I asked a question to christians the other day. I asked if they realized that they too were atheists. I asked this question based on the fact that the word atheism was formed in the ninteenth century as a definition of what it means to reject a current conception of the divine. So that would mean that to some form or another all religions that do not accept others is a form of Atheism.
Atheists were angry and referred to me to a dictionary, and told me that there belief, although they dont call it one, is that there is no god.
Christians were ticked as well, I dont have to explain why, we already know why. But all I was trying to suggest was maybe we all are a piece of every belief, and even if we dont want to worship that belief or non belief then we can at least recognize that there are parts of us in it. JUst wondering if any of you have had this sort of encouner on this forum. Or is it best for me to ask questions with one belief in mind, instead of all?
2006-10-30 04:59:16 · 7 answers · asked by fryedaddy 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well we ask our questions from the point of reference we are at , at the present time. So for you and I this is apparently beyond all the traditional points of reference. But yes, I have angered the entire lot of people on here with a question of mine. ;-)
Someone reports my questions sometimes. This is irrelevant because it isn't my question at stake it is the process of asking it that is important. And connecting to the answerers.
2006-10-30 05:06:21 · answer #1 · answered by a_delphic_oracle 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ok, what I'm getting out of the old question.
Take beliefs 1, 2, and 3. If you believe in 1, you can't believe in 2 or 3. If you believe 2, you can't believe in 1 or 3. If you believe 3, you can't believe 1 or 2. Some people don't believe 1 or 2 or 3. Because of this, if you take any two people, they might not have a belief in common, but at least they'll have a disbelief in common.
I've never been a fan of the "great uniter" style arguments, the ones that say, "Well at least we have this in common no matter how different we are." To me, these miss the point. We could go on for years listing out ways we're similar, but it's the differences that are interesting. Additionally, one significant difference can negate a thousand similarities.
As to your question, fine, go ahead and ask questions to multiple groups. But if you don't want to antagonize everyone, word things better. Your wording for this one makes it look like you wanted to piss off everyone.
2006-10-30 13:17:53 · answer #2 · answered by Phil 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
While I do have my own faith that I follow, when people have asked me about different faiths, I explain this way. Cities have more than one road that lead into the city, thus there are multiple roads that lead to the same destination. God is far greater than any city, greater than anything of this world. So who is Man to try to limit God by claiming what God can or cannot have as a name, or how many names God chooses to be called, or how many different roads God may have that ALL lead to God? I also point out that if you boil down the worlds major religions to their absolute simplest components, two stand out. One is the belief in a Supreme Being, a God. The second is treating your fellow man well (the Golden Rule, in essence). I then add that while many people work hard to tell others how to live their lives, few are living their own lives as close as they can to the IDEALS of their own faiths. The most effective way to convince others that you are on a good, or right path, is by your own EXAMPLE in your own life and attitudes, not in what you tell others to do while you aren't setting a good example in your own life and ways!
2006-10-30 13:08:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have tried dont even bother. Militant Christians that do not critically analyze their own religion give me circular answers when I ask them questions on Scripture.
I have seen Atheists on here to also being closed minded ridiculing everyone and then becoming very hypocritical by saying that Christians are pushing their religion down their neck. Personally I am sick of it, but I know it wont stop.
2006-10-30 13:05:20 · answer #4 · answered by Gamla Joe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not usually so out of their worlds, but I do enjoy the points you make. It's nice to see someone on here that thinks.
Though the meaning of atheism has definetly changed.
2006-10-30 13:02:13 · answer #5 · answered by Kharm 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just word-play . definitions of words change all the time .
2006-10-30 13:02:35 · answer #6 · answered by jsjmlj 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are fundamentalists everywhere, atheists are a form of fundamentalism too.
2006-10-30 13:01:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