How did I do? An Easter Facebook Argument.

This entire argument started with my status post this morning. It may be fairly difficult to read, but give it a try. I did not edit any of the comments, so they stand as they were written. My name is James by the way. If the early comments are hard to read, you may wish to skip down to where Samantha enters.

"Another Sunday, another day to enjoy life without worrying about nonsensical beliefs."

Daniel- Happy zombie jesus day :P

Adam- ya know jamie what makes you any diffrent from what you think they are like. Pressing your beliefs and criticizing others for their beliefs. In you oppinion your the same book diffrent cover. So please i respect your right to have an oppinion but dont call my beliefs nonsensical. Or i will go off on you as i am doing. Have a nice day.

James- There is a significant difference in criticizing a belief, versus criticizing a person. I have no reason to respect a belief that is used daily to restrict the rights of countless people. I respect your right to believe, but not the belief itself. And you too should respect my right to criticize that belief.

Daniel- James is mein furher

Adam-no jamie. You shouldnt critize at all just leave it alone. You dont like it dont make it your business. Doing that shows your childish to get people to see your point of views. We all have them you dont see me posting on facebook "happy easter everyone except you people who dont believe in christ your stupid" which is the equivalent of you calling a holiday that is at the center of a faith many have is nonsensical. What are you trying to prove that your better? no by doing that your a dick. Good day sir and happy easter

James- I'm sorry, but I will not simply sit by and watch as the religious spout their lies that continue to do nothing more than retard minds and hinder progress. Should I allow for a religion that clearly says that I will burn for all eternity simply for questioning the dogma, to go without challenge? I merely voiced that I am going to enjoy my life without having to spend my precious time worshiping a god that by the Bible is not only pity, but one where there is no good reason to do so in the first place. If you take offense to that, well that is your right, but you do not have the right to have me shut up simply because you do not agree with me.

Daniel- i think you made adam upset James. tear*

James- Upset or not, this idea that we must tiptoe around simply as to not upset the religious is ridiculous. You certainly do not see them doing the same. They may display a message of love and tolerance, but we all know what their holy book says of those that question or reject the faith.

Daniel- Tolerance is not in the christian faith. Seriously look at how much they hate and reject.

Adam- jamie im just saying leave it the fuck alone. You have no Reason to do it. If you think im retarded in having faith or having hope that will make me challenge myself and test myself then sir let it fucking be if your seriously going to say ...something to hinder what doesnt fit with you then you are fucking mental. No wait your a spoiled little brat who sucks up to every fucking anti religious statement generated. Dude seriously dont waste your time hurting people. If you do i will hurt you back. I hope this is upseting you because frankly i could care less about you contorted view of life because you had a life to keep you busy wasting your time analyzing every little detail of your life and trying to make yourself diffrent. Jamie to be honest your pathetic. I stuck up for you and listened to you enough. You crossed the line we you target others faith. Jamie religion may be false but it trys to make people help others. Before you have the audacity to hurt try having the humanity to accept others i try to accept you but your demented and cynical

Daniel- all i just read registered into my head as "blah blah blah..."

Adam- Btw i question and reject my faith often. Its human but no one says im bad for it like your saying they do. Those are extremist you base your view on and your the one being judgemental you little brat

Adam- daniel stfu im not talking to you idk you and i dont care to.

Daniel- go find a tit to suck you big baby. calm the fuck down and eat some eggs or chocolate. Easter is a pagan holiday anyway.

James- No, I am basing my view on the text. It is fine if you wish to pick and choose from the doctrine, it only shows that you are a good person in spite of your faith. In fact, that rings true for most of the religious. The reason I, and people like me feel that we must criticize faith and religion is that we can see what it has done to humanity. To say that it is only the extremists that cause problems is missing the point. The existence of moderates merely gives the extremists credibility to spout their hate.

Samantha- Okay, Jamie, I'm sorry, but I have to interject here. :T Every belief has extremists and moderates. Just thought I'd point that out. Kay thanks.
:T Yeah. You're being rather one sided.

James- I never said that moderation does not exist in other ideologies. In religion however, the moderates often serve to mask the lunacy of the extremists. It would be wonderful if more moderates came out against the extremists, but that simply is not the case. It also must be noted that the moderates are not sensible people because of their religion, but in fact in spite of it. They pick and choose what is palatable to them and throw out what is not.

Samantha- :T Jamie, what the crap are you talking about? No.
Moderates do not mask the lunacy of extremists. They are crazy. What are you talking about. I don't see moderates like: "OH HAY, they are blowing up buildings for GOD? Awesome."
No.
It's true that some people live in a religious psychosis, and some people are inherently bad - but most of the time its the enviorment they have grown up in that makes them so misconstrued.
As for what faith and religion has done to humanity... I disagree with you there. It's what people chose to do with their beliefs.
In fact, I think many people should follow the golden rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you...."
However, if you associate all Christians with all the injustices that extremists cause, wouldn't it be fair to say that all Atheists are horrible people because Jeffrey Dahmer was one?
It's the same basic context.
I imagine you'll have something to quote from Dawkins about that. But seriously. :I All this pointless fighting. I don't get it.
Of course, I like play devil's advocate, so....

