Now for my response from that discussion:

It’s interesting that you characterize my blog post as angsty, because I did, too. :) A bunch of people read it–including a couple of Christian friends–and said it wasn’t the “rant” I said it was at all. Weird.

It felt like a rant, and it was cathartic like one.

I respect other people, incidentally. I respect their right to believe what they want. I can’t say I respect the belief systems they espouse, though, so I won’t say such a thing just to be PC. As I said in my post, that just seems silly to me. They don’t respect my atheism, so why do they say they do? I’m all for more honesty, as well as more dialogue regarding religion.

I just want the double standard removed, is all.

I do tend to focus on Christianity as it seems to be a big culprit in shit that’s wrong with America, and because I know so much more about it than any other belief system, being a fundamentalist preacher’s kid and all. I have Christian friends who do their own thinking, don’t judge me, and with whom I can talk for hours (literally) about the bible and beliefs, etc. I appreciate that they believe what they believe, and that it makes them happy (and yes…when I encounter a military member who is having problems, I almost instantly ask if they are religious, and if they are, they should strongly consider talking with their chaplain; I do the same with civilians who are having problems; I just have more opportunities with the military).

Back to the stuff that’s wrong with America that strikes me as nuts: For one, the reliance upon faith in authority figures is incredibly high with conservatives, provided the authority figure in question says he’s a person of faith. This tendency to believe your preacher wouldn’t lie to you spills over into the political arena far too often.

Along those lines, most of these people sincerely do not know how to think critically. They’ve been taught to accept what they have been told, then to find reasons to believe it’s true. They have never learned to think, but they believe they have. This is very dangerous in a democracy. I honestly believe such short-cuts and outright dim-wittedness threatens our country (just as I believe piss-poor educations do, because of that whole “of the people, by the people, for the people” thing).

BTW…I know Christians who are smart, of which you are one (except I’d call you DAMN smart). It works for you, and that’s great. (It’s interesting that you should mention it: I have long thought that prayer is, if nothing else, beneficial because it is the Christian form of meditation.)

Excellent post, btw. You should post it to my blog. You have many good points I think deserve a wider audience.

d

i value freedom of speech as much as any flag-waving patriot, but i also believe in respect for other people’s belief systems, real or fake. frankly you seem to specifically antagonize christianity but if you’re to uphold your position as resident logical atheist, why aren’t you putting down other belief systems? i’d like to see more anti-islam and anti-buddhist facebook posts. :b

moreover, i don’t think you’d find it agreeable to have crowds of jehovah’s witness telling you that you’re going to hell for not believing in their faith. i don’t find it agreeable either despite the fact that i identify with christianity (not the jehovah part though lol). so what gives atheism the only license to denounce other belief systems? what makes your status update any different than someone professing their love for jesus? again, this isn’t an attack on your “freedom of speech,” but a criticism of your respect for other people.

whether or not you can indisputably prove atheism to be true, our constructions of truth are self-made anyway. even on the supposedly level playing field of logic, many of our actions are dictated by what we feel and perceive rather than what is ostensibly logical.

however, i think whats more important than any religious belief system is the kind of people we become. if christianity makes me a better person- i refuse to be addicted to any substance, i try to sacrifice to help my fellow homies (humans), i exercise compassion, i do my best with the life i was given- then why is it so bad?

my belief system is one i identify with as being a “good life,” i pray and it makes me feel better (whether or not God actually exists it helps to talk it out to myself haha), etc etc.

don’t get me wrong. there are douchebags everywhere. and christianity is no different. i dislike crowds of abortion hating christians who kill abortion doctors, i dislike christians telling others they’re going to hell. basically, i dislike douchebags, christian or not. lol.

christianity has made me a better person, and it drives me to become even better than that. its helped to get me through my removal from the air force academy, and it helps me cope with the problems life throws at me. but hey. its a lot better that i use christianity as that vehicle rather than alcohol or heroin right?

anyway. i must depart to work on school here.

“Buzzkiller” would be an excellent moniker, though.

d

Everybody’s sitting around, grooving on some sweet weed, talking about how totally rock this weed is, gettin’ high and feelin’ good.

And you’re the person that walks in, sniffs once, and says, “It’s just oregano.”

Buzzkiller!

:D :D :D

Look, you religious folks. Quit freaking out when other folks strongly disagree with you, please. It’s bad form to send a god flag up the public pole and then act all insulted when everyone doesn’t salute it. Especially the god flag, because it’s apt to bring out the atheists, many of whom absolutely LOVE a hefty debate. And it always bums us out when y’all start something and then run like wrabbits when we want to debate with you.

***

Exactly. What she said.

d