tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post2891243442842462340..comments2023-09-25T05:43:46.879-06:00Comments on Bearded Atheist: Why are atheists so smug?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17255173146321412241noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-41031799527181020672013-11-08T10:19:35.188-07:002013-11-08T10:19:35.188-07:00As usual, a complete misconstrual of religion, bui...As usual, a complete misconstrual of religion, building a convenient straw-man to knock down. <br /><br />Speaking from the standpoint of Judaism, as it has been for most of history:<br /><br />(1) People in the street believe something you don't? Get over it. Plenty of people believe that aliens exist, others believe that they don/t. But I have never seen people in the street vomiting at the mention of aliens and starting a fistfight...no one cares. You happen to be extremely tuned in to thoughts of non-god, so any mention of god pisses you off. This is an oversensitivity in you (and one with deep psychological roots, as much of strong atheism is psychologically and sociologically, rather than intellectually, rooted). We Jews have walked around for centuries facing overwhelming numbers of people who believed in things we don't, and we never uttered a peep, because...it didn't matter. It was totally irrelevant to our lives. Many Jews even think all the Christmas stuff is cute, who doesn't like pretty lights and music? Atheist's preoccupation and anger at completely irrelevant and noninvasive aspects of other's lives is...very telling.<br /><br />(2) For science...I can't believe there are still Atheists claiming that science and religion are incompatible. You should read up on Steven Jay Gould. This is yet another straw man that Atheists love to retreat to. As a Jew, there is no incompatibility. Many great scientists are observant Jews. In synagogue, I never heard a word contradicting science. It is fully accepted as the rules God layed out for the world, and evolution, much to the consternation of atheist rabble-rousers, is fully acceptable in Jewish thought. Historically, the ancient commentators extensively commented on the religion-science interaction and it has always been the view that the study of science is the study of the ways of God, and that Judaism's, and religion's, jurisdiction never extended far into science. Religion and science were always separate, but comaptible and mutually complementing, aspects of worldview. Sciecen was always willingly and gladly left to scientists of the time, and new discoveries are always admired as even more evidence for the miraculous nature of...nature. <br /><br />(3) Revenge. Yes, now we are talking...finally, something honest. <br />But a few salient points: first of all, atheists have rarely ben barred from anything. Atheism as a movement didn't even exist, in any significant way, until the enlightenement; the 1500 year figure is absurd. The tortures you quote were things usually done during the inquisition to people of other faiths, not atheists. Furthermore, religion is about control...if this were true, we would expect people to drop out of religion in DROVES byt the millions once the world became free and religion was no longer mandatory, us being stubborn and freedom loving american folk. This is certainly not the case, and the eact opposite is true for Judaism: Jews were burned, tortured and stoned, and, with almost no exceptions, they willingly went to the stake rather than renounce their faith. They beleieved. They were not coerced or controlled. Oh and, i;d love to see the source where the bible says, or even suggests, we kill gay people. I'd also love to hear how you, in your personal life, felt like you were being controlled or coerced in the name of religion. If the people who Do have faith do not feel controlled or hijacked, you really have no right to accuse them of being blind, unwilling victims. We are quite willing to believe, in fact.<br /><br />"And it's not smug to point at things if you're the only one who has their eyes open."<br /><br />And finally, the bottom line is revealed. You are the only one who "sees" the truth. Sound's a lot like the people you are criticizing...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06142316128641517578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-84762972397093042652012-12-21T13:13:39.210-07:002012-12-21T13:13:39.210-07:00Thanks!Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17255173146321412241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-10372513074405025142012-12-21T12:41:07.964-07:002012-12-21T12:41:07.964-07:00This was an awesome read!This was an awesome read!Doogle This!https://www.blogger.com/profile/02630509432531903012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-87672826511390728782012-01-16T01:35:21.984-07:002012-01-16T01:35:21.984-07:00To them it isn't arrogance, that's just ho...To them it isn't arrogance, that's just how the world works. I don't need to compete with them, but maybe some of them will listen if I'm not too aggressive. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17255173146321412241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-74945347835769698652012-01-14T10:12:02.086-07:002012-01-14T10:12:02.086-07:00That accusation of being smug and arrogant really ...That accusation of being smug and arrogant really pisses me off. These are people who think they know what's in the mind of god. How can anyone compete with that arrogance?idahogiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15917930173575802763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-20424973058526016032012-01-14T07:18:00.113-07:002012-01-14T07:18:00.113-07:00You can't. I don't think that most people ...You can't. I don't think that most people place zero value on evidence, but they do disagree on what evidence should be believed.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17255173146321412241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-8784310018805804592012-01-12T23:03:42.279-07:002012-01-12T23:03:42.279-07:00If someone doesn't value evidence, what eviden...If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that he should value it?... If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide, to show the importance of logic?Freenetworkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07810830249162233756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-28006055431948421272012-01-12T08:59:21.894-07:002012-01-12T08:59:21.894-07:00Thank you very much. :)Thank you very much. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17255173146321412241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3536629753299726668.post-46058570013118518062012-01-12T08:56:59.245-07:002012-01-12T08:56:59.245-07:00GREAT piece of writing. Clear and to the point. I ...GREAT piece of writing. Clear and to the point. I really appreciate the way you communicate using truth and gentle persuasion.<br />There are plenty of people who can make the complex arguments...we need more like you who can speak to "regular folks" like me.<br />Terrific!braun_billyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08832572854125892625noreply@blogger.com