As an atheist, I have noticed that the majority of responses atheists make on this site are either rude or intolerant. Do some of my peers agree that it is ironic that atheists compose the most intolerant group on AB?

Comments

• So true.

  • Report
  

  by nada on November 16th, 2009

• Yeah, that probably has a lot to do with it. I am an atheist, and I don't think the majority of people who responded to this question realized this. I can understand irritation, but that is no reason to be rude. Maybe I just think that as athesists we are more logical thinkers, and less prone to get incited by religous extremists. Guess I was wrong though. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• I think the cold use of logic against a religious argument can sometimes appear rude.

  • Report
  

  by yeroco on November 16th, 2009

• Truth hurts, I suppose.

  • Report
  

  by vilBanoF on May 4th, 2010

Comments

• I realize both sides have their own personal trolls, and almost everyone likes "proving" someone else wrong. It just seems that a lot of the atheists here on AB like to do it in a way that demeans the religion (i.e. "you would have to be an idiot to believe that). I am an athiest, and I just thought it ironic that a large portion of us on here are intolerant towards religous people, yet expect them to tolerate us. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Can't we all just get along? ;-)

  • Report
  

  by Shemarq the Wamama on November 16th, 2009

• I wish. =)

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 17th, 2009

Comments

• Yeah, I am waiting for the DRs from my colleagues to start rolling in. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 5th, 2009

Comments

• BING-fucking-O!

  • Report
  

  by Anonymous on November 16th, 2009

• This question was about internet etiquette. Not anything more, I hate when people over analyze questions, and I know you do too Moon. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• The communists never shot people in a church? Or did they wait until after Mass?

  • Report
  

  by Anonymous on November 19th, 2009

• You tell me James. Communism was just another religion.

  • Report
  

  by Moongrim on November 20th, 2009

• Correct. Just another branch of Atheism.

  • Report
  

  by Anonymous on November 20th, 2009

• Well let's see here.
  
  Religious Fanatics have a book that tells them what to do, you can't argue with them, they insist they're gonna take over the world, and if you disagree with them, they'll kill you.
  
  Communists have a book that tells them what to do, you can't argue with them, they insist they're gonna take over the world, and if you disagree with them, they'll kill you.
  
  Oh yeah, big difference there.

  • Report
  

  by Moongrim on November 20th, 2009

Comments

• 1. I know it is a two way street. It just seems the traffic is heaver on our [athesists] side.
  2. While "most intolerant" may be an exaggeration, they are often very condescending towards anyone who has faith
  3. It is ironic that many atheists bash religious people, and in the same sentence expect relgious people to tolerate their beliefs.
  .
  By the way, as an atheist, I can't believe that amount of DRs without response I have gotten for this question. Ironically, the religious people are the ones keeping me positive. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• "By the way, as an atheist, I can't believe that amount of DRs without response I have gotten for this question. Ironically, the religious people are the ones keeping me positive. +3"
  .
  Just how do you know it is the religious that are uprating you, and the atheists downrating you, since nothing in your profile tells you who is doing it?
  .
  You claim to be an atheist, but you seem to show a lot of contempt for them, while upholding those with religion as so much better. Makes me wonder. ANYONE can claim to be something, and often do.

  • Report
  

  by Keysha on November 16th, 2009

• Oh man, you have caught me, I have just been pretending to be atheist for 8 years so I could lead to this one anonymous questions on a forum.
  .
  Check my answers are questions on other topics if you doubt my beliefs. As to knowing who gives points, some people actually say how many points they give at the end of their response. And you can typically tell how someone rates your question based on their response even if they don't. I hold contempt for anyone who is rude, not just atheists.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Z- I have not DR'ed you.
  MANY religious AB'ers make incredibly rude comments toward atheists, and the atheists are just defending their views.

  • Report
  

  by Violet on November 16th, 2009

• I know. Both sides have our extremists, I just think that our side should have less since we are more based in logic than in emotion.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 17th, 2009

• Don't forget that Logic, also, is based on faith. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axioms ;)

  • Report
  

  by clmarch on November 22nd, 2009

• the word faith was not nowhere on that entire page

  • Report
  

  by Violet on November 23rd, 2009

• "An “axiom”, in classical terminology, referred to a self-evident assumption common to many branches of science." That is a quote from the article.
  .
  That doesn't describe faith, it's still a logical assumption. It is based on theory, not faith. Gravity is not going to stop simply because I have no faith in it. However, if everyone loses their faith in a divine being, he ceases to exist (similar to the ancient greek gods). We are really off subject from the original quesiton though.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 23rd, 2009

Comments

• Agreed. But you have to admit that we, on our side, have people who eagerly thump back. And often, they thump harder. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 5th, 2009

Comments

• Maybe it is because the majority of questions I read are usually pretty controversial topics. I am an atheist, and I try to be polite when I disagree, but I don't see the majority of my peers doing the same. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Z, I don't either.

