Is youtube (and/or the internet) basically atheist land?

[Azaraxzealot]

It seems that most people on the internet that I encounter love to spew their hatred of christianity and pretty much every other form of organized religion.

Is this just the way of the internet?

i started noticing this when i saw this video (not going to embed it because you don't need to watch it, just read the comments to know what i'm talking about)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JYIJPjpCFc

harmless video directed at christian families. yet look at all the hate spewed in the comments and just in the "Likes vs Dislikes" with over 1300 people disliking the video and little more than 200 liking it.

Obviously this video was professionally made to make christian families feel happy. It's not like this is some WBC "Protesting Little Girl's Funeral" shit, so why all the hate? The video was not made for them. At all. They made it with the intention of putting smiles on people's faces and everyone who didn't like it could just go about their lives and ignore it. Then it gets on the internet and people rip it to shreds as "Christian Propaganda" that "indoctrinates" the kids.

This doesn't even end at youtube, it seems like almost everywhere else on the internet is like this. Nothing wrong with it being populated by atheists, but it's always the stupid, whiny bitchy ones that i see... Maybe it's just a case of that whole "very vocal minority" that just spends all its time criticizing versus the "silent majority" that keeps buying millions of copies of Call of Duty Black Ops and seeing Transformers movies enough for them to generate profits almost in the billion range (both franchises are kind of the same quality in my mind, but I don't care. doesn't affect me).

My disappointment at these idiots for raging about something that wasn't even made for them and doesn't have even enough public recognition to indoctrinate any child whose parents want to protect them from "evil christianity" or just "evil religion" is at face-palmingly high levels.

Now i'm not a christian myself, i stopped after i realized just how futile trying to live by those puritanical standards was when all my instincts pointed me AWAY from what they were teaching me. Plus they complained about all sorts of petty things that just pissed me off to no end....

seems like every group (even atheists) are just a bunch of bitches that don't know when to shut up and just live and let live.

anyways, comments?

EDIT: I'm in no way making a disingenuous assertion about atheists, i'm just frustrated by vocal minorities (the idiots OF the atheists) and how fucking vocal and idiotic they can get once anonymity comes into the equation (such is the case with that harmless video i mentioned). I know atheists are not idiots. There are just as many jack-asses in every sect of beliefs everywhere (WBC, Taliban).

EDIT 2: This video was obviously made for kids who are already christians and families that are already devout, not meant to convert anyone. Who here doesn't like to tell their kids that they're special by using metaphors? That's how i see this as harmless and not at all propaganda.

 

[Drakmeire]

I don't think the problem is too many atheists or too few christians, it seem to be a huge amount of religion hating trolls and christians being well christians will tend not to spew hate online and most atheists won't either but the small amount that do, do it alot.

 

[gabe12301]

It's mostly internet anonymity. They can make jokes about Christians and I'll laugh at it even though I'm one, but if they just insult it for the sake of trolling than I will get angry (but not feed the troll)

 

[PunkyMcGee]

yeah i have the same problem, some people can't let others be who they are.

and if you want to know i'm an agnostic.

 

[DasDestroyer]

I think the main reason for that is basically this:

Add to that the fact that religion is a popular target on the internet, and you get the situation you described.
Agnostic here, btw.

 

[Cain_Zeros]

I sincerely hope they're a vocal minority. They annoy me as an atheist, because they're how people perceive us. I guess they're like our annoying people who go door to door trying to convert you, except they're more foul-mouthed, angrier, and usually have even less of an idea what they're talking about.

 

[lacktheknack]

Christian here, and I liked that video. Sparkly...

Anyways, people generally just like taking dumps on anything they disagree with. Religion is really divisive (even though it was never meant to be) and so you get more people disagreeing with it (there's very little religious neutrality).

And of course, it IS the internet, so people who would have left well enough alone in other situations feel free to speak out.

 

[Stasisesque]

You answered your own question, it's simply a case of a very vocal minority being very vocal.

The majority of people, when they don't righteously oppose something, keep themselves to themselves. They don't spend every minute of every day (post count/thread) shouting their understanding/toleration/support/acceptance from the rooftops. Accepting others' points of view is not a competition, you either do it, or you don't. It's a small portion of those that don't that won't shut up about it.

Then again, the tired, "I am understanding and caring and completely accept everyone else's choices and way of living, look at how fantastic and kind I am. Look! Are you looking?" pisses me off just as much.

 

[Manicotti]

As a partial answer, it's not that there's an overwhelming majority of atheists around, it's that religion does way too much to make itself a legitimate target.

