Young atheist and old Christians are the problem

I have a theory, that the driving forces behind all the negativity and vitriol in American politics comes from 2 distinct groups: the younger generation atheist crowd and the elderly conservative Christian crowd.

Younger atheist are almost always militant in their beliefs, and can never be told that their wrong. From the gay rights agenda, to evolution's preeminence in society, to more socialist tendencies, etc. These younger generations did not grow up in a time where they had to parse their words, as long as the group your attacking isn't "on your team". My parents are atheist, I am not, but they would never dream of the utter disrespectful language said by our youth towards "the other team".

The elderly Christian community is just as much to blame however. Many in this community pick out extremely minor details within the bible, such as gay marriage, etc. (anti-abortion I think is justified though) and knit pick on these insignificant issues. Jesus never once mentioned gays or really even talked about social issues. Jesus was sent to save ALL people from the gayest gay to the loneliest murder and everybody in between.

These end up using the same tactics, demonize and divide. Elderly Christians wrap themselves in the bible and on the mantle of "religious freedom"; and young atheist wrap themselves in the oppressed minority mantle. The sooner we can BOTH just grow up and respectively agree to disagree the better.

reply to post by KnawLick


Yeah! Blame everybody else but yourself. (I dont mean you, everbody blames everybody else) The problem isn't with young/old atheist and/or young/old christians. It lies with intolerence for the beliefs or disbeliefs of others. We (humans) must learn to live with eachothers differences. It doesn't matter if you're gay, christian or Hungarian. Live and let live. Do unto others...budy.

Originally posted by KnawLick
I have a theory, that the driving forces behind all the negativity and vitriol in American politics comes from 2 distinct groups: the younger generation atheist crowd and the elderly conservative Christian crowd.

Good theory. It's as good as any other

Here's mine ... The driving forces behind all the negativity and vitriol in American politics come from TPTB, the media, and the stupidity of the sheeple around the world to suck it up and regurgitate it.

reply to post by XLR8R


I mean thats great in theory but you must not have been living in the real world lately.

What you described is a GREAT way to think and maybe one day we will get their as a society, but it sure isn't happening in my lifetime so I rather focus on reality.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I think your right to a certain extend. TPTB do a very good job of keeping us to our respective teams. I think of it as a football game, the Redskins (republicans) and the Cowboys (democrats), facing off on MNF. Don't you dare be friends with one of those Redskins fans! haha its all nonsensical.

That said there is no denying that there are many issues that fundamentally do divide people. Even many hear on ATS who are "awake" to reality don't agree on anything and that has nothing to do with TPTB.

I don't know if one's age has anything to do with acepeting that the body can become resistant to antibiotics, yet continue to doubt evolution. Of course science has not unlocked all the aspects to evolution, but the evidence to have consensus is there. I am not an atheist myself, but I find it very alarming that we have elected officials who actually believe that Noah saved all the animals while claiming dinosaurs are here as a test of faith. That's just scary stuff. Science isn't the enemy of God. Perhaps science is the organization by which God designed the universe. Either way we don't know. We only know what we can study. The bible stories cannot be studied beyond a certain point, only accepted or dismissed. Things which we can test, and prove true or false are what grow us as a species. Not blind acceptance of 5000 year old ideas.


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reply to post by XLR8R


"budy" has 2 "d"s, pal.

Don't forget the jews. And the blacks. And the arabs.

Oh and the white people too.

reply to post by spinalremain


There are like 5 other threads open telling people how stupid they are for not believing evolution, go bother them.

Its not about Young/Old w/e mind set. Its about being stubborn to one side without providing WHY? or seeking equal treatment without providing equal answers.

IMO, keep you believe to yourself, do not make your belief affect others. Your belief is PERSONAL, ITS NOT OTHERS.

DO NOT MIX BELIEF WITH FACTS. Don't take other's words, if possible test it yourself, if can't dig for answers. DO NOT PICK AND CHOOSE TO FIT YOUR CONCLUSION.

Ask questions. that is all. we been kept in the dark for far too long. Don't let anyone tell you, "it is the way or this is what we were told so you must follow this". keep asking questions until you have a good grasp of what is going on.

