Happy Atheist Forum

Community => Social Issues and Causes => Topic started by: jduster on September 18, 2010, 06:24:17 AM

Title: middle grounders
Post by: jduster on September 18, 2010, 06:24:17 AM
A person cannot be religious or non-religious at the same time, even though that is the persona many people display.

Example: a person who claims his/herself to be a Christian, but never follows the word of god, rarely goes to church.

Essentially, the person is apathetic, but only claiming to be religious to avoid social repercussions, because openly admitting to being an atheist is social suicide.

Some people say they believe in both creationism and evolution for example, so they are able to make no enemies.

I'm not always a black-and-white all-or-nothing thinker, but two mutually exclusive things cannot be both true.

Between two things that contradict each other, one is true, and the other is false.

When one picks either side in this case, they are either wrong or right, but when they pick a middle ground, they are never correct.

Sacrificing logic and reason for a make-no-enemies persona is an ultimate act of cowardice, and people of that sort deserve little of my respect.

Sorry middlegrounders, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

You are either religious or you are not

No exceptions.

So middle grounders, just show us your true colors.
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: The Magic Pudding on September 18, 2010, 06:42:50 AM
Quote from: "jduster"Sorry middlegrounders, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.
My wife has a residual religious belief.
She never goes to church and god is never mentioned.
She is a practical person, busy living her life and raising our children.
Talk of religion for her is a waste of time.
I suspect she would say she'll eat her cake and yours to if you don't watch it.
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: humblesmurph on September 18, 2010, 06:47:20 AM
To me any Christian or Muslim who isn't a fundie is a middle grounder.  I personally don't want them to pick a side.  They might pick the wrong one. I admire people who are true to their beliefs but the world doesn't need any more bible thumping, gospel preaching, abortion clinic bombing, airplane hijacking lunatics.  There's some scary shit in those books of theirs.  Let them have their cake and eat it too.  It's safer for all of us that way.
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: The Magic Pudding on September 18, 2010, 07:05:41 AM
Quote from: "humblesmurph"To me any Christian or Muslim who isn't a fundie is a middle grounder.  I personally don't want them to pick a side.  They might pick the wrong one. I admire people who are true to their beliefs but the world doesn't need any more bible thumping, gospel preaching, abortion clinic bombing, airplane hijacking lunatics.  There's some scary shit in those books of theirs.  Let them have their cake and eat it too.  It's safer for all of us that way.
I agree with this, if you attack to hard they can get defensive.
Hopefully over generations religion will wither away like a vestigial limb.
It's well on the way out in Aus' and Europe I think.
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: Thumpalumpacus on September 18, 2010, 08:32:51 AM
What of spirituality, as opposed to religion?
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: jduster on September 18, 2010, 02:22:02 PM
spirituality, is just as irrational as religion in my view.
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: The Magic Pudding on September 18, 2010, 03:48:58 PM
Quote from: "jduster"spirituality, is just as irrational as religion in my view.
Ye but it helps them get through the day.
People follow sport obsessively, I can't see the sense of it.
You may be nourished by the pure beauty of rational thought,
buy how do you satisfy people who don't like thinken?
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: jduster on September 21, 2010, 02:22:59 AM
Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"
Quote from: "jduster"spirituality, is just as irrational as religion in my view.
Ye but it helps them get through the day.
People follow sport obsessively, I can't see the sense of it.
You may be nourished by the pure beauty of rational thought,
buy how do you satisfy people who don't like thinken?

irrational beliefs do give people a placebo effect, which makes them beneficial.

that doesn't make them correct, though.
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: Whitney on September 21, 2010, 02:31:24 AM
Quote from: "jduster"Some people say they believe in both creationism and evolution for example, so they are able to make no enemies.

Or because they really do believe in both...it's not like a god couldn't have kick started evolution.


I don't have a problem with people in the middleground area...they tend to keep to themselves and not push their views on others and that's about all we can ask since religion is probably not going anywhere any time soon.
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: AreEl on September 21, 2010, 03:02:56 AM
Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"Hopefully over generations religion will wither away like a vestigial limb.
It's well on the way out in Aus' and Europe I think.

Nope. I don't know about Oz, but in Europe - where I go often - religion is getting stronger and stronger. Send me your postal address and the next time I'm in Paris, I'll send you a postcard of the Grande Mosquée de Paris (Great Mosque of Paris.)

Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"What of spirituality, as opposed to religion?

Hocus pocus mumbo jumbo. Go hug a tree if it makes you feel better.

Quote from: "jduster"spirituality, is just as irrational as religion in my view.

Agreed. All smoke and mirrors with a guarantee that you'll end up in Hell anyway.

Quote from: "jduster"irrational beliefs do give people a placebo effect, which makes them beneficial.

Agreed. Go sort your garbage to save the world!
Title: Re: middle grounders
Post by: legs laney on November 28, 2010, 10:51:42 PM
Quote from: "humblesmurph"To me any Christian or Muslim who isn't a fundie is a middle grounder.  I personally don't want them to pick a side.  They might pick the wrong one. I admire people who are true to their beliefs but the world doesn't need any more bible thumping, gospel preaching, abortion clinic bombing, airplane hijacking lunatics.  There's some scary shit in those books of theirs.  Let them have their cake and eat it too.  It's safer for all of us that way.

i couldn't agree more.  i'd like to add that the more "middle grounders" we see will likely lead to less organized fundamentalist fanatics being born into the religious sects.

as an aside; my husband is a devout catholic, but does not go to church.  the only time we talk about religion or god is when i bring it up.  he could care less what others think about whether or not he goes to church or not (including his own mother who firmly believes he is committing a mortal sin by not going to church). he is religious and non-religious all at the same time.  he is true to what he believes, believes there is a god, and he is more passionate about some things over others.  that is an example of something jduster is claiming doesn't exist.  maybe he's a unicorn.  i'll ask him.