  • Report
  

  by Thriftymaid on November 16th, 2009

Comments

• Agreed. +3 The whole reason I brought up this question was to make people analyze who they have been responding to questions. It was more of a reminder to be polite to my peers than anything. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Good idea.AB needs more like you. Both sides should realize that each is really "preaching to the choir" as there is very little chance of "conversions" either way. It's mostly a display of scientific cleverness on one side and bible-verse quoting on the other. The bible-quoters don't trust science and the atheists laugh at the tail-chasing arguments of the believers,

  • Report
  

  by Stranger in a Strange Land on November 16th, 2009

• The best we can hope for is civility in the debate.

  • Report
  

  by Stranger in a Strange Land on November 16th, 2009

• I really wish I could make-out with you right now. Or at least give you some more points.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• As an agnostic, I'm an amused bystander. I consider atheism to be as much a "faith" as the religions. Although logic is on the side of atheism, we can't really know for certain. I take the opposite view of "Pascal's Wager" though; a bullying, conceited deity is unworthy of my respect, much less worship.

  • Report
  

  by Stranger in a Strange Land on November 16th, 2009

• I'm better on the web than F2F. Autisic and ugly as shit. Research engineer.

  • Report
  

  by Stranger in a Strange Land on November 16th, 2009

• I think we're really here as a cosmic joke anyway. A really sick joke, too..

  • Report
  

  by Stranger in a Strange Land on November 16th, 2009

• Haha.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

Comments

• Hah, that I can at least agree with to an extent. The irony comes that many atheists here on the AB ask for tolerance from religous people in the same sentence they bash them. Due to the limitation of characters, I couldn't word the question exactly as I wanted it. At least your answer was funny though. +3 =P

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Such "irony" occurs just as much with theists as with atheists. As it is with atheists, I would consider that individual hypocrisy. Compared to the fact that many religious people have rules in their own religion regarding tolerance, and they seem to go against them anyway, to me, that would be the more profound irony.

  • Report
  

  by Talimze on November 16th, 2009

• I do agree that the greater irony lies in the your example. There are no set "rules" for atheism, and if there were I doubt tolerance would be one of them. However, it is just common sense that if you want respect from someone, you treat them with respect.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Naturally. However, some atheists are under the assumption, whether it be true or not, that they will not be treated with respect by theists, so they simply do not bother treating them with respect if it does not suit them.

  • Report
  

  by Talimze on November 16th, 2009

Comments

Comments

• Incorrect assumption. My question puts down rude atheists here on AB. And you have to admit, it seems as a community on AB, they are always at least one side of the extreme in flame wars. +2

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 5th, 2009

• By saying this you are on the one side of the extreme. I like how you think by putting the word "majority" in your question makes it not a biased comment. But enough semantics about your question. What you really would like to know if I think that it is ironic that athiests are the most intolerant group, right?
  
  First off I don't see the irony. I don't know where there is a book on atheist behavior. Have atheist been prosecuted for their beliefs? Yes. Probably more than any other view about thinking about anything. Someone always has to be justified in how they believe and when someone doesn't agree they feel it is a direct attack of that belief. Most of the time when someone doesn't agree they are just playing devil's advocate. Even if they are being sincere it is your job as a reader to acknowledge someone else's opinion and not take it as a personal attack. For example, I didn't really care about your question; I saw it and I said something that would make it sound as if I were...

  • Report
  

  by Windkid on November 5th, 2009

• ... offended by your comment. It was only done to hopefully let you see that you yourself were being offensive.
  
  Truth is that everybody regardless of religion hates to be belittled because of their beliefs. And you really haven't given any examples of where atheists were being intolerant so I can't really give a specific response to a specific situation.
  
  I honestly could care less what anybody believed because obviously everyone can be justified by what he or she believes. As long as I can think the way I want and I'm not subjugated to behave in a certain way then I really don't care what people believe. My only hope is that other individuals stop calling someone ignorant because of the way that they behave. And never praise yourself by saying that another group is bad because it only perpetuates both groups not working together.
  
  Okay, rant done.

  • Report
  

  by Windkid on November 5th, 2009

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

• Ya, every sect uses persecution to valdify their own beliefs. However, almost all religions have been ostracized at one point or another. Does that mean they are all correct?

  • Report
  

  by nada on November 16th, 2009

Comments

Comments

• You has an email. Hehehe. +6

  • Report
  

  by Anonymous on November 19th, 2009

• Got it and responded ;)

  • Report
  

  by Phillis - Zacks little sister on November 19th, 2009

Comments

Comments

Comments

• Eww...that was ugly :( +6

  • Report
  

  by Phillis - Zacks little sister on November 19th, 2009

• And here are some other reasons why.
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1820433
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1764376
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1799898
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1807619
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1626177
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1765189
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/126775
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1758214
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1813859
  http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/1814005

  • Report
  

  by Temporary Name on November 19th, 2009

• Christ, you thought enough of them to save them? Don't you think that energy could go toward more worthy things?? That's enough to depress anybody.

