Is it harder to be an agnostic or atheist than religious?

[QUOTE="TrashBoat"]Are you ****ing me? Atheism is practically taught in schools and there are alot less Christian entertainers. Atheists are in no way victims, they are one of the most disliked groups because they are intellectual snobs who turn their nose at anyone of the Christian faith. In b4 some Atheist calls me a redneck or backwards hillbilly for being a Republican.CycleOfViolence

I'm curious as to how atheism is taught in schools.

Lol at that teacher.

[QUOTE="CycleOfViolence"]

[QUOTE="TrashBoat"]Are you ****ing me? Atheism is practically taught in schools and there are alot less Christian entertainers. Atheists are in no way victims, they are one of the most disliked groups because they are intellectual snobs who turn their nose at anyone of the Christian faith. In b4 some Atheist calls me a redneck or backwards hillbilly for being a Republican.Acemaster27

I'm curious as to how atheism is taught in schools.

Any teacher worth his salt wouldn't discuss those kind of things. They usually would rather have a job then feebly attempt to crush a child's religious opinion.

Any teacher worth his salt wouldn't discuss those kind of things. They usually would rather have a job then feebly attempt to crush a child's religious opinion.

Hubadubalubahu

[QUOTE="Hubadubalubahu"]

Any teacher worth his salt wouldn't discuss those kind of things. They usually would rather have a job then feebly attempt to crush a child's religious opinion.

Acemaster27

It would only take one kid to go home and tell his parents. The parents would rally and pounce on the schoolboard like hyenas. Just seems to me he's walking a thin line for very little reason.

Well, religion is easier to believe in. To simply assume "God did it"; the very nature of western religions being assumption without thought, I'd say religion is easier.

Well, religion is easier to believe in. To simply assume "God did it", the very nature of western religions being assumption without though, I'd say religion is easier.

TopTierHustler

Its pretty hard being an atheist in a very religious country. Then again explaining to people that you are an agnostic and what that means can be an annoying process I think.

I think it all depends on how "sure" someone is about their lack of belief. Is it a rejection of religious claims due to a lack of evidence supporting them, or is it a rejection based on the disgust of the teachings themselves? Personally, I never really fell into the latter category until this year, when I finally hit my "breaking point" of desperation for answers and nearly converting to Christianity. For the longest time, I felt that religion offered something I couldn't get from science, or mere indulgence in what life offers. I was asking those existentialist questions everyone asks at some point in their life. I ended up trying practically every theistic or life-denying religion from ancient times (Sumerianism and Vedism) through currently extant ancient religions (Buddhism, Islam, etc.) and even considered modern "new religious movements" (Wicca, neo-paganism, etc.). Nothing gave me the answers I needed, and through sheer frustration at the lack of progress, I think my consciousness finally "blew out" and I just realized that all I know is that I get this life, so I better enjoy it. Here is a quote I read recently that really resonates with all the time I spent studying religion: "The more I study religions, the more I am convinced that man never worshipped anything but himself." Sir Richard F. Burton It really is amusing to think that deities, in all their concepts and forms, are really just a way for humanity to externalize ideals they have for themselves, to worship themselves by proxy. It makes me wonder why we went from deities like Dionysus and reveling in sex, booze and the pleasures of life, to "God" and abstinence, teetotalling and the rejection of carnal happiness, for the slight chance we might gain greater pleasure after we leave our physical bodies behind (what are we going to enjoy if we are nothing but incorporeal energy!?). Even before I found Buddhism, I pretty much worshiped the power of sexuality, and spent the decade after that trying to find a religion that did the same. I found none, and feel like I wasted a lot of time on something I already knew as a child and teenager (the former was more a reverence for the things around me, and the simple pleasures, rather than sex).Zeviander

I freaking love you

FoolyCooly I will be your friend noone is but I support you if they do not ban me it is hard being agnostic. UnGarde

I freaking love youwis3boi

[QUOTE="UnGarde"]FoolyCooly I will be your friend noone is but I support you if they do not ban me it is hard being agnostic. DarkOfKnight

Except in certaion places, like the middle east, what beliefs you have don't really affect your standing with others unless you're obnoxious with them, and that goes for everyone.

The internet is the only place I get mocked for being christian and the only person I know who get chewed out for their beliefs are one of my friends who converted to atheism and is going through that phase where he thinks he knows everything, so he's just incredibly annoying right now. Once he stops doing that, know one I know will care.

So, at least where I live, it's the same life for everyone.

Being an atheist in a predominantly Muslim country, I haven't noticed much hardship being directed at me from anyone else. For the vast majority of cases, I would say that from a range of least persecuted to most persecuted it's dominant religious group > nonreligious > niche religious group. The only real problems I've had to deal with as an atheist is reading all the utterly f*cking stupid arguments that religious people produce when they try to argue that I should believe in their specific religion.

