Topic: Atheists. Is is wrong to tell people there is not God?
Abracadabra's photo
Thu 04/24/08 05:53 PM
But I am torn because I fully believe the world would be a better place without religon. What have others done?


I’m in total agreement with you here. Religion is the cause of more problems than it’s worth. In fact, your friend’s constant harassment to ‘save’ you is definitely a problem. And it is harassment. I don’t care what anyone says, she or he is disrespecting your choice to not believe in her/his religion.

As far as I can see, you have every right to argue to her that there is no God as she has to argue to you that there is one. But who wants to do that??? Like you say, you just don’t want to be bothered by the whole godforsaken issue in the first place. You don’t want to sit around arguing about it.

I’ve never had the problem you speak of. A friend who tries to push religion onto me all the time after I’ve made it clear that I’m not interested isn’t going to be my friend for very long. laugh

Drew07_2's photo
Thu 04/24/08 05:54 PM

For any other godless ones out there...
One of my believer friends is always trying to "save me". She is fun and nice in other ways, so I just tell her to knock it off. Doesn't bother me. But I have never tried to convince others that there is no God. I guess because I think people believe in god for comfort. It would be like taking a security blanket away from someone and I guess I would feel bad. But I am torn because I fully believe the world would be a better place without religon. What have others done?


If she is your friend and you've told her how you feel then it sounds like she needs to respect your wishes and beliefs (or lack thereof.) If that does not work just tell her that you denied the holy spirit--committed the unforgivable sin and that should do the trick. Freedom of religion is akin to freedom from religion for those who do not believe. :wink:

-Drew

tiffanyraquel's photo
Thu 04/24/08 05:55 PM
My last tour in Iraq I formed a friendship with a Muslim Iraqi...not all Iraqis are Muslim. We never talked about religion. I introduced my friend to another soldier I knew. The first conversation out of the soldiers mouth was about religion. He was trying to convert the Iraqi to becoming a Wiccan and he was putting down the Muslim religion. We immediately got up and left. Over a cheese pizza ( thank you Pizza Hut for being at Camp Taji )we just started laughing. I always thought it was other religions shoving their beliefs upon one another. But a Wiccan to a Muslim in his homeland?

yellowrose10's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:00 PM


plain and simple....you can't control what she says or does unless you tie her up and gag her. you have the choice here. you can chose to live with it, contiue to tell her to stop or stopa all or partial contact with her. if she wants to force things on people...that's up to her to do. if you don't like it...it's up to you to chose what you want to do. you can only answer or change yourself
I think I tolerate her because she believes I am going to hell and doesn't want me to. So I guess it is out of love? I don't even think she is trying to be disrespectful, I think she is ignorant.


then you have made that choice. you either have to suck it up and deal with it or keep telling her to back off all the time. she won't stop unless she wants to though. you can't change her so you have to take the action that you can handle

religion isn't the problem...the people's actions on all sides are the problem. there are religious people that don't believe in shoving it down someone's throats. if you read the scripture i posted...the Bible tells christians not to push people...so anyone that does is in the wrong as far as christianity...outside religion it's just a lack of respect

ae1973's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:00 PM

But I am torn because I fully believe the world would be a better place without religon. What have others done?




As far as I can see, you have every right to argue to her that there is no God as she has to argue to you that there is one. But who wants to do that??? Like you say, you just don’t want to be bothered by the whole godforsaken issue in the first place. You don’t want to sit around arguing about it.

I’ve never had the problem you speak of. A friend who tries to push religion onto me all the time after I’ve made it clear that I’m not interested isn’t going to be my friend for very long. laugh

I think you are right. If they bring it up, I should be able to state my case with a clear conscience. She knows where the conversation would go before she even brings it up.

sethwyo's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:02 PM



A real christian would stop after being told, U might point this out 2 your friend, that is in the bible.
The world would be a better place without religon.
But religon dosnt only mean a belief in god, Many Things and/or ideas have become a religon to people, Global warming, No global warming, Even not believing in god is a religon, Some types of people always try 2 push their Lifestyles on others.
How is not believing in god a religion?




Religious people like to say other things are a religion so that they can attack them. Of course Atheism isn't a religion and either is science. They are trying to say "you hold on to beliefs that make you feel good just like I do"

It is not the same as religion.

