[photon]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I don't like religious people from any religion at all to come into my face and tell me that I should join there religion, and that I made a 'wrong choice' by choosing to be atheist or to be part of a different religion.

I do hope you see the difference between someone going into your face and you participating in a thread on a discussion forum though, because they are vastly different.

(And I guarentee you it isn't the atheists or Muslims that are trying to create a state religion in NC).

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Talk about religion, sure. People just have no respect either way.

Have you read the main forum at all? People not having respect for other people has nothing to do with religion, there's just a large portion of jerks in the world.

If people can't even discuss something as inconsequential as hockey without resorting to name calling and contempt, how can you possibly expect it with something as fundamental as religion?

Your expectation needs to be altered. Don't expect anyone from any religion to behave a certain way, because there's always jerks. Rather ignore those and just interact (or not) with those that aren't.

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Atheists think that people who believe in religion are 'idiots' or 'backwards' - and that is fine. Religious people think that anything other than their religion is backwards and idiotic.

And this entire forum is based around a group of people who think cheering for another team makes one idiotic.

Humans have a very deep tribal instinct, that they self-arrange into tribes and view "foreigners" to the tribe differently is expected and something to overcome, not surprising.

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I just find the unnecessary confrontation of people dogging each other's beliefs (or lack of belief) is stupid. I can respect any religion - as long as people are free to enter into, and leave on their own accord.

Sure, the only confrontation here is voluntary. North Carolina is where it has the clause in their constitution that prohibits atheists from holding office and where they're trying to have a state religion (unnecessary confrontation).

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

STFU for me = why do people feel the need to point out other people's choices as 'misguided' or 'wrong'.

Because sometimes other people are wrong (and sometimes I'm wrong). Having discussions with other people is a basic human need, and discussions around things everyone agrees on are usually boring. Humans are curious and want to learn about the world around them, changing pre-existing beliefs is key to learning, and that'd be impossible if no one ever challenged what someone else thought was right.

I do agree there are good and bad ways to go about it, but see the jerks comment above; there'll always be people who don't go about it the way you want to.