Quote:
Originally Posted by arloiginla
It seems like a double standard to say when Christians are out witnessing and sharing their beliefs with others and trying to convert them. But if there is a God, and the possibility of hell is a real one, then obviously its easy to justify trying to convert otheres - you don't want to see them suffer eternal damnation.
But if there is no God, then what does it matter what others think? We don't push our opinions on our favourite ice cream. In an atheistic world then, the topic of religion has - or at least should have - exactly the same relevance.
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Ice cream can't wage war on me, ice cream can't force children to learn creationism in public schools
Its simple really, because IF religion was what its like for most moderates, traditions and social groups that benefit their lives; we'd all be very quiet Atheists.
But its not, simply for the fact Religion affects everything. A few examples, stem cell research, abortion rights, gay rights, creationism in classrooms, Islam trying to stifle free speech, sharia law, cults that destroy lives, Jihad, suicide bombers, absolutism, Religious conflict/war.
If Christians feel a duty to save people from hellfire, as you say, maybe you can see in the Atheistic worldview we seek to counteract the the bad which religion does in the world today.
Moderates and 'soft Religious' people make up many of my friends and even some relatives. But they aren't the ones in Jesus camp teaching kids that its a war against secularists, they aren't the ones promoting Jihad to their kids, they aren't the ones pushing to get Sharia law in affect for their people in western countries like the UK and Canada.
Dion dude, I'm not hating on you, nor do I think you and your family are bad because you have faith. You are one of the good guys, since your not radicalized, your not absolutist, your not irrational.
When we go after Religion, its not to say all of it is evil and bad. Yeah no lie most of us would prefer the world to evolve into a less religious place, but we'd be thrilled to see it move away from fundy and absolutist zeal which we are sadly facing with the growth of Islam into the west and the Evangelical movement in the US which seeks to move us backwards in time.
I know Religion has had the "Its rude to argue Religion" label for a long time, but it deserves the same criticism as any political ideology or anything we debate as matter of discourse in the modern world.
There are very few issues facing us today in this world that Religion doesn't play a important role in, bad or good.