Atheists & Anger

[Sweet Tart]

http://gretachristina.typepad.com/greta_christinas_weblog/2007/10/atheists-and-an.html#

Its long, but good ;)

And I get angry when believers glorify religious faith without evidence as a positive virtue, a character trait that makes people good and noble... and then continue to accuse atheists of being close-minded and ignoring the obvious truth.

[Semantics]

Harsh, full of sad and frightening truths, and very good.


Thanks for sharing that one, Tarot.

[cassandra]

Great post. I think that this is so true. I have witnessed this happen to someone I love.

[patriotsblade]

Very good post. I used to fall into the category of people who regarded Christians as 'the enemy', but I have come around enough to see good things done by Christian organizations. I do get angry however when fundamentalists, especially Christian ones (they do have the bully pulpit it seems) try to force their faith down my throat or into my government. My faith in fact, demands that I respect all others beliefs and I really do my best to do so, but when someone starts trying to jam 'salvation' down my throat or begins to slander my own beliefs I can get sideways very quick.

[April15]

I am not angry so I don't need to read it.

[Oceanbreeze]

Harsh, full of sad and frightening truths, and very good.


Thanks for sharing that one, Tarot.

Ditto, great read.

[Kurtz]

I'm angry that the 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush, said of atheists, in my lifetime, "No, I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God." My President. No, I didn't vote for him, but he was still my President, and he still said that my lack of religious belief meant that I shouldn't be regarded as a citizen.



:roll



http://www.hillaryclinton.com

[Indigo]

As I'm reading this, I'm listening to people in my class who are arguing against cloning "because the bible said so" and "because it's unnatural" and the best one.... "because then the clone wouldn't have a soul"


:ringo

[Kurtz]

As I'm reading this, I'm listening to people in my class who are arguing against cloning "because the bible said so" and "because it's unnatural" and the best one.... "because then the clone wouldn't have a soul"


:ringo


Bless your heart, Darlin'.
That's fuckin' sad. :cry

[issac the dragon]

Maybe the greatest post I have ever read. And I am a little angry that I didn't write that blog.

I'd like to add to the list:
Juries that disregard the testimony of people because they won't swear on the Bible, or who won't swear at all.
People who force residents who are in nursing homes, without their consent, every Sunday morning to listen to some store front preacher. Because they are the only ones who will go to nursing homes. And they are horrible, hateful, and IMHO, evil men. I used to hope those poor people were so senile they couldn't understand a word the creep was saying.

[Cookie Parker]

I'm angry that atheist soldiers -- in the U.S. armed forces -- have had prayer ceremonies pressured on them and atheist meetings broken up by Christian superior officers, in direct violation of the First Amendment. I'm angry that evangelical Christian groups are being given exclusive access to proselytize on military bases -- again in the U.S. armed forces, again in direct violation of the First Amendment. I'm angry that atheist soldiers who are complaining about this are being harassed and are even getting death threats from Christian soldiers and superior officers -- yet again, in the U.S. armed forces. And I'm angry that Christians still say smug, sanctimonious things like, "there are no atheists in foxholes." You know why you're not seeing atheists in foxholes? Because believers are threatening to shoot them if they come out.



Sad but true.....there is no God in killing, either...

[Kurtz]

Let's lay that ugly li'l rumor to rest too.

No Atheists in Foxholes claim simply not true.

"I thought [combat] would change them, because there's that saying that there are no atheists in a foxhole, and I find that's not true. Even in a battle zone there's still a fairly large number that's not practicing a faith, . . ." Army Chaplain Joe Angotti - Tikrit, Iraq


The "Atheists-in-Foxholes" monument is adjacent to the Willa Mae Whatley Auditorium in Fearn Park, overlooking Lake Hypatia, Alabama.


Monument (http://www.mindspring.com/~alutiiq/atheists-in-foxholes.html)

[Cookie Parker]

Great post...super link!!!

[Kurtz]

On one side is the emblem of the US Air Force and the US Army, on another is the emblem of the US Navy and the US Marine Corps, on another the emblem of the US Coast Guard and the US Merchant Marine. On the front of the monument is:

IN MEMORY OF ATHEISTS IN FOXHOLES AND COUNTLESS FREETHINKERS WHO HAVE SERVED THIS COUNTRY WITH HONOR AND DISTINCTION PRESENTED BY THE NATIONAL FREEDOM FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION WITH HOPE THAT IN THE FUTURE MANKIND MAY LEARN TO AVOID ALL WAR

Willa Mae Whatley Auditorium, Fearn Park and the "Atheists-in-Foxholes" monument were all dedicated on July 4, 1999, during the annual Freethought Homecoming. Alice Shiver wrote a poem for the celebration entitled:

Atheists in Foxholes.

Atheists in foxholes, some say they are myths,
Creations of the mind who just don't exist.

Yet, they answered the call to defend, with great pride.
With reason their watchword, they bled and they died.

They took Saratoga from the British crown,
Secured America's freedom at the Battle of Yorktown.

From Sumter to Appomattox, fields flowed with their blood.
When the cannons grew silent, the flag proudly stood.

From the Marne to the Argonne, in trenches and tanks,
They defeated the Germans -- the whole world gave thanks.

They were bombed at Pearl Harbor, fought on to Berlin.
Many freethinking women served along with the men.

Still war keeps erupting -- Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
Where is the peace that eludes people so?

It is broken by tyrants who bear crosses and creeds,
That overshadow reason with hate and cruel deeds.

So atheists prevail until your work is complete.
Mothers mourn, children cry, and bigots plan your defeat.

By air, land, and sea, you answer freedom's call.
Without god or faith, you seek liberty for all.




So there!

[Kurtz]

And ONE more thang:


Atheists in Foxholes.

Atheists in foxholes, some say they are myths,
Creations of the mind who just don't exist.

Yet, they answered the call to defend, with great pride.
With reason their watchword, they bled and they died.

They took Saratoga from the British crown,
Secured America's freedom at the Battle of Yorktown.

From Sumter to Appomattox, fields flowed with their blood.
When the cannons grew silent, the flag proudly stood.

From the Marne to the Argonne, in trenches and tanks,
They defeated the Germans -- the whole world gave thanks.

They were bombed at Pearl Harbor, fought on to Berlin.
Many freethinking women served along with the men.

Still war keeps erupting -- Iraq, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
Where is the peace that eludes people so?

It is broken by tyrants who bear crosses and creeds,
That overshadow reason with hate and cruel deeds.

So atheists prevail until your work is complete.
Mothers mourn, children cry, and bigots plan your defeat.

By air, land, and sea, you answer freedom's call.
Without god or faith, you seek liberty for all.


Mothafuckas!

[toxic]

Rarely are people forced to REALLY decide if they believe in God or not.

The guy making my dogtags in route to Vietnam asked my religion and I replied, "None".

He said, "Yeah, but when you are dying an a muddy ditch, which chaplain would you like to talk to." I gave him and answer, that I regret to this day.

His action did have one positive outcome. He compelled me to think through and accept my final decision. There were many long nights on guard duty that I reviewed my beliefs over and over, till I distilled it all down to a final No, none, nada, nope.

[Lone Laugher]

Bookmarked. That lady can flat out communicate.