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Christianity - The Horse that Refuses to Die
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Post by
Monday
Ugh, I had those Rapture vans stop at the same gas station as me. Ugh..........................................
Post by
238331
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Squishalot
I see it generally in fairly equal quantities here (i.e. not very often). Again though, it stands to reason that the number of 'evangelical' anythings (including atheists) is proportional to the population sizes. Given the general culture in the US that atheism is frowned upon, if not met with outright hostility, it makes sense that people don't proselytise much about it, just like the guys in Saudi Arabia don't have door knocking JWs or Mormons.
Post by
TheMediator
I see it generally in fairly equal quantities here (i.e. not very often). Again though, it stands to reason that the number of 'evangelical' anythings (including atheists) is proportional to the population sizes. Given the general culture in the US that atheism is frowned upon, if not met with outright hostility, it makes sense that people don't proselytise much about it, just like the guys in Saudi Arabia don't have door knocking JWs or Mormons.
Wrong. More religious folk push their viewpoints than others, only because there are more religious folk over there in the US, so it stands to reason that you will get more religious advertising, simply based on numbers.
So.. not "only" because there are more religious folk?
Post by
Squishalot
There should have been an 'if' in front of 'only'. I was never intending it to be a firm statement, nor did I think you read it as a firm statement either. It was only supposed to be a confounding factor that cast doubt on your conclusion.
Post by
TheMediator
I agree that population size needs to be taken into account, but the only seemed to imply, at least to me, that you were suggesting they were proportionally equivalent.
Anyways, at this statement -
Given the general culture in the US that atheism is frowned upon, if not met with outright hostility, it makes sense that people don't proselytise much about it
Right. Without a doubt atheists can be more passively judgmental about the views of others than people of faith, but that wasn't how the argument arose, it was about outright in your faith preachiness. Regardless of cultural circumstances, you seem to acknowledge that atheists aren't as preachy about it (unless I'm misunderstanding that statement). The reasons why or how people feel deep down aren't really relevant to the truth of the statement.
Post by
Squishalot
I agree that population size needs to be taken into account, but the only seemed to imply, at least to me, that you were suggesting they were proportionally equivalent.
Regardless of cultural circumstances, you seem to acknowledge that atheists aren't as preachy about it (unless I'm misunderstanding that statement). The reasons why or how people feel deep down aren't really relevant to the truth of the statement.
You are misunderstanding that statement. The issues are linked - a minority group that is frowned upon and outnumbered (read: small relative population size) will be less preachy in absolute terms. I would argue that if the tables were turned, Christians would be less preachy in absolute terms. I believe it's a byproduct of the demographic mix, not because atheists are generally less preachy than Christians, all else equal.
The reasons why or how people feel deep down aren't really relevant to the truth of the statement.
I completely disagree with this, which is why I originally pointed out that pro-atheist, Christian-bashing topics are more common here on Wowhead. In the right circumstances, atheists are just are preachy as the religious.
Post by
TheMediator
I would argue that if the tables were turned, Christians would be less preachy in absolute terms.
Maybe. It is a hypothetical though, so we couldn't exactly see how it played.
Christian-bashing topics are more common here on Wowhead. In the right circumstances, atheists are just are preachy as the religious.
I would say there's an element of trolling in those topics though. Also, it is more of a bash towards the religion, and not the religious (although there is plenty of bashing of the religious on some threads). The other way around, and it is mostly bashes on atheists, and not atheism. Evolution gets bashed plenty, although I don't know why people get the idea that if evolution falls, it somehow brings down atheism as well, but whatever.
Post by
Squishalot
I would say there's an element of trolling in those topics though.
Whether or not you're vengeful or antagonistic, if you join in to someone else's disrespect of others, you're being no better than them. There is no need for any trolling in a debate thread, temptation or otherwise.
Also, it is more of a bash towards the religion, and not the religious (although there is plenty of bashing of the religious on some threads). The other way around, and it is mostly bashes on atheists, and not atheism.
I disagree that it's bashing the religion and not the religious. In the same way that the religious say that the atheists are 'stupid for not seeing the evidence around them', the atheists say that the religious are 'stupid for believing in faeries'. It goes both ways. Again, all the threads on Wowhead would suggest as much - you can argue that they're trolling, but if attacking the person is acceptable when trolling, what makes it less acceptable when espousing your actual views? It should be unacceptable either way.
Evolution gets bashed plenty, although I don't know why people get the idea that if evolution falls, it somehow brings down atheism as well, but whatever.
It's mainly because evolution is seen as the 'bible' of atheism, I think. The fundamental argument against Christianity is that humans evolved, and they weren't created in a *poof* of Biblical smoke. Everything else about atheism (in its truest sense - "God doesn't exist") is just as hearsay as religion ("God does exist") - there's no evidence for or against. Evolution is seen as evidence against Christianity, hence an attack on evolution is an attack on the evidence.
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