Atheists and theists are the same.

[Alc]

lol. Now you're on the side of all the major religions of the world? If I'm not mistaken, this is a debate about if atheism is a religion. I highly doubt all Christians, Jews, and Muslims agree with you.

To be fair, if atheism were a religion, then we'd already be on the same side as the Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc.

 

[Rabbie]

Indeed, like Galileo, Copernicus, and others before me.
Heretics all.

You seem to be doing your best to persuade me that I should not take you seriously. It seems like arrogance to compare your self to Galileo and Copernicus. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us with a list of your scientific acheivements.

I have never called you a heretic. It was the Catholic church that called Galileo a heretic not an atheist group. So what exactly is your point here?

 

[Thales750]

You seem to be doing your best to persuade me that I should not take you seriously. It seems like arrogance to compare your self to Galileo and Copernicus. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us with a list of your scientific acheivements.

I have never called you a heretic. It was the Catholic church that called Galileo a heretic not an atheist group. So what exactly is your point here?

Never Mind Rabbie.
You all win. Believe, if you like, that you are not a bunch of fanatics.

Thank you for proving my point, especially since you won't concede an inch.

This was never about me proving anything. I am merely telling you how it looks.

I hope you beliefs bring you joy.

Alcoholics remain ignorant their entire lives, atheist religious fanatics might as well do the same.

 

[Thales750]

You seem to be doing your best to persuade me that I should not take you seriously. It seems like arrogance to compare your self to Galileo and Copernicus. Perhaps you would care to enlighten us with a list of your scientific acheivements.

I have never called you a heretic. It was the Catholic church that called Galileo a heretic not an atheist group. So what exactly is your point here?

You pick and choose which topics to generalize and which ones are literal.

The more you try to make me look stupid the more others see you for what you really are.

 

[Adam Caramon]

The more you try to make me look stupid the more others see you for what you really are.

I'm not sure there's any vein we progress with anymore. If anyone points out where your words contradict one another, its because they're just trying to be clever. If anyone asks you about one of your posts, its because they're trying to spin things around and make you look stupid.

Is there anything anyone could say at this point other than "You're right" that would get a legitimate response from you?

 

[Rich]

Alcoholics remain ignorant their entire lives,

Those that have given it up wouldn't agree with you

 

[Thales750]

Those that have given it up wouldn't agree with you

Exacly Rich.

 

[Rabbie]

You pick and choose which topics to generalize and which ones are literal.

The more you try to make me look stupid the more others see you for what you really are.

Yet again I repeat I never called you stupid. We all pick and chose which topics we expand. It's called the art of debating.

 

[Thales750]

Yet again I repeat I never called you stupid. We all pick and chose which topics we expand. It's called the art of debating.

Well this was an exercise in futility.
It is based on beliefs, not mine you understand, others and I have always known it is an act of self inflicted pain to engage in these kinds of conversations.
One can always hope though.
I'll see you boys on some economic debates I have in mind.

 

[georgedwilkinson]

I understand the point of the thread. Though I don't agree that atheism is a religion, I do believe that there are as many fanatical atheists as there are fanatical religious people or sports fans.

I'll see you boys on some economic debates I have in mind.

I'm looking forward to it. I'm especially interested in people's take on "neo-liberalism", which seems to be a growing trend in the US.

 

[Adam Caramon]

I understand the point of the thread. Though I don't agree that atheism is a religion, I do believe that there are as many fanatical atheists as there are fanatical religious people or sports fans.

Ah, but that can be proven wrong by simple math. The vast majority of the world's population is religious. I'd wager somewhere in the range of 80-90%. If only 1% or 2% of these religious people are fanatics, then it would require about 30-40% of atheists to be fanatics in order prove your assertion true.

So your statement is categorically false. I'd be willing to do a little friendly competition with you though. I'll post links to stories about religious fanatics, you post stories about atheist fanatics. We'll see who gets more news stories.

