News:

The default theme for this site has been updated. For further information, please take a look at the announcement regarding HAF changing its default theme.

Main Menu

Angry Atheists

Started by Amicale, May 02, 2012, 05:59:31 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Amicale

Quote from: OldGit on May 05, 2012, 12:59:36 PM
True, Amicale, but don't forget just how cruel humour can be.

Good point. That's why I prefer the self-deprecating sort.


"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb we are bound to others. By every crime and act of kindness we birth our future." - Cloud Atlas

"To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is to never die." -Carl Sagan

Amicale

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that evolution had created.

"What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!", he said to himself. As he was walking along the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. When he turned to see what the casue was, he saw a 7-foot grizzly charging right towards him. He ran as fast as he could. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing, He ran even faster, crying in fear. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pounding and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up, but saw the bear right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.

At that moment, the Atheist cried out "Oh my God!...." Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving.

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, "You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don"t exist; and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian?" "Very well," said the voice.

The light went out. The river ran again. And the sounds of the forest resumed.

And then the bear dropped his right paw ..... brought both paws together...bowed his head and spoke: "Lord, for what I am about to receive, I am truly thankful."


"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb we are bound to others. By every crime and act of kindness we birth our future." - Cloud Atlas

"To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is to never die." -Carl Sagan

Hector Valdez


technolud

In the last few years I've started to believe that one of the defiining characteristics of religions folk is that they have to have an explanation for everything.   Where atheists are more willing to accept the unknown, that's why we don't have to insert a God-Creation story into our lives.  But that doesn't make us angry, just the opposite really.

I've never known an angry atheist, though lots of angry religious folk.   Does anyone on the forum know any angry atheists first hand?  (I mean like philosphical angry, not angry that the newspaper didn't come)

Amicale

Yes, offline I know or have known a few angry atheists. All of them have been fairly new to atheism as well - all have been ex-theists. I don't know personally any never-theists who display the same anger. I suspect that people who are coming out of religion are probably feeling hurt and angry over their past experiences with it, hence the public anger. It's just a guess though. I've also noticed that once people get over the newness of their atheism and in some cases the near-PTSD they went through in their religious life, they do settle down eventually and most seem to become less angry. Those who remain angry often have another reason for their anger to continue -- for example, they may be part of a group that religious people often like to bash, so they remain angry at the religious community in general.


"Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb we are bound to others. By every crime and act of kindness we birth our future." - Cloud Atlas

"To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is to never die." -Carl Sagan

OldGit

^  This.

One of our theists here - probably AD or Bruce - was saying this a while ago to some other theist who asked why we are so angry.

When a person is converted, they are promised so much.  When it turns out to be false, that's naturally a cause for anger.

Sweetdeath

Quote from: OldGit on May 18, 2012, 10:55:35 AM
^  This.

One of our theists here - probably AD or Bruce - was saying this a while ago to some other theist who asked why we are so angry.

When a person is converted, they are promised so much.  When it turns out to be false, that's naturally a cause for anger.


They are promised a lot of magical things. They are even made to as if they are better than others.

I'm only angry because dealing with the sheer ignorance of religious folk on an almost daily basis gives me bad energy. Like that feeling of "old people smell" except with negativity.
No offense, old git on  the oldpeople smell. :)
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

OldGit

QuoteNo offense, old git on  the oldpeople smell.

Why, I'm mortally offended!

Quote from: PythonI fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.
;D ;D ;D

The Magic Pudding

I saw another story about people resisting immunisation.  It was looking at an area with a lot of new age crystal, herbal spiritual types.  A  high proportion reject immunisation, heard immunity is down so it is an unnecessarily dangerous place to have a baby.  As is usual in these stories you meet the loathsome cosmic butterfly morons and some grieving parents.  These stories do make me somewhat angry every time I hear them.

DeterminedJuliet

Quote from: The Magic Pudding on May 18, 2012, 03:10:08 PM
I saw another story about people resisting immunisation.  It was looking at an area with a lot of new age crystal, herbal spiritual types.  A  high proportion reject immunisation, heard immunity is down so it is an unnecessarily dangerous place to have a baby.  As is usual in these stories you meet the loathsome cosmic butterfly morons and some grieving parents.  These stories do make me somewhat angry every time I hear them.

