Tensions are high

[Az]

Its been building for a bit out there. Tensions are getting high on the godless vs the holy. Just remember your goals. Its harder to reason with a pissed off person than it is with a calm person. Don't give up, just fight smart.

[beam me up scottie]

1. You know, it's not the trolls

that piss me off.

It's the veterans who agree with them when they should know better.

Constitution?

What Constitution?

[Az]

2. They piss me off too

Question is, do we yell at them and let them feel our anger? Or do we do everything in our ability to convince them of their mistake?

I like reason. Its part of why I am an atheist. Its our single greatest tool in our arsenal. It might be a good idea to use it.

[trotsky]

3. How does one reasonably respond to someone who thinks...

that we should sit down and shut up?

[Az]

4. Continue talking in a calm voice and working to convince them

Eventually they become the bad guy.

[trotsky]

5. Is the pledge an issue?

I really don't think they can be convinced they're being a "bad guy" on that one. Even if they agree that it's wrong, and that it's a violation of church and state, the argument is that there are "more important" things to worry about.

"More important" is a judgment call. It doesn't affect them personally, so it's less important.

[Az]

6. Its hard work

But then .... there are so many cliches about hard work and doing the right thing aren't there?

[Modem Butterfly]

7. Tensions are always high

[CarbonDate]

8. Always will be.

I've little patience for those who choose to let the religious right have what they want. I was fighting for seperation of church and state when I was a Chrisitian considering joining the clergy, I was fighting for seperation of church and state when I was practicing Wicca, and I fight for seperation of church and state now. It's always been one of my biggest issues because it's important for the liberty of all citizens.

What we need is to convince people that seperation of church and state is in their own interests rather than fighting along the lines of "believer" and "non-believer". We'll never win that way.

[Az]

9. Friends and Rivals

This is what I try to keep in mind. We may disagree on some things. But the rights we are fighting for are the believers rights as well. We are trying to build a society where all can live in peace with one another. These people are our friends. We do not agree with everything our friends believe.

That is where our rivarly comes from. We contest with each other over such matters. But at the end we must remember that they are our friends. We just have to make them understand how things are affecting us and how it is we believe that it can be better.

[onager]

10. Well, their smug little thread dissing atheists is still up

Obviously I'm not going to link to it.

I RESPECTFULLY asked one poster what she wanted to say about atheists. And I was responding to the posts about the one Xian becoming an atheist...apparently for about 30 seconds...so it was on-topic.

My post was deleted.

The other Xian high-fives about "jubilant atheists" are still in place.

I'd better shut up right now. Let's just say I can get along with some of them, and I frankly don't give a flying Cheney about "dialoging" with some of those people.

Now somebody go ahead and get this one deleted.

[trotsky]

11. "Effusive"

Dictionary says: 1 : excessively demonstrative

In today's language, "effusive" carries clear negative connotations. It was obviously chosen for a reason, and it wasn't for so-called "Christ-like" reasons.

And then the whining about needing their "safe haven". The fucking WORLD is their safe haven. They can moan about Gawd and Jeebus to anyone and the worst they'll face is being ignored.

Get a Letter to the Editor published mentioning you're an atheist, and get death threats. I did.

"Safe haven" my ass.

[beam me up scottie]

12. You mean they're NOT better than us?

Why do they feel the need to ask their invisible friend for strength and the patience to deal with us then?

Or is that all part of the "Lookit how much I lurve gawd's unbelieving bastard children" show?

Nevermind, they were hypothetical.

I know the drill, just like everybody else who has to deal with whiny hypocrites who think the world owes them a favor for tolerating our sorry atheistic asses and gracing us with their oh-so-christ-like presence.

We need a BITE ME smilie.

[Skinner]

13. Please see here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=263&topic_id=11115&mesg_id=11115