http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html

Mixed blessing?

I found this link because I was inspired by:

quote:Originally posted by Digital_Savior:

The forefathers were Christians...I'd hardly call our Judeo-Christian beliefs a wave that is NOW sweeping this nation.

If anything, atheism is sweeping the nation.

http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

[This message has been edited by Zay (edited 03-27-2006).]

That’s because America is filled with retards.

I also don't think someone suggested christianity was just now sweeping the nation (christianity in general is in decline) but the fundementalist view is gaining power.

Americans have a high, luxurious standard of living. The belief in God is much easier that way. Also, all the institutions and mass media that support christianity, added to the parents bringing them up that way, so intertwine religion in lives that is becomes very hard to separate. Creationists tend to have lives so dependent on their religion being right that they ignore evidence and reason irrationally, adjusting the way they perceive things to fit their ideals.

All non-Americans are heathen scum!

No one surveyed me.

+1 atheist

quote:Originally posted by Fanglekai:

No one surveyed me.

+1 atheist

Make that +2 http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/biggrin.gif).

quote:Originally posted by IanBoyd3:

Americans have a high, luxurious standard of living. The belief in God is much easier that way. Also, all the institutions and mass media that support christianity, added to the parents bringing them up that way, so intertwine religion in lives that is becomes very hard to separate. Creationists tend to have lives so dependent on their religion being right that they ignore evidence and reason irrationally, adjusting the way they perceive things to fit their ideals.

Actually, a lot of countries that have a higher amount of Atheist on that list do actually have a higher standard of living than the US.

To name a few:

Sweden

Finland

Japan

Denmark

Iceland

Australia

quote:Originally posted by TheKillerMonkey:

Actually, a lot of countries that have a higher amount of Atheist on that list do actually have a higher standard of living than the US.

To name a few:

Sweden

Finland

Japan

Denmark

Iceland

Australia

Hmm...I was actually not aware any countries had a higher standard of living. That is a surprise. Huh. Well then, perhaps it's more mass media and american insecurity? I don't know.

I posted this in another thread, but I think it's relevant to this thread, too. Atheists are the most distrusted minority and the US (http://tinyurl.com/p6npl)

I guess thats one thing we have in common with middle eastern countries.

quote:Originally posted by TheKillerMonkey:

Actually, a lot of countries that have a higher amount of Atheist on that list do actually have a higher standard of living than the US.

To name a few:

Sweden

http://www.mises.org/story/955 ?

To be honest - if most of america is weak minded enough to fall into one of the worst religious mind-traps in the world (christianity) - then screw em.

Anyone who hasnt got a strong enough mind to get to a certain age - and actually decide for theirselves - not listen to what "mommy" and "daddy" have told them all their lives.

We talk about the Nanny State in the UK - its three times or more worse in the US!

Massive up to the athiests! The only reason that the rest dont trust them is for exactly the same reason as they dont trust wiccans, pagans, muslims etc. - because it is a belief which is competing with their own...and could quite easily spread and win!

EDIT:

quote:Atheists are the most distrusted minority and the US

Atheists are also the minority group most Americans are least willing to allow their children to marry.

Excuse me - did I miss something?! Allow them to marry?! What the hell is it to do with parents who their children marry? Did I miss some amazingly stupid american law here, or is it not up to a person who they marry?

Allow to marry?



[This message has been edited by sikkoabbadon (edited 03-28-2006).]

quote:Originally posted by sikkoabbadon:

because it is a belief which is competing with their own...and could quite easily spread and win!



If you think atheism could "win," you're insane.

quote:Originally posted by The_Rabbi:

If you think atheism could "win," you're insane.

And why not?

I am not athiest myself - neither am I christian - but that is my business.

What I am saying is that, looking at it from an unbiased view - why shouldnt atheism end up on top? The same as why shouldnt paganism, satanism, wicca, Islam, hindu...

Nothing ever lasts forever. Religions have been rising and falling for centuries, things tend to go in cycles. Eventually christianity will most probably die down, or almost completely die out - when you look at it what doesnt eventually.

At one point, pagan religions were the most widespread - they were gradually broken down by more widespread religions such as christianity, islam etc.

Think about it.

"university researchers found that Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in 'sharing their vision of American society.'"

I just find that hilarious, and I'm an atheist

quote:Originally posted by Hematemesis:

"university researchers found that Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in 'sharing their vision of American society.'"

that's pretty sad.....

quote:Originally posted by The_Rabbi:

If you think atheism could "win," you're insane.

