I agree, so dumb.
I'm thinking this was made by a religious person who has no idea what Atheism is.
I mean, at least they nailed the "atheist isn't one thing" part..
Religious people physically can't comprehend non religious thinking. If I didn't have Christianity shoved down my throat every day, I wouldn't think about religion at all.
I mean that's not likely. Humans have spiritual needs. I suspect what's more likely is that the constant aggravation of Christianity being shoved down our throats massively distorts our idea of what religious thought and practice even is, and we don't recognize our own needs and practices as being religious in nature.
In psychology, spirituality is thought of as how you relate to the Universe. Do you think it is a good place where positive things can happen? Do you think it is a bad place where suffering outweighs any potential value? One has to find a way to feel that existing in this Universe is tenable. That right there is religious thought.
We all have many needs of religious thought.
It turns out I don't have any spirituality then. I don't think the universe has any connection to good or bad things happening.
Exhibit A
I just want to do my hobbies, travel, and eat good food. I don't have "spiritual needs" and this armchair pseudo psychology is right behind Christianity in terms of "shit I'm tired of hearing."
I think you are hinting at this, but let’s be clear: spirituality and religion are two different things.
That's just philosophy. Last I checked philosophy is not inherently religious
What utter crap.
The universe is mostly empty space with the occasional rock and ball of plasma. Assumptions of universal morality are just the result of an overactive tendency for our brains to find patterns in things. I do good things because I like doing them. This is likely the result of a bunch of evolved tendencies as well, but A) I am not making appeals to superstitious nonsense, and B) I can intellectually recognize that this feral drive I feel results in other sentient beings having a better life.
Taking all of that and saying, "YoU hAvE sPiRiTuaL nEeds!" is so completely absurd I don't even have words for it.
I don't know why you're being downvoted. It's an interesting viewpoiny. However, I believe religion was invented to fill the void. To explain what we couldn't understand. Scientific advances has mostly filled that void, so there is no practical beed for religion. The only religion that is still useful is when people have to deal with difficult times, like the death of a partner or a child. People seem to genuinly find comfort in religion than. Every other aspect of religion is obsolete due to the changes in modern society and science.
I don't think spirituality and religion are the same thing. Religion is a pre-defined set of rules that are forced upon you (or maybe you choose it freely, but not often). Spirituality is a highly personal feeling and indeed what you discribe, how you feel about your place in the universe. Religion defines your spiritual thinking for you. Non-religious people define, discover or learn their own spirituaĺ identity. This an be based on fiction, emotion, social identity, science, whatever. In all cases it is completely decoupled from religion though.
Atheists are neutral
Who is saying this?
Literally nobody. This is confusing atheism with agnosticism.
Or, if I'm being charitable, they're confusing the starting position and the conclusion. If you start from a position of neutrality and follow evidence-based reasoning, the conclusion is either atheism or agnosticism.
If you start from a position of neutrality and follow evidence-based reasoning, the conclusion is either atheism or agnosticism.
I'm sure you can find some Ontological Arguments to the contrary. Regardless, its weird to suggest atheists - who have clearly staked out a philosophical position - are "neutral" on the subject of religious belief. It reeks of the terminally online conservatives who would scream "Not An Argument" at anyone they disagreed with, to shut them up.
It's a theist's articulation of an agnostic atheist's explanation of their view. The real issue here is that they're conflating gnostic atheists with agnostic atheists.
I knew a few people like this Like I'm an atheist but I don't really care to pressure others into it or actively disrespect other people's religion
It goes both ways tho, don't force your religion
Don't force your viewpoint onto others.
I'm curious about the Jesus Was Wrong sign.
Seemed like a pretty cool dude, and I probably wouldn't have a problem with people who follow him, if they actually followed his teachings.
The United Church of Christ is largely aligned with the teachings of the man Jesus and concerns itself little with the centuries of dogma that typically comes along with it. It's refreshing.
He had some hits, but also stuff like slaves obey your masters, faith healing, and substitutionary atonement.
If religion doesn’t like opposing viewpoints, it can always stop proselytizing and stfu, otherwise if they wanna stand on corners to talk about their voodoo hoodoo beliefs to whoever listens then be prepared for others to do the same.
This is, in my opinion, a side effect of encountering atheists online vs in real life.
In real life, unless someone is proudly broadcasting their religious views, you have no idea if or what they believe.
Online, you can only interact with what they're broadcasting. You encounter more vocally atheist and religious people here because if you're here you've got to talk about something.
They're neutral, slamming the top 300 religions of the world about the same.
But, from the narciss-uh, monotheistic point of view, it's gonna feel like they're targeting you.
"They're mocking you sweetie."