 

[Thales750]

Ah, but that can be proven wrong by simple math. The vast majority of the world's population is religious. I'd wager somewhere in the range of 80-90%. If only 1% or 2% of these religious people are fanatics, then it would require about 30-40% of atheists to be fanatics in order prove your assertion true.

So your statement is categorically false. I'd be willing to do a little friendly competition with you though. I'll post links to stories about religious fanatics, you post stories about atheist fanatics. We'll see who gets more news stories.

The only useful comparison is a percentage one.
Being a database developer and therefore a math person I would have thought that should be obvious, my mistake; or are you deliberately changing the interpretation of the statement to suite your position.

Just an observation of course.

 

[Adam Caramon]

The only useful comparison is a percentage one.

I would agree with you to a point (if you want to find out if a particular religion, or religion in general, or atheism in general has a connection to fanaticisim), but that's not what he said. "There are as many as" does not equate to a percentage.

Being a database developer and therefore a math person I would have thought that should be obvious, my mistake; or are you deliberately changing the interpretation of the statement to suite your position.

Once again, poorly chosen words. Who's interpretation am I changing? I think you mean, changing the 'intent' of the statement. If georgewilkinson wants to ammend his statement to say he is talking percentages, then while I would still not agree (I do believe there are more religious fantatics than atheist fanatics, as a percentage), the difference would not be as glaring as his original statement.

 

[Rich]

I understand the point of the thread. Though I don't agree that atheism is a religion, I do believe that there are as many fanatical atheists as there are fanatical religious people or sports fans.

Atheists don't meet en masse to not only celebrate their conviction but to pray for it either, or to form organisations within governments to force their beliefs on others or to have currency notes impregnated with same belief

 

[Lightwave]

Come to this late and not read all of the thread so apologies if I am repeating points already made but yo my mind

Atheists can be open to altering there views if presented with better evidence but start from a point of sceptiscism.

The position of a theist tends to be that they shall believe despite the lack of any available evidence.

This I think is why on first impressions it seems to be a contradiction to be religious and yet involved in sciences. The definition of science being the conclusion of theory backed by experimental evidence.

 

[Mike375]

Atheists don't meet en masse to not only celebrate their conviction but to pray for it either, or to form organisations within governments to force their beliefs on others or to have currency notes impregnated with same belief

We have the Australian Atheist Foundation who are in full conversion mode and they meet en masse.

They have a forum and it is hard to tell the difference between their forum and a religious forum

 

[Brianwarnock]

We have the Australian Atheist Foundation who are in full conversion mode and they meet en masse.

They have a forum and it is hard to tell the difference between their forum and a religious forum

But they are aussies, 'nuff said.

Brian

 

[Pauldohert]

We have the Australian Atheist Foundation who are in full conversion mode and they meet en masse.

They have a forum and it is hard to tell the difference between their forum and a religious forum

Why would an atheist want to convert someone?

It seem far more common of an atheist on here to behave that way than for a theist.

 

[speakers_86]

Regarding Lightwave's last post, Agreed!

Why would an atheist want to convert someone?

It seem far more common of an atheist on here to behave that way than for a theist.

That is because an atheist finds it absurd that an intelligent person can so confidently believe that all of this was created on the whim of some magical being. If said person is truly intelligent, then I would think they should be able to use their reason and logically deduce that creationism is not only unlikely, it is simply wrong. I stopped trying to convert people once my view of religion changed. I used to think it was an evil thing, but now I realize that it gives millions of people a reason to do the right thing everyday. Some people need a system of rewards and punishments (heaven and hell) to do the right thing. Also, some people need answers to questions that have no answers. How did all this come to be? An religious person will have the 'answer'. An atheist will only have theories. I would like to know the answer, but for the moment the theories alone are enough for me.

 

[Mike375]

Why would an atheist want to convert someone?

It seem far more common of an atheist on here to behave that way than for a theist.

In Australia I would say the main motivation would be:

1) Removal of tax advantages churches have

2) Remove any reference to God in the political system.

3) Remove any religious or Bible classes in schools.

http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au/