  • Report
  

  by Phillis - Zacks little sister on November 19th, 2009

• Not sure what you mean here but it is my life goal to rid the planet of stupid assumptions. I´ll never get tired of fighting those windmills!
  I know it´s pointless but I just can´t stop it..

  • Report
  

  by Temporary Name on November 19th, 2009

• Well, I can't fault you for it (as long as you don't LOSE yourself in it. At that point, it becomes unhealthy). Everybody has a cause they feel is worth championing.

  • Report
  

  by Phillis - Zacks little sister on November 19th, 2009

Comments

• I should have used a link (or several), but its just easier for you to pick a random question in the religion section to find an example. I was just pointing out the irony that though we believe in nothing, many of us still feel the need to "tease" believers. Honestly, if logic hasn't already convinced someone, how do we expect rudeness to work? +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• thank you

  • Report
  

  by strange1 still in pb on November 16th, 2009

Comments

• Intolerance is evident in your answer. You find them talking about their beliefs offensive, and in that same paragraph you demean them for not allowing you to talk about yours. You have to be able to put up with their crap, and not dish any out. That is true tolerance.
  .
  I think the problem lies in the fact that we let what they say get to us. Politeness is poison to people who are rude to you. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Still disagree. I don't begin a conversation with one of them with, "Hey, fuck you, buddy." They see nothing wrong with starting one with, "The lord loves you." That is as offensive to me as anything I could say to them. The fact that they are allowed to do so as a matter of course in no way lessens the offense. The stand back and do and say nothing approach is how they got to be so haughty to begin with.

  • Report
  

  by Gene H on November 16th, 2009

• How could anyone be offended by the love of a fictional character? If I said, "Furby loves you," would you take offense? To me, all their scripture and parables mean nothing, so their is no way they could offend me. I don't understand how an atheist can let it cause them to respond with a rude comment. I don't know, maybe it is just becaues I don't take anything that religious people say too seriously.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• Z-Weezy -- You are quite naive. When they begin with "The lord loves you" they are beginning to proselytize. The reason good works won't get them into heaven is because their focus is to convert. Even when they head to tsunami disasters, they are saying, "Here. Here's a blanket, water, food, and shelter. I can give you this because I'm christian. Wouldn't YOU like to be christian, too?" Their agenda is open and obvious. They bully people, stalk them, boycott them, and sometimes shoot people like Dr. George Tiller. Many of them shelter the snipers who do these things. Sure, it's a fictional character. But it's one that like the muslims they don't mind killing for. You better be careful.

  • Report
  

  by Gene H on November 16th, 2009

• I don't know, this question was about etiquette on the internet. If someone is able to convince you to change your belief system based on a question or answer on the internet, you obviously didn't have a strong case for your belief system.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• I agree. I don't see why I have to act like a christian, though. I don't see them as harmless the way you do. They are most dangerous.

  • Report
  

  by Gene H on November 16th, 2009

Comments

• Hmm, while you definitely went off on a tangent after the first sentence, I have to give you props for stating your beliefs. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

Comments

• Yeah, I almost wish I could delete this question. The amount of effort I have spent with this question, just trying to convince people to be a little more polite, is a failure. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 16th, 2009

• I agree. It might be a futile attempt, but I'm really happy that you took the time to at least try. :)

  • Report
  

  by Confuscious on November 16th, 2009

Comments

• Really, what I am trying to say is this: how can we, as atheists, expect others to respect our right to disbelief if we so thoroughly trounce their beliefs in almost every post we make? Granted, many of us (myself included) do this in a polite way, but the very nature of our beliefs makes us seem intolerant. Is it even possible for us to be tolerant when we consider all their beliefs to be superstitions?
  
  It has been quite some time since I posted this question, and find that I now agree with your opinion quite a bit more than my own original one. It isn't that we are intolerant as much as it is that we have absolutely no common grounds on the issue.

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on May 5th, 2010

Comments

• Any group you don't personally agree you show intolerance towards? Why would disbelief on my part merit rudeness to others?
  .
  Atheism to me is a choice to disbelive in the existence of a higher power based logical deduction and a general lack of evidence to support the claim of any religion. Treat others as you want to be treated-in other words-if you expect religious people here on ABto be tolerant towards atheists we have to do the same. Thanks for the answer. +3

  • Report
  

  by Z-Weezy on November 20th, 2009

• Intolerance is not the same as rudeness.

  • Report
  

  by Anonymous on November 20th, 2009

• So we're supposed to "tolerate" the childish behaviors of religious fanatics?

  • Report
  

  by Moongrim on November 20th, 2009

Comments

Comments

• Good luck.

  • Report
  

  by Moongrim on November 20th, 2009

Comments

Comments