"Why do non-Christians come here?" Here's why -

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Are you saying believers are ignorant? Personally, I associate with all types, so not sure what you mean by exclusivity. I do understand that there is a lot of things Christian in society in court, etc. I have heard court cases where witnesses were swore in on the Quran too.

But the comparison in you OP of Christians to Santa say a lot. Everyone over 10 knows that is a story. However, that is not necessarily the case with believers in God. I guess it is up to each individual. I say I could care less because I have died twice in my life and know better. However, the experience doesn't jive with any particular dogma, but the reality of a universal consciousness that I think religions try to explain.

Regardless, I could see joining in on discussions of evangelism as atheists always claim they don't want people to hear one side and not the other. Joining in on a theological debate among believers really makes no sense. I doubt anyone that is a believer really cares if you do or don't I wouldn't. It just seems an odd thing to do if you don't believe as it is a discussion among whatever religion about their beliefs, not whether any of them believe or not.

a reply to: DBCowboy

I don't even know you. I posted an article responding to the repeated question on ATS of "why do non-Christians enter into threads about Christianity?".

That's all it is. An answer for those who are tormented by this plague of non-believers infesting their threads.

a reply to: spirit_horse

Are you saying believers are ignorant?

Nope.

I am saying that many ATS members who post in this forum seem to think that their topic is somehow "exclusive" and only to be addressed by like-minded people.....
they think they can shoo away people who aren't believers.

I've read that question so many times ("If you don't believe and don't care, why do you come here?!") and today found an article by someone who explained it beautifully.

Take it or leave it.

Because non-Christians find it hard to understand why Christians believe in a theocratic being that has not been observed on the surface of this planet in at least two thousand years? If at all....

Just my guess.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
If you post a topic in this forum, ALL MEMBERS are free to respond/reply/participate in it.

Yes indeed, I don't dispute that.
But I have observed, from time to time, that some members like to stretch the definition of "participating in a topic" to include "talking about a completely different topic".

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Wonder how many of these people that think non religious people shouldn't be coming out and talking about god believe in the opposite.

That religious people shouldn't be coming out and talking about non believers.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Fair enough. I will now bow out as to not disrupt YOUR thread with my own opinions on the subject.

I've said my piece. Have a nice day.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

OK, I see where you are coming from. I can agree with that.

a reply to: DBCowboy

It's not "my" thread. It's a thread offered to ATS to help answer a question that is often asked.

No need to "bow out."

a reply to: TonyS

Personally, I would not dump on Christians, Muslims or anyone's beliefs. I understand the place of religion in humanity in many ways. Even Marx with all his zeal and power of argument, swaying the USSR, China and many other parts of the world, lost his battle of subjugating religion and his was a failed attempt at wiping it out of civilization.I think it may have well been and still largely is a natural phenomenon in humans as a psychological need. Our age is very iconoclastic; I was going to say more than ever before, but I check myself because really it has always been like this. Cultures invaded cultures and destroyed Gods and Goddesses, wiping them from memory and replacing them with their more powerful deities who proved their might in battle. Evolution is still at work in us, not just physically, but mentally and psychologically. Perhaps we are slowly evolving out of this religious period? It has been a very male dominated spiritual and cultural age since the Patriarchal religions took over just about all of humanity.

Sometimes I think we are unravelling because we have reached an ending as a species. Sometimes I think we are just undergoing a huge and rapid progress in our evolution because we need to change quickly as the earth can't afford for us to continue the way we have lived because there are too many of us to behave as we have traditionally. I am surprised that nature somehow has given us such power and has not kept us in environmental balance and check like the other species. It is like we are too successful. We are incredibly aggressive and murderous as a species yet have managed to reach this scale of world population. It is all a little strange and does not in appearance make logical sense.

OP, you make a good point. I was hard on you a couple of times about this issue in threads. I am sorry about that. I was only concerned that the human dignity of relationship with people who do have a religion be maintained. I am happy to communicate with all religions, spirituality, atheism and science, too. These days I am seeing the whole of the human experience as a diversity. If our current level of communication is maintained across the earth I think evolution will find the very fittest of the fittest ways of us living together in better balance if we are to survive. That may be by means of the usual adaptation and competition.

Santa's days may be numbered.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

I have lived this horror!

Just last week my adorable young nieces and nephews were ecstatic for Christmas and excited for the arrival of horrible Santa!

They were so happy and on extra good behavior.

It was ghastly and unbearable!

I have not left my safe space since!

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Thank you BuzzyWigs for the article.

I am one of those who don't really know what I believe.

I enjoy the religion thread because I enjoy learning and finding out about other points of view.
I have seen people become very antagonistic on both sides of the religion thread and it is sad because I have seen some really good/informative threads go into the proverbial toilet.

I hate to ask questions because I have seen others ask and be ridiculed, at times, and dismissed, at times. I am fearless but, I certainly don't think hostility and anger are conducive to any of us learning from another's point of view. (You and I have had our times, haven't we...LOL )

I don't completely "get"the Santa analogy but, it is food for thought none the less...

Interesting...even some of the responses to your informative OP...

a reply to: spirit_horse

I think the point is that if Christians are discussing something among themselves about their religion, it makes no sense why one would need to interject their disbelief, etc. I don't think believers really care what non-believers think, so I guess it is a curiosity only.

Interesting response.

So, by extrapolation......

if ISIS members are discussing something among themselves about their religion,
then there's no sense in anyone needing to interject their disbelief....
right?

It's not "curiosity only". It's outreach.

a reply to: TNMockingbird

I am one of those who don't really know what I believe.

So am I, my friend.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

after reading your OP over again it appears to only address atheists, i'm a satanist. i am somewhat curious why and had the thought that even though it is the opposite theres an assumption of belief still there?

a reply to: malevolent

The article is 'addressing' Christians who complain that non-believers clutter up their forums and threads........
It is speaking to them - those Christians who think if someone is not "Christian", they are not worthy of attention, and are like flies in the room....to be swatted away (preferrably, exterminated).
You can be a Buddhist, or a Satanist, or a Wiccan, or whatever. Those groups don't often get "challenged" as to why they might participate here.....

mostly it's people who are "Christians" challenging those who say "I'm an atheist" or "I'm an agnostic"...and are dismissed as having nothing worth saying or reading.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs
It is like the people who believe try to push their beliefs on those who don't.
Then you have the people who don't believe try to push their beliefs on those that do.
That's what I see for the most part.
Live and let live...............its not that hard.

a reply to: Tarzan the apeman.

Bingo.
Thank you.
Except - there's this little speed-bump ---- parents are currently indoctrinating their kids into one or another 'religious' mindset that requires they shut their ears and eyes to other ideas.


And yet, they ask, "Why? Why do you come here if you don't care and don't believe?"

Answer:

Worried

a reply to: spirit_horse
It appears that I was misled my entire young life while "in the church" and my parents were wrong as well!
This is an odd statement to me.

I don't think believers really care what non-believers think, so I guess it is a curiosity only

I was raised/taught that one should go into the world and "preach" the gospels, to make non believers believers, and to win souls.
I remember something about when "everyone in the world has heard the gospel" then the end (of the current world) would come.
I also wonder why then aren't the early Sunday morning religious broadcasts on a "pay per view" type cable setting where only those folks who believe can watch. If it wasn't important to "get the message out" to non believers why the Bible drops and missionaries to other countries?

I am asking respectfully...

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

I see thanks for clarifying. I do agree with you that they have as much a right to express their thoughts on their belief or lack of, if you ask my opinion if all these xtians and others that get so upset or irritated over a nonbelievers thoughts they most likely have a weak faith in their higher being to begin with