Charles Darwin: “people who have no faith, no God, are they not lonley and wanting others to join them so they don’t feel “so alone” in this world?”
This is the key thing to remember, I think. You have Christians who are very enthusiastic for their faith and they may also encourage other people to have faith. They’re passionate about science, reason and logic. and these sorts of things don’t work well with faith. So, like theists do with faith, anti-theists attempt to share what they’re passionate about with others. This is why I think it may be a little hypocritical when an anti-theist is in a room debating about religion, complaining that religious people are always trying to shove it down their throats. I actually encourage religious people to do so if they think they’re correct.
You also have anti-theists (that doesn’t mean they’re against theists, it means they’re against theism) that are just as passionate, but about something totally opposite
The key is to learn to put up with one another. To be respectful, regardless of what side you’re on. Only associating with people that agree with you isn’t a good thing, if you ask me beetalk daten. Challenging your ideas, your information, your faith, etc. is a positive thing because it leads you closer to the truth, whatever that is. Maybe you’re currently closer to it with your theism. Maybe I’m closer to it with my atheism.
Peace be with you all, and perfect, inner peace which remains during the storm is the peace I mean. Peace that does not allow one to become unsettled whatever transpires in our lives. Strong, internal, lasting, enduring peace in Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior is the peace that passes all understanding. This is the peace, and knowing I pray one day we all achieve, or are gifted . whatever way it comes. Amen – “so be it”.
Since I have this peace when I am in various chat-rooms, it protects me when I have encountered that which is mentioned and this topic hits home. Although there might have been the sting of insult that I felt, and the rejection freely tossed my way that hurt, I survived and actually became better at who I am meant to be. I was crushed in spirit immediately when I met with far superior minds than my own, but I hold my own. I am sorry people can be so intolerant, but I will not let it change who I am, nor cause me to shy away from these difficult topics.
My first impression was to realize that few “religious” people conversed in there, the (Religion room) and atheists seem to dominate, as they do other religious chat rooms, and rooms where they have not aleady been banned. It was within my first 15 minutes of chat, I fully understood why more timid, religious and peaceful people don’t even bother to go to this room to chat. I understood if they also avoided discussion with non-believers, or those different in belief, when much of the time it will end up in insults being thrown.
These aren’t the kind of topics that make enemies (even if you’re respectful), not friends
I have also visited many atheist, as well as other Christian rooms, and have noticed a site wide prejudice that I still do not fully understand. For me, this extreme bias and prejudice has made civil discourse a little hard to attain. I grew tired of being told I am “delusional” among other bold insults and it is a waste of time to have to argue with atheist and end up in circular arguments which are so totally useless. Nothing of benefit was really exchanged, only dodging prejudice and disdain, which is just not “my thing”.