Why are people afraid of atheism?

[brandyII 9]

People do like to think there's a reason they are here on this earth and religion is a big comfort to most people for a variety of reasons.

I had twelve long years of Catholic schooling from 1st through 12. I had no problem with the schools but I feel like I did my duty. I don't place myself in any category now but I sort of intellectualize things more and naturally question everything I was taught during those 12 years of Catholic indoctrination.

I believe in trying to be the best person I can and treat others well and don't believe any one religion is right or wrong everyone has to make this decision on their own and it's not something you can argue with someone about because it's basically just listening to yourself talk.

Religion to me is history, it's mythology, it's short stories, it's many things but I know how difficult it is to rationalize it all after you've been taught so many years to follow this and do this and don't question that it's faith, blah blah blah.

I still enjoy Christmas and Easter and Halloween, which were all pretty much pagan based holidays and from what I remember Jesus was not even born on 12/25 anyway. I forget why that date was chosen but it was picked and not his actual birth date.

I know a lot of Christian based religions are told to proclatise so that's why they try to teach others of their faith and if you don't want to hear it just tell them so. When men come to your door in suits it's never a good idea to answer the door! brandyII

[Hastings 3]

I don't have a whole lot to add to this conversation, except to say, we took a law suit to the US Supreme Court over prayer at graduation.

The Supreme Court delayed until my child graduated and then declared the case moot.

I will say this: I learned more about hate from Christians than from any other group.

[plump_princess 1]

I would say the majority don't believe in an afterlife.

Personally I believe it doesn't matter -- Me as I know Me will be dead either way. I also think it's important to live your life now and be a good person now, just for the sake of doing good in the world, and not do good only because you fear eternal damnation.

I actually am a Christian who does not believe in the concept of eternal damnation, and I do good, because goodness was shown towards me, in the Earth I live on, the food and Water I drink, and the life that I have. Many people who "claim" to be Christian are not, just as many who "claim" to know/understand life/their purpose do not.

__________________

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

People are people and there are good ones and bad ones from all beliefs and lack of belief. I don't judge anyone on their beliefs or lack of beliefs, I just want them to keep it away from me. I will support and defend their right to believe, but I will support and defend my right to lack belief.

[brandyII 9]

Wasa, just curious were any of our founding fathers atheists? Do you have any research on that? brandyII

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Wasa, just curious were any of our founding fathers atheists? Do you have any research on that? brandyII

I don't know that any were atheist but there were some that were deist.

Ever read the Treaty of Tripoli?

[brandyII 9]

No I haven't read that but I find history interesting especially when it comes to theology. I guess after many years of being brainwashed by the Catholic Church and then finding out later what actually went on in history with the crusades etc...that I'm not surprised at anything anymore. History was a bit skewed when I was in school. Go figure!

Okay I read it on line, now I have a headache! Now I know more about the Freemasons than I ever new before.

Edited May 5, 2008 by brandyII

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

No I haven't read that but I find history interesting especially when it comes to theology. I guess after many years of being brainwashed by the Catholic Church and then finding out later what actually went on in history with the crusades etc...that I'm not surprised at anything anymore. History was a bit skewed when I was in school. Go figure!

Okay I read it on line, now I have a headache! Now I know more about the Freemasons than I ever new before.

HA! I was raised Catholic too. Funny how our priest left out so much history in church every Sunday!

[brandyII 9]

I don't know what it is but it seems there are more Catholics leaving their church than any other religions. Maybe I'm wrong but you very rarely hear I'm an ex-Baptist or ex-Jew, it's alway ex-Catholic.

I learned more from my two daughters about the history of the Catholic Church than I ever even imagined when I was in school and it's kind of scary some of the stuff I learned but I guess I always felt something odd with Catholosism just couldn't put my finger on it.

[gadgetlady 4]

I read a fascinating web page on Thomas Jefferson and the separation of church and state recently: Thomas Jefferson and the Separation of Church and State

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I read a fascinating web page on Thomas Jefferson and the separation of church and state recently: Thomas Jefferson and the Separation of Church and State

The author's explanation is interesting indeed, yet when you read it without the narrative it is also quite interesting.

Time Hath Found Us: Sunday Special: Jefferson's Wall of Separation Letter

And this is more interesting:

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfreereligion.htm

Edited May 5, 2008 by WASaBubbleButt

[gadgetlady 4]

I think the comments in the article I posted generally match my interpretation when I read the full letter you posted: that religious rights are "natural" rights, in essence not granted by the government but granted by God. I think that was the concern at the time.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I think the comments in the article I posted generally match my interpretation when I read the full letter you posted: that religious rights are "natural" rights, in essence not granted by the government but granted by God. I think that was the concern at the time.

And I can see how that would have been a legit concern! I do. People should have the personal right to worship anything they want. But some Christians have taken that to a bit of an extreme throughout history and that is a problem today. We are still working to undo that one.

I have no problem with the gov't protecting those rights, I think the gov't should protect those rights (vs. grant them), but that doesn't carry over to any single religion can do any darn thing they wish. And that is the extreme that many within Christianity have taken historically.

[gadgetlady 4]

And I can see how that would have been a legit concern! I do. People should have the personal right to worship anything they want. But some Christians have taken that to a bit of an extreme throughout history and that is a problem today. We are still working to undo that one.

I have no problem with the gov't protecting those rights, I think the gov't should protect those rights (vs. grant them), but that doesn't carry over to any single religion can do any darn thing they wish. And that is the extreme that many within Christianity have taken historically.

I think you'd be hard pressed to ignore the stated intent of the early pilgrims. Many believed that their main purpose in being in the new land was to further the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is even written into many of the original state compacts.

While I don't believe the government should push an official denomination or religion, I also don't believe we should ignore our roots. That being said, I don't think I would want a specific denomination of Christianity taught in school because I wouldn't trust the teachers or the public school system to get the Bible right. In the same sense, I don't think current science teachers would teach Creation Science or Intelligent Design very well; what I would like to see is the acknowledgment that there are varying and legitimate alternate theories out there. But the extremes to which we're going nowadays to disassociate ourselves from our history are, in my opinion, misguided.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I think you'd be hard pressed to ignore the stated intent of the early pilgrims. Many believed that their main purpose in being in the new land was to further the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is even written into many of the original state compacts.

While I don't believe the government should push an official denomination or religion, I also don't believe we should ignore our roots. That being said, I don't think I would want a specific denomination of Christianity taught in school because I wouldn't trust the teachers or the public school system to get the Bible right. In the same sense, I don't think current science teachers would teach Creation Science or Intelligent Design very well; what I would like to see is the acknowledgment that there are varying and legitimate alternate theories out there. But the extremes to which we're going nowadays to disassociate ourselves from our history are, in my opinion, misguided.

Actually, many believed that the main purpose was to practice their religion, whatever religion that may have been including paganism.

Roots? What roots? Native American roots? If you really want to be clear about it we should be smoking peyote and doing Native American dances. Perhaps when speaking of roots you should refer to your own and not those of everyone else. You are free to worship the Cookie Monster if you wish, you may not use tax dollars to push it on others or force it on innocent school children. That really is not asking too much.

By "you" I mean your roots, not you personally.

When xtianity comes up with a theory worthy of science, it might just be taught in school. Until then this is more proof that we are not doing a good job of teaching basics in school, such as basic science. We have adults that don't understand scientific theory. That is a shame.