Lord knows there appears to be a serious uptick in louder more insulting and obnoxious atheists in the last few years but that still doesn't mean those specific people represent the entire group anymore than Fred Phelps represents Christianity or PETA represents those of us who believe in humane treatment of animals. When I was an atheist those sorts got on my nerves same as Phelps and PETA do now. Do keep in mind that the lion's share of those sorts are utterly indistinguishable from the same group of obnoxious, arrogant, and usually young and socially incompetent people who show up in any religion, faith, ideology, cause, etc. You don't really need to egg them on by giving them a legit beef, because like anyone else they will never remember when they've done the same thing to other people. There are also a number of atheists here who aren't thin-skinned hypocrites who probably won't appreciate your having just insulted them, and considering you just took a swipe at most of us who are part of organized religions with the ' invent a bunch of nonsensical rules to live by and then try to force other people to adopt my rules' comment, you've pretty much managed to slap everyone but agnostics in the face, and having been one of those too I can't say I'd have approved of that either.
It's very important to be sensitive to other peoples feelings on religious matters, it keeps us all from butchering each other. Many atheists get knocked, and often rightfully so, for having an attitude that comes off as 'everyone who disagrees with me is wrong and stupid' but you essentially just did the same thing while adding in the caveat 'but it's okay to disagree with me, it's not your fault you're stupid' then making a point of telling them you deliberately like to insult people to bait them.
It's very important to be sensitive to other peoples feelings on religious matters, it keeps us all from butchering each other. Many atheists get knocked, and often rightfully so, for having an attitude that comes off as 'everyone who disagrees with me is wrong and stupid' but you essentially just did the same thing while adding in the caveat 'but it's okay to disagree with me, it's not your fault you're stupid' then making a point of telling them you deliberately like to insult people to bait them.
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
- Albert Einstein
King of Cairhien 20-7-2
Chancellor of the Landsraad, Archduke of Is'Mod
Do you know the best way to anger an atheist?
28/02/2012 07:10:57 PM
- 1858 Views
Or, you could baptize one of them, posthumously.
28/02/2012 07:32:48 PM
- 1190 Views
I can't think of any reason for an atheist to be annoyed by that.
28/02/2012 11:08:44 PM
- 946 Views
Well, for starters, it's really effing rude.
28/02/2012 11:31:36 PM
- 986 Views
It is an act of love.
29/02/2012 12:34:03 AM
- 1010 Views
Everyone does it for that reason? (edits for clarity)
29/02/2012 10:27:02 AM
- 899 Views
I have some disturbing news for you...
29/02/2012 06:42:41 PM
- 947 Views
For anyone reading this: the guy above is wrong, and I am admitting that to you on his behalf, so
29/02/2012 07:15:38 PM
- 956 Views
Maybe without realizing it, you have articulated....
29/02/2012 07:24:13 PM
- 812 Views
I actually find that conversation quite interesting.
29/02/2012 08:18:35 PM
- 935 Views
Re: I actually find that conversation quite interesting.
29/02/2012 09:07:06 PM
- 957 Views
I cannot possibly agree more with these two paragraphs of yours...
29/02/2012 09:28:09 PM
- 969 Views
I find the Fall perhaps the most interesting part.
02/03/2012 09:05:29 AM
- 1331 Views
Re: I find the Fall perhaps the most interesting part.
02/03/2012 06:26:06 PM
- 1109 Views
There are 3 critical distinctions: 1) Ability to sin, 2) Awareness of sin and 3) Appreciation of sin
05/03/2012 04:08:36 AM
- 879 Views
It is not an act of love to defy the beliefs of a loved one.
29/02/2012 02:32:45 PM
- 1055 Views
Rape? That is ridiculous.
29/02/2012 05:26:13 PM
- 959 Views
It's a bit of hyperbole, but not too far from it, imo
29/02/2012 05:45:39 PM
- 990 Views
"Spiritual rape" might be going a bit far, but otherwise that sounds about right.
02/03/2012 08:06:48 AM
- 1020 Views
Isn't religion different than faith, though?
28/02/2012 07:44:07 PM
- 1014 Views
Yeah that's pretty much what I said
28/02/2012 08:21:56 PM
- 803 Views
Generally the same way you piss off anyone else
28/02/2012 08:43:04 PM
- 931 Views
that won't work on Buddists
28/02/2012 09:21:48 PM
- 953 Views
For some reason I always imagine Buddhists as the monk class on RPG games... *NM*
28/02/2012 10:13:27 PM
- 473 Views
That's always been my view of the issue. Half-assed non-religious types are just as obnoxious too.
28/02/2012 10:34:12 PM
- 1168 Views
Seems a got both a pat on the back and a scathing rebuke. I call that a good day
28/02/2012 11:57:45 PM
- 1237 Views
Best way to anger an atheist, by declaring all atheists are the same. *NM*
28/02/2012 10:38:51 PM
- 616 Views
Common error number 1: "Atheism isn't a lack of belief, but rather a belief that God doesn't exist."
28/02/2012 11:18:23 PM
- 1098 Views
Curiously, anger at statements of simple obvious facts is a hallmark of religious fundamentalism.
29/02/2012 10:27:29 AM
- 1038 Views
What you're doing there is defining "atheist" and "agnostic" in a way that suits you, but...
29/02/2012 11:50:27 AM
- 836 Views
What I am doing is using the terms as they were universally used until about the time I was born.
05/03/2012 01:11:21 AM
- 973 Views
So what do you call this position?:
05/03/2012 08:43:20 AM
- 929 Views
I call them both agnostic, but the former leans toward atheism while the latter has no lean.
05/03/2012 10:53:02 AM
- 982 Views
See, there you go again, defining atheism in such a way as to make it sound ridiculous.
05/03/2012 11:21:17 AM
- 807 Views
Well, is unswerving belief a good thing, or not?
05/03/2012 11:57:05 AM
- 1034 Views
What's happening
05/03/2012 02:24:41 PM
- 1016 Views
Conversationally, DKs use of "atheism" at the start of this convo is the only practical definition.
07/03/2012 03:10:18 AM
- 1322 Views
Oh really? The guy who was doing it to annoy people?
07/03/2012 09:53:38 PM
- 920 Views
The guy who was doing it to annoy atheists based on the terms technical and popular meaning, yes.
11/03/2012 04:04:36 AM
- 797 Views
Whatever.
12/03/2012 12:39:24 AM
- 1237 Views
I understand that as "I completely agree."
13/03/2012 12:11:18 AM
- 1074 Views
I have known very few people who "believe" their religion from rearing and actually understand it.
29/02/2012 12:08:01 PM
- 1165 Views
I thought that was "best way to make an atheist roll his/her eyes at you"? *NM*
29/02/2012 11:05:21 PM
- 566 Views