Separate Studies Conclude: Atheism = Peace, Religiosity = Higher Sociological Problems

reply to post by randyvs


I thought propaganda was the domain of the war mongers......

Egyptian troll, likes to troll on ATS lol!

Originally posted by bonnieprince
I just more want to make the point its not only a one way street and religion isn't completely evil and responsible for heaps of things.

Religion itself is fairly harmless: just a collection of ideas. But in the wrong hands it can become seriously problematic. A loaded gun is harmless also, until it becomes misused by someone.

Most religious people are decent people. However, they do often have bias against things like homosexuality, vices such as sex and intoxicants, etc. When these biases work their way into laws many sociological problems can present themselves.



[edit on 31-5-2010 by traditionaldrummer]

I have also read that cultures that worship a female god have much lower incidents of warfare, violence, and depression than those who worship a diety represented by dominance, masculinity, and punishment.

...Makes you think (if you've got a brain to do it with. some don't.)

Originally posted by ElectricUniverse
And Atheism not only tries to destroy religions, but any sense of spirituality within individuals.

An atheist world would be a world of robots, where people are not spiritual beings, but are only biological and materialistic.

So are you trying to tell us that religions don't try to destroy other religions?

Originally posted by devilishlyangelic23
i find these studies interesting. the atheists that i've come across have been some of the rudest, intolerant, ignorant people i've met. not to say that all atheists are like that, obviously they arent. but for every 1 peaceful atheist i've met there are at least 10 that are far from peaceful. they're just full of hatred. maybe its the part of the world i live in?

I concur. It has been my experience right here on ATS that so-called atheists are for the most part excessively rude and intolerant, with very few exceptions.

Most atheists I know were raised in legalistic fundamental sects. They turned on God because of this and take on a zeal to deny believers any public rights at expression in angry revenge.

I would envision any group with the name "Evolutionary Psychology" to have already stated in their very name the prejudices they embrace. Anyone can write a slick "study" to try to offset an otherwise obvious fault of the group they wish to clear of undesired associations. However, the proof is in the experience.

Atheists are tortured souls, to be pitied. They have lashed out against the Creator because of unfortunate abuse by faulty sect members working out their own frustrations on them. The good news is God still loves us all. There is no "true peace" outside the Prince of Peace.


................................

Okay.

I just read a chunk of the first page.
I have not read the through the links. Frankly It does not matter to me what those documents and videos contain.

I believe that we can not deduce anything substantial from categorising people within different currents. Communist, Cristian, Atheist. Every human is uniqe and has his or her own approach to the existing systems that are handed to them.

Arguments like atheists are narscicists
Religious people are mostly superficial.
Communists were bad and they were atheistic therefore atheism must be bad.

These kind of reasoning seems so cut of in my mind. So not holistic. Not in understanding and love at all.

All things have a ring of truth in them, but in the end it all comes down to that part of the self that tries to protect itself through ego mechanisms. So integrated and pervasive is the ego or our superficial self that it is to often overlooked in my egeotic opnion.

The only thing I see in this thread is one egeotic rehashing after the next. All those bad things in that current or the other is just human ego. The believe is no more then a vehicle. People seeking suffering.

I say this because I wish everyone of you a tranquil and loving live. How I wish it to you does not matter it is important that I wish you all the best. So even if a person does not agree with my perceived reality. Just remember I mean well. I believe all of you in the end mean well. Maybe worth considering when jumping in this hot topic.

For all you people bumping heads over who is what and what is better. Just remeber.

"Its not about changing the world, its about respecting the will of others and believing in your own." Quote Big Boss.

For all those divisionists. I am ex-atheist turned agnostic.

It is not so suprising that so many people are so very bitter about this subject. How much pain lies in being so absolutely rejected because of our believes.

When I was an atheist. I was really angry with religious people and I was very sad. I did not understand how it all could be so wrong. The wars, the suffering, the bloody physical and psychological battles. And sadly I became just like the things I hated most. I began to wage war with my fellow man who were just like me, but had different believes.

Now things are different for me. I try to see everyone for who they are. Their believe systems are no longer any concern. The only thing I care about if these people mean well to me. You know most people mean well, but are crippled and sick. They are not evil they just feel very much helpless and afraid.

So everyone dont make the same mistakes as so many of us have made before us. Love and compassion may seem empty words because of overuse, but they will always hold great meaning. Great joy.

