Why are extremist atheists tolerated?

[Dozy 11]

(Extreme) atheists have their own, blinkered perspective on the world, and show the same intolerance towards anyone who doesn't agree with their dogma as any other type of extremist

 

StarSparkle

 

For extreme atheists to, "show the same intolerance towards anyone who doesn't agree with their dogma as any other type of extremist", they would surely have to translate their intolerance into action?

 

But I really can't recall any instance of atheists setting fire to churches, synagogues or mosques, or planting car bombs, or carrying out suicide bombings.

[Kristian 11]

Mod: If the personal attacks or snide comments continue, I'll ban the poster without further warning.

[JoeP 11]

So I take it you have respect for the beliefs of Jihadists then?

 

 

Their actions disrespect others - in a very brutal and direct manner.

 

I would wholeheartedly disagree with their actions - by the way, I assume you mean violent Jihadists, here? Were you slightly more knowledgable about religion you would realise the 'Jihad' has a different meaning in Islam to the popular meaning it has in teh West after 9/11.

 

In moderate Islam, Jihad is simply a 'struggle' - which can be anything that a believer is dealing with in his life.

 

I assume you're wanting me to say that I respect the rights of murderers to murder. That's a very poor argument from you, donkey. I expected better.

 

By the very act of killing they show themselves to be uncivilised and barbaric; I will not respect people who kill.

 

And before you start - yes, I'm sure you'll now call me a hypocrite, etc. etc.

 

But moving away from the extremes and back towards the normal, day to day people you may meet - do you feel it's appropriate to disrespect people because of their beliefs?

[JoeP 11]

You're right. Maybe I should get my girlfriend to take over from me.

 

Good thinking - maybe we might have a more rounded debate.

[Funky_Gibbon 42]

We are a Christian country, so naturally we have the heart to tolerate other religions, but it seems nowadays that atheists can criticize other faiths and label themselves superior and not get in trouble for it

 

I think it's been documented that we are amongst the least religious countries in the world and I thank God for that.

 

By extreme athiests I assume you mean people like Dawkins who refuse to accept the influence of baseless religious views on many areas of society and challenges those baseless views with evidenced and tested science.

 

Yep. Those people are a much greater threat than people who will persecute someone who is homosexual because their religion tells them to or murder as many people as possible in the name of their religious beliefs.

[donkey 10]

Their actions disrespect others - in a very brutal and direct manner.

 

I would wholeheartedly disagree with their actions - by the way, I assume you mean violent Jihadists, here? Were you slightly more knowledgable about religion you would realise the 'Jihad' has a different meaning in Islam to the popular meaning it has in teh West after 9/11.

 

In moderate Islam, Jihad is simply a 'struggle' - which can be anything that a believer is dealing with in his life.

 

I assume you're wanting me to say that I respect the rights of murderers to murder. That's a very poor argument from you, donkey. I expected better.

 

By the very act of killing they show themselves to be uncivilised and barbaric; I will not respect people who kill.

 

And before you start - yes, I'm sure you'll now call me a hypocrite, etc. etc.

 

But moving away from the extremes and back towards the normal, day to day people you may meet - do you feel it's appropriate to disrespect people because of their beliefs?

 

That's a very good argument, but it's not an argument against what I said, but what you would like me to have said in order for you to easily dismiss it out of hand

 

The post said do you respect the beliefs of Jihadists? Now clearly I mean violent jihadists. And I didn't ask if you respected them as people, but their beliefs. It's in black and white.

 

When you've told me that, perhaps you'd like to point me to where I've disrespected people, rather than their beliefs.

[Dozy 11]

....

But moving away from the extremes and back towards the normal, day to day people you may meet - do you feel it's appropriate to disrespect people because of their beliefs?

 

Surely that depends, to some extent, on how people express those beliefs?

 

It's fine by me if people want to be Christian, Muslim, whatever, as long as they (a) don't try and convert me to their beliefs, and (b) don't use their religion to condemn me or other people who don't conform to rules of their particular religion.

