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[zheers]

After donating to the atheism Bus this morning ive carried on trying to convert my coworkers to the one true god. well, not my true god obviously, more my fav being who doesnt care if we believe in him or not, namely the great old one

Comments

[annomalley]

I wonder whether that's why a Christian friend of mine's quote of the day is "Bendy-buses, like atheism, are a danger to the public at large".

Found an article on it, and to be honest I'm not impressed by the poster - the whole point of religion is not to worry, because "everything has a reason/meaning bladdy blah". Atheists and agnostics are the worst worriers on the planet!

[stsquad]

The bendy buses quote is straight from Christian Voice. The same guys who wanted to ban Jerry Springer the Opera.

I would assert that you don't have proof that atheists and agnostics worry more than religionistas. Please cite your sources ;-)

[annomalley]

Please cite your sources ;-)

er, me? (agnostic, beeg worrier, ask anyone) My mum? (atheist, even bigger worrier). Anecdotal evidence I know, but my point about religion being a comfort blanket (or, as some comedian put it, a big imaginary friend) stands.

Quite scary that my friend should be quoting people like that, I had her down as a 'live and let live' kinda gal..

[zheers]

"live and let live" unless of course you disagree with my world views and then I shall subjugate you below my well meaning heel? :)

There has been so much posted about this. Alot of it is from extreme people from both sides, unforuntatly i think there isnt enough people on the extreme side of atheism to make it a fair fight.

[annomalley]

I can assure you she has never tried to subjugate me under her well meaning heel :D

I don't know whether extreme atheism is what's needed, around these parts anyway. Don't most people in this country regard extreme religious people as annoying? If it is, I'm not sure "be an atheist and you'll worry less" is the best slogan for it.

If I were to write an extreme atheist campaign, it'd be something like "If there is a God, he must be a total jerk, so why are you sucking up to him? Oh that's right, because otherwise you'll burn in Hell."

[stsquad]

Sorry, didn't mean to sound hectoring. It's just in a thread involving the age old science vs religion debate it pays to be precise about assertions. I'm afraid that annecdotal evidence doesn't cut it. I agree it may be a comfort blanket for some but once you rule out divine intervention for you woes you realise you have more control over what happens than the sky faries.

Not that you have much control in the chaos of the unviverse, but what you do have is yours!

[annomalley]

I don't look at it as a science vs religion issue, I look at it as a socio-psychological phenomenon. A lot of scientists/religious people don't see science and religion as two opposite things.

I don't think religious people count on divine intervention that much. They have the old Free Will and Mysterious Ways clauses to justify all the horrible things their gods allow to happen. I'm hoping only a small minority of horrible people think that bad things that happen to people are always deserved and right - otherwise they'd quit the faith the minute something bad happened to them, wouldn't they..

If anecdotal evidence doesn't cut it, can you please quote /your/ sources of such certainty that religious people worry more than atheists? How about figures of, say, depression and anxiety disorders amongst the two factions?

[stsquad]

"can you please quote /your/ sources of such certainty that religious people worry more than atheists?"

I never made such an assertion. I questioned your lack of proper evidence for your assertion. Questioning an assertion is not the same as asserting the opposite.

Hmmm, too many uses of the word assertion in the last paragraph I feel!