Can you have strong atheism/secularism without racism?

[P7PSP]

The idea is that an Atheist believes there is no God, the same way a Christian believes in Jesus as the Son of God, etc. As far as I'm concerned, if somebody wants to believe in the flying spaghetti monster, they're welcome to do so. Obviously, if they wish to convince me, they need some evidence &/ or reason that I can agree with, first.

Where I disagree with that ^^^ comparison of atheism is that where believing in Yahweh/Jesus requires belief that an invisible friend
1. made the earth and populated it with life in the span 6 days
2. drowned all life on earth except the one pair of each land species that were fitted on an ark and floated around for 40 days
3. opened the Red Sea long enough to allow the Israelites to run across it and promptly drowned the pursuing Egyptian army after the Israelites were safe
4. had prophets living for up to 1069 years
5. caused a virgin to give birth to his son who was then
6. killed, buried in cave and resurrected

whereas atheism simply requires lack of belief in such whopping claims by various religions because of lack of supporting evidence.

[BruceCM]

I was merely outlining the beliefs?

["couldbecousin"]

Atheism has become a religion,

Being part of a religion isnt a good thing

does not looking at the gods as deities ( but yet believing in the existence of those beings)  make one an atheist.

I can agree with some atheism having certain aspects in common with religion, particularly with respect to evangelical atheists. Even though I can not conclusively prove that God(s)* don't exist I don't consider it reasonable for me to pretend that he/she/it might exist given the dearth of supporting evidence for existence.

*Likewise I do not give serious credence to the possible existence of winged horses, elves, flying spaghetti monsters or chupacabras.

 Well, you are wrong on at least one count, cause here I am! 

[P7PSP]

Atheism has become a religion,

Being part of a religion isnt a good thing

does not looking at the gods as deities ( but yet believing in the existence of those beings)  make one an atheist.

I can agree with some atheism having certain aspects in common with religion, particularly with respect to evangelical atheists. Even though I can not conclusively prove that God(s)* don't exist I don't consider it reasonable for me to pretend that he/she/it might exist given the dearth of supporting evidence for existence.

*Likewise I do not give serious credence to the possible existence of winged horses, elves, flying spaghetti monsters or chupacabras.

 Well, you are wrong on at least one count, cause here I am! 

Getting pizza sauce all over your face @ Napoli's doesn't make you an FSM missy. 

[skyblue1]

Atheism has become a religion,

Being part of a religion isnt a good thing

does not looking at the gods as deities ( but yet believing in the existence of those beings)  make one an atheist.

I can agree with some atheism having certain aspects in common with religion, particularly with respect to evangelical atheists. Even though I can not conclusively prove that God(s)* don't exist I don't consider it reasonable for me to pretend that he/she/it might exist given the dearth of supporting evidence for existence.

*Likewise I do not give serious credence to the possible existence of winged horses, elves, flying spaghetti monsters or chupacabras.

 Well, you are wrong on at least one count, cause here I am! 

Getting pizza sauce all over your face @ Napoli's doesn't make you an FSM missy. 

hands CBC  a napkin

[P7PSP]

You are a true gentleman sometimes Skyblue. 

[skyblue1]

You are a true gentleman sometimes Skyblue. 

edited to say....yeah, yeah I know

["couldbecousin"]

Famous atheists like Dawkins and Hitchens (RIP) are often being accused of being racist and intolerant.  I know Hitchens was a lot more political and angry than the philosophical Dawkins, but even Dawkins used metaphors like "the Burka of ignorance" in his book.
I have seen violent debates on whether IE Judaism is a race or a religion, but I think religions are connected with ethnic groups and obviously critisism of religion is used by racists.    There is a gay rights protester in the UK who claimed that at a march against a far right party he was told (by white people) not to show his gay rights placard as it was creating insensitive division against ethnic minorites.   No idea how true the story but thats what he said.  I guess what I wonder is can you have strong secularism without creating division and offense against minorities.  Obviously in theory you should but it seems the media and book companies prefer the offensive speakers as more entertaining?

I guess what I really wonder is, is it essentially offensive/patronising to be a western liberal who is against religion and considers it a good work to persuade all people to give up religion, voting for parties that marginalize religion.  When members of religions are often scapegoated at the moment.

 I am secular because I don't care to practice any religion, not because I want to impose my
 agnosticism on everyone else, and certainly not because I wish to demonize minorities by
 criticizing their religions.  I could be a racist (if I wanted to be) whether I
 were secular or not.       

[P7PSP]

You certainly created enough trouble in Calif while you were visiting.

["couldbecousin"]

You certainly created enough trouble in Calif while you were visiting.

 But I created it equally, with abundant love and respect, for all races and creeds. 

["couldbecousin"]

Atheism has become a religion,

Being part of a religion isnt a good thing

does not looking at the gods as deities ( but yet believing in the existence of those beings)  make one an atheist.

I can agree with some atheism having certain aspects in common with religion, particularly with respect to evangelical atheists. Even though I can not conclusively prove that God(s)* don't exist I don't consider it reasonable for me to pretend that he/she/it might exist given the dearth of supporting evidence for existence.

*Likewise I do not give serious credence to the possible existence of winged horses, elves, flying spaghetti monsters or chupacabras.

 Well, you are wrong on at least one count, cause here I am! 

Getting pizza sauce all over your face @ Napoli's doesn't make you an FSM missy. 

 I ate my pizza with utensils and stayed fresh and clean throughout the meal. 

[skyblue1]

Eating pizza with utensils isnt considered proper manners, here in the trailer park.

We stuff it in our mouths follow with a beer and belch

Then wipe our faces with sleeves or shirtails

[BruceCM]

Eating pizza with utensils isnt considered proper manners, here in the trailer park.

We stuff it in our mouths follow with a beer and belch

Then wipe our faces with sleeves or shirtails

I do cut mine into 4 & prefer Sambucka & lemonade to beer but that's about the idea! lol

[MutieTom]

I guess I wonder is there a difference between valid criticism of a religion and bashing/bigotry.  Is it ever valid to critisise a religion as a whole.

[Al Swearegen]

I have known some great people who are Christian. Great people who are muslim. Great people who are Buddhist. Great people who are agnostic and a lot of great people who are Atheist. I have know asshats in all these belief systems.
What does that tell us? It is not as much the belief as the person believing. A good person of the faith will draw positives out of it and not seek out the negatives and the asshat will find their belief structures as a hammer to beat shit out of the people who are different.
I think bashing a religion for its absurdities and for its belief structures which allow such uses as a hammer are fair game.
To colour all people of that religion as wrong or stereotyping them is the type of intolerance that is found when people are bigotted against race, gender, nationality and whatever. But bashing a believer's faith? Different kettle of fish.