How do you feel about atheists?

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MrEmpiricism said:
Excuse me! Where on earth have I been violent in any of my actions or reactions? :mad:
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Saying you’ll think for people? Totalitarianism has never been a peaceful endeavor.

But I give you the benefit of the doubt, and I’ll offer you a hyperbole exit, if you want to take it.

Eta, I don’t mean exit from the discussion, just the hole you’re diggin’.
 
RebeccaJ said:
Saying you’ll think for people? Totalitarianism has never been a peaceful endeavor.

But I give you the benefit of the doubt, and I’ll offer you a hyperbole exit, if you want to take it.

Eta, I don’t mean exit from the discussion, just the hole you’re diggin’.
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I will think for you was a direct response to I will pray for you, in order to give an analogy of how offensive that is to many non believers. I guess in your mind only theists can be offended?
 
Faithdancer said:
Well said, Rebecca. The violent knee jerk reaction that unbelievers have toward being prayed for is rather revealing, though, eh? I
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I have had a mixed response to this over time. There have been times when I have been actually touched at the sincerity of the offer, while at times when I am at a low ebb that I have taken real offense. Given the fact that I am here posting on a Catholic site I tend to take offers here to pray for me as a sincere sign of good will, but I have taken offense when a prayer has been offered in my real life circumstances for 2 reasons:
  1. It is offered instead of real help.
  2. It is offered and then the problem resolves itself and the one praying takes quiet satisfaction that it was due to their involvement when in fact it was the hard work of others that actually solved the problem.
In such circumstances the offer of prayer appears to the atheist to be a means for the one so praying to absolve themselves of further physical assistance while simultaneously sharing in the credit for any future resolution no matter how tenuous might be the claimed Godly intervention.

In an argument it might equally appear slightly patronizing to the atheist as it allows the theist to claim a morally superior stance of quiet confidence…a stance that the atheist simply does not believe to exist. In my personal case, because I am here in a learning capacity, I do not mind if the theist offers to pray for me…it does me no harm…of which I am aware…! 🙂
 
Jelrak_TB said:
I have had a mixed response to this over time. There have been times when I have been actually touched at the sincerity of the offer, while at times when I am at a low ebb that I have taken real offense. Given the fact that I am here posting on a Catholic site I tend to take offers here to pray for me as a sincere sign of good will, but I have taken offense when a prayer has been offered in my real life circumstances for 2 reasons:
  1. It is offered instead of real help.
  2. It is offered and then the problem resolves itself and the one praying takes quiet satisfaction that it was due to their involvement when in fact it was the hard work of others that actually solved the problem.
In such circumstances the offer of prayer appears to the atheist to be a means for the one so praying to absolve themselves of further physical assistance while simultaneously sharing in the credit for any future resolution no matter how tenuous might be the claimed Godly intervention.

In an argument it might equally appear slightly patronizing to the atheist as it allows the theist to claim a morally superior stance of quiet confidence…a stance that the atheist simply does not believe to exist. In my personal case, because I am here in a learning capacity, I do not mind if the theist offers to pray for me…it does me no harm…of which I am aware…! 🙂
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I would offer an in-depth response, but I fear it would do more harm that good. Needless to say my offer was not actually without a degree of sincerity and goodwill. 🙂
 
lax16 said:
Please provide what you would like to see.

How do you reach conclusions?
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I would like to see the same level of rigorous methodology that I require to accept any truth claim. If you are asking me to provide evidence for god for you then I am sorry I can not do that, for as far as I am aware there is no verifiable evidence to support god. If you think there is then it is up to YOU to supply it, not me.
 
MrEmpiricism said:
No one has attempted to answer anything :confused:, all that has happened is I have been patronised telling me I need prayed for etc. How would you feel if you attempted to have a serious discussion with muslims and all you got was replies telling you how lost you were and they would all pray for you and that allah touched your heart etc.
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So when lax16 was offering you evidence of his healing in a charitable manner, you didn’t say:
MrEmpiricism said:
Sure send me the x-rays, then the methodology you used to exclude the variables and calculate the probabilities. In fact why even send it to me? Why not publish it, prove the existence of god, and collect your Nobel Prize. You will literally be the most famous person that has ever lived! 👍
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And you’re going to tell me you weren’t being rude to someone who took the time to discuss his beliefs with you, even though you yourself came here seeking answers from those self-same believers.

p.s. I’m not sure what you expect being that God cannot be proved, but whatever burden of proof you seek from us will never be enough to assuage your need to understand or believe, as you are so aptly proving.
 
josie_L said:
So when lax16 was offering you evidence of his healing in a charitable manner, you didn’t say:

And you’re going to tell me you weren’t being rude to someone who took the time to discuss his beliefs with you, even though you yourself came here seeking answers from those self-same believers.

p.s. I’m not sure what you expect being that God cannot be proved, but whatever burden of proof you seek from us will never be enough to assuage your need to understand or believe, as you are so aptly proving.
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Well to be fair I have tried explaining numerous times now that is anecdotal evidence. I am not really sure what else I can say on the matter? It is not rude to point out what something is, it is a simple fact.
 
MrEmpiricism said:
I can agree with that, I have no understanding of why anyone would pray.
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But the whole point of you being here would suggest that you’re at least curious and wish to understand why we pray, or am I mistaken?
 
This is actually starting to border on the absurd, I am on a thread that is pondering if atheists are bad, need pity, need prayer, should be hated etc. Yet I am the rude one when I point out simple facts, like what anecdotal evidence is. 🤷
 
josie_L said:
But the whole point of you being here would suggest that you’re at least curious and wish to understand why we pray, or am I mistaken?
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I am curious as to why billions of people accept what I consider to be illogical claims. I honestly do not mean any offense by that, it really is the best way to explain it.
 
MrEmpiricism said:
I am curious as to why billions of people accept what I consider to be illogical claims. I honestly do not mean any offense by that, it really is the best way to explain it.
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I’m not offended, although maybe your methodology is all wrong and that’s why you cannot accept it. 😃
 
Anyway, I am off to bed, its 1 am nearly. Goodnight all, and I am sorry if I offended anyone. Peace. 🙂
 
MrEmpiricism said:
Of course not, I cannot see gravity. I can however demonstrate its existence.
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True, but God is not part of our universe like gravity is, therefore He cannot be observed and/or tested like natural phenomena.

p.s. Let us propose that God did exist, how would you describe him, i.e., what kind of qualities would He have?
 
Jelrak_TB said:
I have had a mixed response to this over time. There have been times when I have been actually touched at the sincerity of the offer, while at times when I am at a low ebb that I have taken real offense. Given the fact that I am here posting on a Catholic site I tend to take offers here to pray for me as a sincere sign of good will, but I have taken offense when a prayer has been offered in my real life circumstances for 2 reasons:
  1. It is offered instead of real help.
  2. It is offered and then the problem resolves itself and the one praying takes quiet satisfaction that it was due to their involvement when in fact it was the hard work of others that actually solved the problem.
In such circumstances the offer of prayer appears to the atheist to be a means for the one so praying to absolve themselves of further physical assistance while simultaneously sharing in the credit for any future resolution no matter how tenuous might be the claimed Godly intervention.

In an argument it might equally appear slightly patronizing to the atheist as it allows the theist to claim a morally superior stance of quiet confidence…a stance that the atheist simply does not believe to exist. In my personal case, because I am here in a learning capacity, I do not mind if the theist offers to pray for me…it does me no harm…of which I am aware…! 🙂
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Here we are often praying for the conversion of the atheist, so that he comes to know Christ.
 
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