Is youtube (and/or the internet) basically atheist land?
- Thread starter Azaraxzealot
- Start date
Recommended Videos
Short version: Yes.
Long(er) version: Yes, largely because it's effectively impossible to speak reasonably about these things in other forms. You can't talk about it verbally with someone because they'll never let you get a word in edgewise and it's pretty unlikely that anyone's going to print your ideas anytime soon. The internet allows you to write out what you want to say and in most cases opponents can't simply remove it or silence you. And I'm not convinced it's so much a vocal minority effect as it is a place to hear a silent majority (or, more likely with regard to the primarily US web, a sizable minority). Bear in mind that in a lot of the internet world, a lot of Europe for instance, there are more atheists than theists.
Of course people will take it too far and just become insulting, dismissive jerks, but it's not at all like that doesn't happen on the religious side too. Outside of the internet, the religious side is much more likely to be dismissive and patronising, completely dominating conversations and stifling debate: one of the aforementioned reasons that it's easier to talk about these things on the internet.
Also, I, for instance, think the things that you find unimportant are genuinely troubling. Simply disagreeing with a video doesn't make someone a jerk if they're doing it politely, even if the video is intended to bring joy. Ridiculous metaphor: Think about gladitorial games. They were for joy. Say you were not personally affected - you didn't ever attend and it had nothing to do with you (of course, a lot of your friends are attending and a few are really into it). Isn't it still reasonable for you to speak against the games? --- And I think the indoctrination issue is probably the most reasonable. No one's suggesting anything as dramatic as mind control or anything ridiculous, merely that children are easily brought up to believe things (sometimes quite horrible things) and parents are essentially dictating the course of their children's lives with no real input from the children.
Long(er) version: Yes, largely because it's effectively impossible to speak reasonably about these things in other forms. You can't talk about it verbally with someone because they'll never let you get a word in edgewise and it's pretty unlikely that anyone's going to print your ideas anytime soon. The internet allows you to write out what you want to say and in most cases opponents can't simply remove it or silence you. And I'm not convinced it's so much a vocal minority effect as it is a place to hear a silent majority (or, more likely with regard to the primarily US web, a sizable minority). Bear in mind that in a lot of the internet world, a lot of Europe for instance, there are more atheists than theists.
Of course people will take it too far and just become insulting, dismissive jerks, but it's not at all like that doesn't happen on the religious side too. Outside of the internet, the religious side is much more likely to be dismissive and patronising, completely dominating conversations and stifling debate: one of the aforementioned reasons that it's easier to talk about these things on the internet.
Also, I, for instance, think the things that you find unimportant are genuinely troubling. Simply disagreeing with a video doesn't make someone a jerk if they're doing it politely, even if the video is intended to bring joy. Ridiculous metaphor: Think about gladitorial games. They were for joy. Say you were not personally affected - you didn't ever attend and it had nothing to do with you (of course, a lot of your friends are attending and a few are really into it). Isn't it still reasonable for you to speak against the games? --- And I think the indoctrination issue is probably the most reasonable. No one's suggesting anything as dramatic as mind control or anything ridiculous, merely that children are easily brought up to believe things (sometimes quite horrible things) and parents are essentially dictating the course of their children's lives with no real input from the children.
A little off topic,
I love how these discussions always center exclusively on Western christianity and completely gloss over the fact that there are a pile of other religions out there that think they're right too (atheists also forget this).
You: God is great, he exists, I'm right, I'm a super christian, blah blah blah.
Me: Well what about, Allah, Yaweh, Brahma, Shinto ancestor worship...
You: Herp durp, guff guff, that's not what were here to talk about.
Me: But they all think they're right too?
You: Well, they're all unwashed heathens, they would think that.
Me: Ok.......
Edit: Sure enough, make my point and a couple posts up proves me wrong.
I love how these discussions always center exclusively on Western christianity and completely gloss over the fact that there are a pile of other religions out there that think they're right too (atheists also forget this).
You: God is great, he exists, I'm right, I'm a super christian, blah blah blah.
Me: Well what about, Allah, Yaweh, Brahma, Shinto ancestor worship...
You: Herp durp, guff guff, that's not what were here to talk about.
Me: But they all think they're right too?
You: Well, they're all unwashed heathens, they would think that.
Me: Ok.......
Edit: Sure enough, make my point and a couple posts up proves me wrong.
That is one thing. What I hate about all those christian youtube videos is the holier than thou attitude that they all seem to preach. Like in that video the guy did pretty much say if you don't accept jesus as your master you are a incapable of becoming better than those who do and I find that rude and insulting. So let him get trolled makes me laugh a little.x-machina said:
There are a lot of religious zealots who denounce science with a large amount of scorn and hatred as well, let's be honest here.Drakmeire said:
If the Christians would stop imposing their faith and its outdated puritan norms on innocent others, I'm sure those who don't like that would stay silent on this - and the copious other - flaw in their religion.
