Rude W*nkers I have met - Atheism & Religion in the Social Context 2

[Sci-2]

wanker atheist

why are you onan-shaming atheists? seems to me that it proceeds under the assumptions of a doctrinaire anti-onanism.

You know, another point -> for me there's an anec-data based correlation between wankerism of all kinds and sexual frustration.

[tzanth]

When it comes to older people, I've always been waaay more lenient than I am with younger people, and seeing as it's usually little old ladies who say they'll pray for me, or say stuff like 'God bless you', I can hardly tell them to fuck off.

From their frame of reference it just a standard salutation that probably has nothing to do with any perceived religiosity. Seems a bit silly to be annoyed by something like that... would be like getting annoyed at someone for greeting you in a different language.

[Eponine]

Saying grace out loud before a meal (particularly when at a restaurant): should either Christians or atheists "give in" and change their behavior in a group setting out of non-rudeness?

Last week, I really wished that my parents would not say grace out loud in every restaurant. It also made me nervous that my boyfriend started (quietly) eating while they were praying (they did tell him to go on and behave like normal while they were praying, and he took them at their word...) No one got upset with each other, so I'm not going to be upset, but next time, I'm getting some Valium before I go. No shit.

[TerraPrime]

Saying grace out loud before a meal (particularly when at a restaurant): should either Christians or atheists "give in" and change their behavior in a group setting out of non-rudeness?

I typically just sit quietly to wait for someone finish saying their grace. This I put into the same category as people wearing crucifixes - no, I really don't need to know, but ok, do your thing and let's get on with it.

Last week, I really wished that my parents would not say grace out loud in every restaurant. It also made me nervous that my boyfriend started (quietly) eating while they were praying (they did tell him to go on and behave like normal while they were praying, and he took them at their word...) No one got upset with each other, so I'm not going to be upset, but next time, I'm getting some Valium before I go. No shit.

:lol:

[gryphon strike]

FB- political, cultural, and geographic disputes trump religious similarities. That was a horrible, horrible war. We have close Croatian friends who fled the war. I cannot imagine what they went through.

From what I heard neighbours who had lived next to each other for decades suddenly went on murderous campaigns against those that had counted them as "allies". I am not going to start throwing blame at individual groups since contrary to popular beleif they ALL committed outrages.

I would however blame this on the Romans since it was they who moved the 2 most vicious tribes they could find into that region to protect Romes gold mines.

[Baitac]

From what I heard neighbours who had lived next to each other for decades suddenly went on murderous campaigns against those that had counted them as "allies". I am not going to start throwing blame at individual groups since contrary to popular beleif they ALL committed outrages.

I would however blame this on the Romans since it was they who moved the 2 most vicious tribes they could find into that region to protect Romes gold mines.

Have you heard of the Hutus and the Tutsis? No Romans are necessary to cause genocide between people who live together.

[Baitac]

TP- can't people wear religious jewelry? Religious garb? Use bumper stickers? Holy crap, I'm going all out ACLU here. It's what I believe though. First amendment and all that.

[The Iceman of the North]

Have you heard of the Hutus and the Tutsis? No Romans are necessary to cause genocide between people who live together.

In that case it was the Belgians...

Baitac, I believe you should read TP's sentence once more.

[SpaceChampion]

In what way is it offensive? I know they used to be pushy in every way at airports. Maybe you are too young to remember. At UF, Hare Krishnas offer a free vegan dinner every Thursday. I think that is a nice way to attract people into their place. You don't have to go, or you can go and eat and leave.

I was in New Orleans in 1997 with a friend. We got separated at a Ziggy Marley concert. I was walking to the bus stop which was a good ways away from the stadium when suddenly he pops up, totally hyper. Apparently he had been invited in for free food at the HK temple. It was spiked with drugs. To this day he thanks me for saving his life just for being in the right place and the right time to see him back to the hostel safely.

[Guest Raidne]

Hate to be a douche-nozzle buuuuutttt -> Technically, it isn't hypocritical is it? Just annoying right?

No, it's technically hypocritical. If you would be offended if a person of a different religion invoked their God on your behalf, but you invoke your God on behalf of a another person who does not share your religion, your photo is in the dictionary next to "hypocrite."

Of course, most of us are trained to avoid social awkwardness or confrontations, so we are much more likely to simply endure the well-meaning but still irritating phrasings and prayer offerings from those who are religious. But it does create, for some of us, a constant background level annoyance.

For me, it's something like that. Most of the time I really don't care. It just depends. I can't decide if it's because of the casually accepted dominance of Christianity in the United States or the fact that I deliberately rejected Christianity that makes it so Christian religious expressions bother me more than those of other religions. Or if it's just that I really like a lot of buddhism so it doesn't offend me as much? Because a lot of what's there in the Bible offends me.

