everybody on ilx complains about reddit

I think there's a lot of good reasons to be annoyed with the "atheism movement" but I wouldn't discount the fact that in a lot of ways it's like shooting fish in a barrel for a certain kind of humanities major with a passing interest in critical theory. ie, a good chunk of this board, me included.

But then atheism in practice tends to think that people are amazing

idk about ascribing beliefs to atheism, less still a practice to atheism, but wtf does this mean either way?

But anyway ts theists vs atheists vs atheism movement vs anti atheism movement vs ppl

http://25.media.tumblr.com/480ddd72c303d4872cdacad57a6cac50/tumblr_mvq65vH82e1s7e5joo1_500.png

I think there's a lot of good reasons to be annoyed with the "atheism movement" but I wouldn't discount the fact that in a lot of ways it's like shooting fish in a barrel for a certain kind of humanities major with a passing interest in critical theory. ie, a good chunk of this board, me included.

Yes, otm, and often when people like you and I shoot the fish, even the ones that actually deserve it, our shots seem to us to to hit, but actually miss them, due to them not giving a fuck about our grounds for complaint. Like that water surface refraction visual trickery effect.

But then atheism in practice tends to think that people are amazing. idk about ascribing beliefs to atheism, less still a practice to atheism, but wtf does this mean either way?

(you can't ascribe beliefs to atheism in principle because it's a lack of belief; however, as it happens, atheism tends to come with other beliefs and attitudes most of the time, and one of these is commonly the idea that humans are amazing!! in other words, a naive belief in Science and Progress and Human Rights, which the person is often unaware of having; the version of Science, Progress 'n' Human Rights they espouse is, through the naivete of their belief, weakened and made brittle, vulnerable to the slightest tap of enquiry, the slightest cynicism)

i claim to be against atheist movement for aesthetic reasons but the truth is that it makes me feel uncomfortable bc it challenges my unexamined belief in divinity

lol

perhaps the best way to describe what's at issue here isn't so much atheism as a personal belief (something I am sympathetic too) but as an ideological belief system.

and, while this is probably characteristic of most ideologies, it is one with a strong (though false) sense of its own non-ideological basis along with a huge mass of unexamined assumptions and assertions. when people go around talking about how scientific, rational, and objective they are, it's not being a "jeezo" (love that word) to point out that they're not doing a particularly good job of being any of those things.

xpost to Mordy: Yup. And when I said upthread 'but I may be a wanker', that's also true, albeit less dignified as a flaw than unexamined belief in divinity.

Seeing as I rely on science to exist (medicines and that) and effectively do believe in progress (couldn't live comfortably with many systems that once existed) and indulge my human rights as per the geneva convention all the time (posting opinions to a forum, reading once banned novels).

At best, probably all I can say is that the desire to go off and look at a windmill with a sunset behind it is not defensible but inevitable, in at least some people

there's nothing wrong with "I don't believe in God"

there's everything wrong with "you are an idiot because you believe in God"

basically I'm now too old to waste my time with judgey douches who aren't even funny about it

the chill atheists are the "i don't believe in god" ones the unchill atheists are the "god 100% doesn't exist" ones

what does it say about me that, immediately after writing that last post, I wanted to play "Heresy" by Nine Inch Nails really fucking loudly

my opinion everyone believes in god in their own way

science is.... a god

resisting urge to post a picture from Prometheus

don't you know that by saying you don't believe in god you're really saying that you believe in god bc what is this god you say you don't believe in obv the one and only god hallelujah let him be praised amen

I AM GOD HERE

here are your croissants, I apologize for the wait

and, while this is probably characteristic of most ideologies, it is one with a strong (though false) sense of its own non-ideological basis along with a huge mass of unexamined assumptions and assertions. when people go around talking about how scientific, rational, and objective they are, it's not being a "jeezo" (love that word) to point out that they're not doing a particularly good job of being any of those things.

Yes, this. There's a point where the rationality isn't actually operating anymore, having become just a ritualistic verbal performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33kO3fvjkI

But people, in all this, I fear we're forgetting to complain about reddit.

why i am not a redditor

Update, Saturday, Nov. 2, 1:45 p.m.: The moderators of Reddit's politics section have posted a new thread apologizing for the way they've handled the decision to ban certain domains and the resulting controversy. They've also added a frequently-asked-questions section explaining some of the rationale behind their approach. They added:

We've tried to get to your specific concerns, but there are only a few of us, and the response has been staggering. There's been frantic work going on in the back and we're working on several announcements, clarifications and changes. The first of these will appear no later than sometime Monday.

