[PrairieMule]

Behold! Chewbacca on a Chalupa


It's a sign that George Lucas loves us and cares for us when we are hurting

[PenultimateManStanding]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PrairieMule', '
')It's a sign that George Lucas loves us and cares for us when we are hurting

[Kylon]

This is retarded, everyone knows what happened before the Big Bang.


The Big Date.

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kylon', 'T')his is retarded, everyone knows what happened before the Big Bang.


The Big Date.

[Novus]

Explain this one: and oh yeah it is real.

[oswald622]

funnily enough, the big bang initially posed massive problems to the atheism of the day - it meant that there had to be a beginning, while philosophically most atheists and scientific naturalists assumed that the universe always was.

[Sixstrings]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')ntolerance is a bitter beast. There are many groups in America that are subject to discrimination and prejudice, but none are more hated than atheists. Research conducted a couple years ago at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis found that atheists are more distrusted than muslims or homosexuals in the US.

Austin Cline from about.com writes, “Every single study that has ever looked at the issue has revealed massive amounts of bigotry and prejudice against atheists in America. The most recent data shows that atheists are more distrusted and despised than any other minority and that an atheist is the least likely person that Americans would vote for in a presidential election. It’s not just that atheists are hated, though, but also that atheists seem to represent everything about modernity which Americans dislike or fear.

The most recent study was conducted by the University of Minnesota, which found that atheists ranked lower than “Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in ’sharing their vision of American society.’ Atheists are also the minority group most Americans are least willing to allow their children to marry.” The results from two of the most important questions”

This group does not at all agree with my vision of American society…

Atheist: 39.6%
Muslims: 26.3%
Homosexuals: 22.6%
Hispanics: 20%
Conservative Christians: 13.5%
Recent Immigrants: 12.5%
Jews: 7.6%

I would disapprove if my child wanted to marry a member of this group….

Atheist: 47.6%
Muslim: 33.5%
African-American 27.2%
Asian-Americans: 18.5%
Hispanics: 18.5%
Jews: 11.8%
Conservative Christians: 6.9%
Whites: 2.3%

The degree of this intolerance is a bit surprising. My experience has taught me that atheists tend to be very intelligent, thoughtful people with a high standard of ethics that they carry through to their everyday lives.

So why the fear, why the hatred? This situation is not the norm for most of the planet. Most East and South Asian countries don’t exhibit this fear of atheists or agnostics. In fact, many of these countries have a significant portion of their population that does not believe in any deity.

European countries have large portions of the population that are atheist. There is not the mass discrimination there based on one’s freedom to believe or not to believe. About the only places in the world that tend to have intolerant attitudes are nations with strong monotheistic cultures, such as both latin and anglo America, and the Islamic countries (particularly Turkey).

Considering that atheist nations are more peaceful, it seems particularly odd that there would be a predilection towards animosity towards atheists. When one group is being discriminated against, it detracts from the freedoms of every group. A society based on tolerance must support the rights of minority groups, including atheists.
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/09/19/research-finds-that-atheists-are-most-hated-and-distrusted-minority/

[hardtootell-2]

Farnsworth: "If only he had joined a mainstream religion like Oprah-ism or Voodoo."

[Tyler_JC]

There is a belief among many strongly religious people that the source of morality is religion.

Their morality comes from their belief in God and thus they assume that someone without faith is also lacking in morality.

At the very least, they would have a different conception of morality and maybe even different moral values. They see non-belief as worse than believing in the "wrong" god.

[mcgowanjm]

Want to see them froth at the mouth?

Tell 'em you're an atheist who believes that the Earth is alive.

Of course you'd be a pagan atheist or an atheistic pagan.

;}

[mcgowanjm]

Here's a post that's a real slice of life for me:

Posted Oct 4th, 2008 at 12:06PM
Good luck with your family- it can be hard. I was raised Catholic, and now I'm agnostic...pretty much atheist. It's hard to make them understand that your views have changed as you grew up without hurting them and making a big deal. Finally, after about 7 years, my mom has stopped asking me to go to church when I visit at home! Good luck!

http://www.experienceproject.com/storie ... gan/331202

[AgentR]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'C')onsidering that atheist nations are more peaceful, it seems particularly odd

[mos6507]

IMHO, more people are affiliated with religion out of a sense of familial/community/cultural obligation than due to some genuine sense of faith. If you took all of the people who just go through the motions and added them to the card-carrying atheists, the number would be quite large.

It takes a real person of courage to be an official atheist because you basically alienate yourself from perhaps one of the last remaining senses of belonging in modern life.

[Cloud9]

I am not sure it is possible to know anything especially whether there is or is not a God. We all operate within our belief systems. Faith always begins where knowledge ends.

The person who can categorically state that there is no God is operating within a belief system that denies the existence of God. Knowledge of such a thing is unattainable. A person holding such a belief has not fathomed the universe and searched every corner of it.

Simply because God will not show up and perform parlor tricks is no proof that he does not exist. It is simply proof that he is not what we imagined him to be.

As a mason I cannot trust an atheist because he as no true north for his moral compass. With what else will he bind his oaths?

[yeahbut]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('AgentR', ' ')Personally, I do not hate or even strongly dislike atheists, however I would rank the groups in a similar fashion on those two specific questions.

[dinopello]

I'm not sure all the people in those polls were using the same definition of atheist. IMO, if you don't admit you haven't the slightest clue about how it all started and particularly why, then you are practicing some faith. If you make it up yourself, it is 'spirituality', if you believe something someone else made up for you it is 'religion'. Nothing wrong with either per se.

[Orion Blastar]

I think the reason for this is that some atheists who go public attack religion and it leaves a bitter impression to religious people. I know not all atheists attack religion, but if a religious person sees someone trying to take away their religious rights or freedom of religious expression they will have a negative view of that group.

I am sure if the people who negative views on atheists actually met some of the good atheists, they'd change their minds.

Myself I don't attack groups, just the issues and views a group or person has. When I was a teenager I was agnostic, when I grew up and became a young adult I gained better common sense and become religious again. It is not for everyone as it is hard to be a Christian these days, and not all Christians do that good a job at it. Like love thy enemies, showing kindness and mercy to those who persecute us, which obviously is not the case in the Christian people who took that poll.

[vision-master]

[AgentR]

You ask why...
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')his group does not at all agree with my vision of American society…