In my experience the least tolerant are the atheists. They will often accuse anybody with a different point of view of “bible thumping” even when such people never quote their particular bible or push any belief. The atheists always seem much angrier than anybody else. Online at least. People often behave very differently offline. Even the most fire and brimstone Christians cannot match the hateful online rhetoric of some atheists.
I do not need anybody telling me that Jesus died for my sins and I do not believe that he did. But the people who say so usually also tell you to have a nice day and are much friendlier than the atheists who blame anybody with faith for all that is wrong with the world. If religious people are so judgemental and want everybody to believe what they believe and the atheists are supposed to be the opposite then should they not be more open minded toward different beliefs?
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Religion may sometimes be cited as the pretext, but all wars are political or strategic.
I've got nothing against atheists who see their particular faith (and it IS an article of faith) for what it is. I have something against bigots no matter what their brand of bigotry is.
I am one of the least tolerant former christian atheists and you make a good point about it is always christian. When I rant and rave against religion I speak of christian religion and not taking others into account. You are also correct that all the bible tumpers are christian. Why is that so? Why are do few jews and moslems defending their side from us intolerant atheists?
quote: "If religious people are so judgemental and want everybody to believe what they believe and the atheists are supposed to be the opposite then shouldn’t they be more open minded toward different beliefs?"
You got us there. We should be more open minded, but we know why we rejected it and fail to see why they do not.
Fantastically written. Nuff said.
"More people have been killed in the name of Jesus than in anybody else’s name, including Hitler’s."
But most wars are about land, power, politics, vengeance.
Those two statement negate each other.
During the history of the last 2,000 years -- or more -- the political and religious face of a country or culture was inextricably linked. Religion was deeply a part of the identity of a race of people. It has only been in recent history that the two have been drifting apart. Essentially, religious and political affiliations were the same thing. It was part of the fundamental nature of every country. People fought not only for land, but for domination of their doctrines and principles, and politics and religion as part of their doctrines and principles were inseparable.
"In my experience the least tolerant are the atheists." I think you are referring to me, and my post where I posed the suggested that religion has become unnecessary in the 21st Century. I was not angry, nor intolerant. I just believe organized religion causes more problems than not. I am a very spiritual person, and not an atheist at all, but I see too much polarization in religion. People are all -- or should be -- the same. Did you ever see a movie called "The Lemon Tree"? It made me very sad.
It's true that religion and government often worked hand-in-glove, but you have to distinguish between the stated objective and the actual objective. Remember that the populace wasn't as well educated 1000 years ago. It's much easier to get the masses geared up for war by saying, "They hate God (and God also said I could have their land)," than by explaining the actual political and strategic objectives.
Religious leaders were complicit of course, but they were just as likely as anyone else was to have their heads chopped off if they displeased the king. People always find an excuse to be belligerent. Does the existence of football hooligans make football, or sport in general, a bad idea?
Sasha, I don't think most Jews and Muslims feel compelled to defend their faith from every online rant. When you're confident in what you believe you don't need to prove it to everybody.
Grant, I agree with half of what you said.
Jo, why would you think I was talking about you when I mentioned atheists? Especially if you're not an atheist? That seem a bit much.
I've seen The Lemon Tree. I've also seen Free Zone. I don't think people are or should be the same. How boring would that be?
Your point about the sentences you quoted was answered in the rest of those paragraphs. As Bill said religious leaders can be just as political as anybody else. If the pope wants to invade Italy to make more room for the Vatican that doesn't mean religion is violent. The fact that you mention only the last 2000 years of history just goes toward my point about Christian atheists. If religion is the cause of life's problems then they started long before 2000 years ago.
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