An atheist is a person without compassion

[Vinnie]

My father is finally getting it into his head that I am an atheist so he asked what an atheist believes in and said to m that to him an "atheist" is a person without compasison for anything. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[laestrella]

is this a statement, a look into your everyday life, OR a question?

[Vinnie]

he was asking what it meant to be an atheist then provided his definition of one. a person without compassion for anything.

[getconfzd]

My father is finally getting it into his head that I am an atheist so he asked what an atheist believes in and said to m that to him an "atheist" is a person without compasison for anything. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Needless to say, that's an insult. I don't know the nature of your relationship with him, but I'd make him eat those words. If someone said that to me, I'd stand up, walk over to them, hug their neck, and tell them how much I love them.

[Naruto]

Needless to say, that's an insult. I don't know the nature of your relationship with him, but I'd make him eat those words. If someone said that to me, I'd stand up, walk over to them, hug their neck, and tell them how much I love them.

You don't seem to understand the fundamentalist mindset-he would probably take this as Vinnie admitting he was not really an atheist.

[The Humanist]

I'm an atheist and I have compassion for quite a few things.

My moral and ethical positions are spelled out most cohesively under the umbrella of the tenets of Humanism. But, that's me.

My "atheism" only means that I have no belief in any of the purported deities that many different cultures espouse.

Have you told your father what you, as an atheist, have compassion for?

[getconfzd]

You don't seem to understand the fundamentalist mindset-he would probably take this as Vinnie admitting he was not really an atheist.

Oh, I understand alright. I emerged from the twat of one nearly 35 years ago. :) They'd might not catch on to the point of the hug immediately, but it would dawn on them later.

[fr0sty]

My father is finally getting it into his head that I am an atheist so he asked what an atheist believes in and said to m that to him an "atheist" is a person without compasison for anything. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Oh he's right. We are also communists, child molesters and have chronic halitosis. :p

[Vinnie]

You don't seem to understand the fundamentalist mindset-he would probably take this as Vinnie admitting he was not really an atheist.

Yeah, its crazy. He kept saying "don't turn your back on God", "don't you believe in God cause you got shot and lived" and he even tried to equate my "hope for the lives of our soldiers in Iraq" as being a prayer life. WTF???

For lack of compassion I brought up his belief in hell:D

And I kept bringing up the psunami and Moses and the red sea. Hes the one who asked if I believed in any of that stuff ;)

[monstre]

I don't give a rats ass about the enviroment. If the earth warms and all life dies 100 years from now, I do not care. Thats nature. I'll be dead as well. I only care about the next 60 or so years and my happiness and that of my immediate friends and family.
You look like a very compassionate guy to me. :p

[TollHouse]

My father is finally getting it into his head that I am an atheist so he asked what an atheist believes in and said to m that to him an "atheist" is a person without compasison for anything. :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Looks like you're in for a bit of trouble. I went through something similar with some of my family members but they're pretty cool with it now. (Or at least they don't get in my face about it)

He's your dad and he's from another generation so there's bound to be some friction somewhere. If you can manage to just chalk it up to that and laugh it off then you'll be okay. Otherwise you'll just "prove" to him that atheists have unhappy, miserable lives.

(Of course I don't know your dad and I don't know if he's being a total asshole about it.)

[Vinnie]

You look like a very compassionate guy to me. :p

Yeah, I have no compassion for future generations. Have lots of compassion for friends and family though. Though dad doesn't know my views on global warming and future civilization so this is irrelevant and also doubly irrelevant in that my own views don't spak for atheism anyways.

I don't lack compassion. I just don't embrace psuedo-compassion like the rest of the world (includoing a lot of atheists here). I recognize the pond issue as I mentioned and quite frankly, what the fuck do I care if a metoerite hits the world in 2880?

I mean really, come on. Some of yall atheists are just too soft :p ;)

Vinine

[JohNeo]

Yeah, its crazy. He kept saying "don't turn your back on God",<snip>

My response to "Don't turn your back on God" is "well, where is he? If you can't see him, how can you be sure you are facing him?" :Cheeky:

[brighid]

He's probably just lashing out because "atheist" has such negative connotations. Not that this makes his sorry behavior correct, but there are easy ways to prove him wrong :D There are plenty of examples of "atheists" doing "compassionate" things. I am sure with a quick search you can find some famous atheists and their works and the best dig back at him is simply to do works of compassion.