The issue with Christians is that they feel they have the one true answer so they are usually just talking because of their excitement for what they feel religion has brought them and the fact that they are taught to proselytize.
So all that being said I think our only solution is to tell people how great it is to live as an atheist. It is important that people start knowing we are here and are doing good.
Look at yourself, you are doing the same thing that you accuse others of doing, You point out that some people say "you hold on to beliefs that make you feel good just like i do"(your own quote) And then end with your own selfrightous "It is important that people start knowing we are here and are doing good" Exactily like all religous lifestyles, weather it is 4 god or communisim or anti global warming or no god. U are preaching ur own religion.

ae1973's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:08 PM




A real christian would stop after being told, U might point this out 2 your friend, that is in the bible.
The world would be a better place without religon.
But religon dosnt only mean a belief in god, Many Things and/or ideas have become a religon to people, Global warming, No global warming, Even not believing in god is a religon, Some types of people always try 2 push their Lifestyles on others.
How is not believing in god a religion?




Religious people like to say other things are a religion so that they can attack them. Of course Atheism isn't a religion and either is science. They are trying to say "you hold on to beliefs that make you feel good just like I do"

It is not the same as religion.

The issue with Christians is that they feel they have the one true answer so they are usually just talking because of their excitement for what they feel religion has brought them and the fact that they are taught to proselytize.
So all that being said I think our only solution is to tell people how great it is to live as an atheist. It is important that people start knowing we are here and are doing good.
Look at yourself, you are doing the same thing that you accuse others of doing, You point out that some people say "you hold on to beliefs that make you feel good just like i do"(your own quote) And then end with your own selfrightous "It is important that people start knowing we are here and are doing good" Exactily like all religous lifestyles, weather it is 4 god or communisim or anti global warming or no god. U are preaching ur own religion.
I don't consider not believing in gods a lifestyle or a religion. God does not come up in my daily life unless someone brings it up to me (like my original post) or someone picks on my kid.

yellowrose10's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:23 PM
Edited by yellowrose10 on Thu 04/24/08 06:24 PM
here is a fitting story. I tease my grandmother (who is a great woman btw) that her house is the buckle of the Bible belt and she could give any priest, preacher, minister...whatever a run for their money.

my grandma was outside weeding one day while i had my son (who was a baby at the time) enjoying the sunshine. 2 Mormon kids came by to do their thing and give literature. My grandma thanked them, took it and said she will read it but it's not her beliefs. one of the kids said thank you for time and started to leave. the other one decided to debate (little did he know lol). they got into a heated debate and my grandmother even pointed out the Bible says testify but don't push. the 1st kid looked at me for help because he wanted to leave. i just smiled (cause i was amused..i had no life then and it was my entertainment lol) and winked. he took his cue and stood back and watched (i think he learned alot that day). the 2nd kept getting backed into a corner and realized he had no arguement for what they were debating....he FINALLY gave up lol. the Mormons haven't been back since..and that was 16 yrs ago.

my grandma doesn't start things but she is strong, stubborn and will stand up when confronted....do you wonder where i get it from??? lol

Abracadabra's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:28 PM
U are preaching ur own religion.


You're way off the mark Seth, ae1973 isn't trying to convert anyone. She doesn't want to preach her view. She just wants to be respected for having it without someone trying to constantly claim that she's wrong and needs to convert to another view.

That is not the same as preaching her own religion.

yellowrose10's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:30 PM
abra...not trying to speak for seth...but what I got out of it was...what she is saying makes it a religion...not that she is trying to convert or anything...

now go write a poem so rabbit can make another song lol

Abracadabra's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:34 PM

abra...not trying to speak for seth...but what I got out of it was...what she is saying makes it a religion...not that she is trying to convert or anything...

now go write a poem so rabbit can make another song lol


You won't get rid of me that easy. laugh

Well, if a person wants to claim that all beliefs are 'religions' then I can't argue with that stance.

But it seems to me that her original complaint is that the her friend is trying to convert her (i.e. 'save' her). That's PREACHING.

I don't see where ae1973 is preaching.

Now, I'll run off and write a song. bigsmile

yellowrose10's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:36 PM
abra...look punk lol...do you really wanna throw down with me??? lol go read the story of my grandma...the stubborness has grown through generations lol

i was just explaining what i interpreted of the posts...
now write a poem about me about how wonderful i am lmao

ae1973's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:40 PM


abra...not trying to speak for seth...but what I got out of it was...what she is saying makes it a religion...not that she is trying to convert or anything...

now go write a poem so rabbit can make another song lol


You won't get rid of me that easy. laugh

Well, if a person wants to claim that all beliefs are 'religions' then I can't argue with that stance.

But it seems to me that her original complaint is that the her friend is trying to convert her (i.e. 'save' her). That's PREACHING.

I don't see where ae1973 is preaching.

