Why have no atheists posted an AMA thread?

American Medical Association?

@JLeslie AMA= Ask Me Anything.

Because atheism isn’t a religion. There is no philosophy. There are no rules. There is no bible. It isn’t an organization or a club or a denomination or something else. There are no nifty clothes or hats to wear. It just means that one doesn’t believe in a (G)god or a religion, so there’s not much more to know about it.

It’s not like anyone would bother asking, “As an atheist, why do you condemn gays?” or “As an atheist, why are you against ordaining females as priests?” or “As an atheist, why do you think it’s OK to deny certain people the rights that other people in the U.S. get by default by being straight or white?” Because the answer would most likely be, “Uhhhhhhh, I don’t.”

On the other hand, Fluther in general, is a big giant AMA question. Everybody on Fluther asks, and we all answer, to the best of our abilities and interests.

There have been threads where theists ask questions to atheists. That’s similar I guess. Most atheists don’t think of their atheism as a big identifier and it’s not like there is atheist doctrine. If you ask me what I identify with I would say, female, American, Jewish, I don’t think atheist when listing the first things that pop into my head. Being an atheist is a nonissue for me. It only became something I talk about as a reaction to finding out in adulthood that we are hated, not trusted, and misunderstood by so many. I had no idea that was the case growing up.

We can’t speak for the atheist people as a whole. Not that any one person can speak for an entire group when I think about it as I write this, but I mean to say when I meet another atheist it’s not like I feel some sort of instant bond that they have a similar experience or belief system as me.

Because there’s no reason to start a thread where your choice of responses is limited to approximately two: “I don’t know” and ” I don’t care”.
It’s not like they have a bunch of mambo-jumbo to defend. You’re alive, then you die.

@ibstubro That I disagree with. I remember one of our Christian members asked if you don’t get your morals from religion where do you get them from?

Other jellies are surprised to learn many Jewish people are atheists. Some think atheists must have had something bad happen to question their faith. Some people think atheists are communists, etc. I think there are plenty of questions to ask atheists, because people raised in a religious bubble really have no idea that so many atheists are around them, are good people, and want mostly the same things they do. They associate atheism with criminal behavior and a lack of morals.

I want theists to be able to challenge their negative ideas about atheists and ask questions. If they hold negative ideas and wrong assumptions. Not all theists do obviously.

I’m an atheist, but I still have ideas and philosophies about life, I still care very much about how people interact together in society. I might not care because of some possible punishment after death, but I care about repercussions while still here on earth. I don’t just float through life and then die.

My point is that I don’t feel threatened by theists and I don’t feel a desire to challenge any privately held belief that’s not against the law, @JLeslie. And by all means, group together with other like-minded, law abiding individuals for mutual support on a regularly scheduled basis (church).
Personally, I don’t feel like being an agnostic makes me morally superior to theists, and I have no desire to make religious gatherings against the law. Vocal theists tend to believe they are morally superior and try to force their beliefs on others by muddling religion and law.
To be perfectly honest about it, I have been strongly influenced by a few Christians in my adult life. I don’t know that the one who had the greatest impact ever even overtly mentioned his Christianity. We worked together 40–70 hours a week and never once did I have any doubt about his intentions. If I came back from break and there was total chaos, there was no way he could have prevented it. He didn’t curse, talk bad about others, or preach. Guess what? I stopped cursing and talking bad about others and we didn’t discuss our private beliefs. They had to eliminate the jobs to split us apart.

“Hate” is arguably the ugliest word in the English language and one of the most fervently held religious precepts: “Love the sinner, hate the sin.”

Who is talking about grouping together?

Because who gives a rat’s ass.

Because there are barely a handful of questions that would even relate to atheism.

What kind of questions would you expect to see if one of us did, @Hypocrisy_Central?

Sex questions, of course, @Dutchess_III.
@Hypocrisy_Central already has a Godly goodly number on record.