One moderator of the site also responded to my request for comment yesterday and asked that I clarify a couple of points in the post below. There is no "whitelist," the moderator maintained, and the list of domains with "custom flair" should not be considered a tacit endorsement of those sites.The moderator also explained why this very post that you're reading right now was taken down from the front page of /r/politics on Friday after it was posted there and sparked a lively discussion. The moderator's explanation, in part:

Our users want relevant, up-to-date information about the subject of politics and the moderators aim to provide that experience in the best way possible. As such, meta posts and articles about /r/Politics are pulled down from our queue. Those posts are not on-topic, and are more appropriate for some of the other wonderful subreddits on the site.

"our readers don't want this thing that sparked a huge discussion"

When you've got this wack system in place of voting up and down stories, why do moderators need to be editing anything not libelous or illegal anyway?

the petty fiefdoms of reddit moderators

Reminds me of

FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HOGVILLE'S STANCE ON THIS ISSUE
This is a very tricky issue to cover on our rules, however, it needs to be explained clearly.

When it comes to protecting you against a governmental institution from infringing on your right to free speech, Hogville will extend it's protection to you, as long as you are in compliance with Hogville's rules. This is, however, where Freedom of Speech will end.

Hogville is not subject to the terms outlined in the Bill of Rights. Due to the fact that Hogville is a privately owned and operated entity, the Bill of Rights is not as applicable here as most of you would believe it is. Think of Hogville as a private home. As long as you follow the rules established by the owners of that home, you would be welcomed as a guest. We would even encourage you to kick your shoes off, grab a kobeer and stay a while. The second you start getting loud, obnoxious, pushy and demanding, or degrading, you'd be asked to leave. That doesn't stop you from standing out on the sidewalk, but then again, you could also get nailed for being a public nuissance there.

Hogville is no different than that private home. I know you wouldn't stand for anyone on this site coming into your own home and insulting you or your family. The same analogy applies here. Therefore, in that regard, Hogville is exempt from the Freedom of Speech provisions in the Bill of Rights.

"Family" sometimes includes "football coaches."

atheism tends to come with other beliefs and attitudes most of the time, and one of these is commonly the idea that humans are amazing!!

One of the big ideas behind Fundamentalist Christianity seems to be that humans are the best. So atheists and theists can enjoy their human-centric worldviews together.

my opinion everyone believes in god in their own way

otm. Even atheists. They might not believe god exists but they certainly tend to have very well-defined ideas of what a non-existent god is like.

Mordy otm.

I believe everything since i last posted to have been casually insulting lazy shit-talk the likes of which no poster present would tolerate for a second if directed towards a group better-defined than 'atheists', tbh.

But some of it was a little funny.

Eh that post ought to be read with the clear understanding that i am 100% in favour of casually insulting lazy shit-talk, like, but let's acknowledge it

only through casually insulting lazy shit-talk can one perceive the face of god

no joke icey but i believe that

ilxare est orare

Yeah but darrgah we all know atheists are only defined by a belief they lack and so the total group of 'atheists' is going to be so huge no-one could possibly say anything about it beyond 'atheists are atheists'

None the less, you get certain constellations

Not every atheist owns a fedora, but the ones who do sure have mastered the art of applying stroke outlines to Impact font and steadily refusing to shave their necks.

I struck the board, and cried, "No more;
I will abroad!
What? shall I ever sigh and pine?
My lines and life are free, free as the road,
Loose as the wind, as large as store.
Shall I be still in suit?
Have I no harvest but a thorn
To let me blood, and not restore
What I have lost with cordial fruit?
Sure there was wine
Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn
Before my tears did drown it.
Is the year only lost to me?
Have I no bays to crown it,
No flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted?
All wasted?
Not so, my heart; but there is fruit,
And thou hast hands.
Recover all thy sigh-blown age
On double pleasures: leave thy cold dispute
Of what is fit and not. Forsake thy cage,
Thy rope of sands,
Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee
Good cable, to enforce and draw,
And be thy law,
While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.
Away! take heed;
I will abroad.
Call in thy death's-head there; tie up thy fears;
He that forbears
To suit and serve his need
Deserves his load."
But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild
At every word,
Methought I heard one calling, Child!
And I replied My Lord.

itt theists tell atheists how to feel about attacks on atheism

So you're down w the privately practiced ideal atheism but not the more clownish and prejudiced version as seen in a more social representation? Probably plenty of religious people that feel the same way about religion.

Mordy - George Herbert!

Dunno if atheists are being told what to feel anywhere in this thread, but if I've done it show me where and I will rectify, am not in the business of telling people how to feel

darragh, the more you claim that ppl are being anti-atheist the more the term loses meaning. it's like you're just using it to deflect the very real criticisms of your fascist intellectual movement.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/3c4ff114a93f1033f83d1b33281e83fa/tumblr_mkyeztVcWD1rhkwkto1_500.jpg

being an atheist hipster Amish has to be a difficult life

I mean, do they even make a bubble tea for that

whao

Shirtless angst

That one's fake, right?