This Sort of Thing Is Why I Speak Out Against Religion

First of all, let me begin by saying that I am not anti-religion. That is another thing entirely. I acknowledge and respect your right to believe whatever you wish. However, I don't always respect those actual beliefs. Not when it drives people to say messed up stuff like this:



This is a shining example of why I have a problem with religion (especially near to the end of the video). You don't have to tell me that there are religious people who are kind, decent human beings. I know that. I have a cousin who is an evangelical Christian, and he is the most wonderful person you're ever likely to meet. The reason for my being an atheist is because of the truly awful things religion does, and gets away with doing. I wanted to put this out here in the hope that I, and other like-minded people can stop being labelled as "hateful". I'm pointing out a problem that hardly anybody is willing to address simply because it's a matter of faith.

Personally, I cannot stand to let this go unnoticed. The motto of ATS is "Defy Ignorance". And that is exactly what I am going to do.

I couldn't stand to watch it all, did she ever explain why they had God shake the hell out of Japan. Are we sure she is not acting insane.

a reply to: Hidinout

I'd recommend watching the last 2 minutes. That part is irrefutably genuine. It scares me to think these people are in positions of power. I'm thinking of making a thread about that, actually. All about Dominionism. And trust me, Dominionism makes the Westboro Baptist Church look rather nice in comparison...

a reply to: Tenebris

I don't think her religion would condone her trying to cause harm or destruction to any person, land or people.

Now if the pastor was promoting and encouraging his followers to do this, and they were, those who weren't stood silent...then I'd blame the behavior/actions on the particular religion, as well as the people taking part.


Maybe this one simply boils down to the individual, and their personal views...

Wait. So explain to me how this is different from the radical leftist belief that they should do exactly what this paper accuses right wingers of wanting to do? The truth is that the left did precisely that. They have taken over public institutions and used them to advance their own ideology. It's no accident that when you poll academicians, over 70 to 80% of them identify as leftist and the same numbers hold true in the media. Both academics and the media are highly influential in shaping the culture.

But you now say that it is not fair for any other ideology to attempt to fight fire with fire, especially those ideologies labeled by left as inimical and thus to be stamped out?

I'm no dominionist, but I would like to see balance, so that I stop seeing me and mine denigrated and mocked at every turn.

a reply to: Tenebris

A great many people confuse a particular set of
ideas that some illiterate sheep herd came up with several millenia ago with their "self".

So if someone disputes the ancient sheep herds
uneducated theories about biology, chemistry,
astronomy, etc., then the victim of those
basic mistakes in gradeschool science
classes feels that you are attacking and
prosecuting THEM.

Only you are not doing any such thing.

What you are calling 'religion' is all too
often synonymous with this simple
process.

It is indeed regrettable and the cause
of much of human suffering.

Now 'god' may or may not exist.... but
that's not even relevant to this basic,
primordial confusion.

Kev

I see where you're coming from; I don't think for a minute that everyone else in her religious community agrees. That would be rude. Alas, there are still many, many people who would support this quite honestly barbaric view. And even if there are those who follow the same faith but condemn her actions, the problem nevertheless stems from religion. There is no point simply ignoring the darker side of one's religion. Instead, it should be addressed and dealt with. Is that not too much to ask for?

a reply to: Hidinout


Unfortunately, I don't think she is acting.

I'm curious how she knows that God was targeting only atheists, as I'm sure there are christians there, also. Maybe God was having a bad day and began targeting humans, in general,, as the God of christianity has done so many times before because he thinks we are all wicked and evil (strange, since we were formed it his (actually, it says 'their') likeness.

Religion has always seemed to be a problem, especially when it comes to free thought and reason, and although it has possibly helped maintain social order, at times, it also seems to have caused much in the way of misery and retarded advancement in technologies, along with many other negatively impacting things.

But, like a self replicating virus, it will most likely continue, passed down from generation to generation, modified to justify whatever evil it instructs, and causing the same problems it always has. It is a sad tragedy of the ages, really.

a reply to: Tenebris

Jesus! She really creeps me out. She's been praying for me to turn from my "evil ways" for three years now. I haven't heard of any mass exodus from atheism...

Whack jobs.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Wait. So explain to me how this is different from the radical leftist belief that they should do exactly what this paper accuses right wingers of wanting to do? The truth is that the left did precisely that. They have taken over public institutions and used them to advance their own ideology. It's no accident that when you poll academicians, over 70 to 80% of them identify as leftist and the same numbers hold true in the media. Both academics and the media are highly influential in shaping the culture.