Sex, sex, sex! Man on woman. Man on man. Man on beast. Man on child. Man on sibling. Man on progeny. Lusty, thrusting man hips spilling sperm into and onto all those beneath Him him.

Every single question on fluther is already being fielded by (98%) atheists. It would be redundant.

So, @Apparently_Im_The_Grumpy_One, Fluther is no longer a legitimate Q&A forum, but a site controlled by (98%) atheists?

Apparently you are the grumpy one.

No, I honestly don’t consider this a legitimate Q&A forum.

This isn’t really a Q&A site. It’s really more of a philosophy and politics convention. Yahoo answers is a Q&A site.

Either way, the word
“controlled”
was nowhere in my post.

@Kardamom There are no rules.
Religion or not (even though science is the quasi-religion) in the atheist world rule of law is dictated by who has more weapons and might over those who have less weapons and are weaker, huh?

@JLeslie [..because people raised in a religious bubble really have no idea that so many atheists are around them, are good people,…]
If there are no rule, or standards, how can one determine who is good, bad, evil etc. people just are, how they are seen is only in the minds of those judging them (and judging people is supposed to be bad)

@ragingloli Because there are barely a handful of questions that would even relate to atheism.
I beg to differ.

@ibstubro Sex, sex, sex! Man on woman. Man on man. Man on beast. Man on child. Man on sibling. Man on progeny. Lusty, thrusting man hips spilling sperm into and onto all those beneath Him him
Are you trying to say society doesn’t glom to that? Are you also putting yourself out of society that loves sex? It by statistics one of the subjects people think of dozens upon dozens of times a day, why get squeamish talking about it? Oh, even with no rules there are rules to sex, arbitrary rules where some people for no other reason but their whims dictate what is the right way and which is not, even though there are no rules; seems kinda namby-pamby to me.

@Apparently_Im_The_Grumpy_One Either way, the word
“controlled”
was nowhere in my post.
That is one thing you can count on here, people always seem to hear what was not said, selective hearing is customary.

^^Because we function within our families, communities, and greater society, and we can use our brains to evaluate what is good for the individual and the group and what is detrimental. This helps shape our meals, ethics, norms, customs, and mores.

What kind of music do atheists like?

Polka, @jca?

Ew not polka! 70’s rock! ALL atheists believe in 70’s rock.

^ This is why we’re not a club.

Atheists are not Beliebers!

God no, @ibstubro!

Viking metal.

punk rock and classical music

Dutch metal and classical music.

See? We already have atheist factions. Just like Christianity.
The important thing is, only my music is the right music.

Punk rock, indie rock, and folk. But, yeah. Who doesn’t love Dutch metal?

@Hypocrisy_Central Okay, I posted a question. Fire away.

@dappled_leaves I flew from San Francisco to Amsterdam to see the premier concert of Gentle Storm, and Arjen Lucassen came out and played with Anneke on stage.

@JLeslie […and we can use our brains to evaluate what is good for the individual and the group and what is detrimental.
What is detrimental to your community may not be to another. In another community having females go out unchaperoned with a male could be detrimental, and to keep their society’s mores up, Honor Killings is an effective deterrent and control measure, why would you then be upset and ask THIS government to try and do something about it, or the world community at the least?

So…a community’s mores depend on female actions? Not the male’s? Damn dude. You make your wife wear a burka?

I can hardly stand having to translate these posts into standard English.

What @ibstubro?

@Hypocrisy_Central Well sure. Safety considerations and specific community situations and dynamics is a reality. More reason not to blindly follow some set of ancient rules that a few people are interpreting for the masses. Discussions and debate are how a society decides what is best, and those things change over time too.

@JLeslie Safety considerations and specific community situations and dynamics is a reality.
That reality might not fit your reality, or morality. At one time in Mogadishu (at least parts of it) it was standard practice to hijack ships on the high seas, and those with the most dope and the most guns got to run things and be the law. You may think it is criminal, but they think it is the means to an end. Just because you say it is criminal doesn’t make it criminal. The only way it is criminal is when someone with more men, guns, and might can bring them under subjection to their authority. Ancient ideas or not, it all comes back to what certain people can exert over other people.

