You Lost One - Atheist Converts

[Asmodean]

Put some words in my mouth now, Asmo, but be gentle.  It's my first time.

Not in a particularly gentle mood, so... Tank and his crew may object. 

[Stevil]

I must say,

I am soooooo happy that it is not me arguing with AD this time.

[xSilverPhinx]

Quite frankly, I don't know how anyone can accept Catholicism. Its so strict, so rigid, so oppressive. And you get to imagine you are eating and drinking Jesus.

Well there are plenty of self identified Catholics who don't accept the Churches teachings as a whole. More like "spiritual" with cultural connections to Catholicism.  

I don't know if they think Jesus is tasty though

Funny, as Muslims feel that way about non Muslims.

Well it's common in segregationist religious or any cultural "us versus them" tribe. The easiest way to justify hurting another person is to make them seem less human first. That way you're bypassing what we evolved to do as social creatures (mostly driven towards empathy with identified members of our species, unless given good reason not to through prior experience). Religion uses our natural programming to create religious tribes and also is an excellent tool for rationalising why "others" should be treated like mere animals. Not exactly the best part of human nature, ironically.

Some of the more intolerant religions do this to atheists for instance when, by claiming that we don't have a soul, it's perfectly ok for people who don't believe to burn and suffer in hell for all of eternity. Makes people less empathetic towards them. It's not restricted to religions, though, just more prevalent because religions are social organizers and each on believes that have found the ultimate truth.

[Asmodean]

I must say,

I am soooooo happy that it is not me arguing with AD this time.

Yes, well, The Gray One has heard your prayers. And, being a generous kind of lump of malicious clay, He decided to oblige. 

[Sweetdeath]

I must say,

I am soooooo happy that it is not me arguing with AD this time.

I am also very surprised at this. xD

[Sandra Craft]

Personal Values
Governing Laws
Social norms
Morality

OK, you can distinguish among them all and for the most part I might agree with your definitions (not about morality tho, which every dictionary I checked defined as both objective and subjective) but these are still your definitions and no more generally valid than my personal morality.  A lot of other people are going to have a lot of other ideas about the above.

[Stevil]

OK, you can distinguish among them all and for the most part I might agree with your definitions (not about morality tho, which every dictionary I checked defined as both objective and subjective) but these are still your definitions and no more generally valid than my personal morality.  A lot of other people are going to have a lot of other ideas about the above.

If you care to indulge me,

Please tell me what you think the difference is between personal values (personal opinion) and morality?

Also please tell me if (and why) you think you are being philosophically consistent when you make a public claim to something being immoral. How this is more than just a personal statement as to you personally feeling such and such is "wrong".

[Asmodean]

Please tell me what you think the difference is between personal values (personal opinion) and morality?

I think it comes down to something like this: I want someone to suffer a slow and painful death, because overkill vengeance is my personal value. However, I will not attempt to inflict that on that someone due to my morality, that dictates me to treat people as I would like, or at least not mind, to be treated, and the social norm that say killing somebody is a bad thing and is to be avoided.

[Harmonie]

I had never heard of her... Not that I'm the most knowledgeable person on internet Atheist bloggers, but I'd think that I would have at least have heard of her before this point.

It's quite apparent to me that the media jumped on this because the majority are Christians and will be thrilled to see this. An "prominent" Atheist blogger turning into an Christian is sure to feel like a massive victory for many of the Christians who read this.

My best guess is it's some random near-do-well blogger who some people are attempting to make larger than life for their own reasons. May be wrong, however - didn't recognise the name, dind't read the links

Same. 

If she became religious.. Not my issue. Probably wasn't really an atheist to begin with. Just someone looking for a religion to belong to.

But, you see, that's exactly what Christians say about us (those of us who were formerly Christians, I mean). That we were never 'true' Christians, and then they attack us because we supposedly don't understand Christianity.

[OldGit]

No true Scotsman would do such a thing.

[Tank]

It takes a lot more to make me feel attacked - an actual attack, for instance. You have somewhat of a reputation with me for putting words in people's mouths, however.

Put some words in my mouth now, Asmo, but be gentle.  It's my first time.

Bastard! That nearly cost me a keyboard!!!

[Asmodean]

Good news! The Asmo rolled off the bed on the right side this morning, so he may be less inclined to bite people for the first time in... A long time. 

[AnimatedDirt]

I must say,

I am soooooo happy that it is not me arguing with AD this time.

Do we argue?  In my delusion, I was thinking we discussed... 

[Stevil]

Please tell me what you think the difference is between personal values (personal opinion) and morality?

I think it comes down to something like this: I want someone to suffer a slow and painful death, because overkill vengeance is my personal value. However, I will not attempt to inflict that on that someone due to my morality, that dictates me to treat people as I would like, or at least not mind, to be treated, and the social norm that say killing somebody is a bad thing and is to be avoided.

It is more than a social norm, society will react strongly against you, you will end up in prison if the law gets to you, or dead if now law society members get to you. Selfishly it is in your best interest not to kill people.

So, if your own personal value is to kill people slowly, then where does your morality come from? How come it differs from your personal values?
Are you a man of two minds, one you call your desires (personal values) and one you call your survival instinct(morality)?

[Asmodean]

Are you a man of two minds, one you call your desires (personal values) and one you call your survival instinct(morality)?

My values are centered around number one. My morals are centered around one-of-many.