U.S. Atheists Reportedly Using Hair Dryers to 'De-Baptize'

reply to post by Burgo


your post reminds me of this:




i'm scaarry.

What a religious act for a group of people who claim they are not religious.

Originally posted by Rafe_
Why would it be wrong to symbolicly de-baptize adults when it is ok to symbolicly baptize babies ?

Because if one is a true atheist then the ritual is but folly. So therefore instead of getting rid of one dogma and becoming spiritual they are gaining another dogma and are still spiritually bereft.

So they are in effect becoming religious and atheism is their religion?... errr keep the faith atheists! Whats totally ridiculous to me is by performing this "anti-baptism" they are essentially saying that the original baptism was a real and living thing that needed to be undone, making them no longer atheists, just unchristian?? Oh now I'm confused.

Originally posted by airspoon
Children should not be indoctrenated into a belief system. They are too young to question or understand the beliefs, and by the time they are old enough to question nthey have been so immersed in the beliefs that it is very difficult for them to step back and consider what they believe, not what they have been taught to believe. I will answer any questions my children have and let them choose in their own time. They are not acessories to my religious views (or lack thereof); they are human beings.

Children should be molded by their parents. It is the parent's job to indoctrinate their children, so that they may grow up according to the parent's will. For instance, my parents indoctrinated me to be a good person, by teaching me good work ethics, the harm in sensless violence and the consequences of stealing.

I indoctrinate my children so that they may grow up how I see git. If I raise them right, then they just may keep the values that I teach them.

Nobody, really, should be indoctrinating their kids. Why? All well and good if your kids grow up to think and act like you - as long as there is nothing wrong with how you think and act. For example, I don't think mass-murderers or child-molesters should feel empowered to indoctrinate their kids and raise them according to their values. If parents want to ruin the lives of others by upholding certain values, that is their choice. But their children should have the right not to be raised with these ideals.

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reply to post by ALlENATlON

I reckon it has little to do with actual "beliefs". They probably do it more as a way to antagonise Christians who do believe. It is immature and provocative, intended to elicit an emotional response and cause a stir.

[edit on 19/7/2010 by Dark Ghost]

reply to post by radarloveguy


I know it's statements like this that propel agnostics/atheists to speak out against religion, but please remember that an individual such as this doesn't speak for everyone of his faith.

Again, I know you might think that humanity would be better off without religion, especially when you take such hateful statements as his into consideration, yet he knows no more about what's going on in this universe than you do. I guarantee you that he would rather live in a society that allows people to speak out against his religion, as opposed to a society that forces a single religious doctrine on it's population with violent force.

You should pay no more attention to these individuals than you should any religious extremist who vows eternal vengeance upon you for such trifle things.

Originally posted by Max_TO
reply to post by Faiol

 

I need to ask , just what makes you think you know what I think or feel about baptism ?

Also , a parent doesn't have the right to pass beliefs onto there child ?

I can't wait till you tell me what my beliefs are .

are you crazy?

one thing is for you to force your child to do certain activities to recruit him to your "system", the other is for you to talk about what you believe

I wont extend, if you didnt get it until now, you will never get my point

some parents send their children in activities with the objective of recruitment, thats a problem, since the children wont learn that actually there are other options out there, and if they dont have a high IQ, maybe they will never understand that religions are just different perspectives, and that no religion is better than the other

reply to post by Dark Ghost


Ya I'd have to agree with you. It's a sad thing because we allready have enough religious people that hold their beliefs to be the top most truth and look down and try to undermine all the rest, this is just an extension of the same thing.

[edit on 19-7-2010 by ALlENATlON]

reply to post by ALlENATlON


I feel the same way. As far as the human origins go I am willing to admit that I don't know. Having not been satisfied with the 3 typical answers, God/gods, aliens or evolution, I tend to take more of the observant approach and view them all from an unbiased view point. The thing is, I see time and time again atheists doing exactly what they complain about the christians doing. The also complain that religion isn't based on science, but while there is nonscientific aspects to religion, religion is full of science. Take a look at Buddhism or Paganism even many laws in the old testament if you take a step back and apply modern day knowledge you will see they had some value. If you take a look at the foods forbid to consume, the are the most dangerous as far as bacteria and parasites if not fully cooked. The laws about a woman menstrual cycle result in a married couple only having sex on the days a woman is the most fertile.
And well if you consider psychology a science I could go on forever about that.

[edit on 19-7-2010 by Burgo]

reply to post by undo



keep dreaming, the only thing that scares me is me

reply to post by undo


According to Wikipedia:

Bowie describes the feelings behind the song:

"It's not as truly hostile about Americans as say "Born in the U.S.A.": it's merely sardonic. I was traveling in Java when [its] first McDonald's went up: it was like, 'for f*@&'s sake.' The invasion by any homogenized culture is so depressing, the erection of another Disney World in, say, Umbria, Italy, more so. It strangles the indigenous culture and narrows expression of life."

