Did you have to become an atheist?

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Did you have to become an atheist?

I am not an atheist
3
20%
No, I was always an atheist
5
33%
Yes, I would be considered religious until some point in my life
6
40%
Bacon
1
7%
Dill
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 15

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Brian Peacock
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Brian Peacock » Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:48 am

What? No Depeche Mode?
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Scot Dutchy » Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:15 am

Where is your sky fairy's power FOOL. I am still standing regardless of my many complaints and those have nothing to do with any sky fairy FOOL. It would not take much to topple me but your sky fairy cant even do that much FOOL.

You cant even move from square one FOOL. Real people dont listen anymore do they FOOL. Enjoy talking in an empty room FOOL. Saying all those FOOLish things. Did you change your nappy or as you call it a diaper as I told you.
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by pErvinalia » Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:33 am

FFS, just ignore him, Scot. All you are doing is encouraging him to foul up the forum outside his ridiculous thread.
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by superuniverse » Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:46 am

pErvinalia wrote:
Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:33 am
FFS, just ignore him, Scot. All you are doing is encouraging him to foul up the forum outside his ridiculous thread.

Exactly. Stick to your meaningless threads.

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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by NineBerry » Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:24 am

superuniverse wrote:
Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:41 am
Scot Dutchy wrote:
Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:26 am
Not FOOLs like you worshipping sky fairies anyway. Which one is it today FOOL? The pinky one or the one in blue with gold edging?

BTW I am still here FOOL. Your sky fairy has zilch power.

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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Hermit » Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:43 pm

rainbow wrote:
Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:33 pm
On your table, I'd like to add a third dimension. That would be the zeal of wanting to convince others.
You could do that, but it is no more part of what actually defines atheists than that atheists could also be hermits, libertarians, communists, racists, sexists, or whatever. The one thing that defines all atheists is that they lack a belief in the existence of god/s.
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by JimC » Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:48 pm

Hermit wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:43 pm
rainbow wrote:
Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:33 pm
On your table, I'd like to add a third dimension. That would be the zeal of wanting to convince others.
You could do that, but it is no more part of what actually defines atheists than that atheists could also be hermits, libertarians, communists, racists, sexists, or whatever. The one thing that defines all atheists is that they lack a belief in the existence of god/s.
I agree in terms of definitions, but the range of zealotry among atheists who talk about their atheism is interesting in itself...
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by laklak » Sat Jan 01, 2022 11:52 pm

I used to be one of those in your face atheists, but I don't bother with any of that shit now. Let them think whatever stupid shit they want, ain't no skin off my ass.
Yeah well that's just, like, your opinion, man.

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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Hermit » Sun Jan 02, 2022 3:55 am

JimC wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:48 pm
Hermit wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:43 pm
rainbow wrote:
Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:33 pm
On your table, I'd like to add a third dimension. That would be the zeal of wanting to convince others.
You could do that, but it is no more part of what actually defines atheists than that atheists could also be hermits, libertarians, communists, racists, sexists, or whatever. The one thing that defines all atheists is that they lack a belief in the existence of god/s.
I agree in terms of definitions, but the range of zealotry among atheists who talk about their atheism is interesting in itself...
Pity that so much of what is written about "militant atheism" and "new atheism" is drivel.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops. - Stephen J. Gould

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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by JimC » Sun Jan 02, 2022 4:02 am

Do you mean what is written by them (advocating anti-religious fervour of various types) or by others, analysing their positions with some objectivity?

Or simply by their critics, some of whom take a very defensive position (us poor christians are under attack, we should be protected)...
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Hermit » Sun Jan 02, 2022 5:33 am

JimC wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 4:02 am
Do you mean what is written by them (advocating anti-religious fervour of various types) or by others, analysing their positions with some objectivity?

Or simply by their critics, some of whom take a very defensive position (us poor christians are under attack, we should be protected)...
The latter, but much of the criticism levelled at "militant atheists" and "new atheists" comes from other atheists. The most recent broadside targeting "New Atheists" was penned by Phil Torres, himself an atheist, and published by Salon (oh, what a surprise). The author gets stuck into prominent atheists who do deserve criticism, but the article's title telegraphs exactly what a train wreck the body of the text is going to be. "Godless grifters: How the New Atheists merged with the far right" A couple of examples:
What's sad is that the New Atheist movement could have made a difference — a positive difference — in the world. Instead, it gradually merged with factions of the alt-right...
It's a real shame that New Atheism, now swallowed up by the IDW [Intellectual Dark Web] and the far right, turned out to be just as prejudiced, racist, dogmatic, ethnocentric, closed-minded and authoritarian as many of the religious groups they initially deplored.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops. - Stephen J. Gould

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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by JimC » Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:35 am

I simply hope for a continuation of a trend in recent years for more and more people, particularly the young, declaring in surveys that they have "no religion". It doesn't matter whether they get all analytical about atheism and its definitions, simply that they no longer feel the need for any religion in their lives...
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Hermit » Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:57 am

JimC wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:35 am
I simply hope for a continuation of a trend in recent years for more and more people, particularly the young, declaring in surveys that they have "no religion". It doesn't matter whether they get all analytical about atheism and its definitions, simply that they no longer feel the need for any religion in their lives...
Same here.

Obligatory chart (again):

Image

Based on census data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Results of the 2021 census will be become available somewhere between July and September this year.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops. - Stephen J. Gould

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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Brian Peacock » Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:08 am

Hermit wrote:
JimC wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:48 pm
Hermit wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:43 pm
rainbow wrote:
Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:33 pm
On your table, I'd like to add a third dimension. That would be the zeal of wanting to convince others.
You could do that, but it is no more part of what actually defines atheists than that atheists could also be hermits, libertarians, communists, racists, sexists, or whatever. The one thing that defines all atheists is that they lack a belief in the existence of god/s.
I agree in terms of definitions, but the range of zealotry among atheists who talk about their atheism is interesting in itself...
Pity that so much of what is written about "militant atheism" and "new atheism" is drivel.
Don't forget us "fundamentalist atheists" too.
Rationalia relies on voluntary donations. There is no obligation of course, but if you value this place and want to see it continue please consider making a small donation towards the forum's running costs.
Details on how to do that can be found here.

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There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia."

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"This is how humanity ends; bickering over the irrelevant."
Clinton Huxley » 21 Jun 2012 » 14:10:36 GMT
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Re: Did you have to become an atheist?

Post by Hermit » Sun Jan 02, 2022 9:03 am

Brian Peacock wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 8:08 am
Hermit wrote:
JimC wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:48 pm
Hermit wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 8:43 pm
rainbow wrote:
Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:33 pm
On your table, I'd like to add a third dimension. That would be the zeal of wanting to convince others.
You could do that, but it is no more part of what actually defines atheists than that atheists could also be hermits, libertarians, communists, racists, sexists, or whatever. The one thing that defines all atheists is that they lack a belief in the existence of god/s.
I agree in terms of definitions, but the range of zealotry among atheists who talk about their atheism is interesting in itself...
Pity that so much of what is written about "militant atheism" and "new atheism" is drivel.
Don't forget us "fundamentalist atheists" too.
Ah, the "atheism is just another religion" theme. Gary Wolf, contributing editor of Wired riffed on it in 2006 in an article titled The Church of the Non-Believers and subtitled "A band of intellectual brothers is mounting a crusade against belief in God. Are they winning converts, or merely preaching to the choir?" The same article brought the terms New Atheists/ism back into vogue. They are used there 16 times. Wolf is commonly reported to have coined them. He did not. This book was published in 2000:

Image
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein’s brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops. - Stephen J. Gould

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