James- Why should I quote Dawkins when I am perfectly capable are making arguments for myself?
The problem is that moderates are slow to condemn extremists within their particular sect.
Also, what you do not seem to get is that atheism is not a belief system. Religion really can be seen as a motive to cause harm. You cannot get to acts of violence by simply saying that you reject the claim of whether or not a god exists. Nevertheless, it is perfectly logical to suggest that the 9/11 attacker's religion had something to do with their act of terrorism, however the same cannot be said of Jeffrey Dahmer and his atheism. You must also understand that in no way do I believe all Christians are bad people. I happen to feel that most are good people with good intentions, but they are good people in spite of their religion.
I also must add, that their religion may cause them to have prejudices that they may not have otherwise had. I say this in that I have heard many people claim that their main reason for being against homosexuality and homosexuals comes from the Bible.

Samantha- Because he has spoken on Jeffrey... never mind. =v=
:T Atheism is belief system - to me at least. Because you chose to believe in no deity or preternatural force. Harr harr. You see what I did there? :I Your belief is disbelief.
Also. Yes. You can get acts of violence by saying you reject whether or not a god exist. :I Look at Mr. Dahmer who I noted before: "If a person doesn’t think there is a God to be accountable to, then—then what’s the point of trying to modify your behavior to keep it within acceptable ranges?"
:/ Not all Atheists are like him. And do they support him? No.
I do agree with you that the moderate are slow to condemn on certain occasions - but the moderate of all groups - however, they do condemn them, don't they?
I also agree with you about the prejudices. However, certain ones would exist without the Bible, wouldn't they? Race is an example of that.
Jamie. What I'm basically trying to say here is. You can eliminate Christianity and just as many bad things would be happening without it, as with it. It serves as a moral compass for many, many people. However, I condemn many things written in the Bible.
:I I'm going to hell for eating shellfish, spitting on the floor, for supporting homosexuality, but most of all for being an independent woman.
:I I just dislike you grouping Christians into the same group of demoralized creatures. However, since you stated that you did not believe they were all bad people - I am appeased.

James- First of all, do you believe that not believing in the tooth fairy is a belief? I do not go around actively not believing in gods, I simply reject the claims of theists. Also, atheism is not a belief that can lead to any act, as it has absolutely no content. In many cases, the only thing atheist share in common is the fact that they reject the claims of theists. We're talking about a group that includes both Ayn Rand and Karl Marx; how could you get any different?
I wouldn't even say that my atheism is the reason that I criticize religion. Sure I do not believe in a deity, but if that was it why would I bother? The reason I choose to challenge religion comes from the acts of the religious. It has nothing to do with whether or not a god exists. Even if one did, I would still make the same arguments against bigotry and hatred as I do now.
Also you need to understand that Dahmer was a mentally ill individual. To say that he killed people simply because of his atheism is dishonest at the least. It also needlessly simplifies morality down to a fear of reprisal, which is laughable.

Samantha- ‎:I Yes. I do believe not believing in the tooth fairy is a belief. You are choosing to believe an obviously fictitious creature is not real. You do realize that one of the terms for belief is an opinion - it simply does not apply to religious tenets.
Also, how does Atheism have no content? That statement is obscure. :T Erm... okay, people are different no matter what. That was just silly. I was not implying all Atheists are the same - I'm just saying what you said seemed to group all Christians into the same cesspool of stagnant morality.
Feel free to make arguments against bigotry and hatred. :T I never said you couldn't. Just don't generalize. Goodness me. Not every person is the same cookie cutter cut out, Jamie. As for your Atheism - I used to explain things into terms you would be more familiar with.
Dahmer was certainly a mentally ill individual. I'd like to think the extremists willing to take human lives are the same - or at least emotionally crippled. One person cannot be held as a representative for an entire group of people. This is my point.
Oh. :/ That quote was by him, by the way. He was a creeper to the extreme.
Now. I'm going to go play video games. :I I've said my piece.

James- This is where you are misunderstanding my argument. Atheism has no content, as it does not have a dogma that guides the individuals. Religion on the other had does have dogma, that can indeed entice individuals to great acts of violence. Atheism, like afairyism, is a rejection of a claim not a belief that is shaped by doctrine. Religion however, is a belief that is shaped by its doctrine. Religious doctrine can, and has led individuals to acts of violence. Certainly these people believe they are committing the will of an all knowing, all loving god.