Live and let live requires that you do that. The missionary commandment in Christianity, and its condemnation of harmless stuff like homosexuality, exclude this option. So no such luck; For either side.
Live and let live requires that you do that. The missionary commandment in Christianity, and its condemnation of harmless stuff like homosexuality, exclude this option. So no such luck; For either side.
Well honestly, there's three things wrong here that I can see.
One, you're basing off YouTube comments, which is just trolling central. I doubt half of them even care about the subject, they just want to cause some trouble and see the reaction. Secondly, both sides have idiots. You stop calling my home every damn day trying to preach to me about being an Atheist is immoral, and I'll stop putting down Christians when they try to talk about their ideals. Neither side is right, only both stupid, and I'll admit I'm stupid and part of the issue, but it's not going to change for a long, long time. Lastly, this should seriously be in the Religion and Politics (R&P) section, seriously. I'm tired of all these discussions about Religion and such on the Off-Topic forums. If I wanted to see a potential flame war, I'd go to R&P and view that.
That's really all I have to say on the matter at hand, though you do know there's just as many Christians as Atheists on the internet, right? There's so many websites, blogs, forums, facebook accounts, etc, all dedicated to Christianity.
(Although to be fairly honest, I may not be Atheist anymore, as I answer "Unitologist" whenever I am asked to fill out a forum these days, because of the Dead Space Series, and wear my Marker necklace and claim it's my religious symbol for fun. Altman be Praised.)
One, you're basing off YouTube comments, which is just trolling central. I doubt half of them even care about the subject, they just want to cause some trouble and see the reaction. Secondly, both sides have idiots. You stop calling my home every damn day trying to preach to me about being an Atheist is immoral, and I'll stop putting down Christians when they try to talk about their ideals. Neither side is right, only both stupid, and I'll admit I'm stupid and part of the issue, but it's not going to change for a long, long time. Lastly, this should seriously be in the Religion and Politics (R&P) section, seriously. I'm tired of all these discussions about Religion and such on the Off-Topic forums. If I wanted to see a potential flame war, I'd go to R&P and view that.
That's really all I have to say on the matter at hand, though you do know there's just as many Christians as Atheists on the internet, right? There's so many websites, blogs, forums, facebook accounts, etc, all dedicated to Christianity.
(Although to be fairly honest, I may not be Atheist anymore, as I answer "Unitologist" whenever I am asked to fill out a forum these days, because of the Dead Space Series, and wear my Marker necklace and claim it's my religious symbol for fun. Altman be Praised.)
Please I wrote all this. take the time to read this.JinxyKatte said:
bare with me here but my main proof for the existence of god is the existence of Jesus. This is proven in.
A) Roman records meticulously kept and replicated undeniably claim that a Jew named Jesus was executed for rebellion against the roman empire while another prisoner named (I hope I spell this right) Barabus was released form execution (Just the way it goes in the bible) and Jesus was executed in his place.
B) The four gospels in the bible can all be traced to their origin (that's the reason they were put in the bible) at the hands of the men that rote them that were all witnesses to the events that happened to Jesus.
C) The five hundred people who witnessed Jesus resurrection all continued to spread there beliefs despite persecution and exile despite all reasons to the contrary.
D) Roman centurions who were recorded in the bible were all recorded in roman records of soldiers.
E) Thousands of different gospels and "First hand accounts" (many of which are fake) all record very much the same thing about Jesus. And while many of these are fake the sheer number of them all from roughly the same period as each other points towards the existence of Jesus.
Okay Jesus aside for a second On the proof of god alone I only have one point that comes to mind:
A man named Saul who was a pharisee and murderer of Christians on the prompting of a voice from heaven changed his beliefs to following Christianity despite his luxurious life style being taken from him. despite being persecuted where ever he went and eventually dying of execution he continued to preach about Jesus until he died.
another thing is that every single book in the New testament of the Bible can be traced to their origin and all point to the existence of god.
I could continue for ages but here is my final point:
D.N.A is the single mos complicated thing in existence. If you were to write about a single strand of D.N.A. the amount of books you would have to write to actually record the D.N.A would be a stack of books that goes to the moon and back..... FIVE TIMES. Evolution would have me believe that this ridiculous complexity formed spontaneously by chance. Have you ever seen someone throw all the items needed to make a house in one place and all the pieces land in such a way that they form a house. Well for D.N.A. to form like that would be that house example happening thousands upon thousands of times..... In the same place.
Look I'm not your typical christian in that i can say all that off the top of my head. So let me blow your mind when I say I found it a bigger leap of faith to believe Atheism than I found it to believe Christianity. For me to become a christian was not a leap of faith but a logical process.
I also believe christian morals and beliefs adequately explain all arguments like "If god exists why is there suffering" or "Why isn't there one unifying religion".
