Inaction - why good christians don't make christianity good

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Something I wish I'd written:

http://www.examiner.com/atheism-in-atlanta/memo-to-christians-it-s-your-actions-that-count


So I'm here to deliver a message on behalf of the atheists who are tired of being told by all you good Christians that there really are good Christians in the world. I'm done mentioning you until you do something worthy of mention. Stand up for my rights -- in public, not just on a ten second Facebook comment. Then I'll mention you. Organize your church to lobby your local legislature to stop having prayers in government meetings. Then I'll mention you. Collect money and send it to the Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas that just got firebombed. Then I'll mention you.
Do something. Be a squeaky wheel. Stand up for what you believe Jesus really meant when he said "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you let your country be taken over by "false believers," you are no better to me than they are. If you sit quietly because after all, you're a Christian, and what they're doing really doesn't hurt you that much, then what good is your Christian love to me or mine? If the way atheists and gays are being treated by Christians is how Christians want to be treated... Well, I don't think I even need to finish that thought, do I?
No. I'm done bending over backwards to make sure I don't hurt the feelings of your mom, who really is an awesome loving person. My feelings are hurt everyday by the hatred and the death threats and the bigotry and the constant barrage of Christian legislation. Actions count. It's not enough to tell me how wrong you think the Christian bigots are.
Show me. Then I'll be happy to write about some good Christians.

[4lan]

Something I wish I'd written:

A thought provoking article, thanks for posting it here.

4lan.

[Seamus]

All that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.(Edmund Burke)

To me,that means ALL good men,without any special pleading.

Hypocrisy is a part of the human condition.Society would simply cease to function without it. I can't help but wonder if the author of that smug little piece understands the irony of his position.:cool:

[Worldslaziestbusker]

To me,that means ALL good men,without any special pleading.

Hypocrisy is a part of the human condition.Society would simply cease to function without it. I can't help but wonder if the author of that smug little piece understands the irony of his position.:cool:

I'm having trouble spotting the irony of the position, Seamus. Could you map it out for me, please?

[THWOTH]

Good is good, regardless of the religiosity of the agent. Of course, figuring out what 'good' is exactly isn't so simple - one person's good is another's bad, or even evil.

Mr Hamby seems to think that his good should be acknowledged before he will acknowledge the good of others, from which one might reasonably infer that he thinks his good is the goodest.

Why not do good for goodness sake, regardless of religion, its acknowledgement or even its approval?

[Fearless]

Why not do good for goodness sake, regardless of religion, its acknowledgement or even its approval?

Agreed but it's not us that need convincing ;)

In the eyes of many theists, atheists aren't those of good moral standing, so the thought of any good doing by an atheist would be considered an exception over the norm. Seen this narrow minded ignorance time and time again.

[DezinerAU]

All that is needed for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.(Edmund Burke)To me,that means ALL good men,without any special pleading.

…

I can't help but wonder if the author of that smug little piece understands the irony of his position.:cool:

That's my favourite quote, but I don't get your point either, or your accusation of special pleading.

I can't see how him basically saying "walk your talk" is ironic.

[Imperfectpeta]

Quite a good article, he makes some very valid points. It's nice being able to read stuff from eloquent people, gives me something to go with as I aint very good with words >.>

Although, I doubt I would have helped fundraise to fix a church wall... but that might just be me.

[Dane]

I can sympathise with the author, but not empathise. Regardless, it is a very good piece... something as simple as 'walk', don't 'talk', is frequently flouted.

[THWOTH]

Agreed but it's not us that need convincing ;)

In the eyes of many theists, atheists aren't those of good moral standing, so the thought of any good doing by an atheist would be considered an exception over the norm. Seen this narrow minded ignorance time and time again.
So what? What do you want for your good? A medal?

Does it really matter to the good that an atheist does if the religiously inclined think the atheist is automatically of a low moral standing?

Neither is narrow minded ignorance the preserve of the religiously inclined.

Just sayin' :D

[Fearless]

Ease up tiger, I need no medal. I agree with you. My point was rhetorical.

[meddie87]

Agreed but it's not us that need convincing ;)

In the eyes of many theists, atheists aren't those of good moral standing, so the thought of any good doing by an atheist would be considered an exception over the norm. Seen this narrow minded ignorance time and time again.


So what? What do you want for your good? A medal?

Does it really matter to the good that an atheist does if the religiously inclined think the atheist is automatically of a low moral standing?

Neither is narrow minded ignorance the preserve of the religiously inclined.

Just sayin' :D

I actually read Fearless' comment as the opposite of wanting a medal. I understood it as religious people giving us 'mental medals' for good deeds because they expect so little from us morally. You know, because the only possible way to be a morally sound person is by finding Jesus, right? *Rolls eyes*

[THWOTH]

Ease up tiger, I need no medal. I agree with you. My point was rhetorical.

Meooow! (I'm a pussy cat really.) :D

I think sometimes the atheist tends towards the whinge about how the religiously inclined won't grant them the respect they feel they deserve. I try and resist this because, 1) we already know this, and 2) the religiously inclined don't really give a shit about it, or how we feel about it. Personally I see no need for the religious to deem my outlook respectable or to allow, acknowledge or accept my point of view, their thoughts on the matter are generally fixed and mostly irrelevant. Of course, I don't live in a theocracy so I have the luxury of being allowed that opinion.

Anyway, sorry if I was on a bit of a hair-trigger there.

:soz: