Atheists: Serious variant of a "drinking" question.?

Atheists can be spiritual as well. Also, *drink*. Just kidding. I do believe [atheist here] that atheists CAN be, and some are, as dogmatic as Christians, Muslims, or Jews. I myself as an atheist, believe that I "know" of the truth, but consider myself open to your ideas.

I consider both "pushing" an opinion, but please let me ask you a question? Do atheists meddle with legislation and people's private lives? Generally, no.

Basically, it's that we're finally "pushing back," as it were. For centuries in the West, all we've ever heard is the Christian side of the story. From the early Catholic church, to the Protestant Reformation, to the Puritans, to those "God" billboards a few years back, non-Christians (not just atheists) have been inundated with the message, "There is only one god and its the Christian one."

Christianity has been the driving force in this country, so much so that in some states, only Christians (or at least theists) can run for office. Some areas won't let atheists sit on juries because they won't swear on a bible (an act which is curiously un-biblical, by the way). There are even some people who believe atheists can't be considered citizens.

Some groups have even attempted to add to the Constitution the idea that this is officially a Christian nation. Others, the idea that only the Christian concept of marriage be allowed. Still others, throughout U.S. history have forced businesses to be closed on the Christian sabbath. In some areas, merchants are still prohibited from selling certain products on Sunday because it offends Christian sensibilities.

Christians have been known to harass atheist military members. In the Navy, while out to see, atheists are forced to participate in nightly prayers, led by a Christian chaplain. If I, as an atheist in the Navy need to talk about emotional issues, the only person I can talk to is a Christian chaplain.

So, please understand that when I come to this website, or go to other forums and say things like "There is no god," or, "It is possible to live a full, productive, moral life without Christianity," it's not so much that I'm trying to turn you into an atheist, it's that I"m trying to convince *you* to stop trying to convince me to become a Christian.

lol that is a long post! I'm from NZ and know nothing about a 'bus campaign'. Myself, along with other athiests, love at times, to come onto the religious site because, at times it is fun to debate. Most of us are just looking for answers as to why people feel certain ways. It's true that a lot of athiests feel that religous people are just 'opting out' and therefore not making conscious choices of how to 'improve' this world..they go to church, sing their songs and praise their god.. and then go home .. and then do what?

An atheists point of view is not better, but it seems to be clearer that's for sure; its not based of dogma but rather free will of thought. Hrmm dosen't the bible speak of free will. So, what are your thoughts on the sciptures that are not now included in the bible? I would appreciate hearing your response.

But the fact is, I'm not here to suggest that anyone believe anything different from what they already believe.

I answer questions here because people seem to have a lot of questions about atheists. If I had to guesstimate, I'd say that one in every 5 questions is about atheists.

That being the case, I think the most valid source of information about atheists is atheists. It's really that simple.

I completely respect that it's every person's right to come to his or her own conclusions. But I want to be able to represent my own views here rather than have them restated, and often misstated, for me by others.

We're mostly here to have fun, why do you think we came up with the *drink* thing anyway? We're all seriously bored.

The problem with religion is people then stop asking questions like they should be. That's all I want, someone to question their belief, I don't want people to believe 100% in something that cannot or has npt been proven. It's why I'm agnostic, I even think it's stupid to be 100% sure god doesn't exist.

Mostly us atheists though are here for the fun, we like to joke around and the big reason is PEOPLE ASK US QUESTIONS! If we weren't here we could not answer those questions.

TEH DEADLY KITTEH HAZ SPOKANE!

Well, personally, atheism is not really all that central to who I am. I don't happen to believe in 'transcendent' 'creator' 'manifest' deities. But I do have lots of other views, opinions and beliefs. Some of which are what are broadly called 'spiritual' and it's those that I come here to discuss. That's why I'm here.

I'm not here to 'push' my views, much less 'convert', simply to share with like-minded people and to learn from those of different beliefs.

