Atheism as a label,movement,etc. is starting to sour for me

[Animavore]

After dealing with some real trolls, I don't view you in sucha bad light anymore... I still disagree with you on many things, but on this, I think you're being rational.
Not sure if I like the label... I'm starting to sour on labels in general, hence my problem with "atheism".
I definitely won't avoid the term, but I won't be so focused.

Ditch labels. Refuse to accept classification other than Human, that's quite enough.

Ugh. I hate that term. It's so elitist. I prefer bio-org.

Not Emergent Jizz?

Nah. It excludes our plant brethren.

[Audley Strange]

Ditch labels. Refuse to accept classification other than Human, that's bad enough.

Don't you think I'm negative enough G? I am railing it in you know.

I've seen what humans can do.

Yep, me too, first hand, a lot. There is more "good" than "Bad" an a day to day basis, but the "bad" we do makes De Sade and Dante's fantasies look like the Muppet Show. I don't think a disbelief in a central moral authority would make it any better or worse somehow. We are a species of Dicks.

[Audley Strange]

After dealing with some real trolls, I don't view you in sucha bad light anymore... I still disagree with you on many things, but on this, I think you're being rational.
Not sure if I like the label... I'm starting to sour on labels in general, hence my problem with "atheism".
I definitely won't avoid the term, but I won't be so focused.

Ditch labels. Refuse to accept classification other than Human, that's quite enough.

Ugh. I hate that term. It's so elitist. I prefer bio-org.

Not Emergent Jizz?

Nah. It excludes our plant brethren.

What abourt that melon your cut a ho...

I've said too much.

[Seth]

I adopt the attitude ascribed by Pat Condell to Jews (not entirely accurate, but close) "I don't care what you believe so long as you leave me the hell alone" !!

Lovely in theory, but here Rick Perry, et al., doesn't want to leave us alone. He wants to decide what we can think. Brings out the feral in me.

Even if true, which I doubt, there's plenty of checks and balances built in to prevent him (them) from making that happen.

[Seth]

Austin is the liberal oasis of Texas, but the nutters come to town every two years and pretend to do government.

I think of the gnu atheists as the front point shock troops who go into an area and disrupt the pre-existing systems. Then the society-builders come in after and set up the new way. It's exhausting to be on the point all the time, so wanting to rotate off is understandable.

Texas is SO fucking brilliant in that regard. If we could only limit Congress to 30 days once every two years we'd all be much better off.

[rachelbean]

I am an atheist and I like feeling free to be open about that, but I don't want people to think of me as "Rachel the Atheist" (and I don't think they do for the most part). I know/have known many wonderfully loving Christians (ones who focus on the love parts and, even many who don't believe in hell) and have no desire to tear apart their world view even if I think it's nonsense. I know that nothing made me cling to my faith more than it being attacked, and I only came to atheism through my own seeking of knowledge and it's where the road inevitably led. Because of growing up in the church I still know quite a few people (including my family) with Christian beliefs of varying degrees, and with a few exceptions we have managed to remain friends and have conversations about things without any need for declaring war

[Ian]

I've always been of the opinion that the word "atheism" shouldn't even exist. There are no words to describe those people who do not follow astrology or who choose not to believe that the Earth revolves around the Sun - why then should there be a word used to label people who don't follow any particular religion? Because we're still a minority in many places? That's not a good reason. No, it exists in order to help those who fear the concept of not being a part of a religion place anger and derision upon those who think differently.

And the minute they give someone a label as open-ended as atheist, it invites others to hang all sorts of assumptions on top of it. Depending on who you ask, atheism could also imply immorality, hedonism, communism, rebelliousness, anarchy, naziism, satanism, and those who merely hate God (as opposed to finding the idea of his existence and having the personality of a feudal lord to be a silly man-made construct). Ridiculous; the word atheism should not exist is because there is no "ism" there. No dogma, no belief structure, not set of boundaries to how you're able to think.

So when I'm asked about religion, I just reply that I'm not religious. And I'm rarely pressed on the subject; were I to be, I don't think I'd let myself get pressed. It's a discussion not worth having any more than an in-depth discussion about what it means to be an Aries married to a Capricorn.

//End rambling train-of-thought//

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Ian, it's a symptom of the problem. You have to BE SOMETING. Be it Catlicker, Buttist, Mouslim, Hinder, or whatever. So if you're none of the above, you're "atheist".

I use the term to piss 'em off.

[amused]

Agnostic Anti-Theist works for me when I'm in a confrontational mood. Not Religious works when I'm feeling non-confrontational.

[Audley Strange]

I think, perhaps, the term is not useful. I may be wrong but I don't think it's people's personal belief in God that we have an issue with as a group as much as it is the political clout religions have and how detrimental that can be when extremists take control. Is that not the same with any political ideology, of any belief? I don't mind if the lady who cleans my stairs believes in Astrology, but I would mind if Astrologists suddenly demanded no one was allowed to drink red wine if there was a full moon on the last Sunday of the year and that those who did not accept their theories should be penalised or shunned.

It is not the Belief in God that bothers me, it is the propensity of those who truly believe something as some utopian panacea that ALL must adhere to or die. Fuck all those scumbags.

[Ian]

Agnostic Anti-Theist works for me when I'm in a confrontational mood. Not Religious works when I'm feeling non-confrontational.

Sounds fine to me. Fortunately, I'm rarely in a confrontational mood.

[Rum]

Maybe when atheists were a small minority and it was very much the norm to have a religion it was understandable to label something which was actually relatively rare.

Nowadays it is a different matter and I agree - the word is actually redundant.

[rachelbean]

It may not be all encompassing, and it can certainly mean different things to different people but I still think it's useful

[Mac_Guffin]

&

this whole 'atheism as a movement' thing is so American. No one cares here about religion or no religion over here. Just remember there are people discriminated and ostracised for their lack of belief in your country. Just because you don't experience it doesn't mean it's not happening.

ETA: actually not 'no one'. I did once get punched in the back of the head by an auld lad for questioning the Bible and one aul one asked why I don't just kill myself if I don't believe in God
Rare events.

I want to be clear that I'm staunchly against discrimination... of any kind; not just against atheists... but I'm focusing on arguing against discrimination as a whole rather than being so focused on atheism.

Personally, the worst I've experienced is social alienation. I' know some have had it worse.

[Mac_Guffin]

I adopt the attitude ascribed by Pat Condell to Jews (not entirely accurate, but close) "I don't care what you believe so long as you leave me the hell alone" !!

Lovely in theory, but here Rick Perry, et al., doesn't want to leave us alone. He wants to decide what we can think. Brings out the feral in me.

Yeah, but Rick Perry isn't EVERY religious person.
Many religious people are like you and me, but perhaps a bit more scared of the nothingness in death, the absense of a father figure, etc. It brings them comfort, and who am I to rob them of that? All of us delude ourselves just a little so we can enjoy life. Do you think of the dark truth of the human condition on a daily basis? I guess no... We wake, up, enjoy our coffee while comfortably reading about hell in the middle east, go have a wank maybe, do what we gotta do for the daty, talk to friends on and off ratz, maybe have another wank... or two... have some time with our S.O.s or maybe our hands again... or both and we go to sleep.
Ok, I'm rambling.