Hate to ruin the party: but fellow atheists, when and if you say/do things like?

But.......I am a dick. What's your point?

I concur, darling...some of the vitriol coming from some atheists is just nasty...and some of the ranters embarrass themselves still further by claiming that they're being rational, logical, or scientific as they generalize or stereotype.

As darling John Farnham points out, most of the "feeling guilty about past atrocities" I see is in response to claims about "atheist atrocities" or the whole No True Scotsman kind of claim from theists, but not all of it.

Agreed. There is a time to push back when attacked, but all too often I am seeing a nice and respectful Christian question that gets ripped to shreds by atheists for no good reason.

Example:

Q: In which Bible verse does Jesus turn the water into wine?

A: There is no god and you are a joke, lol. Get a clue moron!

a) I don't do or say any of those (with one exception, which I'll get to) in the first place

b) I really don't care if your opinion is that I'm "acting like a d!ck."

The exception: "Modern christians should feel guilty about past christian atrocities..."

I really don't care if they "feel guilty" or not; however, they should acknowledge them, and that they are part and parcel of both christianity and religion. Those past atrocities, and the ease with which "believers" were persuaded to enthusiastically participate in them, are useful object lessons about the harm religion causes.

My day's going fine, thanks. How about you?

Peace.

I agree with you.

Some of the foaming at the mouth attitudes I see in atheists are... well... just as bad as the foaming at the mouth from fanatics of any group.

Can't really go around making a case for rational discourse if you're being dogmatic yourself.

My day is going fine, thank you.

I wish it would stop raining though, because I have to go out soon.

"Modern Christians should feel guilty about past Christian atrocities"

Seems to me that's a legitimate response when presented with a post saying that atheists should take responsibility for Stalin.

seriously?????

xtians are evolving; religions used to be almost exclusively poly-theistic, xtianity is, supposedly, monotheistic. next step - no g0ds. see what i did there?

xtians cannot distance themselves from the various excesses committed in the name of their god (crusades, inquisition, sectarian violence etc) any more than nazis can claim to be reformed characters.

evolution has been accepted into xtian doctrine by 3 popes, it is only the batshit crazy fundies that continue to struggle with the concept.

inchoherency is not the exclusive domain of any demographic, but the religious freaks do seem to monopolise it.

remember that an atheist is more likely, by definition, to treat another person humanely because we do not have an imaginary friend telling us to slaughter non-believers.

remember, also, that xtians cast the first stone in the mocking war; their buy-bull clearly states that we atheists are all fools (psalms 14.1), are we not allowed to respond in kind?

I think both atheists AND Christians make themselves look bad when they make pronouncements of fact ("God doesn't exist" or "Believe in Jesus Christ to take you to heaven") which are just pronouncements of belief.

In fact I get a lot more out of talking to people who suggest possibilities rather than claim to know. When it comes to God/afterlife, etc., no one knows anything for sure.

Do you know why modern Christians should feel guilty about past Christian atrocities? Because they believe the Bible has truths, and it was 100% due to the bible that people burned witches and killed the Native Americans, etc.

Besides, there are Christians today who persecute, torture, and imprison "witches." Google IRIN and witch and see what you get.

You say dickwanker like it's a bad thing. I think I'll have meself a bit of a toss to start my day, which would improve my day considerably.

BQ: Improved considerably.

I concur, but from my experience the past atrocities thing is more or less a counter to the 'atheists do terrible things' nonsense.