Interesting discussion so far. One point came up I have to elaborate on. That is the acusation of atheists 1. actually "wanting" not to believe so they feel better and more important as human beeings an 2. try to have a go at christians or other religious folks.
To both a want to state personal expiriences.
1. ....is bullocks. Atheists hardly ever consider themselves more important without a god. On the opposite, most atheists I know can live with the realisation that humans are nothing more then animals that instead of developing special claws, teeth or other features important to survival of the fittest came up with a brain and intelligence. Undoubtly the most successfull survival tool so far, though maybe too successful, given what we do to our planet and our own basis of survival. Ppl like me are actually "unable" to believe in a god, because an allmighty God, especially the way it's percieved by monotheistic religions, just does not make any sense....at all. Then again, considering human nature, the environment and circumstances in which religions start, the way religion is more then often is abused for power gambles and personal gain, the wish of ppl for community and sharing the same morale norms, it makes total sense how religion was created in the first place.
Atheists don't feel any better then others, they just do not care to run with the flock just because of principal or because others tell them to do so. Most christians are christians because they grew up within christians communities, not because they once had the active choice of chosing. Were they born in middle eastern or asian countries they most probably would have shared the dominant religions there.
2. I had a christian upbringing. Most of my life I never had a problem with christians. In fact, up until a couple years ago I fought "for" christianity on boards like these, disputing claims of christians beeing evil for the crusades, witch burnings and all the other bad in the world, but beeing the roots of our culture and morales.
That has only changed, and to the complete opposite, after christians went into the offensive the last couple years, trying to force me into their morale standarts, trying to bring their private and personal affairs into the open and public big time. As long people stay at home with religion I have zero problems with it. But as soon they come out and try to make my life harder with their often hypocritical morale views, then it's time to fight back. By now christians in general made such a bad impresion on me, especially american ones (sorry, but these are the most vocal ones) I developed an almost militaristic view on these sects that want to bring down enlightment, human rights and progress of humankind. The same holds true to most other atheists, good and peaceful folks, but not willing to give away rights and privileges our forefathers wrestled from the church in long and hard struggles. After all you have to remember that the church, in Europe at least, was as much an opressor as any authocratic regime. That is still remembered. And the rule of religion falls into the same book as comunism and fascism, the absolute rule of one ideology opressing all others. Yes, I do feel threatend by christians and I am by far not the only one. We had the dark ages, thank you very much, no repetition required.
Now if there were more christians opposing these tendencys I'd have enough trurt in these communities to be valuable parts of society. But these voices of reason within christianity are way to few and way too passive to make any real impression. This is true for catholicism as well as the more fanatical american sects whose preachers appear even over here in ever greater numbers.
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