Agnostics, Atheists, Heathens - Choose A Side.

this is getting obnoxious. there is no reason for the consistency of threads like this all of which are blatantly bashing atheists and agnostics. we can't post anything involving marijuana, but its ok for some bible thumpers to tell us were bad people and going to hell? wtf...

why do we need to choose a side? why cant we just be who we are and believe what we wish to? none of this should matter and this kind of stuff shouldn't be on ats anymore... its causing more of a divide (at least in my opinion) then bringing forth any type of understanding.

i am an atheist thus have no side and prefer to keep it that way because my spiritual beliefs DO NOT define who i am as a person and that is what you religious folk need to understand.

also: atheism is not a religion. it is a belief, a philosophy if you will just like how Confucianism is not a religion, but a philosophy

I'm not a Bible Basher. I'm not even Christian. No one so far has done any attacking except you.

Some of the Atheists, Agnostics and various Heathens with light political interests seem to have secretly picked a side. They aren't acting on it, but in the case that they have to its already done.

In general, they believe they are making decisions based on a set of logic and the policies and a World they would prefer. But if that doesn't work out, they appear to have a back up plan where they've picked a side from the principal actors to align themselves with.

I find this very interesting.

If you pick a side you become a follower which makes you nothing.

Originally posted by dontlaughthink
If you pick a side you become a follower which makes you nothing.

That's getting very into semantics (sp? is a big word) and very much not much to do with the OP's interest really.

I think OP meant it just to be an interesting hypothetical question, not a philosophical discouse on subserviance to a cause?

I was reluctant to post in this thread because people tend to get the wrong idea when one posts passages from the bible. Not that i care what others think of me anyways, i just didn't want to derail this thread.

So before i show the side im on i'd like to state for the record that i am on everyones side. And though i might not agree with other peoples point of view, i still believe that we are all brothers and sisters of the same source.

We are all one...

This is my "side" so to speak... and i require no one to believe it, or to join my side.

27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again

I see people are unwilling to out themselves in case they get caught being traitorous to their politics.

Okay then.

What is it that you think these people are noticing, and what is it that is missing from the non-religious/non-traditional choice that makes people sure that they may not have as an option being committed to a secular or multi-religious national interest?

reply to post by Aeons


People that have a need to follow another?

Or perhaps people who do not know how to think for themselves?

I don't know, you tell us

Originally posted by Akragon
reply to post by Aeons

 

People that have a need to follow another?

Or perhaps people who do not know how to think for themselves?

I don't know, you tell us

I can only speculate on what I'm seeing.

I want some people who have made the "secret deal" to illuminate me. I know why the people who said these things to me have said it, or at least in the context of the conversations the mental leap is obvious.

I want some people to fess up and commit to saying it outloud. I think that they are afraid of saying it because it is unpolitical correct, or it may show that they are not 100% "committed" to their usual political beliefs as others would like them to be.

But I suspect that there are more of them than are letting on. I think that yelling them down, by their own, is preventing people from seeing that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. They know that what they are going to get is "the problem is you" and so they remain quiet, and make their secret deals with themselves while shaking their heads at the people that they mostly agree with but who are too radical in their cultural ... revolution? blindness? dedication to the point of silliness? I'm not sure what the head shake they give is about.

I suspect that some of them have figured that the sociopolitical religious people that they are most aligned with right now, would push them in front of a bus.

What is it that these people are seeing that is missing from the equation that if push comes to shove, they won't be able to stand with their preferred sociopolitical religious preference?

reply to post by Aeons


Fear of others opinions....

Fear that they'll lose their family/friends who share their belief?

Fear of persecution from their church...

Fear fear fear....

Originally posted by Akragon
reply to post by Aeons

 

Fear of others opinions....

Fear that they'll lose their family/friends who share their belief?

Fear of persecution from their church...

Fear fear fear....

Fear is a legitimate warning system wired into your brain through billions of years of evolution to warn you of danger.

reply to post by Aeons


Right, and it is useless when it comes to ones belief system...

Fear falling, fear a man with a gun... fear animals that could rip you apart. That is what it is good for... Fear kept us alive when we were in the wilderness... for thousands of years, but we are beyond that at this point in time.

But fearing words from those who do not understand love... sorry i can't do it.

I don't fear what the bible has to say, nor do i fear hell, or God... or losing friends.

Fear is useless when it comes to peoples beliefs, it only blinds you to the truth.

When words define belief, direct thought, and thought defines actions, and actions can harm you physically.... Then fear of belief is more than warranted.

Originally posted by Aeons
When words define belief, direct thought, and thought defines actions, and actions can harm you physically.... Then fear of belief is more than warranted.

edit on 2011/9/17 by Aeons because: (no reason given)

Fair enough... so would you fear someone like myself? One who does not preach the bible, and does not take the bible as Gods word.... though i preach love and respect for all life as Jesus taught.

Or would you fear those who condem you to hell if you do not believe what they do.... they are the masses. I am only one person, and i do not ask for you to follow what i believe.... but they demand it

reply to post by Aeons


You have at least one. I think I was quite forthcoming. Unless you are wanting someone to admit they are not what they seem to be about, and that's not going to happen in an open forum on the internet.

reply to post by Akragon


Would you willingly cleave to your fellows who share this belief to shove away those who would force you to? Would you die to protect it?

Originally posted by Klassified
reply to post by Aeons

 

You have at least one. I think I was quite forthcoming. Unless you are wanting someone to admit they are not what they seem to be about, and that's not going to happen in an open forum on the internet.

You did.

Do you trust that your fellow Atheists would cleave to you to protect you if someone came to force another way on you?

reply to post by Aeons


Absolutely not. The successful divide and conquer tactics used in this country tells me I'm on my own for the most part.

Originally posted by Aeons
reply to post by Akragon

 

Would you willingly cleave to your fellows who share this belief to shove away those who would force you to? Would you die to protect it?

I leave people to their beliefs, if you do not agree with what i believe... so be it... i love you just the same. Its not my place to judge others. I would die to protect anyone from harm, but theres other ways around such things...

Love solves all problems, you can not attack someone who loves you, but if it does happen.. so be it. If i am to die protecting another person from harm.... then that is my fate. But again i would do everything in my power to solve the conflict before it came to that

Originally posted by Klassified
reply to post by Aeons

 

Absolutely not. The successful divide and conquer tactics used in this country tells me I'm on my own for the most part.

How about the rest of the World. Do you see anywhere that you think that if you were there, your sociopolitical fellows would cleave together to protect and defend each other?

Originally posted by Akragon

Originally posted by Aeons
reply to post by Akragon

 

Would you willingly cleave to your fellows who share this belief to shove away those who would force you to? Would you die to protect it?

I leave people to their beliefs, if you do not agree with what i believe... so be it... i love you just the same. Its not my place to judge others. I would die to protect anyone from harm, but theres other ways around such things...

Love solves all problems, you can not attack someone who loves you, but if it does happen.. so be it. If i am to die protecting another person from harm.... then that is my fate. But again i would do everything in my power to solve the conflict before it came to that

Are you willing to set aside your own beliefs to achieve this state of love?