My husband recently commented how hypocritical he feels the outpouring of "support" to Thailand, etc. in the wake of the tsunami is. He commented that it's not like many of these people haven't been starving, living in shacks, and dying from preventable diseases all along and that he finds it sad that a natural disaster is what causes all of this outpouring of "love." It's good that it is finally happening, but most of the world's religious, compassionate people simply sit idley by while people die of starvation, genocide, etc. every single day and it doesn't move them to lift a finger. How's that for compassionate?

Brighid

[JohNeo]

He's probably just lashing out because "atheist" has such negative connotations. Not that this makes his sorry behavior correct, but there are easy ways to prove him wrong :D There are plenty of examples of "atheists" doing "compassionate" things. I am sure with a quick search you can find some famous atheists and their works and the best dig back at him is simply to do works of compassion.

My husband recently commented how hypocritical he feels the outpouring of "support" to Thailand, etc. in the wake of the tsunami is. He commented that it's not like many of these people haven't been starving, living in shacks, and dying from preventable diseases all along and that he finds it sad that a natural disaster is what causes all of this outpouring of "love." It's good that it is finally happening, but most of the world's religious, compassionate people simply sit idley by while people die of starvation, genocide, etc. every single day and it doesn't move them to lift a finger. How's that for compassionate?

Brighid

I think people give their money concern to whatever the cause of the day might be...whatever is shown on CNN Headline News or is making the front page story is what the typical person latches onto. Hardly anyone gave a rat's ass about how New York firefighters' lives are always on the line in their chosen profession, until September 11, 2001.

JohNeo

[Y.B]

Oh he's right. We are also communists, child molesters and have chronic halitosis. :p

Don't forget we eat kittens and babies.

[epepke]

I think people give their money concern to whatever the cause of the day might be...whatever is shown on CNN Headline News or is making the front page story is what the typical person latches onto. Hardly anyone gave a rat's ass about how New York firefighters' lives are always on the line in their chosen profession, until September 11, 2001.

JohNeo

And people still don't give a rat's about how collecting garbage is still a more dangerous undertaking than being a cop or a firefighter.

And they never will.

[never been there]

Since we have no god towards whom to direct our love, we have to settle for our fellow human beings, who actually need it.

[brighid]

I think people give their money concern to whatever the cause of the day might be...whatever is shown on CNN Headline News or is making the front page story is what the typical person latches onto. Hardly anyone gave a rat's ass about how New York firefighters' lives are always on the line in their chosen profession, until September 11, 2001.

JohNeo


You are right and now that the fervor has died down they have gone back to their indifference. This can be such a fickle society and so sadly tied to our media fixes of the day. In a way it's just really sad. The orphans of Ethiopia, Somalia, Dar Fur, etc. no longer stir the compassion as they once did ("We are the World" fundraiser for example). On the other hand the media is the best outlet to reach people when a crisis does need to be addressed. Somewhat of a double-edged sword I suppose. I guess it would be better if people weren't generally or only outpouring with their compassion at Thanksgiving, Christmas and major disasters. So much could be avoided if the majority of people gave a rats ass on a regular basis.

Brighid

[Miss_Fit]

Vinnie, you ARE a compassionate atheist. How do I know this? You make people laugh.

[MonCapitan2002]

Don't forget we eat kittens and babies.
I don't eat babies. The give me gas. I have tried puppies, though. They taste pretty good.

[Alter]

Mods: could you please fix the spelling of the title of this thread? The glaring error hurts my eyes!!

[Vinnie]

Mods: could you please fix the spelling of the title of this thread? The glaring error hurts my eyes!!

I could get a job for Fox news with that spelling :D :D :D

[sakrilege]

I could get a job for Fox news with that spelling :D :D :DWell I went ahead and changed it from 'athist' to 'atheist' so I hope you are not disappointed. ;)

[Vinnie]

Vinnie, you ARE a compassionate atheist. How do I know this? You make people laugh.

:) :) :)

Only those with no compassion would laugh at my jokes ;)

[Shadowy Man]

Don't forget we eat kittens and babies.

I may eat kittens, but I don't kill them. That wouldn't be compassionate. They die naturally from all my masturbation.

[Vinnie]

""""""""""They die naturally from all my masturbation."""""""

and God also kills a turkey every time you burp your worm :down:

[Miss_Fit]

:) :) :)

Only those with no compassion would laugh at my jokes ;)

:rolling:

[Tzar Bomba]

Don't forget we eat kittens and babies.And virgins. You people always leave that one out.

