Comments on: Counfounding stereotypes http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/ investigating other people's beliefs Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:22:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Eshu http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/comment-page-1/#comment-90 Eshu Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:59:50 +0000 http://bridgingschisms.org/?p=13#comment-90 Thanks amiable. Indeed at the very least we can try not to conform to the stereotype. Small steps, I guess. Thanks amiable. Indeed at the very least we can try not to conform to the stereotype. Small steps, I guess.

]]> By: amiable http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/comment-page-1/#comment-80 amiable Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:30:35 +0000 http://bridgingschisms.org/?p=13#comment-80 Great post! I think by being thoughtful and considerate, an atheist can do lots of good to fight against the negative stereotypes. If you are the only atheist a believer ever encounters and you are insulting and rude, you will only serve to strengthen the stereotype. Great post!

I think by being thoughtful and considerate, an atheist can do lots of good to fight against the negative stereotypes.

If you are the only atheist a believer ever encounters and you are insulting and rude, you will only serve to strengthen the stereotype.

]]> By: yunshui http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/comment-page-1/#comment-48 yunshui Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:33:39 +0000 http://bridgingschisms.org/?p=13#comment-48 Chaplain: Ugh, don't remind me. Far too many many hours of my life were lost to droning sermons of such unutterable tedium that space-time appeared to distort and a single hour lasted for about two weeks. <a href="http://www.anothergoddamnedpodcast.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">60 minutes of atheist ranting</a>, however, goes by much too quickly - but at least I can do the ironing at the same time. Chaplain:

Ugh, don’t remind me. Far too many many hours of my life were lost to droning sermons of such unutterable tedium that space-time appeared to distort and a single hour lasted for about two weeks. 60 minutes of atheist ranting, however, goes by much too quickly – but at least I can do the ironing at the same time.

]]> By: the chaplain http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/comment-page-1/#comment-47 the chaplain Sun, 06 Jul 2008 23:09:18 +0000 http://bridgingschisms.org/?p=13#comment-47 <i>two hours of listening to people sing and pray and hold their hands in the air gets a bit tedious</i> There are plenty of Christians who would agree with you. Unless they are planned and executed well, services that go beyond 60-75 minutes get tedious for even the most fervent believers. two hours of listening to people sing and pray and hold their hands in the air gets a bit tedious

There are plenty of Christians who would agree with you. Unless they are planned and executed well, services that go beyond 60-75 minutes get tedious for even the most fervent believers.

]]> By: Eshu http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Eshu Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:10:58 +0000 http://bridgingschisms.org/?p=13#comment-46 yunshui, That's heartbreaking to hear. I bet you really tried to reason with her too. I can see why some brands of religion try to encourage this sort of thinking (the JWs do it to extremes). Cutting people off from people outside the religion encourages the one-view mindset and no doubt scares the bejebus out of anyone considering leaving, if their only friends are within the religion. It's frightening and cult-like. yunshui,

That’s heartbreaking to hear. I bet you really tried to reason with her too.

I can see why some brands of religion try to encourage this sort of thinking (the JWs do it to extremes). Cutting people off from people outside the religion encourages the one-view mindset and no doubt scares the bejebus out of anyone considering leaving, if their only friends are within the religion. It’s frightening and cult-like.

]]> By: yunshui http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/comment-page-1/#comment-45 yunshui Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:08:59 +0000 http://bridgingschisms.org/?p=13#comment-45 I think the reason that so many Christians think we hate them is that their religion is so entwined with their sense of self that any attack on it is viewed as a personal assault. I have (had) one friend who, sadly, decided that because I was no longer a Christian she could no longer be friends with me - in her words, "Every time I look at you it's like you've slapped me in the face" (I hasten to add that no actual slapping was involved...). The reason? By being - just by <i>being</i> an atheist - I was subtly saying her religion was worthless, and by extension, that she was worthless. No amount of explanation availed. The inexorable grasp that religion has on people's minds makes them believe it is a part of their own psyche. Thus, any animosity towards religion is by their definition, <i>ad hominem</i>. I think the reason that so many Christians think we hate them is that their religion is so entwined with their sense of self that any attack on it is viewed as a personal assault. I have (had) one friend who, sadly, decided that because I was no longer a Christian she could no longer be friends with me – in her words, “Every time I look at you it’s like you’ve slapped me in the face” (I hasten to add that no actual slapping was involved…). The reason? By being – just by being an atheist – I was subtly saying her religion was worthless, and by extension, that she was worthless. No amount of explanation availed.

The inexorable grasp that religion has on people’s minds makes them believe it is a part of their own psyche. Thus, any animosity towards religion is by their definition, ad hominem.

]]> By: Robert Madewell http://bridgingschisms.org/2008/07/counfounding-stereotypes/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Robert Madewell Fri, 04 Jul 2008 02:44:16 +0000 http://bridgingschisms.org/?p=13#comment-44 I was asked by a minister why an atheist like me would go to church. I said, "Because I was invited." I think your experience is typical. Usually when I go to church, nobody has any idea that I'm an atheist. Probably because I am an ex-christian and am very familiar with the rituals. People are usually shocked to discover that I am an atheist. Seems that I don't fit the stereotype. I doubt that there are many atheists that do. I was asked by a minister why an atheist like me would go to church. I said, “Because I was invited.”

I think your experience is typical. Usually when I go to church, nobody has any idea that I’m an atheist. Probably because I am an ex-christian and am very familiar with the rituals. People are usually shocked to discover that I am an atheist. Seems that I don’t fit the stereotype. I doubt that there are many atheists that do.

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