Phanerothyme Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 What point are you trying to make here? (bearing in mind that vast swathes of atheists used to follow or were at least brought up in one religion or another, myself included) This isn't a grammar or spelling flame, but why did you use swathes figuratively there? It brings to mind rows of atheists planted in lines awaiting the reaper. Janeyjanie48 was just making the point that agnostics and atheists have found faith. Lots of people do - it's a natural thing to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryedo40 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I was just trying to point out that some atheists/agnostics have chosen that path, because so many non-believers i've come across lately seem to share the assumption that all people with a religious faith must be brain-washed,poorly-educated or deluded. Loads of Christians, etc, have become atheists. Likewise, atheists have become religious. The only point you are making is that people change their minds. Being an intellectual doesn't mean you are always rational or immune to past indoctrination or some of the other psychological tools used by religion; something I suspect C.S.Lewis succumbed to. Intellectuals exist in all camps - and so do those who are poorly-educated or deluded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSmith Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 This isn't a grammar or spelling flame, but why did you use swathes figuratively there? It brings to mind rows of atheists planted in lines awaiting the reaper. Janeyjanie48 was just making the point that agnostics and atheists have found faith. Lots of people do - it's a natural thing to happen. Is that more to do with people fear of their own mortality, as you get older you get closer to death and maybe seek the comfort of an immortal afterlife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootsBooster Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I was just trying to point out that some atheists/agnostics have chosen that path, because so many non-believers i've come across lately seem to share the assumption that all people with a religious faith must be brain-washed,poorly-educated or deluded. I was just trying to specify to those who are inclined to think that way that some (excluding myself) are scholars and intellectuals and have either discovered faith,returned to the faith of their roots or chosen some other path. If you got the impression that i had pasted the link in order to discredit the belief system of atheists/agnostics you are mistaken. After all ...i'm hardly the person with the right credentials to seek to indoctrinate anyone. *sighs, shakes head, facepalms* Go on then, what belief system is this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Being an intellectual doesn't mean you are always rational or immune to past indoctrination or some of the other psychological tools used by religion; something I suspect C.S.Lewis succumbed to. Intellectuals exist in all camps - and so do those who are poorly-educated or deluded. I would certainly agree that being intellectual or clever does not necessary mean that your thoughts and actions are going to be rational, we can see that from the example of people in powerful positions whose actions and decisions have been far from rational, but thats another subject. As to the what types exist in all camps,there are all varieties.Thats why i can't see why it really matters what camp you belong to! providing the forces for good are stronger then the alternative. When ever there are good people in all camps (which i believe there are)then in spite of conficts, the power of good will ultimately always prevail in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 *sighs, shakes head, facepalms* Go on then, what belief system is this? Okay...I accept that its a vague term to use,but its just one that came ito my head at the time. i'm sure i've heard it to describe non-believers as well as believers in religions. Is it an umbrella term then? ie your belief/my belief:help: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quisquose Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Okay...I accept that its a vague term to use,but its just one that came ito my head at the time. i'm sure i've heard it to describe non-believers as well as believers in religions. Is it an umbrella term then? ie your belief/my belief:help: Neither theism or atheism are belief systems. They are simply positions held in response to a single question. Belief systems can be religious, political, philosophical, ideological or a combination. Humanism, Christianity, Marxism, Buddhism, Islam, Scientology, and others too many to mention, are belief systems. I would call myself a secular humanist, and admit that my behaviour is moulded by those philosophies. My atheism has no bearing on my behaviour. People's actions are not determined by their theism or atheism alone, just as it isn't by their belief in UFO's or not alone. I suspect this is where RootsBooster took issue with your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I was just trying to point out that some atheists/agnostics have chosen that path, because so many non-believers i've come across lately seem to share the assumption that all people with a religious faith must be brain-washed,poorly-educated or deluded. I have never seen that view expressed on here, perhaps you could quote a post? Generally speaking however, it is true that the higher your IQ, the less likely you are to believe in god. This is pretty well established at this point. But to say that all religious people are stupid/clever/happy/blonde/anything really is pretty much always going to be wrong, obviously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flamingjimmy Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 This isn't a grammar or spelling flame, but why did you use swathes figuratively there? It brings to mind rows of atheists planted in lines awaiting the reaper.Didn't really think about it tbh, it was a last minute change: originally I'd put 'pretty much all atheists' but I realised before posting that I didn't know that so changed the qualifier from 'most' to 'lots' and then just tapped into my internal thesaurus. Janeyjanie48 was just making the point that agnostics and atheists have found faith. Lots of people do - it's a natural thing to happen.Imo you are being too kind to her, I think she was trying to say a little more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janie48 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Neither theism or atheism are belief systems. They are simply positions held in response to a single question. Belief systems can be religious, political, philosophical, ideological or a combination. Humanism, Christianity, Marxism, Buddhism, Islam, Scientology, and others too many to mention, are belief systems. I would call myself a secular humanist, and admit that my behaviour is moulded by those philosophies. My atheism has no bearing on my behaviour. People's actions are not determined by their theism or atheism alone, just as it isn't by their belief in UFO's or not alone. I suspect this is where RootsBooster took issue with your post. Thankyou for putting me right on that matter. I had heard the term used in relation to polictical systems,branches of religions,ideologies etc. I made a mistake using it in the post. I think Roots will excuse my ignorance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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