Here is a serious suggestion. no actually make that two.
One: read the bible. It can change your life.
two: If you really need evidence in the existent of god go to creation ministries which is a website (and magazine) run by a group of christian PHD scientists that spend all day and all night arguing for the existence of god.
Please I wrote all this take the time to read it.
I'm pretty much an atheist.
The internet is not atheist land. It's been co-opted aplenty by the religious.
YouTube is ESPECIALLY not atheist land. For every atheist posting pro-atheist videos on YouTube, there's at least one Christian posting pro-Christian videos (at least, I'm pretty sure this is the case).
So no, the internet and YouTube aren't atheist or Christian land.
What they ARE is a big arena where atheists and Christians can duke it out, and be trolls. TROLLS I TELL YOU!
The internet is not atheist land. It's been co-opted aplenty by the religious.
YouTube is ESPECIALLY not atheist land. For every atheist posting pro-atheist videos on YouTube, there's at least one Christian posting pro-Christian videos (at least, I'm pretty sure this is the case).
So no, the internet and YouTube aren't atheist or Christian land.
What they ARE is a big arena where atheists and Christians can duke it out, and be trolls. TROLLS I TELL YOU!
After watching that video if people are trolling it's because that man is crazy. "Grandpa John" is more insane then the 'Banana Man'.
As someone who's studying Christian spirituality, I think it prudent to point out the purpose behind that video. What (it seems to me) the man in the video is trying to convey is the transformative effect of the Holy Spirit in a person's life after they believe. It is NOT saying that you must be Christian to be good. It is NOT saying you are plain and ordinary if you don't believe in Christ. What it IS saying is saying is that if you perservere in the faith, you WILL be changed. And I mean actually stick with the faith in the true sense, not the legalistic, fundamentalist, hate on everyone who's different way. I myself have witnessed and experienced the nastiness of those who see Christianity as their "get out of Hell" ticket and then dump on everyone around them, Christian or no.
To the OP, religion is kind of a favorite target because it is faith-based and delves into the meta-physical. That is, it's kind of hard to explain to someone what I might find moving and revealing about God's nature when I look to the stars at night. It's much easier to explain what the stars are in a physical sense, as it is with everything in the physical world. There was a time when the Christian church was more equipped to debate its detractors, but that is not readily the case these days. And yes, I mean civil, practical, logical debate. Not "You're going to burn in Hell!" or "You're just evil!" or anything of that nature.
To the OP, religion is kind of a favorite target because it is faith-based and delves into the meta-physical. That is, it's kind of hard to explain to someone what I might find moving and revealing about God's nature when I look to the stars at night. It's much easier to explain what the stars are in a physical sense, as it is with everything in the physical world. There was a time when the Christian church was more equipped to debate its detractors, but that is not readily the case these days. And yes, I mean civil, practical, logical debate. Not "You're going to burn in Hell!" or "You're just evil!" or anything of that nature.
As a Catholic (we're hated by the WBC as well as everyone else, you get used to people's ignorance) I've noticed that. Even on The Escapist, supposedly the shining beacon of maturity and responsibility in the endless sea of shit that is the internet, I've seen responsible, regular people who just so happen to be religious get called the usual names: "Sky-daddy worshippers", "Life-wasters", "Ignorant", "Stupid" and the list goes on, it doesn't matter who you are or what you believe in, name-calling is just the cowardly, verbal equivalent of pooping off the overpass.
However I have found a few websites which seem to be the net equivalent of Tranquility Lane (bad example, Tranquility Lane minus the German, and your Dad-dog, and the crazy old lady, and the abandoned house/virtual control-terminal so on and so forth) and for all the preaching of "sticks and stones" it's nice to have places like that where people don't get bashed for what they stand for.
At the end of the day there are religious bigots and there are non or anti-religious bigots, but naturally there's also many on all sides who seek to live and let live. I guess the one thing that really gets on my nerves is when people either treat religion like one enormous joke or make wild statements about religions and try to defend them even when members of the religion who know what they're talking about can put the statements to rest.
However I have found a few websites which seem to be the net equivalent of Tranquility Lane (bad example, Tranquility Lane minus the German, and your Dad-dog, and the crazy old lady, and the abandoned house/virtual control-terminal so on and so forth) and for all the preaching of "sticks and stones" it's nice to have places like that where people don't get bashed for what they stand for.
At the end of the day there are religious bigots and there are non or anti-religious bigots, but naturally there's also many on all sides who seek to live and let live. I guess the one thing that really gets on my nerves is when people either treat religion like one enormous joke or make wild statements about religions and try to defend them even when members of the religion who know what they're talking about can put the statements to rest.
I hate referring to myself as Atheist, I just say non-religious.
There does seem to be allot of non-religious people on the net, and into gaming culture though.
There does seem to be allot of non-religious people on the net, and into gaming culture though.