Because at least half of theist push their beliefs on others

And sometimes trying to find happiness can be immoral

The point of flogging this dead equine "the god problem" is not simply to piss on someone else's parade as "badwrongfun" or worse but, among philosophizers, to wrestle over establishing a metaphysical baseline: Is reality actively / passively godly (i.e. supernatural) or godless (i.e. natural)? upon which all other philosophical topics depend or, at least, by which they are framed. Most, it seems, default to one metaphysics or another; for a vocal minority, however, this (ur-)question is / will always be a live issue. I'm not evangelical about it but I do feel intellectually duty-bound, so to speak, to exorcise and dispel the Old Shadow (sky daddy, zombie-rabbi-on-a-stick, baba yaga) whenever proselytizers & woo-thumpers conjure It (him), especially in politics.

Even most Christians will say that having faith in order to feel fuzzy is sin

Honestly, your behavior is just the same just rehashing it with different ideals.

And your perspective is flawed.

Take this example:, your first experience with a different ethnicity is someone who is a crack head ex-con. Now your perspective is a skewed and believe everyone from that ethnicity is a crack head ex-con.

That is the message I am relaying that your way of thinking is Stero-typing everyone like what you think.

But the presumption that all Christian’s are opinionated people who force there belief system on you is falling close in the lines of prejudice thinking.

That is not true.

Is like believing all black people are criminals

All latino’s are illegal immigrants

Or all Asian know Kung Fu.

Aren’t we here to teach tolerance and diverse thinking?

We need to dispel this notion of a tyrannical sky daddy if humanity is going to progress. The masses cling to this idea of eternal salvation and this myth stunts psychological growth and prohibits humanity from realizing its destiny.

It was a lockdown baby.

This is a philosophy forum, where one would hope people would want to use reason to attempt to establish tentative conclusions about the many aspects of reality.

If there is one alleged entity with supreme power over human affairs, it would be of interest to examine this idea. Being that so many people believe in it and also being that it causes much suffering despite doing good, it is only fair for people here to point out why such reasons given for this entity are not persuasive.

This ideas has governed much of the "West" for thousands of years, with sub-optimal results...

We need to dispel this notion of a tyrannical sky daddy if humanity is going to progress. The masses cling to this idea of eternal salvation and this myth stunts psychological growth and prohibits humanity from realizing its destiny. — K Turner

Sorry but that is a bunch of hog wash motivated by prejudice thinking. Using logic as an excuse to spread intolerance.

Every person has a right to believe what they want without persecution or condemnation.

And this so called philosophy is nothing more than propaganda.

The same type of propaganda you would see from racial stereotyping back in the 50’s

Every person has a right to believe what they want without persecution or condemnation. — SteveMinjares

The question is never about the "right to believe" but whether or not "belief in god/s" is rationally warranted. Philosophical discussions and arguments on this point ard not "persecution or condemnation"; if a "believer" feels merely examining her "god/s-belief" is threatening, then she ought not to engage in such discussions. Mostly I find that, observing new thread postings here on TPF in the last year or so as a handy sample, bible/woo-thumpers often proselytizing their faux-grievances and freethinkers usually just responding forcefully – not evangelically – to these evidence-free and sanctimonious provocations.

I would like to give some input here.
Yes, some atheists often try to shove down their opinions on theist people.
I believe there to be 2 reason for this.
1) Because atheist dont want theist people to end up being unhappy over something that wasnt logical to begin with. For example:- It is ok to find happiness in God, but is it ok to blame God for the mistakes you have done? Many theists (not all) do it and atheists try to reduce it.
2) Because they don't care about other's opinions and think that only 1 opinion to exist.

The second one of course is an immoral thing to do.
I was never born into a family where my father is an atheist and my mother is a theist (She doesn't believe in a particular God, but believes there to be one.)
As a result, I always had the choice to consider myself a atheist or a theist.
I just happened to not need to find happiness and meaning in God, and thus became an atheist.
However, many people I knew couldn't fathom a world which wasn't created by God.
So, in order to not get bashed about being an athiest (in a hindu surrounding), i had to tell people why God doesnt exist.
Note that I didnt do it because I felt like it was the right thing to do, but because If i didnt, people would think that I am an atheist because I dont truly understand religion.
Although once I grew up to be around 13-15 years old, theists just want to bash on atheist just as much as atheist want to bash on theist.
It isnt a one way argument, both sides have been wrong.

Now that I have more experience with people, I know its fine for people to be either theists or atheist, as long as they agree their flaws.
Atheists aren't greater humans. Just because they believe in truth or dont need to find happiness in something, doesnt mean they are somehow better than others. And atheists should agree to this fact.
Theists also have to agree on the fact, that they simply use religion as a way to find security and happiness, and shouldn't try to prove that Gods exist, as it is most likely false anyways.

What really pisses me off is people forget religion is part of ethnic culture and heritage, part of our history.

Like the Irish catholic belief is slightly different than the Mexican Catholic belief. Not by what you call dogma standard but how we celebrate it.

Like we Mexican’s celebrate day of the dead on November 1st. Which is part of the Latino culture.

Is not just about believing in a supreme being but is also celebrating the culture that surrounds it.

Undermining our intelligence is undermining a culture.

Whether you want to acknowledge it or not.

There is a need for political correctness when this topic is discussed.

heists also have to agree on the fact, that they simply use religion as a way to find security and happiness, and shouldn't try to prove that Gods exist, as it is most likely false anyways. — Kinglord1090

That is really just a personal which really is none of our business.

But why do we care how others pursue happiness.