I meant what I said about not questioning my friend about his belief in Christianity, the sincerity of it, and the good that it can stand for, but there is also a lot of literal text in the Bible that I wholeheartedly disagree with and so I'd rather not condone it any more than I would condone any overtly patriarchal system that expressly states that all women are suboordinate to all men. And don't even get me started on same-sex romantic relationships.

So, I don't know, sometimes I don't think it's really well-considered to ask that I rethink my thoughts on the politeness of people saying that they will pray to their patriarchal, female-oppressing God that wants to roast all homosexuals in hell for me. Sometimes I don't really care if those people want to insist that it's a really, really polite sexist and homophobic sentiment.

[Baitac]

I was in New Orleans in 1997 with a friend. We got separated at a Ziggy Marley concert. I was walking to the bus stop which was a good ways away from the stadium when suddenly he pops up, totally hyper. Apparently he had been invited in for free food at the HK temple. It was spiked with drugs. To this day he thanks me for saving his life just for being in the right place and the right time to see him back to the hostel safely.

Holy crap. I guess there are good Krishnas and bad Krishnas. At the University, this is a well-established tradition and establishment. I don't think drugs in the food would fly there at all. That was horrible.

[Ser Greguh]

I'll put it this way. To me, the Christian god is a far more offensive creation than Satan ever could be to a Christian, so telling me that you're going to pray to your god for me is, I imagine, somewhat akin to a Satanist telling you that they're going to sacrifice a dove to the Desolate One so as to better help you through your time of need. I don't have the energy to get all worked up about it whenever it happens, but to me it is certainly a form of aggressive wankery that is only so socially accepted because the inmates are running the asylum.

[Fragile Bird]

we of the church of neo-cartesianism are highly offended, highly highly offended ma'am, by the imposition upon us of the allegation of a prayor of a prayer.

Is the church of neo-cartesianism offended by the hug emo? If so, I will take mine back from the other thread. I would never want to offend you accidently.

[Baitac]

I meant what I said about not questioning my friend about his belief in Christianity, the sincerity of it, and the good that it can stand for, but there is also a lot of literal text in the Bible that I wholeheartedly disagree with and so I'd rather not condone it any more than I would condone any overtly patriarchal system that expressly states that all women are suboordinate to all men. And don't even get me started on same-sex romantic relationships.

So, I don't know, sometimes I don't think it's really well-considered to ask that I rethink my thoughts on the politeness of people saying that they will pray to their patriarchal, female-oppressing God that wants to roast all homosexuals in hell for me. Sometimes I don't really care if those people want to insist that it's a really, really polite sexist and homophobic sentiment.

Ditto.

[Guest Raidne]

I'll put it this way. To me, the Christian god is a far more offensive creation than Satan ever could be to a Christian, so telling me that you're going to pray to your god for me is, I imagine, somewhat akin to a Satanist telling you that they're going to sacrifice a dove to the Desolate One so as to better help you through your time of need.

And before anyone says "Geez, you guys sure has some issues with Christianity" let me remind you that the phrase "Satan" is only there because you guys cooked him up and assigned all the gay people to the hell that is his dominion.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Why would i be offended if someone of a non-Christian faith offered to pray for me or asked their diety to intercede on my behalf? As long as it isn't "May you be blessed enough to have Cuthlu melt your brain" I'd be cool with it.

[Guest Raidne]

Ditto.

It's hard for me to say that doing the same if a Buddhist or a pagan is different or the same. For me, I endorse enough of those ideas that it's actually appreciated and not just taken as polite, so I really couldn't objectively give an opinion on that.

ETA: Scot, there are churches for whom modern-day paganism is nothing less than Satan-worship, and so in praying for, they are literally asking Satan to intercede in your life. I feel sort of crazy writing that, but I don't even think it's particularly uncommon.

[Baitac]

In that case it was the Belgians...

Baitac, I believe you should read TP's sentence once more.

Well he said he didn't need to know. But people want you to know by their wearing it, or the garb or whatever. Same goes with political car stickers or "spay and neuter" your pet (which I agree with BTW). This is a good discussion. Does my right to "wear" my beliefs, religious, political, social, or otherwise, trump your right to not care to know.

[The Iceman of the North]

There's a difference between 'not needing to know', and making a big deal of it.

[Baitac]

Oof. From whom are you people getting your prayer offers? So much strife and defensiveness. I cannot stand fundamentalists of any religion whatsoever. If you are, then you are not in my circle of friends and I will never be offered prayers that mean anything other than I hope things work out for you. If you go all fundamentalist on me, then I will respond in equal manner. I don't escalate, but shit, you don't want to mess with this "Rican.