[Vinnie]

And virgins. You people always leave that one out.

Can we define "eating" more precisely in the context of "virgins", please???

My atheist handbook was not very clear on this issue and like the Bible, left open the possibility of multiple interpretations ;)

Vinnie

[Tzar Bomba]

Can we define "eating" more precisely in the context of "virgins", please???

My atheist handbook was not very clear on this issue and like the Bible, left open the possibility of multiple interpretations ;)

VinnieWell, if you are unfamiliar with the various forms of this activity that one might take part in, I would suggest enlisting the assistance of an appropriately equipped virgin and beginning the learning process.

If you mean this in the literal cannibal sense, that would be an entirely more gruesome task, which I would prefer not to give information on.

Good luck in whichever endeavor you choose. :thumbs:

[Vinnie]

I am familiar with them, I just wanted to know which one the great Aith-e-i deity required.

If the former, at least most virgins have real tits. I hate the taste of silicone :thumbs: :thumbs:

If the latter, fuck, I like eating oysters--I'll even take them in a bloody mary :D

[johntheapostate]

It is the Christians who have little compassion.


They are willing to justify a mind set that includes the damnation of the greater part of mankind, as long as it assures them of the salvation of themselves.

Personaly even before I became an atheist I had decided I would rather burn in hell than sing the praises of god in heaven.

[Atheos]

Others beat me to it.

Christians who spend even a dime on material things rather than invest that money towards saving the lost from eternal punishment are devoid of compassion.

-ATheos

[Huon]

Vinnie, you just have shown your father that you were an adult now, and that he cannot anymore tell you what you should think or do. Normal he is displeased !

But now, if he is compassionate, in general, he could be compassionate with you in particular. In the future, you could speak together of some other questions in which you have a common interest, his life, your life, or what else.

If he attacks you on religion, don't answer any more. If he insists heavily, confess that you know you will go to hell after your death, and that is christian compassion. Atheist lack of compassion does not go so far :)

[ComestibleVenom]

what the fuck do I care if a metoerite hits the world in 2880?

I mean really, come on. Some of yall atheists are just too soft :p ;)


Compassion is not weakness, but strength. I think you will find, sir, that being in tune with the larger harmonies of existence will give birth to things far more durable than the work of the hard hearted and self-centered.

Amen.

[Docevil]

Oh he's right. We are also communists, child molesters and have chronic halitosis. :p

Hey! I resent that! I most certainly do *not* have chronic halitosis!

[regis]

Hey! I resent that! I most certainly do *not* have chronic halitosis!

I, myself, have occasional halitosis, especially after eating (in the delightful sense) a virgin and masturbating a kitten!

Yum Yum!

:devil1:

[Anne Fidel]

You aren't alone, man. I haven't attended church since I was 19 and my parents still think that I'm 'rebelling' and that I'll come back to the flock any day now. I'm 31 years old, for chrissakes! :Cheeky: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[LeeBuhrul]

he was asking what it meant to be an atheist then provided his definition of one. a person without compassion for anything.

the definition of a neocon... or a right wing conservative... both of which are ultra religious...

ask him to explain the compassion in the destruction of the world with the 7 plagues or the flood... you'll soon see that compassion to christians is only applicable among themselves... disagree with them or have another belief and you're toast...

go to this website and you'll get plenty of ammo for those fireside chats with dad...

Skeptic's annotated bible (http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/)
Here's som compassion in Genesis
Genesis

God likes Abel's dead animals better than Cain's fruits and vegetables. Why? Well, no reason is given, but it probably has something to do with the amount of pain, blood, and gore involved. 4:3-5

God gives Abraham and his descendants all of the land of Canaan "forever". This promise is still used to justify the the unending battles over the land in the Middle East. 13:14-15, 17:8

An uncircumcised boy is to be abandoned by his parents and community. 17:14

God kills everyone (men, women, children, infants, newborns) in Sodom and Gomorrah by raining "fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven." Well, almost everyone -- he spares the "just and righteous" Lot and his family.19:24

Lot's nameless wife looks back, and God turns her into a pillar of salt. 19:26

Abraham makes his servant swear that he won't let Isaac marry a Canaanite. 24:3

Isaac tells Jacob not to marry a Canaanite. 28:1

Jacob's sons can't stand the idea of their sister marrying someone who is uncircumcised. 34:14

