Where did you the the impression that I was making a call for anything?
My dad and best friend are republicans
- Thread starter Jayson
- Start date
Where did you the the impression that I was making a call for anything?
My girlfriend and my mother are both religious, so I do and I have no reason to change my mind on this basis.
You know we could end this back and forth if you'd stop these ridiculous generalisations. Unless you've done a poll I don't see how you can make these statements with the certainty you ascribe to them.
Yeah, agreed. His argument just doesn't hold water. It's not like any of us grew up completely isolated from religion and its effects. I think we're all qualified enough to make the statement you made further up.
TremblingBluStar is basically just saying we don't know better because we lack exposure to religion and I think that's not true.
This is a complete non-starter as a dismissal. You do realize that the vast majority of the irreligious, atheists, agnostics, etc. in Western nations were in fact raised in religious families, right? Meaning they were probably religious themselves for a significant portion of their younger lives, their immediate and extended families probably have many religious people, and given the prevalence of religion in Western societies they would likely have numerous friends, coworkers, teachers, neighbors, and other acquaintances who were religious. Barring growing up in North Korea or some other totalitarian state, I would say it's nearly impossible to not grow up exposed to people of some kind of faith.
In an attempt to be less flammatory, I should probably qualify my statement as meaning that religion/spirituality are no longer required for their original function of providing a foundation for social order. In other words: not needed. I know tens of millions find it fulfilling and that it adds meaning to their lives - I'm not channelling Richard Dawkins here.
Where TBS does have a point is that I get the feeling some people's only image of a person of faith (that they knew well) is someone who was a jerk or hateful person. Such people happen, unfortunately, but they do not represent all of us. I know very well that's not always a reason that someone does not believe or gave up their faith. But that can be true in some cases. It sucks when someone's had a bad experience. I know it does. Hell, I've been on the wrong end of it myself, just because I did not believe in the same way as another Christian so I know how it hurts. But such people do not define all of us. 
I know you're not specifically addressing anyone, but I feel like responding anyway to say that I certainly haven't had a negative impression of anyone close to me due to their faith. I have encountered people of faith who were extremely hypocritical or made me uncomfortable with their zealotry, however.
I myself dabbled in religion briefly in University, but I've been content to be atheist/agnostic otherwise.
