Why do Atheists care pt.2?

If you want to be a leader, to have people gather behind you and support whatever it is you're trying to do, the way you do it is by convincing people that they're being mistreated, their rights are being violated, and you are going to help them fight for their rights. Sometimes we call this 'the victim game'.

If you want to lead Christians (for instance, you're a Republican politician and you want to get the vote and support of the Christian Right) you constantly whine about how US culture and government are overtly anti-Christian. You pump on the old saw that our founding fathers were fundamentalist Christians and that they meant for the US to be an expressly Christian country (which is totally untrue, but you can see how well the idea SELLS!) Or you enormously exaggerate the threat posed by a few Muslims in our society, and whine fretfully that tolerating Muslims among us will inevitably lead to the official nationwide imposition of Sharia Law.

If you want to lead liberals (not necessarily atheists), you point to fundamentalist 'dominionist' Christian zealotry in the last few years and say they want to take the country over, by force if necessary, and to impose something akin to a Christian version of Sharia Law, outlawing our 'sinful' pleasures and imposing a religious litmus test for judges and other officials. And you make the (totally reasonable, I think) point that freedom of religion is one of our founding concepts.

These tactics work best when people are unhappy. You can use them to completely sidestep exactly the issues that make people unhappy in the first place. Those issues are not easy to talk about, not easy enough to simplify for a 10-minute political speech or a 7-second media soundbite. So instead you fan your audience's resentment and fear, you exaggerate the threat, and you pose as their Protector.

Consequently, in the last 30 years, the overblown rhetoric of liberals and conservatives have widened the gulf between fundamentalist Christians and almost everyone else. But remember, fundamentalists are not all Christians, and many Christians are on the 'liberal' side of this argument.

If you call yourself a witch--ANY kind of witch--you create the possibility of getting caught in the crossfire. In fact you should expect it. You should shrug it off. It's as if I had 'nazi' or 'marxist' in my login name, people will make assumptions before they even read what I have to say. But as your mom no doubt told you, sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you.

If you're going to be 'provocative' on the Internet, you can't be thin-skinned. 8^)

Teawitch, I suspect that you will find more hate rants on a more or less anonymous forum than you will find in every day relationships with Christians Muslims, Wiccan followers, atheists, etc. In the same way that you find stuff written on bathroom stalls that most people don't go around discussing openly. People are sounding off, some for the fun of it, others because it's an anonymous opportunity to get their more hateful feelings off their chests.

So really I would say the reason for the rants is the anonymity of this setting.

Edit:

I do agree that Smartypants makes some good points about the political side of manipulating people's fears. I resent, however, the throwing around of the expression "fundamentalist" or "fundy". The word "fundamentalist" was coined to designate those who held to the fundamentals of Christian doctrine when many churches were dropping them. Some groups have used the term to describe themselves and have behaved in a hateful, pharisaic way. But I am a fundamentalist in my Christian beliefs, meaning I follow conservative Christian theology (even though, for a North American, I would be considered as "leftist" in politics). So while we are avoiding generalizations and rants against specific groups, let's not lump "fundamentalists" into the same bunch either. (I don't generally use the term to describe myself because it is misunderstood, but I still cringe when I see the term used in a general way to describe hateful people).

1) Most American Christians believe that we are a Christian nation, and that Christianity, in the form of prayers, should be practiced in public places. A few years ago I tried to put an end to prayers said at the beginning of a non-religious meeting, and I was voted down 400 to 4. And this was in California. I was told that I should never, ever try that in the American South.

2) Politicians are still required to say, "God Bless America," which is a Christian phrase. Polls reveal that Americans will not put an open atheist in public office.

3) There are no Christian leaders who explicitly tell Christians to keep their religion private. Instead we have a judge putting the Christian version of the Ten Commandments on public display.

It is simply your imagination that American Christians are neutral about public displays of religions.

Am I expressing hatred when I say that there is something wrong with adults who believe that unicorns, pixies, fairies, and magical potions. I also think there is something wrong with educated people who believe in the gods listed here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deities

I can understand people who say that supernatural beings are metaphors for human characteristics.

When the US starts taxing churches, removing god from our money and public places, removing the bible from courtrooms, and discourages religious references in political discourse, then I would expect my disdain of the typical American Christian to simmer down.

note: Do you notice that politicians don't start out their speeches with, "I just had a huge smelly dump before I cam here. I have a big herpes sore active now - I have pictures on my blog." Of course not, these are PERSONAL comments, as is ANY reference to beliefs in the supernatural. When public Christian and religious references go the way of public photos of poop and festering sores, then I will know that Christians have reformed.

If a child says something to you about Santa, you smile and don't correct them. However, a child closer to their age may feel the need to enlighten them. So in a sense it is a matter of maturity.

There is a well founded perception that religious beliefs are harmful. For instance, religion is a source of homophobia and bigotry. Xianity is itself a supremacy doctrine stating all non-Xians go to Hell. That's a wicked belief. Some beliefs are immoral.

>I wanted to know why those who put Christians or other beliefs down so much

You've just encapsulated in a single sentence one of the biggest mistakes that theists make when arguing with atheists: Assuming that an attack on their beliefs is an attack on them or vice versa.

This is absolutely, emphatically not the case. You are not your beliefs. I have nothing against most christians as people; I also simultaneously regard their beliefs as irrational, unfounded and harmful; and there is no contradiction here because a person and that person's beliefs are not the same thing.

I personally do not consider religious people stupid.. thad would be disrespectful. All of my family members are religious folks.. but to me the world would be better if we take out the notion that a god exist. Perhaps we will practice more respect for each other and prosper. Religion is holding humans back from accomplishing our full potential.

What is so bad about religion is that it divides people and demonizes the out-group to the point where virtually any fate inflicted on them can be justified as divinely sanctioned. What is so bad about religion is that it fosters a primitive form of morality that hinders progress in virtually any domain beneficial to our modern world. What is so bad about religion is that it facilitates the commission of atrocities by good people who are merely pursuing "the divine."

Fine, not all are like that, but enough of them in power try and force their way of life on everyone and force it into our schools. You support us in keeping religion personal and not public and we will be fine.

"majority who do NOT force their beliefs on others or affect others by their actions or beliefs?" Really? Look up "abortion" and "gay rights". Religion is one of the largest obstacles to equal rights for women and the very largest obstacle to equal rights for queer people. Mainstream Christianity actively teaches hate of women and of queer people. I have never had a discussion calling for my equal rights without someone bringing up their religion in opposition. I have had religious people verbally and physically assault me in public due to their religion. I have friends who were abused by their parents and lived on the streets because of religion teaching hatred agaisnt them. Try again, and consider that you are not talking to a room filled with exclusively cis hetero dudes. You could also try talking to Muslims and Jews about just how far Christian privilege runs in the US.

Same reason why you're here. I'm interested in discussing religion and spirituality. Even if I don't believe in it, it does have a significant impact on what happens in the world.