But you now say that it is not fair for any other ideology to attempt to fight fire with fire, especially those ideologies labeled by left as inimical and thus to be stamped out?

I'm no dominionist, but I would like to see balance, so that I stop seeing me and mine denigrated and mocked at every turn.

QFT.

Religion, politics, ethics, moral compass, ideology, call it what you want, they are all "programming". If mouth-breathers didn't use religion as their motive or justification, it would be one of the alternatives. Choose your poison.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

It is particularly disturbing, isn't it? It also amuses me how she claims our "ways" to be "evil" without even attempting to elaborate further.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Wait. So explain to me how this is different from the radical leftist belief that they should do exactly what this paper accuses right wingers of wanting to do?

What paper? Did you watch the video?

They have taken over public institutions and used them to advance their own ideology. It's no accident that when you poll academicians, over 70 to 80% of them identify as leftist and the same numbers hold true in the media. Both academics and the media are highly influential in shaping the culture.

This is true. I don't know that they've "taken over", but there are a lot of left-leaning people in academia and the media. That's because more and more people believe in equal rights for all, including black people, gays and women. They believe in the secular government that this country was founded on. If people don't support that, they're going to be "left behind".

But you now say that it is not fair for any other ideology to attempt to fight fire with fire, especially those ideologies labeled by left as inimical and thus to be stamped out?

No on is saying it's "not fair". Personally, I don't like it, but I'll stand up for their freedoms, just as I will anyone else. Religion is and has been fighting equality and secular government for YEARS.

Everyone gets denigrated and mocked.

a reply to: trifecta

Well said.

Humans tend to be randomly programmed
survival machines.

They are capable of much more, but humans
haven't evolved from their early destructive
phase.

Kev

a reply to: Tenebris

I love Thunderfoot.
That girl was a disgusting excuse for a human being.
I believe in God and in my opinion she has no chance getting to heaven. (don't believe in heaven but if there was).
Sorry guys I'm just so glad I live in a country where only 30 odd % actually follow a religion.

Religious Zealotry is a curious phenomenon. Much like an addiction that fools one into believing that you aren't an addict.
It's more akin to Obsessive/compulsive disorder , giving the practitioner an almost sexual high. Religion is just the vehicle for a means to an end.

“There is no place in a fanatic's head where reason can enter.”
― Napoléon Bonaparte

a reply to: Tenebris

a reply to: ketsuko

Neither side is right for doing what they do. Fighting fire with fire sounds a lot like an eye for an eye, something that was done away with when Jesus came. If she is doing this for that reason then she is still doing it for the wrong reason. Turn the other cheek comes to mind.

I can't understand why there even has to be a left vs right ideology other than to actively divide abd conquer the people. If you buy into that then you're part of the problem and not the solution. We're all human beings, the two party system makes people believe they are superior and others on the opposite site inferior.

We need to start understanding that we're all in this together, there's no need to promote a line being drawn in the sand.

Seeing as most people don't actual practice the religion they associate with (Christians and the death penalty) I think its actually man the is the problem. Even when anthropologically speaking mankind followed animism there were still psychotic behavior. You can guarantee there are crazy atheist videos out there.

Personally I find atheists to be just as bull headed as religious people. The other funny thing is atheism is actually a faith since you can't prove god does or does not exist. Atheists also act like they own science except that most advancements in physics and many sciences come from people who were religious. Big Bang and relativity, the standard model all from religious people (one of them a priest).

Further more religious people used to study philosophy and theology and some of the most important philosophers in history were religious. The philosophy of liberalism came from a very religious person and it has been argued it was Locke's Christian theological understanding that got him to that philosophy.

Atheism is just the opposite of religion. It actually is just a stubborn as religion can be and has no way to prove god does not exist (just as a religious person cannot prove god does exist).

But lets not pretend religion has no reason. I can give you a very large list of religious philosophers that made huge advancements in the understanding of reality through science and philosophy.

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1
We need to start understanding that we're all in this together, there's no need to promote a line being drawn in the sand.

Agreed. And this video isn't about left vs right. It's about religious zealotry and God's supposed punishment for atheism, abortion, LGBT equality and other freedoms. People trying to turn it into a left/right thing are just confusing the matter. Religion is not a left or right thing...

Religion, the best way to make otherwise ''normal'' everyday people act like lunatics!

Just plant, little hatred ideas and xenophobia here and there in their holy books and or the pastor's/priest's speech,
and watch it flourish into insanity!

That's the main reason religion is used so often as a manipulation tool throughout history...

cunning... but sad at the same time.