Atheist Propaganda Effectiveness

Are you saying that Rose is rude for not joining in prayer with her other teammates?

~Ulrika~

Atheist organizations do seek to spread their message.

Good news! Over 60% of the 6 billion people alive today are going to hell.

Tell that to homosexuals and women who would like to be priests.

God does not exist.

~Ulrika~

Am I the only person alive that doesn't mind other people having opinions?

Yep, they do, but their purpose is more to protect their rights than to convert anyone. Many atheists who seek the fellowship aspects of religion without the religion part are active in secular humanism or unitarian churches.

Yep, they do, but their purpose is more to protect their rights than to convert anyone. Many atheists who seek the fellowship aspects of religion without the religion part are active in secular humanism or unitarian churches.

I disagree, I spend many years on IRC, while discussing religion Atheists would often come in and rudely proclaim we are all idiots for believing in fairy tales.

I disagree, I spent many years on IRC, while discussing religion Atheists would often come in and rudely proclaim we are all idiots for believing in fairy tales.

There is good reason Christians seek converts. Christians have the Gospel (the good news) to share with others. The Gospel is the information of salvation. When people have access to the info they may choose to follow the teaching, no one makes anyone follow Christ.

Christianity is very inclusive. All races are fully represented. Every person has a standing invitation to know Christ and be born again (spiritually). The problem with individual denominations shouldn't be an issue with a personal connection with Christ's power.

Judaism doesn't seek converts because it's not an outreach religion. It's more a race/religion, altho some followers of Judaism are not born into it.

Islam does seek out converts. There are cases of people being killed for refusing to convert. But it's no worse than some past Christian denominations. I don't blame Islam for the actions of some who claim to be Muslim.

Edit:
Atheist organizations do seek to spread their message.

You are all idiots for believing in fairy tales.

~Ulrika~

It goes both ways, Kevn. I can't begin to count the number of times I've been told something like "just wait til you die, then you'll be sorry. I'll be laughing while you burn in hell!" I think relishing the idea of someone's eternal torture in a lake of fire is just a tad bit rude. So is asserting that science is part of the "atheist agenda," that atheism is a faith, and on and on and on. But who cares? Being sensitive to such things serves only to prevent dialogue, and even heated dialogue can be valuable.

It goes both ways, Kevn. I can't begin to count the number of times I've been told something like "just wait til you die, then you'll be sorry. I'll be laughing while you burn in hell!" I think relishing the idea of someone's eternal torture in a lake of fire is just a tad bit rude.

So is the big secret out, are you really a teen?

Chip, why would you CARE about such crap? I mean, christ.. this kind of idiocy is the equivalent of them calling you a doodie head.

If we consider that in any population of things, those things that replicate themselves well will end up dominating, then we may consider the brain as a holding tank for replicative ideas.

But "fitness" isn't just about fecundity. It's also about survivability. Therefore, those unshakable ideas are quite likely to survive.

There are two very unshakable ideas. One is faith against all reason, the other is reason against all faith.

I consider these dogmas to be immune systems for the brain. They prevent unsolicited ideas from entering and taking up vital resources (aka attention).

Additionally, there is one very fecund (replicative) idea. That is, the notion of foisting one's ideas onto another. Despite the fact that those ideas may or may not be adopted, the carrier "foisting one's ideas on another" has been almost universally proliferated.

Of course, there's no sensible reason to try and convince any other person of one's own beliefs, except insofar as it propagates the ideas themselves. If you must do it, consider attacking the immune system rather than simply injecting a new idea. Consider opening up the discussion to why exactly, ideas occupy attention, and why exactly, ideas need to be foisted on other people.

This is elementary memetics.

Further, you can't change beliefs by simply pressing other beliefs. You can change beliefs by inducing epiphanies. Chanting, music, lightshows, endorphins, sleep deprivation, and ritual, are all known to induce epiphanies. Science has it's ritual just like religion.

Introduce a theist into a university crowd. Get them high on caffeine. Then begin to speak about the power of science and the meaninglessness of existence. With enough late nights, that person will start to have their world shaken. They'll have a paradigm shift and an epiphany. They'll believe whatever new ideas happen to be present at the time.

Good luck.

-WW

Brilliantly accurate view of things, in my opinion.

I think I just had an epiphany about epiphanies.

Please pass the coffee, or at least some Earl Grey, and keep the discussion rolling...

How do you figure? Buddhism isnt even a religion. The most prominent religions in world history are: Christianity, Islamic, Judaism.

It really sounds like you disagree with me but have no legs to stand on.

Briana Dawson

*chuckles* what kind of job involves group prayer? I mean, does he work for a church or something?

Religion has never been an issue at any place I've ever worked.. I tend to not even know what religion other people are.. it doesn't concern me.

Sorry, but I think that comparing the persecution of atheists to the persecution of homosexuals trivializes the very REAL issues that homosexuals have to deal with on a daily basis.

For instance, I feel uncomfortable around gay men... Not to the degree that I hate them, and want to bash their heads in.. but it's kind of "icky" to me. I realize that this is irrational, and that it's something I just need to get over.. It's my problem, not theirs. But, a problem exists. (please don't flame me, all you gay people! I try to improve myself!)

I've never felt anything approaching that based on someone's religion.

Chip, why would you CARE about such crap? I mean, christ.. this kind of idiocy is the equivalent of them calling you a doodie head.

Oh NO! I'm going to go to the bad fictional place that I don't belive in, instead of the GOOD fictional place that I don't believe in!

Seriously... I've had religious people say I'm going to hell.. and I honestly just laugh at them.

You're missing my point entirely, Roland. I don't particularly care about such things because I'm not shy about giving as good as I get. I think being overly sensitive about it is a learned behavior that stifles honest discourse. I'm trying to point out to Kevn and Kurgan that Christians have a tendency to play the victim card in a rather hypocritical way due to indoctrinated bias. Next time try reading the whole thread

Here's an actual encounter I had at work, it's pretty hilarious actually. I'm an out, gay teamster. My coworkers are all cool with it, I catch a little teasing on occasion, but I give as good as I get. They all know my partner and ask how he's doing on a regular basis. But when one of them found out I, as a Buddhist, didn't believe in God, this open minded, tolerant guy said, "You got to be retarded not to believe in God."

I must have laughed for ten minutes.

You're missing my point entirely, Roland. I don't particularly care about such things because I'm not shy about giving as good as I get. I think being overly sensitive about it is a learned behavior that stifles honest discourse. I'm trying to point out to Kevn and Kurgan that Christians have a tendency to play the victim card in a rather hypocritical way due to indoctrinated bias. Next time try reading the whole thread

So, in general, do you feel that you get more crap about being gay, or about being a Buddhist?

Twice in a row, folks!

~Ulrika~

Wow, and I thought this was a post about problems with theists.