Depends where you live. For me, Im 33 and my entire family is very christian and as far as they know I still believe. I won't tell them I don't because it's just not worth it. I just keep it to myself. My wife is a Christian as well and although I've shared my beliefs with her, we are on opposite sides. So overall not so easy for me...Really the only place I can share my beliefs is here and I think that is pretty cool. Yeah, not everyone will agree with my beliefs, but that's ok. At least there's a place to speak up a bit. I think many of you fail to realize that.

[QUOTE="CycleOfViolence"]

[QUOTE="TrashBoat"]Are you ****ing me? Atheism is practically taught in schools and there are alot less Christian entertainers. Atheists are in no way victims, they are one of the most disliked groups because they are intellectual snobs who turn their nose at anyone of the Christian faith. In b4 some Atheist calls me a redneck or backwards hillbilly for being a Republican.TrashBoat

I'm curious as to how atheism is taught in schools.

Depends on where you live, both can be equally dangerous.

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

Bigboi500

[QUOTE="TrashBoat"][QUOTE="CycleOfViolence"]

I'm curious as to how atheism is taught in schools.

Elann2008

[QUOTE="Elann2008"][QUOTE="TrashBoat"] The theory of evolution is taught as a fact in many schools.gameking5000

[QUOTE="Elann2008"][QUOTE="TrashBoat"] The theory of evolution is taught as a fact in many schools.gameking5000

Do they? I guess it does make more sense for the religious to pick on the people rather than their beliefs.

it is not hard at all to be atheist, agnostic, or religious. there is nothing preventing any belief, now if you want to be a vocal @sshole and attempt to impose whatever your deficient view is on others.... that is a whole other subject. even if free expression is under attack thought is still and for the foreseeable future will be free.

i wish people would stop playing the victim card, just because people call you out on being a bigoted @sshole when you call them stupid for their beliefs in an attempt to shame them into your views does not speak badly about them, it is just you being a @sshole

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.Bigboi500

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

Bigboi500

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

Bigboi500

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.Zeviander

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

-Sun_Tzu-

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

-Sun_Tzu-

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"][QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

Bigboi500

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"] I just looked deep within myself and I guess my spiritual force is MIA, because it ain't there. -Sun_Tzu-

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"][QUOTE="Bigboi500"]You'd have to abstain from worldly pleasures and distractions for a few days, and meditate to find it. Fast, avoid sex, avoid American Idol and Kanye West, the internet, music and tv. Then focus on nothing but your breathing in and out, and it shall awaken within you!

Bigboi500

If that's what it takes to open the door I would've knocked down the entire house by now.

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"]I've actually done all of that before. Still, nothing. -Sun_Tzu-

If that's what it takes to open the door I would've knocked down the entire house by now.

[QUOTE="Bigboi500"]I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.Zeviander

Weren't you following the Buddhist religion at one time? If I recall correctly they shun emotions as delusions of the mind, and that avoiding them leads to true peace and happiness.Bigboi500

I don't believe in the church's God per-se, and definitely not in that institution, just that there is an almighty Father of Creation, whether it's "the Great Seshem" or "Great Father" that some Native Americans believe, or "Allah", or "God" it doesn't really matter. I believe this God lives through his creations, and we are to blame for the heaven or hell that we create ourselves here on earth.Bigboi500

Are you ****ing me? Atheism is practically taught in schools and there are alot less Christian entertainers. Atheists are in no way victims, they are one of the most disliked groups because they are intellectual snobs who turn their nose at anyone of the Christian faith. In b4 some Atheist calls me a redneck or backwards hillbilly for being a Republican.TrashBoat

I see you're into stereo types.

From my experience on GS, I'd say it's harder to be either and not speak pejoratively of the other.

I don't understand why people chose to be atheist. If you know yourself from deep within you should be able to realize that there is a spiritual force there if you can sift through your own blinding emotions. Animals don't have the ability to see it, but people do because of their self-awareness and consciousness, so simply choosing to be atheist is no better than being an unaware dog.

Bigboi500

I don't choose to be atheist. It's simply who I am. I refuse to and cannot believe in old world values and fairy tales.

I feel compelled to not give in to religion, the fear of what is after death. Only recently has humanity had the chance to refute religion; the same religions that held us back for so long and still do. I want to take that chance. Many atheists give up, often in their older years they become religious because they know they are getting closer to death. I can't do that, I'll proudly be going to my grave an atheist.

I don't hate religion, infact I'm fascinated with it. I think its time on Earth is over however, it's had its run and now its time for a new era of deeper understanding that science and knowledge has finally granted us.