If believing that the Earth is flat and wearing a aluminum foil hat gives them security and happiness what right do we have to take that way.

It’s there life style choice they can live it how they want.

We need to dispel this notion of a tyrannical sky daddy if humanity is going to progress. The masses cling to this idea of eternal salvation and this myth stunts psychological growth and prohibits humanity from realizing its destiny. — K Turner

But won't the majority turn to more materialism and consumerism to fill the void of existential angst and meaninglessness without some belief in something more than material existence?
Do you think existentialism is a viable solution for all?

There are many arguments that show God is not needed as an explanation. There are arguments against Christianity. It is legit to rehearsh these because this is a forum for philosophy. Christianity is like Nazism. It's doctrines are bad and most of its member hurt themselves with that religion. All you want is feelings. Those will betray you

But why do we care how others pursue happiness. — SteveMinjares

Some atheists and some theists are content with themselves. Others feel a push to convince other's to believe as they do. I would guess out of a subconscious insecurity that maybe they are wrong, and the more they can convince others to believe as they do, the more they themselves will believe. I know I've been in that state of mind. I'm probably in it now. Anyway, it's another part of human nature. Fighting against the maladies of human nature usually serve to further irritate them. It's easier to light a candle than than curse the darkness? Maybe after one has managed to refrain oneself from cursing the darkness, which is hard.

What is the point? — SteveMinjares

It's a free public service. Adults running around believing characters in children's stories are real has slowed down social progress. And if there is an actual God, then these lies and magical thoughts are a distraction. Some people experienced a great deal of intellectual freedom once released from religious thought patterns, so it is a giving back for some people.

Adults running around believing characters in children's stories are real has slowed down social progress — Cheshire

It's very hard to convince someone to change views without first building rapport and trust. This is why first Steel Manning the other's view, then offering an argument against it, politely, will on average work better than characterizing the other's point of view in the worst possible light before arguing against it.
We have to be an example of discipline and thoughtfulness if we want others to also employ discipline and thoughtfulness.

We have to be an example of discipline and thoughtfulness if we want others to also employ discipline and thoughtfulness. — Yohan

I believe in God and think that most beliefs are based on a literal children's story character. They built an ark in Tennessee. I didn't make them build an ark, so I'm not accepting blame for obvious foolishness.

Follow up: The Ark cost 100million dollars to construct in a state with a household income of 56K. This is a misallocation of resources which has a literal drag on progress towards roads, buildings, anything but silly stories you can't tell adults due to the inability to suspend disbelief enough to enjoy it. It is crippling minds.

Adults running around believing characters in children's stories are real has slowed down social progress. — Cheshire

It sounds more like a dictatorship than being opened mind to me. This type of ideology is border line of Nazism and how if we don’t think like you than they need to be brainwashed or removed from society.

It sounds more like a dictatorship than being opened mind to me. This type of ideology is border line of Nazism and how if we don’t think like you than they need to be brainwashed or removed from society. — SteveMinjares

I think your uncomfortable with the source of your beliefs. I think you can do better.

He said in the OP he is Christian because it gives him tingles. That's building your house on sand if there ever was such a thing

I think your uncomfortable with the source of your beliefs. I think you can do better. — Cheshire

No, Just defending free will, and how all of you are still following the same dogmatic platform but different ideology.

Always preaching about truth but nothing to back up your testimony. If your going to tell me that he is not real show me the proof.

But you don’t even follow your own rules. It just seems is all about ego and the desire to just be right.

Always preaching about truth but nothing to back up your testimony. If your going to tell me that he is not real show me the proof. — SteveMinjares

I think 'he' is real and misrepresented by childish interpretations. Stories are meant to notify us of the existence of God, but not to describe things in a real sense. Religion wants to inject itself into Cosmology, Evolution, secular laws all in order to maintain the world as taught to children for entertainment in many cases.

What is the point? — SteveMinjares

Because it's a philosophy forum, and whether or not God is real is an important philosophical question.

This type of ideology is border line of Nazism and how if we don’t think like you than they need to be brainwashed or removed from society. — SteveMinjares

The trophy for fastest slide into accusations of Nazism when faced with differing points of view just getting your name etched on it, be with you in a moment.

If theology wishes to recede from philosophy altogether then perhaps it will cease to be a philosophical matter. If it wishes to recede from political interference altogether then perhaps no one else will care either. As it stands, religion is found with its grubby nose everywhere, from the transatlantic slave trade to American science classrooms, so it will have to take its criticism and turn the other cheek. Also, in my experience, there are a lot more pro-theism/anti-atheist threads than pro-atheism/anti-theism ones. Are you going to ask the former to shut up as well, or is your

need for political correctness when this topic is discussed — SteveMinjares

very much a case of banning blasphemy on a secular website?

No one ever gives Quakers any shit, you noticed that? Amazing how cool everyone is with you when you're not complete bores about your religion all the time.

He said in the OP he is Christian because it gives him tingles. That's building your house on sand if there ever was such a thing — Gregory

They fancy themselves victims. He may have a great deal of social networking that relies on it. You can't take a belief away from some one that knows it undeniably, so the fact he's threaten suggest a pretender.

:up:

The trophy for fastest slide into accusations of Nazism when faced with differing points of view just getting your name etched on it, be with you in a moment. — Kenosha Kid

:rofl:

When we ask "why do they try to prove God exists", we are NOT saying, they shouldn't. It is really asking about the logical and rational motives and backgrounds for the probes.

In Philosophy, we must ask and argue about anything in doubt and unclear. When we keep silence, Philosophy ceases to be Philosophy.