Which brings us full circle.
Christianity: “Ancient ideas or not, it all comes back to what certain people can exert over other people.”

^ Then we will all just believe what we believe…..OK, time for coffee, God bless you even if you do not believe….

Maybe I’m just a barbarian, but it is beyond me why this theist/atheist/agnostic thing is so important to Americans. They, who live in the land of the free and espouse freedom of religion, are so concerned about what other people believe in the privacy of their own minds. It makes no sense.

^^When I was growing up I don’t remember anyone caring where I lived. We knew some people celebrated Christmas and some Chanukah, because we went to holiday parties. No
one cared. You’re right, it’s a very strange thing in a America that this is such a big issue in some areas around the country.

@Espiritus_Corvus Amen.

uh…no pun intended

@Espiritus_Corvus Maybe I’m just a barbarian, but it is beyond me why this theist/atheist/agnostic thing is so important to Americans.
I guess those who don’t believe are not satisfied that they don’t believe, they have to prove God doesn’t exist then they do not have to think in the back of their heads He is real and they are making a huge mistake. No, you are no barbarian, but one with some wisdom.

Once again, I have no problem with theists. I have a problem with theists who deny science.

^ I do not deny science, I love it, it shows and exposes how God done what he did, even if not exactly how He made it happen. I just leave my options open that there maybe several ways something happened other than some fallible man who wasn’t there to say so.

What does “being there” have to do with anything?

Sigh. Enough. Bye.

Of course you deny science. You deny any science that contracts your bible based beliefs.

@Hypocrisy_Central You think the atheists are more concerned that God doesn’t exist than Christians are concerned with showing He does? I see and hear a whole bunch of Christians “witnessing” constantly, daily. Most atheists aren’t thinking about religion and God much at all. It only comes up during conversations about religion and God. There are a few loud mouthed atheists trying to make a point, putting up posters, and whatever they do, but they are few and far between. Evangelical Christians are told to put God in everything. No one is judging atheists on being good atheists, we don’t answer to a leader, supreme being, or doctrine of any sort.

I’m similar to @osoraro in that I’ve never had a problem with theists, it’s a nonissue to me, although I don’t usually say the science statement, I say I have a problem with theists who assume negatively or wrongly about me as an atheist, or atheists in general.

@JLeslie You think the atheists are more concerned that God doesn’t exist than Christians are concerned with showing He does?
By the actual interaction with the Brethren here in my town and the conduct of atheist here, I believe they are very preoccupied by it, absolutely. I don’t recall any Brethren being preoccupied by having silver bullets on hand or having their necklace of garlic, etc. at a full moon no matter how convincing someone would tell them werewolves or vampires are abound. No one of use will spend hours trying to tell the person vampires do not exist and trying to use Twilight series of books to prove it. We would go about our day and do what we do.

The concern we have and if it seems as trying to convince you (which I know is akin to tossing eggs at a brick wall expecting it to fall) is that you have the opportunity to know that the door is open and you can get on the ark before the flood comes, because when the door is shut, it will be too late. Art this point I have to make the sad conclusion as that most people here will want to drown in their own self-interest, and believe the flood is coming.

I see and hear a whole bunch of Christians “witnessing” constantly, daily.
If you stopped at your favorite fuel station and there was a box van there with men in monkey suits and they beckoned you over, as you waded through the exuberant crowd they had you an aluminum case and told you it had one million dollars in it, but there were some conditions to the money, you actually think you would not be blowing your phone up telling people you know to get their butts down there before the cash ran out? Most people I know would be Facebooking like there was no tomorrow and blowing up their Instagram account. What we have is way better than a million dollars and we just want people to get some before they miss out.