Now, I'll run off and write a song. bigsmile
You are right Abra. There is no way that lack of belief could be a religion. I bet they don't believe in bigfoot, but I would hardly call non-belief in bigfoot a religion.

sethwyo's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:46 PM




A real christian would stop after being told, U might point this out 2 your friend, that is in the bible.
The world would be a better place without religon.
But religon dosnt only mean a belief in god, Many Things and/or ideas have become a religon to people, Global warming, No global warming, Even not believing in god is a religon, Some types of people always try 2 push their Lifestyles on others.
How is not believing in god a religion?

You must not know what a religon is.
Some people make a religon of preaching global warming 2 everyone, Others have made a religon of preaching that there is no global warming 2 everyone, Right or wrong both groups are doing the same thing, thay both think that thay are right and everyone else is wrong. was WWI started over GOD? Wore the french trying 2 force the germans 2 believe in god? No. Nor in WWII, Nor korea, Nor viet nam, Nor the gulf. Satinisim Is a religon. Some police watch COPS religiously.
Sorry, still don't get you. If you don't belive in purple cows, would that be a religion too? (I am assuming you don't believe in purple cows. If you do, then you will not get my point. LOL)
If someone makes a lifestyle of believing in purple cows
And preaches it to everyone and harases them about it Telling them thay are bad or wrong for not believing in purple cows, It has become a religion 2 them. Making a lifestyle of not believing in purple cows. preaching against purple cows belivers, looking for people who believe in purple cows 2 tell them thay are Bad and wrong. Simpliy not believing in something
is not a religon,As u have stated. How for do thay take the belief in No purple cows. I wornt speaking 2 u when i wrote "U are preaching ur own religion" It was 4 the fella called yzrabbet. He is an example of someone who has made a religon of preaching his own thing of No GOD, And dose it in the same manner as all other religons.

rush2001's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:46 PM

For any other godless ones out there...
One of my believer friends is always trying to "save me". She is fun and nice in other ways, so I just tell her to knock it off. Doesn't bother me. But I have never tried to convince others that there is no God. I guess because I think people believe in god for comfort. It would be like taking a security blanket away from someone and I guess I would feel bad. But I am torn because I fully believe the world would be a better place without religon. What have others done?


I don't really belive in God but I respect other peoples right to do so and hope they respect mine.:smile:

CleanBathroom's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:49 PM

For any other godless ones out there...
One of my believer friends is always trying to "save me". She is fun and nice in other ways, so I just tell her to knock it off. Doesn't bother me. But I have never tried to convince others that there is no God. I guess because I think people believe in god for comfort. It would be like taking a security blanket away from someone and I guess I would feel bad. But I am torn because I fully believe the world would be a better place without religon. What have others done?


Religion and God are completely separate concepts. Religion is man-made.

sethwyo's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:52 PM

U are preaching ur own religion.


You're way off the mark Seth, ae1973 isn't trying to convert anyone. She doesn't want to preach her view. She just wants to be respected for having it without someone trying to constantly claim that she's wrong and needs to convert to another view.

That is not the same as preaching her own religion.
Why are U claiming i wrote that 2 ae1973??
IT was wrote 2 that rabbit fella. U pretend im "way off the mark" U dont even know where U are.

yellowrose10's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:53 PM
re·li·gion
Pronunciation: \ri-ˈli-jən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English religioun, from Anglo-French religiun, Latin religion-, religio supernatural constraint, sanction, religious practice, perhaps from religare to restrain, tie back — more at rely
Date: 13th century
1 a: the state of a religious <a nun in her 20th year of religion> b (1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural (2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness
4: a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

athe·ist
Pronunciation: \ˈā-thē-ist\
Function: noun
Date: 1551
: one who believes that there is no deity


so...in my professional opinion lol. atheism is a religion because they have a strong belief there is no God

Abracadabra's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:58 PM

Why are U claiming i wrote that 2 ae1973??
IT was wrote 2 that rabbit fella. U pretend im "way off the mark" U dont even know where U are.

Sorry about that. I'm on dial-up and didn't see Reverend Rabbit's Post.

I've never seen Reverend Rabbit preach anything other than love, and he won't even push that onto you if you aren't interested. laugh

sethwyo's photo
Thu 04/24/08 06:58 PM

abra...not trying to speak for seth...but what I got out of it was...what she is saying makes it a religion...not that she is trying to convert or anything...

now go write a poem so rabbit can make another song lol
WHAT'S WRONG WITH U PEOPLE??? I DID NOT WRITE THAT 2 ae1973. It was 2 the rabbit fella.