"And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord slew him." What did Er do to elicit God's wrath? The Bible doesn't say. Maybe he picked up some sticks on Saturday. 38:7

After God killed Er, Judah tells Onan to "go in unto they brother's wife." But "Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and ... when he went in unto his brother's wife ... he spilled it on the ground.... And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; wherefore he slew him also." This lovely Bible story is seldom read in Sunday School, but it is the basis of many Christian doctrines, including the condemnation of both masturbation and birth control. 38:8-10

After Judah pays Tamar for her services, he is told that she "played the harlot" and "is with child by whoredom." When Judah hears this, he says, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt." 38:24

[Vinnie]

Thanks for the Bible verses but I already know the Babble inside out. In fact, I know it far better than him or any Christians I meet IRL. Pointing out the absurdity inside comes naturally if I want to take that route.

Compassion is not weakness, but strength. I think you will find, sir, that being in tune with the larger harmonies of existence will give birth to things far more durable than the work of the hard hearted and self-centered.

Sorry but I need a definition of "larger harmonies of existence". Such a phrase is meaningless to me. I need an intra or extra-linguistic definition of some sort. Also, producing things durable as in durable 200 years from now is not my goal at all. I won't be here, I don't care.

Children starve and die everyday. Many of us have the power to help some. We simply don't. I sure as hell aint going to worry about greenhouse gas concentrations 100 years from now if I, like most people on this message board am largely selifsh, and spend money on things like computers, lots of clothes, tvs, dvds, movies and lots of other nice electronic things while children around the world die due to a lack of simple medicines.

You may claim to be "intellectually in tune" with whatever claims you wish but the fact that you are here wasting time on the internet is evidence agains this--even if not entirely conclusive in itself.

Your actions and everyone elses shows us all to be in tune with a selfish gene. Thats your "larger harmony of existence". The pond dilemma shows this well enough.

My heart may be a little hard but I don't pretend I actually care and do nothing about anything or do very little. I say I don't care and then act the same as you and most other people. In fact, I am even more charitable than a lot of people claiming to care so much for all the world *yawn* In all honesty, less so lately.

Vinnie

[ComestibleVenom]

Sorry but I need a definition of "larger harmonies of existence". Such a phrase is meaningless to me. I need an intra or extra-linguistic definition of some sort. Also, producing things durable as in durable 200 years from now is not my goal at all. I won't be here, I don't care.
...
Your actions and everyone elses shows us all to be in tune with a selfish gene. Thats your "larger harmony of existence". The pond dilemma shows this well enough.


The gene is precisely the sort of thing I had in mind, but it's analogues in civil society are equally good examples.

Excessive self-absorbtion can be very much a liability and is at least limited as a survival tactic. Your nihilistic attitude and presumptuous tactlessness does not particularly impresse me as strength of character in contrast to equally thoughtful compassion. It looks rather like laziness, although that too can be a strength in it's right time and place.

You may claim to be "intellectually in tune" with whatever claims you wish but the fact that you are here wasting time on the internet is evidence agains this--even if not entirely conclusive in itself.

If anything beyond myself is a waste of time as far as I am concerned, clearly being on the internet is a waste of time. I don't share that assumption. Nor do I believe that being on the internet is in conflict with connectivity to worthwhile intellectual trends.

You don't know my values and you don't know how I ought to be spending my time. I don't know why you would pretend to other than to slap me down for hypocritical beliefs I don't personally hold.

My heart may be a little hard but I don't pretend I actually care and do nothing about anything or do very little. I say I don't care and then act the same as you and most other people. In fact, I am even more charitable than a lot of people claiming to care so much for all the world *yawn* In all honesty, less so lately.

In line with your nihilism is the tacit suggestion that my criticism of cruel stone-hearteness commits me to bleeding hearted altruism. But I do not pretend to be so different from you. Our similarity does not lessen but intensifies the relevance of our disagreement as to the value of occupation with what lies outside of our immediate purveiw.

I do regard your flippancy for evitable suffering to be repugnant. There may be a vast disconnect between stated moral priorities and actions, I will grant you that. But to suggest that they are irrelevant to each other is more idealistic than worldly. We cannot afford to abandon our distant relatives, even if we haven't yet gotten around to helping them.