Opinion of internet atheists

[fezzyfestoon]

I don't tend to like the types of atheists that tend to express themselves along the same lines as antagonistic libertarians, but lumping them all together is dangerous and ignorant. There's a lot of valuable discussion to be had between the religious and those lacking religion, but when atheists are immediately reduced to internet troll-hacks it's difficult to get anywhere. Treating a diverse, unorganized group of people as a monolithic bazooka mercilessly aimed directly at religion is ridiculous and counterproductive. In particular contrast to Afleitch's journey to atheism, I was never involved in a church. So when I make statements that project doubt or confusion, I am almost exclusively jumped on as a troll trying to create a stir by asking questions I know the answer to. There's a growing fanaticism that goes along with atheism and their relationships with religious online personas that bother me. I hate generalizing and categorizing in general, but especially about things like not having a religion.

It really goes hand in hand with the disconnect I've noticed regarding the general philosophical concept of not having a god or gods. Most people have such a hard time understanding what the lack of a religion is, because that would create a void for them. They assume that there must be something else an atheist is deeply faithful towards or a philosophy they are adherent to. There's almost a sense of being distrusted by religious people for claiming not to have a religion. Then comes in the idea of atheism being a religion, based on the fair observation of 'internet atheists' that make their decision more of an indictment of others' religions than a personal rejection of their teachings. Being anti-religion is not the same thing as being an atheist, in fact I'd argue alongside religious posters in claiming that to be a religion in itself.

I don't really know, because much like how people of religion feel confused or skeptical about atheism, I've always felt that way about religion. It makes absolutely no sense to me, so to be actively grouped with fanatics who devote their life to religion just as much as a Catholic would makes equally as little sense. Atheism is simply the lack of a religion, where people take that concept is a personal decision unrelated to their lack of religion.

[fezzyfestoon]

I reject the concept that philosophy is at odds with an atheist's view of the world and humanity. There's plenty of theoretical thought about people, society, nations, the world, and the universe that is both tangible and abstract while remaining completely devoid of religion. There's nothing narrow about how an atheist views the world. There's a decision that one avenue of philosophy, the belief in deities, that we find to lack a level of truth worth believing. Sure, religious figures have contributed greatly to philosophy and society, but you don't have to have been religious to have had an impact beyond just science.

[fezzyfestoon]

Oh look, this thread was going just fine enough until WMS had to go and repost that goddamn awful Mikado post that makes me so angry. I'm going to be on blood pressure medicine before I'm 25 at this rate.

Eugh, that really was terrible, wasn't it?