This song could just as easily express the the feelings of die-hard atheists who are tired of evangelical Christian's providing modern day conveniences to the indigenous people of foreign lands in return for their forsaking of long held cultural beliefs, as much as it could represent the fear of religious zealots who oppose anyone who questions their beliefs.

Originally posted by airspoon


While I totally support their right to be atheists, I think they are wrong to make a joke of it. Two wrongs don't make a right. I am not religious myself but for those who want to be, they should have every right to do so, just as atheists should. I also believe that parents should have every right to baptize their children, if they see fit to do so. If you are an atheist, then being baptized as a child shouldn't bother them, as they don't believe in the first place.

With that being said, I do however find their de-baptizing efforts to be hilarious. I just don't think that they are going about it in the right way, a way in which better acceptance will be afforded to their movement. You should pick your battles and remember that the world isn't fair.

--airspoon


www.foxnews.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The fact that this thread has 242 replies in just over 24 hours speaks loads about the American obsession with religion. I estimate that it'll take another century before the USA can shed it's lingering racist attitudes but total freedom from religious indoctrination in an allegedly enlightened society isn't even on the horizon.

I salute the atheists in their stand against ignorant superstition!!!

Originally posted by Skyfloating
Atheists like taking something that is sacred and special to others and desecrating it.

Interesting how it's ok to berate an entire group as long as they are the least likely to want to save you, or behead you for it.

Atheists - fair game for all and sundry. They're numpties.
Christians - who cares what those softies think, but lets not go crazy.
Muslims - OH NO YOU DIDN'T!!!!

Interesting.

reply to post by airspoon


A ban on being indoctrenated into a belief system, sure. Whatever you care to extrapolate from my comment. I just don't think its right, but I won't stand between you, or anyone, who wants to cripple their childs ability to choose any beliefs but their own. As a parant one does need to mold their child, but by teachimg them them how to think and behave, not what to think and do. They are future adults and deserve some credit as such. It shouldn't be a rush to force them to believe before they grow up.

reply to post by elfulanozutan0


Not beleiving in deities means not beleiving in satan either.

Originally posted by Mr. Tinkertrain
You and I aren't strangers and I will continue to call your b.s. out.

Yes, but will you continue to be so wrong about it?

Now that I know who you are, your post makes much more sense. That's OK. You go ahead and call me out and I'll prove you wrong, like I have here... It keeps me on my toes.

reply to post by Grumble


I agree with you and I don't know where the idea came from that we should "'respect others' beliefs". If you believe it's OK to force a woman to have sex, I'm not going to respect that belief. If you believe in a giant man who will judge us one day, I will not respect that belief.

I will respect your right to hold your beliefs, in either case, and I MIGHT respect you, depending on how you go about life, but I don't know why I should be expected to respect your beliefs.

Originally posted by Wolf321
This leave the two categories of strong atheism. One simply does not believe that a god does exist, the other that there is no god.

I happen to agree with you here. Not that I align myself with weak or strong atheism, but I say that I don't believe there is a God. To say that there absolutely is no God is more of a statement of knowing, and I don't believe we can know for sure. NONE of us, religious or atheist or in between, KNOW about the existence of non-physical beings. It's all just belief.

These were your arguments previously. I still assert that both of these strong atheism concepts have faith in the lack of a deity, but would divide the two by saying one is passive the other aggressive.

I think the reason you're seeing it this way is that you're looking at the existence of God as the default. So, to believe that there isn't a God requires faith of some sort. But I see the default as no deity. From this perspective, no faith is required to believe that there are no flying elephants or huge green, invisible spider-flies, just as there is no faith required to believe that there is no God. None of these beliefs require faith.

[edit on 7/19/2010 by Benevolent Heretic]

Originally posted by Alien3nema
As a man leaning into atheism i am finding it very difficult to rid myself of the compulsion to blame, thank, ask, or ponder with the god of my teachings.

It will come easier with time and experience. Atheism, after a life of religious indoctrination, is a freeing experience and grows more so as time goes on. You can look forward to realizing your own power to calm yourself, take credit for your achievements and be accountable for your mistakes, without the horrible guilt and shame that religion teaches.

That's why I CAN understand someone wanting to de-baptize themselves, even though I don't feel a need for it.

Sorry. Double post.

[edit on 7/19/2010 by Benevolent Heretic]

OK, so we are 13 pages on, and there seems to be a general belief that this is the stupidest thing to ever happen.

So what are you guys on about? Atheists: quit getting your feelings hurt by Christian disdain. Is it really that surprising? I mean, c'mon.

Christians, quoting scripture to support your assertions to an atheist is just about as stupid as what is in the OP. Find a way that might work. Your religion matters to you, not them. They respect logic.

Now let this stupid thread die the death it deserves.