Will Atheists Ever Learn?
The Atheologist has come across an example of one of the many reasons that atheists just can’t get along with others.
In this You Tube video, from the ‘30 Days’ television show, atheists and Christians are having a lovely discussion in a restaurant. After hearing an apology from a Christian about the way Christians sometimes hurt atheists’ feelings, the atheist proceeds to needle the Christian by asking him what he thinks about having the words, “In God We Trust”, printed on American money.
The Christian’s responses, (one of which was to move), were very understandable considering that Christians have given up killing and torturing atheists and other non-believers for hundreds of years and now kindly allow atheists and other non-Christians to live in their Christian country. Why aren’t atheists satisfied with that? Should they, as the Christian in this video suggests – move to another country if they aren’t happy here? And would atheists be able to find a country where they would be happy and be able to live without always finding ways to irritate and bully the religious like they do here in the good old USA?
In this You Tube video, from the ‘30 Days’ television show, atheists and Christians are having a lovely discussion in a restaurant. After hearing an apology from a Christian about the way Christians sometimes hurt atheists’ feelings, the atheist proceeds to needle the Christian by asking him what he thinks about having the words, “In God We Trust”, printed on American money.
The Christian’s responses, (one of which was to move), were very understandable considering that Christians have given up killing and torturing atheists and other non-believers for hundreds of years and now kindly allow atheists and other non-Christians to live in their Christian country. Why aren’t atheists satisfied with that? Should they, as the Christian in this video suggests – move to another country if they aren’t happy here? And would atheists be able to find a country where they would be happy and be able to live without always finding ways to irritate and bully the religious like they do here in the good old USA?
posted by The Atheologist | 11:31 AM
7 Comments:
The US has a strange conflict of interests, or so it appears to me. It is defined as a secular state.
"A secular state is a state or country that officially is neutral in matters of religion, neither supporting nor opposing any particular religious beliefs or practices, and has no state religion or equivalent."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_state
And yet it has "under god" in the pledge and "in god we trust" on the money.
These are certainly there through the decision of the state, yet many argue that they do not conflict with the definition of a secualr state.
In fact, many would argue that the US is NOT a secular state even though it is officially defined as such.
Some may argue that having god in the pledge and god on the money does not contradict the position of neutrality that the state is supposed to have regarding religion, as the word "god" does not denote a religion.
But how accurate is this? People who believe in a god more than likely have a preference towards a particiular religion and even if they claim that they believe in a god, but they don't have a religion, I find this highly questionable.
Most people in the US who say they believe in god, more than likely believe that the word "god" in the pledge and on the money is refering to the christian god.
Even those who claim to only believe in a god, but that they don't have a religion, is questionable. Only a strict definition of deism would allow someone to take that position. (Belief in a god that no longer works within or upon the world.)
It seems to me that the use of god in the pledge and on the money is at least promoting the concept of the "religion of a personal god."
That is, a religion where the individual has a "personal relationship" or creates a "personal religion" with god.
The state seems to be supporting the "religion of the personal god." where people decide individually what god means to them and where they create their own religion as a result.
So, I see a conflict with the separation of powers, though I am sure many americans do not.
I see that conflict as well. I even hate when someone says "god bless you" when I sneeze. One day, I hope that I have the balls to respond to others when they sneeze with something like "FSM bless you" or "May the force with you" but I probably won't since it'll just piss them off.
Yes BeepBeep, there is a conflict of interest, but sadly only some of us can see it. Those of us here in the US who actually try to point that out are labeled as ‘non- American’ or ‘God haters’ by the brainwashed majority.
Piguy, when someone says ‘God bless you’, to you next time, you should explain that giving God orders like that makes him mad and that they may be responsible for the next tornado or flood that he sends.
I got very pissed at the whole "god bless you" thing for awhile, but then I realized that the vast majority who say this don't realize that they are saying that. It happened when my neighbor's three-year-old started saying "cover your mouth" every time I coughed, even if I had done so. We're conditioned from a young age to say things that our parents were conditioned to say and so on. It's a snap reaction. You can't help saying it unless you've trained yourself not to, or if you were raised in an environment where your parents had trained themselves not to.
Atheologist, your statement that the Christians' responses were understandable considering that "Christians have given up killing and torturing atheists and other non-believers for hundreds of years and now kindly allow atheists and other non-Christians to live in their Christian country," is invalid as the U.S. is not in fact a Christian country. Please refer to article 11 of the 1796 Treaty of Tripoli, which was read aloud in its entirety and unanimously approved by the senate.
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
The statement that the United States are not in any sense founded upon the Christian religion raised no dissent among the founding fathers, indeed, they would be shocked to hear how often the U.S. is today referred to as a Christian Nation.
Besides this, the fact that Christians no longer kill or torture atheists and other non-Christians with any great frequency is of no relevance. I do not expect you to make concessions to me for the privilege of me not killing or torturing you.
My apologies, atheologist. This was the first page of your website I read, and I was unable to view the video as I'm using a computer which lacks the appropriate program. I realize now that I was mistaken as to the character of your website.
Sorry for jumping to conclusions, but considering the number of people I've spoken to who make similar statements with complete candor, I've developed something of a conditioned response.
I'm from down under and would like to propose an exchange, we will take one of your atheists and you can have three of our believers, sound fair?
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