An odd feeling...

[Calzaer]

Ya know, sometimes, for some strange reason, I get the idea that this particular forum only exists so atheists can have a laugh at the non-Abrahamics' expense. We're just entertaining, and rather non-threatening, so we can be put on display in our own little box for the entertainment of everyone when we're dumb enough to actually post something here.

Kinda almost comes close to making me want to wish that there were popular non-Abrahamic religions as imminently dangerous as Christianity. Wouldn't get any more respect or consideration than we do already, but at least there'd be a bigger chance that they'd have to make fun of us the same way they make fun of the dangerous religions - by picking through a slew of topics to find the occasional nugget of amusement rather than simply by baiting a pie-in-the-face trap with "Discuss those worldviews that are based upon a religious and/or philosophical point of view other than a Western, Christian, Islamic, and/or a Jewish one." May as well rename this place to "Freethought Humor 2 - Humor at the Expense of the Docile and Pretty Much Harmless non-Abrahamics, But Shh, Let Them Figure That Out For Themselves."

Eh. Don't mind me. I've been drinking.

[ShadowF0x]

Trust me.... We don't laugh at you guys nearly as much as we do the Abrahamic Relgions. Why is this???

Last time I checked Wiccans don't preach do to door and neither do they consider themselves the center of the universe destined to spend eternity in eternal paradise while the majority of humanity burns in eternal hellfire.( atleast I think they don't)

[NiceWookie]

***Snicker***

You do raise an interesting question...The name of the forums is internet infidels. Well last time I looked in a dictionary, if you disagree with the Abrahamic philosophical leaning, you are an infidel. So perhaps the aforementioned mockery is really a kind of twisted canalbilism born in ignorance.

I, for one, don't take other peoples ignorance that seriously. If they want to mock something they misunderstand or disagree with, it reflects poorly on them, not the object of mockery.


I am an infidel and damn proud of it. If some aethist won't stand with me as a fellow infidel and makes a mockery because Im a philosophical pantheist, oh well, it is their loss.

[Kassiana]

If an atheist has nothing better to do than make fun of me for being a member of an extremely diverse religious group encompassing maybe 5 million members worldwide (Pagans), then I think it reflects more on who that atheist is than on who I am. :) Don't you?

[ShadowF0x]

I, as an atheist don't have a problem with Pagans, although I think any belief in the supernatural is rather foolish. I can easily tolerate Pagans as their beliefs are often kept to themselves and they don't damn everyone to eternal damnation for thinking differently.

Mainly the only religions I have a problem with are the "Holier Than Thou Self-Rightous" ones, I.E. Christianity and Islam and the many sub-sects of these religions. The Pagan religions don't force their belief structure on the whole of society.

[Gawen]

I have a friend at work who's a Wiccan Preist. Everyone knows it and he's the butt of jokes throughout the city. (We're both city emplyees) He doesn't proselytise, but answers questions truthfully (as he sees the truth) to anyone that would ask him.
But ya know, he's one of by best friends at work. We know each other's postion regarding the world as we each see it as well. He's intelligent and honest. He's involved with Girl Scouts/Guides along with his wife who is inbetween religions/beliefs and swinging toward Wicca.
Just to let everyone know, John (not his real name) used to be in the Navy. His job there was in the nuclear field. 12 years ago he left the Navy, got a job working for the city as a garbage man. No one in the city can fathom why ANYone would ever do such a thing. He could have a 6 figure paypacket working for any nuclear facility anywhere in the world. But no, he likes it where he is and enjoys being in the outdoors for far less money.
The opposite of this is that I see many of the Xtian workers complain and whinge over their job, working hard for small pay, so they say.
{{An interesting sidenote here: The majority xtians at work do not mock each other for brlonging to different denominations. Nor do they mock me (the ones that know about my atheism). I get along with most everyone. Those that have nothing to do with me, I have nothing to do with them.}}
John is at ease with himself and his world. A far contrast to those other 'believers' that come and go, never being satisfied.

