Am I like...the only atheist that doesn't debate?

[Xiporah]

I could care less about having intellectual debates about being what I am. Truth of the matter is, I would prefer it not to be brought up at all and to be left alone. I wasn't raised religiously, so the whole concept of theism is farfetched and completely foreign to me.

End of story.

 

[Muaethia]

Fair enough. But sometimes you should give debates a chance. Like, light debates. I myself don't debate a lot on religious topics, I don't see the point as there will always be some narrow-minded n00b telling me i'm going to "go to hell" as a responce for each argument. However, issues I feel strongly about (such as abortion and gay rights), I like to argue the cause for my side. Mainly because I honestly believe that I am right in my opinion on these issues.

With atheism, although I deny the presence of a god, I also know that some world religions do good- for example, Christian Aid helping those in poverty, and if it keeps a person happy to believe blindly, it's what works for them I suppose. Live and let live, eh?  

[Sanguvixen]

I am certain you are not the only one out there.

Debates can be healthy though. It can help stimilate your mind, and your beliefs.

 

[Xiporah]

Debates often piss me off, though. I'm absolutely horrendous as verbalizing valid points. It's too stressful. I also dated a very debate obsessed guy for a while. I think that turned me off to it as well.

 

[AnonymouZ]

Xiporah

I could care less about having intellectual debates about being what I am. Truth of the matter is, I would prefer it not to be brought up at all and to be left alone. I wasn't raised religiously, so the whole concept of theism is farfetched and completely foreign to me.

End of story.

well, if you weren't raised a believer maybe you were lucky, maybe not. But from what you said right here, it seems like you weren't even given a choice. Just like the little christians that tell us "you're going to hell for not believing" weren't given one when they grew up.

what i'm trying to say is, if you're atheist because you weren't raised a believer and not because you actually gave some deep thought to the idea of god(s) and their veracities, then maybe the christian kids/persons/preachers/annoyers think that if you are told and made understood how their "reasoning" works you could turn and finally "see the light".

Which is why some people are very, very prone to debate. They would like you to be on "their" side and would try to make you understand it, meanwhile if you hadn't already how and why this happens... jesus ******** christ... how old ARE you? (checked profile already, so i know the answer)

At the same time, i do believe you're not the only one who doesn't like to debate. But the ones i know that don't like that, are the ones that are tired of senseless blabbering and repetitions of certain parts of certain holy books.  

[AnonymouZ]

Muaethia

Fair enough. But sometimes you should give debates a chance. Like, light debates. I myself don't debate a lot on religious topics, I don't see the point as there will always be some narrow-minded n00b telling me i'm going to "go to hell" as a responce for each argument. However, issues I feel strongly about (such as abortion and gay rights), I like to argue the cause for my side. Mainly because I honestly believe that I am right in my opinion on these issues.

With atheism, although I deny the presence of a god, I also know that some world religions do good- for example, Christian Aid helping those in poverty, and if it keeps a person happy to believe blindly, it's what works for them I suppose. Live and let live, eh?

what about the people that think their religion justifies death? would you still live and let hundreds of thousands die because of certain power-holders and their philosophies?  

[Muaethia]

anon_nymouz

Muaethia

Fair enough. But sometimes you should give debates a chance. Like, light debates. I myself don't debate a lot on religious topics, I don't see the point as there will always be some narrow-minded n00b telling me i'm going to "go to hell" as a responce for each argument. However, issues I feel strongly about (such as abortion and gay rights), I like to argue the cause for my side. Mainly because I honestly believe that I am right in my opinion on these issues.

With atheism, although I deny the presence of a god, I also know that some world religions do good- for example, Christian Aid helping those in poverty, and if it keeps a person happy to believe blindly, it's what works for them I suppose. Live and let live, eh?

what about the people that think their religion justifies death? would you still live and let hundreds of thousands die because of certain power-holders and their philosophies?

Here I am, getting into a debate again... No, I am quite aware that religion has caused hundereds of thousands, millions and millions of deaths and I think that the world would overall be a better place without it. However, I think that the AVERAGE follower of religion uses it to do good rather than kill people. It pisses me off when they're intolerent based on their religion though, like closed-minded when it comes to abortion, homosexuality etc. This is why I think it would be hypocritical for me to be closed minded about theirs. See what I mean?  