I wish you all that you find what you are looking for.

My opinion
Kind Regards.

Me.

Edit to add after reading some more.

Edit a bit about myself/rant.

[edit on 31-5-2010 by GamleGamle]

[edit on 31-5-2010 by GamleGamle]

Like it or not the evidence for a God is so obvious there is no excuse for denying it. The Bible makes no contention for The existence of God for this very reason. The bible is arguably proof of his existence only so people can fall into this belief as a spiritual trap. Made use of by our accusser before God almighty. I can claim God exists because of the Bible
and the obvious miracles and prophecies surrounding it.

For someone, anyone to say he does not exist, would require full knowledge of the universe. Anyone who had full knowledge of the universe
would be a God. Atheists only hope their is no God because they would rather think of themselves as God. They want a clear conscience to do what they will. Guilt free. To claim God does not exist is to claim you have full knowledge of the universe. That you are God.=Narcisism.


Does God exist? - No = Narcisism

In short atheists always think they know it all.


[edit on 31-5-2010 by randyvs]

Originally posted by romanmel
Atheists are tortured souls, to be pitied. They have lashed out against the Creator

That is patently absurd, sir. Atheists are far from "tortured souls" and are, in fact, free from the shackles of religion that torture otherwise decent human beings. There is much joy to be experienced from the liberation from superstition.

It is illogical to assume that atheists "lash out at a creator" since they refute the very notion that there is a "creator". "Lashing out against the creator" is more so the domain of satanism, not atheism.

It appears that your post and assessment wreaks of the very bigotry and xenophobic attitudes that create the sociological problems referenced in the studies in the OP.

Originally posted by randyvs


Like it or not the evidence for a God is so obvious there is no excuse for denying it.

I don't believe that is the topic of the thread, sir. Whether god exists or not is irrelevant. The topic is that religiosity appears to be associated with negative sociological problems. Discuss

reply to post by endisnighe


Was this reply meant to be serious or facetious?

Perhaps you should go back and reread my posts.

And perhaps you shouldn't just pick someone you're going to believe more over the other and do some research yourself so that you might form your own opinions. That will probably help you in your decision of who you choose to believe over the other, or help you form an entirely different view.

[edit on 5/31/2010 by bigbert81]

Originally posted by romanmel
I concur. It has been my experience right here on ATS that so-called atheists are for the most part excessively rude and intolerant, with very few exceptions.

That's too bad, as most of the ones I've encountered (even here) are generally pretty cool people. Not to be too much of an apologist, but I'd like to offer some perspective on why that might be the case.

We live in one of the most Christian dominated nations, and as such it is still a social stigma to be an atheist. I can rarely mention it in public without some kind of sermon hoisted upon me or other types of scorn, ridicule, or confusion on how I could be so screwed up.

After a while it grows very tiring and frustrating so the anger at Christians can get very ripe after being an atheist, publicly, for a while. The same can be said here, as you'll prove further down in your own post.

Most atheists I know were raised in legalistic fundamental sects. They turned on God because of this and take on a zeal to deny believers any public rights at expression in angry revenge.

Revenge? Perhaps, I don't know who you know, but I'd just prefer people used their brains. That includes all things, like religion, politics, finance, etc, but the way of humanity is a general stupidity, irrationality, and self-destructive behavior.

Atheists are tortured souls, to be pitied. They have lashed out against the Creator because of unfortunate abuse by faulty sect members working out their own frustrations on them.

I have no vendetta against religion personally. I've never been abused or treated badly. I was raised half Catholic and half Methodist, and very vanilla versions of both.

Most atheists I know aren't tortured, but angry at the double standards and ridicule. According to believers, God created this madhouse. Not the best plan, in my estimation.

The good news is God still loves us all. There is no "true peace" outside the Prince of Peace.

If you say so, but I have a schizophrenic uncle-in-law who experiences all sorts of things. It's no proof the voices are real, only real to the one having them.

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer

Originally posted by romanmel
Atheists are tortured souls, to be pitied. They have lashed out against the Creator

...It appears that your post and assessment wreaks of the very bigotry and xenophobic attitudes that create the sociological problems referenced in the studies in the OP.

How "peaceful" of you to accuse me (who you do not know) of:

1. Bigotry
2. Xenophobic attitudes

Again, how very "peaceful" of you.

Originally posted by traditionaldrummer

Originally posted by joeroxor
I welcome Atheists,... if I'm still allowed to believe in God.

