Atheist Discrimination

Originally posted by Sappho
S.C pretty much answered this for me...

regardless of when it was, deeming an atheist unfit to hold office is, at the very least, judgemental and wrong.

even if they thought an atheist was out to no good, no actions of any sort would prove them that. I really doubt all atheists back in the day were out to get christians, or did shit to them.

Well, I don't know what atheists were like back in the past, but I know what some atheist are like today. If they were, in the past, like some atheists are today, then I could understand why Christians of the past would have taken drastic actions against them.

Originally posted by Bardock42
What is your belief?

She's a Buddhist.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Never seen it. I am not an atheist and I can't say I was ever discriminated against, although I had been told that the way I lead my life is inappropriate and that God will send me to hell.

Equally, I have had some ridiculous comments from Atheists too who believe that they are by default smarter and more intelligent on the sole bases that they don't believe in God.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Well, I don't know what atheists were like back in the past, but I know what some atheist are like today. If they were, in the past, like some atheists are today, then I could understand why Christians of the past would have taken drastic actions against them.

Originally posted by Sappho
What? what do atheists "do" to christians these days that make them unfit to hold office? I cant think of anything. if an atheist did do something, its probably not because they were an atheist, just a bad person.

What? You have never hear an atheist say something like if they had their way they would get rid of all religions in the world. There are a bunch of threads on this forum saying stuff just like that.

Originally posted by Sappho
What? what do atheists "do" to christians these days that make them unfit to hold office? I cant think of anything. if an atheist did do something, its probably not because they were an atheist, just a bad person.

Shakey has weird ideas about personal responsibility

if being yourself would make people hate you, Shakey feels you are doing something to bring their wrath upon yourself. For instance, he thinks someone getting beaten over their political views "had it comming". It is logical, from that perspective of course, that an atheist living in a theocratic society is practically begging to be oppressed

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
What? You have never hear an atheist say something like if they had their way they would get rid of all religions in the world. There are a bunch of threads on this forum saying stuff just like that.

That shouldn't make them ineligible to hold office. It's even less rational to say that all atheists should be prevented from holding office based on a few of them being assholes. If that were our standard no one would be able to hold office.

Originally posted by inimalist
Shakey has weird ideas about personal responsibility

if being yourself would make people hate you, Shakey feels you are doing something to bring their wrath upon yourself. For instance, he thinks someone getting beaten over their political views "had it comming". It is logical, from that perspective of course, that an atheist living in a theocratic society is practically begging to be oppressed

That is bullshit and you know it. I should report you for such trolling.

ha, ya, report me

I should report you for extortion!

Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
That shouldn't make them ineligible to hold office. It's even less rational to say that all atheists should be prevented from holding office based on a few of them being assholes. If that were our standard no one would be able to hold office.

What does that have to do with what I was talking about? I simple said this:

"Well, I don't know what atheists were like back in the past, but I know what some atheist are like today. If they were, in the past, like some atheists are today, then I could understand why Christians of the past would have taken drastic actions against them."

I never said atheists should be prevented from holding office based on anything.

Originally posted by inimalist
ha, ya, report me

I should report you for extortion!

Are you on drugs or something?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
Are you on drugs or something?

no

lol, we can disagree about what the moral implications of your view of Karma are, and you can believe I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I hardly see where you get the notion that I've done anything worth reporting, hence, you are using a strong arm tactic to attempt to get me to rephrase what I see. maybe not "text-book" extortion, but the analogy holds much more water than your "threat" [sic] of appealing to moderators because you don't like how I phrased an argument you made in another thread.

so have at thee, NOW I'm going to do some drugs

Originally posted by inimalist
no

lol, we can disagree about what the moral implications of your view of Karma are, and you can believe I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I hardly see where you get the notion that I've done anything worth reporting, hence, you are using a strong arm tactic to attempt to get me to rephrase what I see. maybe not "text-book" extortion, but the analogy holds much more water than your "threat" [sic] of appealing to moderators because you don't like how I phrased an argument you made in another thread.

so have at thee, NOW I'm going to do some drugs

That is just pathetic.

who's trolling now?

Originally posted by inimalist
who's trolling now?

All you are doing is causeing trouble.

Originally posted by Bardock42
I have not ever encountered discrimination for my atheistic tendencies. However I imagine that people in more religious countries may face problems because of it.

no, I totally agree, even when I was in "small town" canada, extreme religiosity was looked down upon, so like, we had a protestor who pushed a priest during an anti-gay marriage protest, and it was a big deal.

That being said, I think as you go West in Canada, at least until you hit the rockies, I think religion does pick up. One of the kids in my stats class grew up in rural Manitoba, and he talks as if religion was a way bigger deal than it was for me.

I don't think it is as bad as America though, even our conservative politicians get grilled when "strange" Christian beliefs come up.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Never seen it.

Well, if this happened to you:

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
...although I had been told that the way I lead my life is inappropriate and that God will send me to hell.

...then you have seen it.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
Equally, I have had some ridiculous comments from Atheists too who believe that they are by default smarter and more intelligent on the sole bases that they don't believe in God.

That's not quite discrimination, just misplaced elitism. There are studies that support the idea that increased intelligence increases your likelihood of being non-religious, but to assume it a priori for individual cases is indeed erroneous.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
All you are doing is causeing trouble.

Shaky you do behave like a troll. Considering you're supposed to be a buddhist you should know better.

Originally posted by Digi
There are studies that support the idea that increased intelligence increases your likelihood of being non-religious

As an adjunct, it's been my experience that, generally, more 'intelligent' people tend to reject pretty much any/most feeling-based input, eg, 'hunches'.

Originally posted by inimalist
no, I totally agree, even when I was in "small town" canada, extreme religiosity was looked down upon, so like, we had a protestor who pushed a priest during an anti-gay marriage protest, and it was a big deal.

That being said, I think as you go West in Canada, at least until you hit the rockies, I think religion does pick up. One of the kids in my stats class grew up in rural Manitoba, and he talks as if religion was a way bigger deal than it was for me.

I don't think it is as bad as America though, even our conservative politicians get grilled when "strange" Christian beliefs come up.

Well, there are strong historical reasons why religion is not as prevalent and important in Europe as in the US, I am not sure about Canada's development (cause it's just too unimportant 😛)

I think discrimination is hard to evaluate in this circumstance anyways, certain parts of society certainly have a distaste for atheists (an unreasonable one) but whether that is so severe to call it what is commonly understood as discrimination, I don't know. I'm sure it does happen, but I can't say that from personal experience or anything I read or watched I could say that it's prevalent.