[Mardigny]

Originally Posted by HolyShadow

Read my previous post about those who accept, and those who question their religion. One can obviously still apply reason to their faith and thus change their mind on issues while still believing the faith as a whole. There also exist people who just accept it.

I was referring mainly to people who accept religion on the whole without ever thinking about its illogicality.

Originally Posted by HolyShadow

I call your attention, however, to the statement you've made that questioning religion is rational whereas believing religion does not. Do you believe that the teachings of religion are all wrong, or do you think certain moral lessons from parables may benefit people in a real way? Furthermore, do you believe that the act of questioning in itself makes you a reasonable individual, regardless of whether or not your questioning ultimately leads you to believing in that religion?

I believe that the teachings in at least the three major abrahamic religions which are positive do not make up for the sheer amount of violence, oppression, misogyny, and flat-out odd arbitrariness that is supposedly holy law. In addition I think that for some people who literally believe in prayer, it could perhaps act as an effective placebo.

Originally Posted by HolyShadow

"Intolerance" is a tricky subject. I've seen cases wherein extreme atheist groups attempt to remove, say, statues from public parks because they display religious figures, and thus claim that to be intolerant. However, I can give most atheists the benefit of the doubt and state that I don't think they align with political atheists very much. As Fared has alluded to as a pressure group set on reform an activism, however, they do exist.

Could you link me? Some atheists are horrible people, yes, and things like that don't make much sense. But it's because they're bad people. I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to remove a religious figure, but then again, if it's on government-controlled public land it could be seen as government support of religion which I highly dislike.

Originally Posted by HolyShadow

Personally I separate those who align in politics and those that align in philosophy differently, with philosophy representing an attempt to find the truth and politics referring to those who distort the truth for gains that may or may not be selfish.

This is true.

Originally Posted by HolyShadow

Typically philosophical atheists are ones that have observed, considered, and made their choice, stating reason as their banner, and generally don't want to hassle people. There are many teenage atheists out there who think they have it all figured out, like there are many teenage homosexuals or heterosexuals who think they already know everything there is to know about their respective sexual orientations, but really they haven't experienced enough to really make that call. However, I feel like the ones politicized are inherently... the political ones. In that, I mean the ones who think they're right and try to force their being right down everyone else's throats without really realizing they act exactly as what they hate about mainstream religion.

I'm more of a philosophical atheist as per your definition, I think, in that I don't go out of my way to shove it down other's throats irl. It's still sore for me though.

Originally Posted by HolyShadow

I view philosophy as an eternal quest for the truth. I feel people who claim they've found the truth and don't question themselves at all are just... strange. I have a need to question myself constantly. As Fared said, I've matured.

What science on the whole continues to provide as a knowledge base to me is far more credible than any belief system invoking something supernatural. I agree in that those who like science should be willing to accept new evidence for new scientific discoveries with grace.

Originally Posted by HolyShadow

I used to think that it is indeed a religion, but that's before I reformed my way of thinking to philosophy being the central point.

I don't know how many atheists I know would think that it's a philosophy, because in your everyday life it's not something you think about that often. But it's most certainly not a religion, being just a lack thereof.