Sometimes people ask about my beliefs (or lack thereof) and so I answer. I actually *don't* believe my view is the only valid one - I take the Pagan position that there are many paths and all are equally valid. What a Christian, Muslim or Wiccan believe are, to them, as much the 'truth' as what I believe is for me.

Which is not to say that I haven't occasionally tried to get someone to think beyond the little box they appear to have locked themselves in. But I usually try to do so politely and reasonably. For I have no problem with other beliefs generally, just willful ignorance or the assumption that there is only one 'truth' worth believing in.

Which is a long-winded way of saying we don't all do that.

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There are a few reasons I wind up in this section a lot.

First: When I sign onto Y/A, I don't generally aim for the R&S section. I just go into the general questions. The questions in R&S tend to be the ones I find the most interesting, so I'll eventually find my way to this section.

Second: There are a LOT of questions directed at atheists. I'm an atheist, so I try to answer some of them.

Third: There is SO much misinformation out there about atheists, and I want to correct it when I see it. Theists have spent a lot of time and effort to convince each other things like: "atheists cry out to God on their deathbeds", "atheists have no morals", "atheists secretly believe in God", "there are no atheists in foxholes", "atheists are only atheists because they don't want to have anyone to answer to", etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum. We're tired of hearing it, and we think it's time we called the theists (who say those things) out on that B/S.

Fourth: We NEED to start pushing back, because it's reached a state of crisis when we regularly find ourselves in a courtroom fighting to have actual SCIENCE taught in our childrens science classrooms, and to keep religious dogma OUT of our childrens science classrooms. This is very serious, and theists don't care that it's important for our children to understand what science is and how it works.

Fifth: We need to push back, because there are too many theists pushing their religious beliefs into our laws and government. When we have an actual presidential candidate say that he thinks we need to change the CONSTITUTION of the United States to better meet his religious beliefs (Huckabee) to the cheers of Christian fundamentalists all over the country, then we have reached a state of crisis. This is the Constitution of the United States.

There are many, many more reasons I can go on listing for why we feel it's time that we stopped being silent and complacent.

The difference between what atheists are doing, and what theists do, is atheists are not trying to push atheism on people. We don't care if you believe a deity or not. We need to speak up because we need to get that belief out of our laws, schools, and government, and back into the privacy of your own homes and churches where it belongs.

I can only answer this for me John. I was a believer and religious beliefs continue to interest me as a phenomena. I am a psych nurse too so I am interested in the line between religious belief and irrational or delusional belief, I am not a loud and mouthy atheist and appreciate believers, Although i would put the boot in to Catholics and their defence of their Paedophile Priests,my interest is interest. I also read a lot about religions.

For centuries the religious have pushed their opinion to the point of burning heretics and pagans at the stake. We started to defend ourselves and the religious act as if that's an outrage, that we should be required to listen to preaching and keep our opinions to ourselves.

Watch the exchanges here for a while. You may notice that atheists rarely say anything about Wicca, Judaism or other religions that don't proselytize and don't believe that their religion should control government. As a rule, we only speak out against those religions that seek to control others. There is a direct relationship.

*drink*

"Namely, the only reason I can find for the fact that atheists are on this site is that they want to make their opinion known to others and to try to convince them of their version of the truth."

Well then, you've missed mine. I find religions, and the religious incredibly interesting. I like seeing the hoops people will jump through for their beliefs, in general. Religion's just one example.

"Why is an atheist expressing his/her opinion better (in terms of "pushing" ones point of view) than a religious person expressing his/her point of view?"

It isn't, unless you can back it up with some reasoning.

"My own position on this point is that cyberspace experiences are just as real as real world experiences in this particular instance."

Okay, but the venue's not the same. It's one thing to have a forum for discussion (real life or online) that we all willingly participate in, and it's another to have someone come up to you on the street, and ask you if you believe in Jesus. Personally, I don't think bus ads or something from any group is particularly invasive.