[edit on 30-5-2010 by joeroxor]

I'm all in favor of the freedom of religion: one of America's great liberties. Unfortunately, it does seem to be associated with some of America's undesirable sociological problems.

Do you simply believe in god? Are are you a religious practitioner also?

Well I believe in god and I partake in multiple practices of multiple religions and love to hear of others beliefs. So,... both I guess?

I dislike when people force belief unto others. Atheism has the ability to turn into organized religion. Be mindful of that.

I don't believe that is the topic of the thread, sir. Whether god exists or not is irrelevant. The topic is that religiosity appears to be associated with negative sociological problems. Discuss

reply to post by traditionaldrummer


It certainly isn't a surprise to me that you wouldn't see narcisism as a
sociological problem.

Just reading through the thread one can see the hatred of religious people for atheists, whereas i dont see the hatred for religious among atheists. One dude said Bible is the proof and the prophecies surrounding it. If Bible is the proof so is the other religious stuff among various religious. Christianity and islam is relatively new religion as well comparing other ancient religions.
If you want to believe God or whatever do it. No atheist or agnostic says you guys not to or showing arrogance just because you wont convert into them. Spiritual things are always there and are trusted by many non-believers of God. They are open to new things. They will accept psychic powers,esp or clairvoyance or whatever it is if they see some credible proof. Actually atheists are people who dont want to be categorised among others or any category. They simply only choose to believe what has proof, what is credible. Atheist , agnostic whatever dont add them with communists. Its very arrogant. And stop attacking others just because they are not like you. I dont mean in a bad way. Learn tolerance to other humans if you expect it from others.

I don't think having a certain belief or way of seeing the world is the problem here. There is no evil in spirituality or believing in a God or gods, the evil lies in those who try to control it and create little empires out of their followers - that is when it's used as a method of control and hatred.

Originally posted by chaosinorder
1) At least dont generalise and understand that communists maybe atheists.

2) But atheists are not communists. Atheists are better than sheeple who want to be guided by a sheperd. But all that happens is they are guided by a wolf in sheperd's cloth. Its like little red riding hood opens the wolf's mouth and voluntarily jumping into it. Carry on with your posts.

I am not a preacher and i dont have any idea for converting people into not believing the religious lies. Atleast if one or two reads and notices thats enough for me. ciao

1) Unfortunately what you are saying may be true, but it is irrelevent to the topic at hand. The GPI is indeed rated nationaly and it is a snapshot in time. It is seriously lacking as an overall indicator of what influence religion or the lack of religion plays in a nations tendencies towards peace. If you took another snapshot in time to earlier in the previous century and looked at nations that would be at the bottom of the list for GPI, they would almost uniformly be countries that enforced an athiestic belief system.

Your refrain seems to be implying that there is no corrolary between athiesm and the actions of communistic states as communists are all athiests but all athiests are not communists. I agree (of course) that the latter is true, but it is completely disengenous. The truth of the matter is that if states that are more religious are at the bottom of the GPI list today, states that were non-religious were at the bottom of the GPI for most of the last hundred years.

2) Your last two paragraphs seem to contradict each other.


Eric

Atheism is all about peace as we don't tend to attack or slaughter those who disagree with our beliefs...mainly because we merely believe in the idea of logic and reality unlike religious followers who would be willing to blow up an abortion clinic in the name of their God or those who are willing to fly a plane into a building in the name of Their God.

I do find the Hitler and Stalin were Atheists debate quite dated and immature. Stalin was indeed Atheistic but did not do anything in the name of Atheism.

As for Hitler, he was not an Atheist.


[edit on 31-5-2010 by GorehoundLarry]

I haven't read all of the posts on this thread, however I would like to point out the difference between Religion and Spirituality- the first being an organized man made institution the latter being highly personal. I am not religious but I am aware of a higher life force and believe in life after death.

I'm not sure what Atheists would have to say about that. Having such beliefs do not cause problems, problems are caused when man tries to exploit these innate curiosities in order to control and grow powerful, at the expense of others.

Originally posted by romanmel

How "peaceful" of you to accuse me (who you do not know) of:

1. Bigotry
2. Xenophobic attitudes

Again, how very "peaceful" of you.

Well, quite frankly, if you did not post such negativity and fallacious assumptions that arise from a divisionist, bigoted attitude perhaps you would not be called out on it.