 

[Unesh52]

Didn't read all of the OP (sorry). But I just wanted to pop in here and say something about confirmation bias. It's perfectly possible that you started looking for it once you noticed it in that video, and were quickly able to find lots of evidence to support your impression. Just saying. I've met a lot of crazy homophobes and evolution detractors who were clearly spreading an ignorant agenda of hatred based around a selfish interpretation of religion. I've also met perfectly balanced, polite people of both persuasions. In fact, I'm talking to one of each about religion right now over on the Religion and Politics board. They're very nice.

 

[matt87_50]

"but it's always the stupid, whiny bitchy ones that i see..."

well, there's your answer, the internet is equal opportunity, it doesn't matter from which race or religion you're from, as long as you want to winge about something, the internet is happy to have you.

 

[gostlyfantom]

i am an agnostic who will probably end up an atheist after i finish reading some of richard dawkins books, i think that people should troll that video you posted but only because it is posted on YOUTUBE where lots of PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS look at videos(i dont beleive in public preaching)

 

[Plurralbles]

"but it's always the stupid, whiny bitchy ones that i see..."

well, there's your answer, the internet is equal opportunity, it doesn't matter from which race or religion you're from, as long as you want to winge about something, the internet is happy to have you.

Basically it also goes by the internet law that says give an asshole a megaphone but anonymity and they will become a giant asshole even more so, or something liek that yeah.

eDIT:

i am an agnostic who will probably end up an atheist after i finish reading some of richard dawkins books, i think that people should troll that video you posted but only because it is posted on YOUTUBE where lots of PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS look at videos(i dont beleive in public preaching)

What the hell.

 

[gostlyfantom]

"but it's always the stupid, whiny bitchy ones that i see..."

well, there's your answer, the internet is equal opportunity, it doesn't matter from which race or religion you're from, as long as you want to winge about something, the internet is happy to have you.

Basically it also goes by the internet law that says give an asshole a megaphone but anonymity and they will become a giant asshole even more so, or something liek that yeah.

eDIT:

i am an agnostic who will probably end up an atheist after i finish reading some of richard dawkins books, i think that people should troll that video you posted but only because it is posted on YOUTUBE where lots of PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS look at videos(i dont beleive in public preaching)

What the hell.

what do you mean? everyone has a right to believe what they want, not what others tell the masses, let me clarify, i do not thinks aetheist should post religious videos either and that they should be trolled to.

 

[x-machina]

Well he is implying that people without the christian god in their life can't do good or improve the world around them. So theres that.

 

[omicron1]

Yeah, pretty much.
Additionally, the population of the Internet (ESP. Forums etc.) skews younger, more volatile - and Christians tend somewhat to be older. It's similar to the political ratios online where, if one took forums as a representative sample, one would think America was 80% liberal.

In a way, these people are the WBC of atheism - loud, rude, and closed-minded. At least, that's my take-away from it...

But if you let everyone on the 'net who disagrees with you get to you, you'll die of hypertension before you hit 30. Although, at least that way you'll know who was right.

 

[LikeDustInTheWind]

Religious people don't seem to realize the concept of "Don't Feed the Trolls." They're too protective of their beliefs to realize the other person is trying to piss them off.

 

[Plurralbles]

"but it's always the stupid, whiny bitchy ones that i see..."

well, there's your answer, the internet is equal opportunity, it doesn't matter from which race or religion you're from, as long as you want to winge about something, the internet is happy to have you.

Basically it also goes by the internet law that says give an asshole a megaphone but anonymity and they will become a giant asshole even more so, or something liek that yeah.

eDIT:

i am an agnostic who will probably end up an atheist after i finish reading some of richard dawkins books, i think that people should troll that video you posted but only because it is posted on YOUTUBE where lots of PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS look at videos(i dont beleive in public preaching)

What the hell.

what do you mean? everyone has a right to believe what they want, not what others tell the masses, let me clarify, i do not thinks aetheist should post religious videos either and that they should be trolled to.

There is absolutely nothing stopping you or making you watch certain videos. People can meet in a public space to discuss ideas, in the same way they can post what they want to a public forum or video site.

There doesn't need to be "Christ-Tube" for people to speak their minds on any topic including religion. That's what Youtube can be used for in a more constructive way than parodies, starcraft II casts, and whatever else.

There's online communities of religious and irreligious. Deal with it. You can ignore it. NO one's forcing themselves on anyone. It's sharing ideas all around the world. If you have a problem with freedom of speech and religion, then yes, I say, "What the hell"