Tbhatti says "Atheism: You're Doing It All Wrong!"

[tbhatti]

I think you guys are giving this guy way to much attention. His opinion piece has around 120 'likes' and around 130 comments. I think the best thing to do is ignore him. What I can’t work out is why he has got so many people angry. It is a pretty basic piece and should not have got so much attention.
May as well say my piece:

A couple of points got to me. Firstly, he did pretty well at lampooning the campaign against SRI and chaplains. It did make us look a bit pathetic when you consider that most atheists have been pretty silent on issues of hard-caore porn, and violence in the media. If we really cared about the rights of kids, which most of us would, why are we screaming like banshees on this and silent on the other stuff?

Secondly, he doesn’t actually try and defend access ministries, and his freedom of religion line is hard to rebut- are we saying we want to take people’s universal right to freedom of assemble and religion away? Maybe some are- I'm not. I don;t believe in gods and think it is rubbish, but I look pretty narrow-minded if I try to impede other poeple's freedom to beleive something different.

ANd finally, I am embarrassed by the comments against his article. I mean, have you read them? It makes atheists and opponents of SRI and chaplains look like a bunch of vile screaming abusive gits. We need to be careful of the tone in these forums. SUre, we are passionate about our stance against belief in gods, etc, but it only makes us look like narrow-minded idiots when we are so vicious and nasty in teh comments.

[AFA Admin]

Hi tbhatti

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[Atrax Robustus]

Originally Posted by tbhatti

A couple of points got to me. Firstly, he did pretty well at lampooning the campaign against SRI and chaplains. It did make us look a bit pathetic when you consider that most atheists have been pretty silent on issues of hard-caore porn, and violence in the media. If we really cared about the rights of kids, which most of us would, why are we screaming like banshees on this and silent on the other stuff?

Most atheists in this country could care less!

Originally Posted by tbhatti

I don;t believe in gods and think it is rubbish, but I look pretty narrow-minded if I try to impede other poeple's freedom to beleive something different.

. . . and you're happy to allow them open access to children to convince them that what they believe in is the truth?

Originally Posted by tbhatti

ANd finally, I am embarrassed by the comments against his article.

I'm not.

Originally Posted by tbhatti

I mean, have you read them? It makes atheists and opponents of SRI and chaplains look like a bunch of vile screaming abusive gits. We need to be careful of the tone in these forums. SUre, we are passionate about our stance against belief in gods, etc, but it only makes us look like narrow-minded idiots when we are so vicious and nasty in teh comments.

Who is we? Am I the only member of the non-believer community who isn't part of some club that has an agreed doctrine? C'mon all you atheists - why have I been excluded from this organisation?

[Loki]

but I look pretty narrow-minded if I try to impede other poeple's freedom to believe something different.

I couldn't care less what people believe in their own homes and clubs. I do care when they push their unevidenced beliefs on children.

While we're at it could you tell me how violence and porn relate to the indoctrination of children into the unevidenced and irrational fear of an imaginary celestial curtain twitcher, cause I can't work out the connection.

[Logic please]

How quaint... someone who doesn't extend the basic courtesy of introducing themselves to the forum, instead kicks off with a lecture about how "we atheists" should present "ourselves". Oh well, welcome to the forum...

Originally Posted by tbhatti

I think you guys are giving this guy way to much attention. His opinion piece has around 120 'likes' and around 130 comments. I think the best thing to do is ignore him. What I can’t work out is why he has got so many people angry. It is a pretty basic piece and should not have got so much attention.

Thanks so much for the gratuitous advice. You can even follow it, if you wish. Others wish not to. My Irony Meter^TM exploded, in light of this later comment:

Originally Posted by tbhatti

Maybe some are- I'm not. I don;t believe in gods and think it is rubbish, but I look pretty narrow-minded if I try to impede other poeple's freedom to beleive something different.

Yet you would restrict others' freedom of thought and expression. Hypocrisy, much???

Originally Posted by tbhatti

Firstly, he did pretty well at lampooning the campaign against SRI and chaplains.

Your opinion only. The OP has made a contrary and cogent argument. Would you like to have a go at substantively addressing it, or is bare assertion enough for you? Because, if you've read your Intro post, you'll know that it isn't enough, here.

Originally Posted by tbhatti

It did make us look a bit pathetic when you consider that most atheists have been pretty silent on issues of hard-caore porn, and violence in the media. If we really cared about the rights of kids, which most of us would, why are we screaming like banshees on this and silent on the other stuff?

Firstly, who the fuck is this "us" and "we" you refer to? Sorry, but you have got hold of the wrong end of a stick that doesn't actually exist.

The AFA (and forum) doesn't "control" its members like a religion might. Members are free to hold and express their own opinions on whatever topics they wish.

Secondly, your attempt at argument is a non-sequitur. The existence of the other problems you mentioned does not logically preclude discussion or comment on this one. There is no causal or priority relationship between them.

And anyway, who says that arguments against SRI or chaplaincy are limited purely to the rights of children? Oh, that's right, only you...

Originally Posted by tbhatti

Secondly, he doesn’t actually try and defend access ministries, and his freedom of religion line is hard to rebut- are we saying we want to take people’s universal right to freedom of assemble and religion away?

The "freedom of religion" line is actually dead-easy to rebut, and it's been done countless times. You'd know that if you had made a basic search of existing threads of this forum. Go on, try it!

Your "freedom of religion" strawman is even easier to rebut - please provide evidence that anyone on this forum has actually advocated what you accused people of? And if you have no evidence, I trust a full retraction will quickly follow.

Originally Posted by tbhatti

ANd finally, I am embarrassed by the comments against his article. I mean, have you read them? It makes atheists and opponents of SRI and chaplains look like a bunch of vile screaming abusive gits. We need to be careful of the tone in these forums. SUre, we are passionate about our stance against belief in gods, etc, but it only makes us look like narrow-minded idiots when we are so vicious and nasty in teh comments.

Your opinion only, and unevidenced opinions don't count for much here. Any comments you might find objectionable were not made by the AFA, the forum, or anyone acting in the capacity of representative of these. Have you any evidence to the contrary???

This forum is not the place to take up your gripes against the "tone" of posters elsewhere on teh interwebz. And your presumption in lecturing us about being "careful of the tone", having been here for approximately 5 minutes, can go jump. Speak for yourself only, thanks.

[Lord Blackadder]

Counting down until tbhatti attacks the AFA's definition of atheism. In five... four... three... two... one...

[Jaar-Gilon]

I'd comment but I don't want to miss Ass Ramming Sluts IV on channel 9, it starts in a couple of minutes!

[Worldslaziestbusker]

Originally Posted by tbhatti

It did make us look a bit pathetic when you consider that most atheists have been pretty silent on issues of hard-caore porn, and violence in the media. If we really cared about the rights of kids, which most of us would, why are we screaming like banshees on this and silent on the other stuff?

We need to be careful of the tone in these forums. SUre, we are passionate about our stance against belief in gods, etc, but it only makes us look like narrow-minded idiots when we are so vicious and nasty in teh comments.

I have been waiting so long for a leader.
Please tell me more about how I should act and what I should think.
Then pull your head in.
Or out. You do sound a little muffled.

[robertkd]

Originally Posted by tbhatti

ANd finally, I am embarrassed by the comments against his article. I mean, have you read them? It makes atheists and opponents of SRI and chaplains look like a bunch of vile screaming abusive gits.

I think you missed the point.

Article 18-2 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.

Also I am not embarrassed by the comments.

[Xeno]

If tbhatti has any persistence beyond a single post, I might have something to say about their comments. Otherwise it was a random noise.