Due to constant misunderstanding with my name I feel the need to change my intro. I am hateful, hateful of religion. I hate what religion does to people and that people use it as an excuse to not think. I have spent many years of my life as an Atheist and have learned to handle my emotions, but no other word quite describes how I feel towards religion short of hate. I am outspoken, open minded, and will share my opinion. If you're looking for someone who will always agree with you, that won't be me.
The Out Campaign: Scarlet Letter of Atheism
(Ricky Gervais is my icon photo, I seem to be asked a lot.) Follow HatefulAtheist on Twitter

14th August 2012

Question with 6 notes

Anonymous asked: What's your stance on people who assume there's an unwritten rule about respecting other people's religion? I never understood it. Apparently if you tell people that their religion is bullshit or that you won't use kind words to describe or talk about their religion/all religions, they act like you're committing a crime.

I’m not a huge fan of providing undue respect to any topic, I’m also not a big fan of discussion of any kind being taboo. I think we should be able to discuss any and all issues openly regardless of if it stirs emotional reactions. Obviously the topics people feel so strongly about that they get emotional are very important to them and I would think should be the most important to examine and question. I think that religion has done a good job of teaching people that they shouldn’t discuss religion, and most of us have bought in to that even if we aren’t religious.

It is long standing practice in religion to avoid topics and discussion that might cause people to stray away from their faith. For a very long time people were encourage not to marry or even socialize outside of their particular religious sect, there was worry that this may tempt people to stray from the particular religious group that is currently counting them as a member of their flock. For the people in control of a particular religious denomination preserving faith and belief in their teachings is the most important priority, it usually far overrides any search for truth. Too much discussion of religion leads to questioning religion, doubting religion, or being confused by religion, that is something the church leaders generally do not want.

This may sound like some soft of conspiracy but you have to think back to how long this practice has been around. There was a point in history where you could be imprisoned or put to death for daring to even question the authority of the church. Even though religion is no longer able to threaten us with those types of punishment they can still press to restrict any discussion, and therefor criticism, of religion in social discussion. Personally I think as more and more people get over this fear we will see more and more Atheist emerging, at least that seems to be the current trend and I certainly hope that doesn’t change.

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  1. hatefulatheist posted this