[AnonymouZ]

hypocritical indeed.

then again, the average believer is just as hypocritical. why? because they believe whatever but don't have the balls to go with what their teachings ask of them. They justify their flaws/sins by saying they're not perfect, but then we can say satan wasn't perfect, and he still believes in god. (assuming god and satan are not fictitious characters)

it is their very hypocritical manner to look at things that allows them to be tolerant of homosexuals or pro-choiced people....

so if ******** else is being hypocritical, why not us? at least we can say we're actually using our brain and not faith-based decisions.

*edit*
sh*t, did i even make sense? ha! so much for "using my brain"! lol  

[RandomFunctionality]

Being tolorent of all belief is not something that can happen in a functional society, and not questioning or exploring your own is certainly something that leads to stagnancy (to our thread starter, thats all i'm really going to address of your question). For example the belief that muder is ok, and the belief it is completely intollorable(simplistic example i know), clearly conflict, and in a society, there must be one of those beliefs that wins out and the other one is out the window, and the other side of the issue can't be tollerated. Same as if some person thinks we should not give ppl their rights, and liberties (most organised religion) is not going to be tollerated by me. And debate is the only clear, and reasonable means to the ends of understand, and learning, in the event of conflicting views.  

[Xiporah]

I went to a church in my later teenage years with my mother, it was a New Age non denominational churches (we had lot of jewish members.)

The only traditional church that I ever attended was with my grandparents once a month when I spent the weekend with them. I was very young, five at the oldest. I thought it was some weird quirky club they belonged to at first, and I whined and slept in the pews until they dismissed the children to Sunday school.

I don't remember doing anything at the Sunday school except for arts and crafts. I made a picture of a house. It hung on their guest bedroom door for years.

As far as the New Age church in my teens was concerned, when I bothered showing up, I just went to the youth group to socialize. I never attended the services and had no interest in them. I just saw it as another facet of my mother's mid nineties fascination with crystals and metaphysical new age stuff. I don't think that counts as a religious upbringing though, as all we did in the youth group was:

• Curb our language around the adults
  
• Meditations (sleep)
  
• Snuck cigarettes out in the woods behind the youth group building
  
• Attended barely chaparoned overnights where we talked about sex, and crank called people and ate pizza.

Um. Yeah. The minister was also highly amused by the goth clothes that I wore.

I fail at religion in general.

 

[Zambimaru]

If it can be avoided thn I don't like to debate because it never goes anyware. It's just a waste of breath to me. If someone started giving crap about my beliefs or was talking bad about an issue I feel strongly about then I might.  

[ValentineWiggin]

There are probably alot of Athiest who dont like to debate (not many in this guild as far as Ive seen although xd ). I kind of like to debate, but I dont like the debate team, because I dont like to be forced to debate a certain issue, and especially from a Point of View which is not my own.  

[Zoten]

I debate every now and then, but it becomes a major headache.  

[Niveous]

Kudos.

It's usually worthless anyway. Debates can be classified as "intellectual weighing of pro's and cons of something" or "some mindless free for all of battered and bruised egos"

Civil debates are fun though. ^-^

I must admit, I do get a guilty pleasure from ripping people apart if they seem emotionally childish. Either random fundamentalists or stuck up "holier than thou" atheists.

But of course you have less to debate on. You were raised without religion. If you were born into religion, and became atheist, try to just picture the insane amount of crazy soap opera antics that could come of it. O.O  

[DivideByZero14]

Oh, I know there are a lot of people who don't like debating, because many acquired that status after debating religion with me. biggrin

Oh, my. It's going to take a lot of work after that to keep from becoming one of the holier-than-thou's, as per Niveous.

I would like to say that I debate because I feel I'm doing good, but in all likelihood it's to make myself more secure in my own convictions. It certainly helps in that respect; every debate I've ever had has either convinced the person some scrutiny was warranted or backed them into a corner and had them quit the debate.

I am like you--I was raised without religion. Not caring to debate is not a bad thing; it means you are firm enough in your beliefs not to need further confirmation. Whether or not you like to debate is a personal choice. I'd recommend it, but, hey, it's up to you.

I would ask, though, is it the ideological confrontation and impossible questions what makes debate undesirable, or the format--the confrontational drama, red-faced fury, and bruised relationships?