Most atheists aren’t thinking about religion and God much at all. It only comes up during conversations about religion and God.
When that happens, I suggest you take the stance I do when someone who believes in werewolves, vampires, the Illuminati, etc. I dropped the conversation like it’s hot, not lay it down like its warm. Don’t spend no time on it, just move on, even if some saint tell you that you are headed to hell, move on, if you don’t believe in hell why get upset that someone is telling you there is where you are headed?

Evangelical Christians are told to put God in everything.
I cannot begin to tell you how things have been better with God in the equation. Some of the things I can hardly believe myself.

No one is judging atheists on being good atheists, we don’t answer to a leader, supreme being, or doctrine of any sort. No one is judging atheists on being good atheists, we don’t answer to a leader, supreme being, or doctrine of any sort.
With that stance, live in it boldly. Atheist are de facto their own god, as you say, no one dictates to them but them, so they are self-omnipotent. However, they are not omnipotent because they can’t do what they want when they want because they have to contend with 100s or thousands other omnipotent gods as well. With that in mind, there is no good or evil because what you and your group thinks as evil another group says it is OK, so you being just as omnipotent as them, you cannot say anything over them, or them you.

Yes. The holocaust, murdering the first born Jewish babies, all those kinds of things, were so much better with God in the equation.
Oh. Wait. God wasn’t in the equation. He was helpless in those situations.

^ Oh. Wait. God wasn’t in the equation. He was helpless in those situations.
So you want God to be your genie micromanaging things and areas of life YOU want Him to manage and having Him keep totally away from areas you don’t? Then I guess you want to be God, or the only God you like is one under your control?

He says he loves us. He says he’s a kind God,but he just sits idly by, polishing his nails, while millions of His People are slaughtered because he can’t do anything about it.

^ Again, if He did do something about that but also did something immediately while billions of His creations went about in rebellion sinning would that be acceptable to you? The moment someone had sex out of marriage, lied, stole, gossiped etc. they would be hit with pestilence, or smoked on the spot like a Christmas ham, you would be on board with that? Since you want God to micromanage things.

It’s His fault. We as humans are tempted by sin, and sin is the instrument of the Devil. Am I right?
God created Lucifer who then turned on Him, and was cast away, and now Satan is leading mankind on a downward spiral. Am I understanding this right?

If God created the Devil, He could put an end to him right now, but He does nothing.
Either because He’s not able to, which does not make Him all powerful, or because He isn’t willing, which then means He isn’t all loving. At least, this is how I see it. It also means if God created everything, He created sin. I don’t think God is stupid enough to have done this indirectly through Satan.
Does God like to see peoeple suffer?

Not being insulting or nothing, but my logic takes me through this, I don’t understand how else I’m to…uh, understand it.

And if he were all knowing, he would have seen satan’s rebellion coming. Before he created him.
And he allegedly created him anyway.
Which means he intended for satan to do all his shenanigans, which makes god a malevolent, devious, scheming shithead, or he is not all knowing.

I like the argument that we can be possessed by Satan / Evil and made to do awful things…but we can’t be possessed by God / Goodness and made to do wonderful things.

Hey, @Hypocrisy_Central?
If you send a little prayer to the Big Guy asking for your personal command of the English language?
I’ll second the motion.
You have the tool to convert me.

@Symbeline *_It’s His fault. We as humans are tempted by sin, and sin is the instrument of the Devil. Am I right?
God created Lucifer who then turned on Him, and was cast away, and now Satan is leading mankind on a downward spiral. Am I understanding this right?
WOW, it takes a self-proclaimed zombie aficionado to understand better than all the ”smart people”. It is a trick of Satan, and he has been very good at it,—look around, just because God has decided to have him hang around for now doesn’t mean it is His fault though.

If God created the Devil, He could put an end to him right now, but He does nothing.
Either because He’s not able to, which does not make Him all powerful, or because He isn’t willing, which then means He isn’t all loving.
How do you figure, I am interested on your take on this?