Atheism existed long before talk of gods, and will exist long after. Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam: these are but words in the wind. When they have faded from our memories as their predecessors already have, and when their successors, which we have not yet seen, have faded also atheism will remain.

Atheism wins by default. Time is not a game won conventionally; the tortoise wins the race. Insanity is to deny the inevitable.

quote:Originally posted by sikkoabbadon:

And why not?

I am not athiest myself - neither am I christian - but that is my business.

What I am saying is that, looking at it from an unbiased view - why shouldnt atheism end up on top? The same as why shouldnt paganism, satanism, wicca, Islam, hindu...

Nothing ever lasts forever. Religions have been rising and falling for centuries, things tend to go in cycles. Eventually christianity will most probably die down, or almost completely die out - when you look at it what doesnt eventually.

At one point, pagan religions were the most widespread - they were gradually broken down by more widespread religions such as christianity, islam etc.

Think about it.

Unfortunately, the reason Atheism will never be on top is because we're a rare breed. Most atheists don't feel a need to believe in a God, like most people tend to. Research even shows on a genetic level that religion was somewhat encrypted. The problem is, telling most people there is no god, and we're fucked when we die, that's it...It's depressing. People don't like to believe it, even if they do. I believe I'm rotting meat when I die, and I ended up spending three days in observation because of stress caused by it. I wish I could be as ignorant as to cling to the comfort of a God. The reason it's on a genetic level is, if we spent all our time worrying about being rotted meat, we'd go insane, as a species. That's not good. So we're just a small mutation from the line, those of us who do not need to cling to it.

You wont be rotten meat when you die, I have a walk in freezer I store all my beef in.

quote:Unfortunately, the reason Atheism will never be on top is because we're a rare breed. Most atheists don't feel a need to believe in a God, like most people tend to. Research even shows on a genetic level that religion was somewhat encrypted. The problem is, telling most people there is no god, and we're fucked when we die, that's it...It's depressing. People don't like to believe it, even if they do. I believe I'm rotting meat when I die, and I ended up spending three days in observation because of stress caused by it. I wish I could be as ignorant as to cling to the comfort of a God. The reason it's on a genetic level is, if we spent all our time worrying about being rotted meat, we'd go insane, as a species. That's not good. So we're just a small mutation from the line, those of us who do not need to cling to it.

You are forgetting other beliefs - for instance chaos. In a way, chaos magicians (or chaotes) will not believe in this original way. They are often effectively athiests who treat the magickal/magical arts like a science.

For instance, realising that things can operate on belief - they will not actually believe in a god, just choose to "believe" that it is there to get something out of it, then cast them away again and go back to believing in nothing.

So effectively athiests arent alone - although like atheism, the logic surrounding chaos can be a bit of a mindfuck. For example, realising that there is no higher life, no higher being, no purpose unless you create it for yourself.

Maybe I am alone seeing the similarities between the two groups.

[This message has been edited by sikkoabbadon (edited 03-29-2006).]

quote:Originally posted by The_Rabbi:

Originally posted by TheKillerMonkey:

Actually, a lot of countries that have a higher amount of Atheist on that list do actually have a higher standard of living than the US.

To name a few:

Sweden

http://www.mises.org/story/955 ?

the ludwig von mises institute!

what the fuck? where does this guy live? alabama? what the fuck does he know, what the fuck would he know?

Athiesm will never "win", and nor will religion. It's like saying love or hate will win, or either gender...

Just isn't going to happen, Athiests should be smart enough to recognise that life is no where as simple as "win" and "loose".

Whilst i personally don't believe in religion, or even God really, i do see the logic in religion, it is something that will always be believed in by the majority of the human race.

Books like 1984 and Brave New World have situations where religion has almost been removed from human thought, although in practice i don't ever see how this could happen, people like asking "Why?", thinking of an answer and then assuiming others are "wrong".

Oh, and fuck those cunts who rated atheism that low!

quote:Originally posted by Hematemesis:

"university researchers found that Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in 'sharing their vision of American society.'"

I just find that hilarious, and I'm an atheist

They must really see us as a threat http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

quote:Originally posted by flatplat:

They must really see us as a threat http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)



Thats what happens when fundamentalist propaganda gets out of hand. They group us with society's "undesirables", and then make claims of our morality based on the statements of the kids who claim to be atheist to rebel against their parents. Suddenly we look like murderers and rapists, because everyone thinks we have no moral footing. And yet I have never seen any evidence to support these claims. It's funny how that happens.

quote:Originally posted by Mellow_Fellow:

Whilst i personally don't believe in religion, or even God really, i do see the logic in religion, it is something that will always be believed in by the majority of the human race.

