Do some atheists go too far?

[effilctar]

Bit of a pointless thread I must admit, but just thought I'd throw it out there. I'm atheist myself, one of a large number of them at my school but I've noticed that some other atheists can be a little... extreme. Sure there can be religious extremists but does the idea of a non-religious extremist make sense to you?

 

[Iron Mal]

I think these people may be more 'Anti-theists' than Athiests (that's just my opinion though).

Every religious group will have it's extremists, even athiesm (the exception of this being Buddhism, show me a fanatic monk and I will personally clean the engine of my sister's car with my tounge), there's not much you can do about it other than try to avoid antagonising said people.

EDIT: I personally find Agnostics to be a flawed concept to begin with, if you don't care and have no opinion then a) you wouldn't have to form an identity or grouping for yourself (so their own existance disporoves their attitude) and b) in theory, I could insult and hurl abuse at these people about their beliefs (or lack of) for no reason what-so-ever and in theory they can't say anything in their defence since they shouldn't care.

 

[Starnerf]

If their fervor extends to breaking the law to make their point then yes, they're going to far. I also frown on active conversion attempts. I say keep your religion (or lack thereof) to yourself and everyone will be a lot happier.

For the record, I'm an athiest.

 

[Cargando]

Speaking as an Atheist, Yes. Definately.

 

[velcthulhu]

Yes, they do, and it annoys the heck out of other atheists, such as myself.

 

[AngloDoom]

...The idea makes sense, but I've never heard of an example. Sure, I'm a pretty arrogant atheist and I've actually pulled Christian's aside, sat them down, and lectured them on how wrong they are when I was young and more of a dickhead, but I've never heard of it going beyond that point.

I'll agree it's become somewhat 'fashionable' for people within certain sub-culture to mock Christians, but we've got entire fashions based around suicide, depression, and malnourishment so at this point in time I think it's the least of our problems.

Unless of course you do have examples?

 

[Worsle]

Young atheists who have just left a faith tend to be a little more extreme, a backlash against what the now feel are lies they have been told till then, or some other them might just be doing it purely to rebel. However so what if they are most of them will grow up in time and claim down and others? Well there are crazies in any group of people.

I direct you to http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.133411

Yes. Yes they do.

It's the difference between what I consider "Atheists" and what I consider "Agnostics".
Atheists are the atheists from that South Park episode.
Agnostics don't give a damn. Live and let live and all that.

Lets quote a non-biased source next time, please? That and less of the quotation marks as those terms do have established meanings that are not mutually exclusive either.

 

[DamienHell]

I think these people may be more 'Anti-theists' than Athiests (that's just my opinion though).

Every religious group will have it's extremists, even athiesm (the exception of this being Buddhism, show me a fanatic monk and I will personally clean the engine of my sister's car with my tounge)

Buddhist monk burned himself to death in a religious protest a couple years back. Get to cleaning.

 

[ThePirateMan]

I don't mind people being Atheists, I don't mind them trying to question my beliefs.
But it's increadibly damn annoying when instead of simply prooving, they troll, hate and argue like hell.

 

[Eskay]

Of course they do, to think otherwise is arrogance on a level that those atheists would accuse religious types of.

This is nothing to do with atheism however, its people. In any place, from any background, for whatever reasons, you will always get people who do stupid things. Why? Because we are fallible and our actions are irreversible, its the tragedy of the human condition.

 

[cartzo]

yes but alot of beleivers go a million miles further

 

[Sipo]

every religion has there extremists...thats wats so annoying about religion.....theres always someone tryin to push theirs on ya.

 

[New Troll]

No matter what your belief (or lack there of), it's okay to have a friendly debate about it, voicing your views and/ or concerns, but once it goes farther than that, once either action gets involved, or it's you trying to force your beliefs onto someone else, that's when you're just being a douchebag.

Find it humorous too cause all that does is make people look negatively upon you, and your beliefs.

 

[KiiWii]

I'm more of an Existential Nihilist myself, but i suppose its similar.
Yeah, we often go way too far, but there are extremists in all groups, religious or not.
I'm not gonna force my beliefs on people if they don't force them on me; if they do however, they're going down.

 

[Worsle]

Young atheists who have just left a faith tend to be a little more extreme, a backlash against what the now feel are lies they have been told till then, or some other them might just be doing it purely to rebel. However so what if they are most of them will grow up in time and claim down and others? Well there are crazies in any group of people.

I direct you to http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.133411

Yes. Yes they do.

It's the difference between what I consider "Atheists" and what I consider "Agnostics".
Atheists are the atheists from that South Park episode.
Agnostics don't give a damn. Live and let live and all that.

Lets quote a non-biased source next time, please? That and less of the quotation marks as those terms do have established meanings that are not mutually exclusive either.

Non-biased? Atheists to the extreme of hypocrisy... that's exactly what the OP is talking about.
I thought it was completely relevant.

It is a completely biased and factual incorrect article though. So unless you point is no they don't exist people just make them up, then no it is not relevant. Really just because Dawkins is an atheist does not mean he is involved with the camp, atheists are not like the Irish we don't all know each other.

 

[the_duke_CC]

I'm an aethist and in answer to the question yes they do, it takes as much faith to belive in a god as not to. so aethist extremists (if thats even possible) should stop being so damned smug about it.
wether or not they do though is a rather mute point isnt it? i havent heard of aethist crusades, aethist persacution, or any sort of war started by aethist, or is that still to come? is that Richard Dawkins End Game?
Who knows, God?

 

[Iron Mal]

I think these people may be more 'Anti-theists' than Athiests (that's just my opinion though).

Every religious group will have it's extremists, even athiesm (the exception of this being Buddhism, show me a fanatic monk and I will personally clean the engine of my sister's car with my tounge)

Buddhist monk burned himself to death in a religious protest a couple years back. Get to cleaning.

I am aware of that event but that's not really fanaticism, he showed a level of dedication that most clinically sane people wouldn't aspire to but it was simply protest (the way Buddhist beliefs work means that it is technically impossible for them to have fanatics in their ranks, they're very 'live and let live').

My tounge stays clean this day!