As an atheist, I do not make fun of other people and their belief systems. I do not know all belief systems, nor do I understand fully the belief systems that I am aware of. I am skeptical of all things metaphysical/supernatural. John and I have made our choices and stick by them.

Although I cannot see why a mother Goddess is any different then any other god/goddess, it works for him and he's never in your face about it. The other Xtians aren't in my face either, but their beliefs are known and none can understand John's or my position. Unthinkable they say.

But John and I are happy. To them, that's just as unthinkable.
Amazing...isn't it?

[Ojuice5001]

Well, I can tell you one disadvantage this forum has: It takes forever for a topic to disappear from the main page. If you post a thread here that goes badly, it's gonna be here for a long time. For this reason and others, I have generally preferred starting a thread in GRD to this forum. The only threads that I like starting in this forum are the ones that are very historical in nature--and by that I mean historical societies other than Rome and Greece.

[Sarpedon]

If we were making fun of you guys, I expect that there would be more activity on these boards. Mostly its just Shivalinga, River, Prejam and Hinduwoman sparring. With drivebys by Dr Jagan, and me as comic relief.

[Infidelettante]

We Pagans don’t thrive on disagreement do we? Get along, leave alone and blessed be. At peace with ourselves one another and Mother God how can we be at odds with anyone else. No power trips, no god sized egos no dogma or revelation if it works hold it close if not let it go. I like us. I like us a lot.:D

JT

[DigitalChicken]

Originally posted by Calzaer
Ya know, sometimes, for some strange reason, I get the idea that this particular forum only exists so atheists can have a laugh at the non-Abrahamics' expense.

Funny. I get the exact opposite feeling sometimes. I get the idea that this forum is often a place for non-abrahamic apologetics. There is often sympathy expressed to pagans and wiccans, I guess because they aren't Christian and perhaps also because they share some left wing poltiical views shared by some atheists.

I find this ironic given that many of their faith based beliefs are just as silly as christians.

Wiccans, for example, do silly things just like Christians do. There is a monument of sorts in Salem about the witch trials. Some wiccans have posted protest messages there. They say things like they were not consulted about the creation of the monument. That is silly given that no witches were hung at Salem.

DC

[brighid]

I get the idea that this particular forum only exists so atheists can have a laugh at the non-Abrahamics' expense.

I am confident is stating that you are wrong. I don't know (but could certainly find out) the reasons this forum was created. I also have some experience with the moderators and administrators of this forum and such an accussation is just so far fetched ... and it is simply not true.

I am going to guess that this forum was created so that non-Abrahamic Theists could have a place to post their views and have those views debated. Atheists, given the nature of this board, are very likely to chime in and some are going to ridicule those of a differing belief system.

Unfortunately, to an atheist, alot of theistic belief is rather whacky. As a secular pagan I find plenty of things to be outright ridiculous in paganism ... fairies, trolls, etc. etc.

I am afraid a hazard of sharing beliefs in a diverse environment that values free speech comes with the fact that some people are going to tease you. It's not something, unless it becomes a personal attack, that can or should be policed.

Brighid

[andy_d]

I think this forum serves a useful role.

99% of the religious discussion on this site relates to Abrahamism, and more specifically Christianity. Count how many times you see the word "religion" used to mean Christianity :rolleyes:

Many people assume that all discussion of religion refers to Abrahamism, so specifically setting aside an area that isn't prevents confusion.

[Vajradhara]

Namaste all,

i agree with andy_d on this one...

moreover, the reason for posting here isn't to entertain the atheists or the monotheists, at least for me that is.

my purpose, as vague as it may be, is to try to be as honest about what i believe and why, when asked... and to hopefully correct some misunderstandings of my tradition (Buddhism).

eh... if someone wants to laugh and joke, i have no problem with them... provided they don't tell me what my religion is and what i happen to believe about it and so forth...