I used to have an anti-vaccine mom on my facebook. She was convinced that vaccinating your baby causes autism. Most of her posts were so moronic, I unfriended her. Sometimes I really wonder how self-righteous she'd feel if her kid got ill with one of these easily avoided diseases. It does make me mad because a lot of anti-vaccine types say "Oh well, these diseases are barely around any more." Yes! Because parents like US vaccinate OUR kids to keep the population safer! 
"We've thought of life by analogy with a journey, with pilgrimage which had a serious purpose at the end, and the THING was to get to that end; success, or whatever it is, or maybe heaven after you're dead. But, we missed the point the whole way along; It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing, or dance, while the music was being played.

Ali

Quote from: DeterminedJuliet on May 18, 2012, 04:50:25 PM
Quote from: The Magic Pudding on May 18, 2012, 03:10:08 PM
I saw another story about people resisting immunisation.  It was looking at an area with a lot of new age crystal, herbal spiritual types.  A  high proportion reject immunisation, heard immunity is down so it is an unnecessarily dangerous place to have a baby.  As is usual in these stories you meet the loathsome cosmic butterfly morons and some grieving parents.  These stories do make me somewhat angry every time I hear them.

I used to have an anti-vaccine mom on my facebook. She was convinced that vaccinating your baby causes autism. Most of her posts were so moronic, I unfriended her. Sometimes I really wonder how self-righteous she'd feel if her kid got ill with one of these easily avoided diseases. It does make me mad because a lot of anti-vaccine types say "Oh well, these diseases are barely around any more." Yes! Because parents like US vaccinate OUR kids to keep the population safer! 

Oh boy, don't even get me started on the whole anti-vax rant.  It makes me crazy mad to see people knowingly reduce our herd immunity while at the same time banking on the fact that they can count on self same herd immunity keeping their kids safe.  Even after it came out that the whole study that linked vaxing to autism was a hoax, the stupidity and self-righteousness persists.  I used to belong to one of those mommy message boards (if you ever want to feel bad about your parenting, no matter what you do, join a mommy message board) and it was enough to make me gag.  All of these self-righteous mommies saying things like "Well, if YOU want to inject poisons and germs into your precious newborn, be my guest...."

Sweetdeath

If you're going to be all anti-vax. Keep your kid in a bubble! :<
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

Firebird

It's surprising how many smart people bought into that whole anti-vax crap. Not that it was just her, but why would you take parenting advice from Jenny McCarthy, of all people??
"Great, replace one book about an abusive, needy asshole with another." - Will (moderator) on replacing hotel Bibles with "Fifty Shades of Grey"

Sweetdeath

Quote from: Firebird on May 19, 2012, 05:17:30 PM
It's surprising how many smart people bought into that whole anti-vax crap. Not that it was just her, but why would you take parenting advice from Jenny McCarthy, of all people??

I dont understand what moron  takes parenting advice from any  celeberty.
Law 35- "You got to go with what works." - Robin Lefler

Wiggum:"You have that much faith in me, Homer?"
Homer:"No! Faith is what you have in things that don't exist. Your awesomeness is real."

"I was thinking that perhaps this thing called God does not exist. Because He cannot save any one of us. No matter how we pray, He doesn't mend our wounds.

The Magic Pudding

Quote from: Sweetdeath link=topic=9937.msg172173#msg172173
I dont understand what moron  takes parenting advice from any  celeberty.

Depends on the celebrity I think.  The celebrities I like, the ones the that are like clever friends you can't talk to, I'd listen to them.

OK so I get my news from what I consider balanced sources but not everyone does, they find them boring, maybe elitist or highbrow when viewed from a lowbrow perspective.  What is the mass media doing on this, are they shouting about these real horror stories, the babies coughing themselves to death?  Do we need more adds, here's Mary, she's a moron, she loves nature and dolphins but distrusts vaccination.  Here is Jane, she watched her baby die last year in the kind of cruel way only nature can provide.  Jane says she wouldn't spit on Mary, "what's the point?" she asks  "I've had my vaccinations, it wouldn't do any good".