:

Ha, spotted it! Well, you got one, that's not too bad. Hey, this is R&S, you do need a thick skin here - If I ask a question, I tend to get a higher proportion of spiky answers, and I've had a significant proportion VNed.

There are a few different types here; as well as genuine askers/answerers, there are a bunch of trolls and smartasses, and then many who enjoy coming here just to poke such trolls, or just have fun jousting against others who do the same back. I completely admit to being a jouster, but I'll also answer genuine questions genuinely. Some people, though, are less choosy about where to point the lance.

IMO if it's your question, either ignore they spiky answers or grab thee thine lance and have a go back!

I asked a related question yesterday...

Mostly my feelings, when I did make these kinds of statements, was anger at being attacked by theists. But I guess that kind of thing just feeds on itself. I attack you so you attack me so I attack you...eh, at this point I'm just actually glad for fundamentalist christians which is wierd because I'm pretty liberal. Just not liberal enough. I support gays and Wiccans and women and so forth, which is why I love fundamentalist Christians-because after 40 years in America, I've realized that Christians, divided as they are, need law that keeps them from forming a central church( by coup de'tat. It's possible they could do it by talking it out but they'll never do this) and that same law protects the freedoms (freedom to be gay, freedom to be a Wiccan, equality for women) that I care about. LIberals, the blind ones (which seems to be most of them these days) are creating a world where these freedoms will vanish in the blink of an eye.

I am in fact an atheist but I respect other people's beliefs

I could argue back an state that when i say im atheist the response i get involves a large explanation of how God exists or something along those lines!

When i state that God doesn't exist it depends on who i talk to.... a strong believer i expect a strong response... but in general it is rather matter of fact.. its what i believe in!!

I hate it when atheists answer questions addressed to Christians with "God isn't real" or "there's no such thing as heaven"

The point is to be rude and obnoxious. Somehow they think that they are funny, or something.

And that's coming from me. An atheist. If Christians ask me why I don't believe in God, or follow a religion, or one of those obnoxious questions, then I will give an obnoxious answer.

Except in the realm of personal relationships feelings are pretty much irrelevant.

If the spark plugs in your car are fouled. You can feel anyway you want but your car still won't start.

I imagine they feel proud. After all they managed to get under your skin. And caused you to have a hissy fit. Which was probably the point.

You know poke it with a stick and lets see what kind of reaction we get.

Right or wrong I habitually thumb down answers that contain such boilerplate, and the theistic counterparts. To my view such adds heat to the discussion without adding light.