Blaming is just a temporary solution to your mind.

Originally posted by Dero
Don't forget the jews. And the blacks. And the arabs.

Oh and the white people too.

Wow you can be sarcastic and add nothing intelligent to the debate great job! Thanks for your help!

reply to post by KnawLick


BAWWWWWWWW

You're welcome!

reply to post by KnawLick


"Younger atheist are almost always militant in their beliefs, and can never be told that their wrong. From the gay rights agenda, to evolution's preeminence in society, to more socialist tendencies, etc."

you are using the word "militant" incorrectly. vigorously active, combative and aggressive? i think you see the newish practice of atheist organizations popping up and "attacking" religion with billboards and pamphlets. hardly militarism.

you are also tying evolutionists, atheists, gay rights activists and socialists together when they are in no way directly linked. there are conservative christians who want equal civil rights for gays. there are patriots who believe that we can learn valuable lessons from socialist teachings. there are evolutionary creationists. there are "young atheists" who hate socialism, gays AND charles darwin.

i think that you are confusing loud and obnoxious members of a group with THE GROUP itself.

reply to post by RicoMarston


I think the word militant is appropriate. I think somebody who is fanatical in their beliefs to the point where they could care less what anybody else has to say is militant. E.g. a muslims terrorist can be "militant" in their beliefs BEFORE they strap a bomb to themselves.... (not that I'm comparing atheist to terrorist, just an example)

Touche. You are right I am lumping together people into groups, and your right they don't always believe in the same things. But for the sake of my fingers typing, its impossible to make every qualifying statement necessary. I think I fairly accurately described what these groups WANT you to think they represent however. I didn't say everybody named Johnnie believes this, just what these two groups project out to the public.

But all a group is, is what they project to the outside world. By definition a group doesn't have individualistic characteristics. So your right the individuals within these groups might not be as annoying but the groups themselves sure are.

They are not the problem, but the difference between these groups completely highlights the unseen force which has changed beliefs. These last generations grew up imbibing media which dictates their morality, and yet somehow they think that new technology warrants new morals. The youngest generation parrot that the God fearing folk are "brainwashed", yet tragically, they don't understand that they are the ones being herded into becoming the Godless youth that fight Christ Jesus. The beast controls the mind and the mind controls our actions. It's tragic that these last generations are fearful for their very future and yet can't see that their rejection of the God of their forefathers is bringing about the very end of the world as we know it. They utterly reject the very One who offers salvation, but instead, they fight for evil things that they've been sold as "good". God doesn't change, but man descends into chaos without Him. What happened before is simply happening again. The evil has risen and is using this sudden leap in technology over the past century to accomplish the End. You are what you eat - and everything in media is anti - God, anti-authority and anti-absolute morality. What does that produce? Kids that disrespect any and all authority, kids that put their finger up at Jesus and kids that think that love=tolerance.

Reply to post by KnawLick

No I posted on this thread and addressed the OP directly.

That's what ATS is for. If you are bothered by my response then the problem lies with you, not me.

What about my response "bothered you" anyway?


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reply to post by spinalremain


I am the OP, what bothered me was picking one minor detail, used as a example not as a defining point, and going off on a rant about how older people must be idiots anyways if they don't believe in evolution..

Actually, you know what, I'm not bothered in the slightest, because you proved my point. You just couldn't help yourself.

So to all, this is the issue I am talking about in this thread.

reply to post by KnawLick


i'm a drummer. does that mean i think that travis barker (very famous and talented drummer for the aquabats, boxcar racer, +44 and blink-182) is a great guy and support his lifestyle and choices? of course not. i've never met him.

just because somebody can be called something, doesn't mean that they belong to a group and to oversimplify modern society and its clique and niches does yourself a disservice. if you met a "young atheist" or an "old christian" and brought all of the baggage around what you believe about their group, or more importantly, what said group's public leadership wants you to believe, then you'll miss out on some genuine connections and personal growth.

reply to post by KnawLick


I'm not saying that's the way it is. I know exactly how the world turns. Most rag on other because of petty differences. I say we must move past those differences before we destroy eachother.

reply to post by Turkenstein


Great lookin' out. I'm proud of you. Way to go budy.