At least, this is how I see it. It also means if God created everything, He created sin.
God did not create sin, Adam and Eve were the de facto creators of that on Earth when they went off the reservation into rebellion with Satan.

Does God like to see peoeple suffer?
Does any parent want to see their kids suffer? If you had a son and you told him don’t get into shopping carts and try to ride them down the hill and he ignores you and does it, hit the curve, whack his head in the pavement and require many stitches, whose fault is it? I guess the way you are looking at it is that you could have handcuffed him to you so he could physically not do anything on his own apart from what you allow in your presence, or lock him in his room, and if you just told him, but left it to him to obey or not, then it is your fault and you don’t really love him. Bad things will always happen because people choose to live in rebellion, so they bring chaos on themselves.

Not being insulting or nothing, but my logic takes me through this, I don’t understand how else I’m to…uh, understand it.
Believe me, you are one of the few people who isn’t insulting or ask stupid questions they never wanted the answer to. Usually when you ask a question it is to at least try to gain some understanding not just soapbox for lurve, with insipid, asinine, rude quips and comments; thank you for not being like that.

@ibstubro Whatever, the people I speak with day in and day out have no problem, so I guess it is you….I pray for you though, but for something more important than that….

Re: Your “Does God like to see people suffer?” analogy. You left one small part out: Kid hits his head on the curb, has life threatening injuries, a concussion, that can be treated if quick action is taken….but if you’re God you don’t take that action. You just sit there and watch his brains swell, and him bleed out, and watch his parents crying hysterically and say, “I told you so. Oh, and BTW, you’re going to hell for disobeying me.”
What an asshole.

Awwww… man… I missed his whole interaction here. I forget to check ‘meta’. my bad.

@Dutchess_III You left one small part out: Kid hits his head on the curb, has life threatening injuries, a concussion, that can be treated if quick action is taken….but if you’re God you don’t take that action.
The way you were coming off was that God should have stepped in and stopped Hitler before he got started or killed all of those Jews. Now you are saying He should let man do what he does then step in afterwards? He will, just because it doesn’t seem like right away to you, you are finite and he is infinite, so a short time to Him can be further out than your lifetime. Don’t give up though, you will get something to stick on the wall one day, maybe.

He should have stopped it one way or the other. The fact that he didn’t, the fact that he idly sat by while people and innocent babies were killed in horrible deaths tells me he doesn’t exist. Or that he’s an asshole.

^ Then we come back, He should have spiritually handcuffed man to him as a mother would her kid she did not want to wonder off and do stuff? If he stepped in and stopped that, He should step in and stop a person the moment they attempted to steal, lie, curse, fornicate, lust, try to be greedy, drunk, high, and all the rest, right? Even if that means smoking them right on the spot like a Christmas ham? Or do you feel he should intervene on only what you want Him to intervene and when? Basically, your genie-controllable God, or your own Make-a-Wish God.

If he actually exisits, he is totally impotent. What’s the point of having him around? To affect your life? You yourself have been insisting he has no effect on people’s lives. So what’s the point?

^ You yourself have been insisting he has no effect on people’s lives. So what’s the point?
He is not the US government, He is not going to just impose Himself on people (as He could) then your involvement with would not be voluntary. The purpose? To invite Him to share a relationship with you now, while you have breath, so you won’t be effected by the sin you can’t pay for with you are breathing no more. But….you want a God you can control, so what would be the point of having one, you would be your own god.

Well, what you have is a God-dad who you think controls events around you when things work out, and a devil-dude to blame when it doesn’t.

^ Nope…..but keep trying….

I remember during the heyday of Jim and Tammy Baker’s PTL club they had a “prayer room” where, if you sent in a prayer with your donation, volunteers would pray over the mass tables full of folded, written prayers. I see the same thing today, with ‘prayer boxes’ in faith-based thrift stores and the like.
Does the volume or quantity of voices raised in prayer affect the outcome? Can a congregation influence God where an individual cannot?