 

In other words, if they respect others (including me), I'll respect them. But if anyone says I'm abnormal or a pervert, just because their religion says lesbians shouldn't be tolerated, then I'm likely to get a tad tetchy in my response.

[Olec 10]

I think it's been documented that we are amongst the least religious countries in the world and I thank God for that.

 

By extreme athiests I assume you mean people like Dawkins who refuse to accept the influence of baseless religious views on many areas of society and challenges those baseless views with evidenced and tested science.

 

Yep. Those people are a much greater threat than people who will persecute someone who is homosexual because their religion tells them to or murder as many people as possible in the name of their religious beliefs.

 

It's entirely down to self perception whether views are baseless or not, I haven't seen any evidence to solidify and scientific fact, apparently the lab workers don't like to show us these 'tests' that they go on about.

 

Scientists seem to think that there words should be law and have this 'us vs. them' attitude towards religious people. Alot of there opinions (or facts in there minds) arent how most people are, but scientists can't seem to fathom why this would be.

[donkey 10]

Surely that depends, to some extent, on how people express those beliefs?

 

It's fine by me if people want to be Christian, Muslim, whatever, as long as they (a) don't try and convert me to their beliefs, and (b) don't use their religion to condemn me or other people who don't conform to rules of their particular religion.

 

In other words, if they respect others (including me), I'll respect them. But if anyone says I'm abnormal or a pervert, just because their religion says lesbians shouldn't be tolerated, then I'm likely to get a tad tetchy in my response.

 

There lies the essence, people want respect for their beliefs, when those beliefs are inherently dis-respectful, condemnatory and prejuidiced against others.

[SG Custom 10]

I don't agree there, Mel.

 

The disrespect shown to some people on religious threads has quite taken my breath away at times.

 

Believers are being slagged off personally, as well as their beliefs. It's just not on. You can be an atheist, but still have some respect for religions and their adherents. It's part of being a civilised human being.

 

StarSparkle

 

Religion was created as a sop to control the masses. None of it is real. It's all an illusion. It's no more valid than the flat earth society.

 

If the church wasn't so rich and powerful, religion would have been debunked centuries ago. You choose to believe such nonsense simply because you're scared of what will happed to you when you die.

 

Let me tell you, nothing will happen. You become worm food (or ashes) and then you cease to exist. Get used to the idea.

 

Surely that's plenty of good reasons to ridicule religion?

[Wildcat 10]

I don't understand this thread at all.

 

Who are these extremist atheists? It is a joke surely to talk about Dawkins as an extremist. He is pretty much the only person today that I can think of that is known for evangelising atheism. Another example might be Monty Python's "Life of Brian" which has to be admitted is disrespectful of christianity, but I know christians for whom it is their favourite film. Were Monty Python extremist atheists? to some perhaps but not many. I won't labour the details but there are plenty more worrying extremists in Christianity (eg. Westboro Baptist Church). Dawkins, Monty Python or even..... donkey are nothing like as worrying or offensive as they are.

 

(Sorry donkey, I have no idea what you have posted to offend StarSparkle, I just lump you in with the other extremists because you have attracted some criticism)

 

The most scathing anti-christian criticisms I have read have come from Christians themselves. No atheist has ever called the Pope the anti-christ (at least not and meant it), but christians have and do.

[Olec 10]

Religion was created as a sop to control the masses. None of it is real. It's all an illusion. It's no more valid than the flat earth society.

 

If the church wasn't so rich and powerful, religion would have been debunked centuries ago. You choose to believe such nonsense simply because you're scared of what will happed to you when you die.

 

Let me tell you, nothing will happen. You become worm food (or ashes) and then you cease to exist. Get used to the idea.

 

Surely that's plenty of good reasons to ridicule religion?

 

I'VE FOUND ONE! I'VE FOUND ONE!

 

Read the hatred towards religion and the loyalty towards atheism in that post.