Atheists and Anger

[andrewducker]

Reasons for Atheists to be Angry. A lot of these make me angry, but I try not to hold them against my religious friends :->
cheers to pickwick

Comments

[fjm.livejournal.com]

Whew.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

The "prayer as shopping list" one really gets me.

[kurosau.livejournal.com]

Why, and in what way? That's the one I scratch my head about the most. Why is it relevant to you or I that someone else choses to pray about something they want, want to heal, or want to express? Shouldn't we get angry at kids for wishing, without reference to god, for a certain toy at christmas?

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

Good article.

[mouflonmatt.livejournal.com]

Far more articulate than me. I get so pissed off by religion I just splutter incomprehensible nonsense, which really doesn't help the cause of rationalism.

[call-waiting.livejournal.com]

That's marvellous. I may be forced to link that.

[redshira.livejournal.com]

I'm not an atheist, but I think like one in almost all respects, and I agree with everything she said there. It's difficult dealing with angry atheists, though, because if they know my belief system includes Intangible Things - even though it bears absolutely no resemblance to most belief systems and doesn't contain any of the things they usually complain about - they often dismiss me and refuse to believe that I actually agree with everything they say except for maybe one or two things. Those two things being a) I believe in the existence of things that they don't b) I don't think people are stupid for believing in different things from me. Not all atheists do think that, but enough do for me to be annoyed about it. There's no *proof* either way, so nobody is stupid for believing either way.

[kashandara.livejournal.com]

I'm not even a little bit of an atheist and those make me angry!

anger=/=passionate

[wordofblake.livejournal.com]

Some good points but I'm still not convinced by the case for shrill anger. I mean seriously someone is "actively" trying to stop them getting married, them personally?

Also, understandably, heavily American.

But, creationism is st00pid. It doesn't piss me off, but it is just dumb. I'd put it on or about at the same level as reality tv. It is pointless and lacks substance, but for some reason other people seem to like it. Sure I'd rather it went away for good but I'm not going to define myself by my anger at it.

[daisyflip.livejournal.com]

That was a really well written piece. I don't fully agree with a lot of the anger stuff (TBH, I don't think we have as much reason to be angry as American Atheists) but it was lots of things that live in my head put better.

Interesting stuff

[andrewducker]

Yeah - American's have it a lot worse than us. They have a lot of my sympathy - and I'm very glad I live in good old secular Europe :->

[kurosau.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to chime in and say thanks for posting about this. I like reading some of the issues that this blogger has to be angry about.

That said, I wish it were a little better written in terms of content. I think it is delivered quite well, but while of the talking points are completely valid and understandable, others are complete trash in terms of real criticism. Getting angry because someone prays to win a hand of poker? I guess we should start getting angry anytime someone says "I'm special" too.