And when you close your post with, "I'm not going to call you a Godded right-wing Jesus freak because you do believe in a God," I have a hard time with the protestations that you're not normalizing JudeoChristian monotheism as your default for religion and disregarding the variety inherent in other paths.
I used this statement precisely because it is a hypothetical situation. I would never use ANY kind of religious descriptor as an insult, to ANYONE. I wouldn't call someone a Hindu as an insult, or a Pagan as an insult, or a "Godded right-wing Jesus freak" as an insult. That particular phrase was just what I happened to use as the hypothetical insult in question. Since I would never use a phrase like that to ANYONE, no matter what they believe, it doesn't matter what phrase I used as a placeholder.
Regarding "single-god" religions vs. "multi-god" religions: answer me this, please. If I don't believe in a god (or God, or Goddess), for ANY REASON WHATEVER -- the reason why doesn't matter -- then how can you say that I can believe in other gods because their characteristics are "different"?
Also, as I said, "these are the primary reasons why I do not believe in any supreme being". I never said they were the ONLY reasons -- if I were to list EVERY reason why I was an atheist, this would run to fifteen pages. It was long enough as it was.
Finally, I'm sure you HAVE been assaulted by unpleasant atheists as well as unpleasant religious types. I'm sorry for that but all it does is underscore my point that EVERYONE should be tolerant and respectful of other religious beliefs.
I'll say it again, because it doesn't seem to have come across: These are MY beliefs. I accept that you may have others, and it doesn't bother me one whit.
no subject
I used this statement precisely because it is a hypothetical situation. I would never use ANY kind of religious descriptor as an insult, to ANYONE. I wouldn't call someone a Hindu as an insult, or a Pagan as an insult, or a "Godded right-wing Jesus freak" as an insult. That particular phrase was just what I happened to use as the hypothetical insult in question. Since I would never use a phrase like that to ANYONE, no matter what they believe, it doesn't matter what phrase I used as a placeholder.
Regarding "single-god" religions vs. "multi-god" religions: answer me this, please. If I don't believe in a god (or God, or Goddess), for ANY REASON WHATEVER -- the reason why doesn't matter -- then how can you say that I can believe in other gods because their characteristics are "different"?
Also, as I said, "these are the primary reasons why I do not believe in any supreme being". I never said they were the ONLY reasons -- if I were to list EVERY reason why I was an atheist, this would run to fifteen pages. It was long enough as it was.
Finally, I'm sure you HAVE been assaulted by unpleasant atheists as well as unpleasant religious types. I'm sorry for that but all it does is underscore my point that EVERYONE should be tolerant and respectful of other religious beliefs.
I'll say it again, because it doesn't seem to have come across: These are MY beliefs. I accept that you may have others, and it doesn't bother me one whit.
cheers,
Phil