Comments on: For Atheists and Agnostics Who Go To Church http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/ Religion, SF, and Other Speculative Fictions. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 04:35:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Arguments against Militant Atheism | Mind on Fire. http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-9527 Arguments against Militant Atheism | Mind on Fire. Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:54:17 +0000 http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/#comment-9527 [...] For Atheists and Agnostics Who Go To Church (5) [...] [...] For Atheists and Agnostics Who Go To Church (5) [...]

]]> By: xJane http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-9474 xJane Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:01:34 +0000 http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/#comment-9474 Horia, welcome! I think what John's trying to get across is that people who are still trapped in religion, still working up the courage to speak up & get out, deserve our respect for working on that courage. People who <em>participate</em> in injustice are horrible; people who are <em>complicit</em> in it are, too; but people who see it for what it is and do their best to combat it (especially within themselves) are saints. And yes, conforming to social & familial norms is the "cowards'" way. But who among us is brave all the time? Horia, welcome! I think what John’s trying to get across is that people who are still trapped in religion, still working up the courage to speak up & get out, deserve our respect for working on that courage. People who participate in injustice are horrible; people who are complicit in it are, too; but people who see it for what it is and do their best to combat it (especially within themselves) are saints.

And yes, conforming to social & familial norms is the “cowards’” way. But who among us is brave all the time?

]]> By: Horia http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-9456 Horia Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:21:04 +0000 http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/#comment-9456 though I am there , and i emphatise with you , you are totaly wrong...it`s just a cowardly act . Organized religion is harmfull...and you`re just useing a version of the "i was just following orders" argument . Moderate , extremist , as long as it`s organized and has an influence in society...it`s harmfull You go to church because your partener goes? SO you say to yourself that even if you don`t actually belive...it`s ok to suport your partener? Sorry to be rude sounds like blackmail to me... I am trying to piss you off , i know , i do my best , but..tolerance is not the answer . Religious institutions must be questioned at every oportunity , (or accepted fully if you are a theist), middle ground is just the cowardly easy way out . Even if you don`t belive , by playing in these social rituals , you become part of the real problem (that is not personal beliefs , everyone is intitled to there personal beliefes) , the propagation of this disease in the society . Yes , organized religion is a disease , and one of the main problems are not the extremists (few , compared to the masses of theists) , but the people that tolerate it and argue against criticizing religion , thus enabeling those extremists to justify there views on the "everyone else believes it , i just dare to act on it" kind of argument By all means have your own personal believes , but when you try to introduce irrational believes in the society as "norms", "normal state of things" , or you tolerate such acts ...you are a victim and part of the problem Generalization is a must in this fight , christian , musulman , jew , mormon , ...they are just facets of the same issue that has plagued humanity for too long now though I am there , and i emphatise with you , you are totaly wrong…it`s just a cowardly act . Organized religion is harmfull…and you`re just useing a version of the “i was just following orders” argument . Moderate , extremist , as long as it`s organized and has an influence in society…it`s harmfull

You go to church because your partener goes? SO you say to yourself that even if you don`t actually belive…it`s ok to suport your partener? Sorry to be rude sounds like blackmail to me…

I am trying to piss you off , i know , i do my best , but..tolerance is not the answer . Religious institutions must be questioned at every oportunity , (or accepted fully if you are a theist), middle ground is just the cowardly easy way out . Even if you don`t belive , by playing in these social rituals , you become part of the real problem (that is not personal beliefs , everyone is intitled to there personal beliefes) , the propagation of this disease in the society .

Yes , organized religion is a disease , and one of the main problems are not the extremists (few , compared to the masses of theists) , but the people that tolerate it and argue against criticizing religion , thus enabeling those extremists to justify there views on the “everyone else believes it , i just dare to act on it” kind of argument

By all means have your own personal believes , but when you try to introduce irrational believes in the society as “norms”, “normal state of things” , or you tolerate such acts …you are a victim and part of the problem

Generalization is a must in this fight , christian , musulman , jew , mormon , …they are just facets of the same issue that has plagued humanity for too long now

]]> By: Rich http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8684 Rich Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:56:43 +0000 http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/#comment-8684 Feeling like the nail you just hit on the head! Why I love this site... :^) Feeling like the nail you just hit on the head!

Why I love this site…

:^)

]]> By: Eric http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8683 Eric Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:31:28 +0000 http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/#comment-8683 Thank you, John. You have summed up beautifully so many of the factors involved in my journey, and infused a sense of purpose into what is often a very painful situation. I'm glad to know that the journey, though difficult, can be joyful and meaningful as well. Thank you, John. You have summed up beautifully so many of the factors involved in my journey, and infused a sense of purpose into what is often a very painful situation.

I’m glad to know that the journey, though difficult, can be joyful and meaningful as well.

]]> By: Lessie http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8682 Lessie Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:06:43 +0000 http://www.mindonfire.com/2008/01/08/for-atheists-and-agnostics-who-go-to-church/#comment-8682 Thanks for this. Very affirming, very comforting. Thanks for this. Very affirming, very comforting.

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