The "logic" of religion translates better as the "logic" of The Power of Myth. Now that's what's got the stronghold on the majority of the human race.

You can examine the "logic" behind the power of myth and come to an understanding as to why it has been so successfully ingrained into so many people, for so many, many generations.

Religion is just a by-product of the Power of Myth. A very successful by-product that is successful only because it's memetic properties just happen to contain a tried-and-true recipe for longevity.

It just replicates well as a mind-virus, that's all.

atheist priests don't rape choirboys- how can we have lower morals http://www.totse.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif)

quote:Originally posted by UnforgiVen3:

atheist priests don't rape choirboys- how can we have lower morals http://www.totse.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif)

+1

quote:Originally posted by Adrenochrome:

That’s because America is filled with retards.

What is Israel doing on that list with 15-37 percent Atheists? I thought the point of that country was to have a theocracy.

quote:Originally posted by MasterPython:

What is Israel doing on that list with 15-37 percent Atheists? I thought the point of that country was to have a theocracy.

You thought wrong.

Ever heard of "Secular Jews"?

Q: What is a jew called that does not believe in god? A: A jew.

My philosophy professor said this morning that a recent study found that between hearing that their child was:

a) a gang member

b) homosexual

or c)atheist

Most parents picked the one they dread the most is 'c'.

Shit. How the hell am I ever going to tell my fundie parents??? http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

And yet we're all going to Hell.

No. These people are sheep.

The sheep in the bible.

False religion has been injected into our bloods. It's horrible, saving is needed.

This is where the Christ consciousness comes in.

Alot of people don't know how much of the Bible is based around the events of America.

quote:Originally posted by Elephantitis Man:

My philosophy professor said this morning that a recent study found that between hearing that their child was:

a) a gang member

b) homosexual

or c)atheist

Most parents picked the one they dread the most is 'c'.

Shit. How the hell am I ever going to tell my fundie parents??? http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

My parents booted me from their house once for coming home with a mohawk...if they found out I was an atheist, they might be inclined to murder me.

quote:Originally posted by Hexadecimal:

My parents booted me from their house once for coming home with a mohawk...if they found out I was an atheist, they might be inclined to murder me.

lol. My mom's response was to go look up Amaterasu because she thought I'd be more amicable to a Japanese god.

My grandmother, on the otherhand, almost had a heart-attack when I insinuated my sister was a non-specific protestant. Hearing that I'm not merely no longer Catholic, but that I'm an atheist who doubts that Jesus was even a singular person, might just kill her.

quote:Originally posted by Elephantitis Man:

Shit. How the hell am I ever going to tell my fundie parents??? http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

Your parents will be shocked, I'm not going to lie. My father and sister have figured out I'm an Atheist (or at the very least, reject christianity). They aren't that religious, and are very open-minded about it. My mother, however, is a Biblical literalist. I've decided to avoid direct confrontation and instead simply imply that I am an atheist. Everytime I do this she changes the subject. I've simply stopped trying and assume that she knows I'm an atheist, but would like to be able to pretend I'm not. This works for both of us.

If you choose to tell your family about your Atheism (Easter's a good time) be firm. Ensure them that there is no way they can convert you back to Christianity. Be prepared to justify your reasoning (Biblical contradictions are a good place to start). They'll probably be pissed, but you'll go back to University and they'll get over it and learn to accept it.

Note: if you are financially dependent upon your parents you might want to be more careful about this. I have a friend who was forced to go to a public University as his parents refused to pay for him to go anywhere else (unless he accepted jesus, of course).

quote:Originally posted by Hexadecimal:

My parents booted me from their house once for coming home with a mohawk...if they found out I was an atheist, they might be inclined to murder me.

Shit. When I was in junior high, I dyed my hair bright green (was temporary, only lasted a few weeks), and my mom cried. Kept saying she was 'disappointed', and my dad threatened to shave me bald if I didn't wear a hat constantly. Over fucking hair.

So yeah, I'd probably get murdered too. http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif (http://www.totse.com/bbs/frown.gif)

[This message has been edited by Elephantitis Man (edited 04-05-2006).]

No offence, but I feel sorry for you guys.

I guess I got lucky with the somewhat liberal parents.

quote:Originally posted by Rust:

No offence, but I feel sorry for you guys.

porque?

quote:Originally posted by Rust:

No offence, but I feel sorry for you guys.

quote:Originally posted by Zay:

porque?

Because their parents would react that way. I feel sorry for them that their parents aren't more understanding and calm when it comes to their beliefs or something as silly as hair color.

[This message has been edited by Rust (edited 04-06-2006).]