I started this thread because there is a couple of religious people here who subtly trash non-believers. The thread that started this series was one that implied that so-called "militant atheism" is a religion. This is nonsense.

I agree wholeheartedly with what Stilly River Sage has to say.


"Is it fair to say that you start threads like this to trash non-believers. Or would you rather just admit that your statement is in error?"

This is pure sophistry. It's an attempt to belittle my defense against religious bullying and bigotry by twisting words.

"Are you aware that the constitution only protects people from government interference in their speech? It would be a good thing for you to keep in mind."

The Constitution protects people from unwarranted religious intrusion into their lives by prohibiting it as a litmus test for public office.



"The vitriol on this forum about religion on this forum comes overwhelmingly from a few people who are not religious and there is no lack of uncivilized talk on each and all of the topics you mentioned."

This is not true. There's plenty of religious bullying and vitriol to go around.

"On the topic of religion I don't see much civilized discussion on your part. You tend to lecture, "discussion" implies balanced communication."

On the contrary, the authoritarian pronouncements are not coming from me. I see no balanced communication coming on this topic with such nonsense as "militant atheism is a religion". That's not balanced, that's absurd.

>>I still maintain that there is a large percentage of religious people who take it upon themselves to deride or degrade non-belief because of their indoctrination.<<

"No one has argued that. Though I might ask you to put some numbers behind "large percentage."

The bulk of religious folk overwhelmingly denigrate non-believers and many of them are in government. They do so by implication if not violent reactions of a physical nature. The numbers are staggering, beyond an ability to tally them.

The prejudice against same-sex marriage is a case in point. Here's an article that defines the role of religion today on the subject of marriage.

Christian hypocrisy

"It has been argued that there are a few very vocal non-believers who take it upon themselves to deride or degrade belief because of their indoctrination or lack of it."

That percentage compared to those who deride non-belief is small. I would say that
belief systems need to be challenged if they defy logic just as Democratic Party members can challenge Republican Party members on the basis of their respective ideologies.

Name-calling such as referring to "militant atheism" is an attempt to belittle non-belief.