So my BFF--someone I've known for almost 40 years--starts going on about "Atheist Fanatics"

[pink-o]

We were at breakfast on Sunday, and I mentioned that I didn't agree with Richard Dawkins that Islam is more likely to have violent extremists than Christianity or Judaism. So BFF agrees with me there, then says "There are fanatics in your camp as well," and mentions Michael Newdow. I didn't really know enough about his recent activities to argue properly with her, so I looked him up on Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Newdow

and I don't see anything close to the craziness that Fundies have shown. But it depresses me that so many people we know and love can just throw out talking points when you least expect it. She's a smart cookie, liberal, was married to an African American and they have one son, but she's a total believer in Fairy Tales. She's watched me through the years turn from seeking spiritual understanding to realizing the questions will never be answered, but she's remained stalwart in her Christian belief.

The point I'm making is that no matter how much you think you're on equal footing with these people, no matter how long you've known someone or how much you think they respect you, there's still this smug, superiority if they're a believer and you're not. I'm sure we've all experienced this with friends and family, but it's getting harder to deal with it. Believers are the one who've fucked up this place, killing others for their ideology. We just wanna enjoy life and not hurt anyone and not jump to any crazy conclusions until we know for sure.

So who sounds more rational, sane and un-fanatical??

[PassingFair]

1. My mother lashes out occasionally...

Like the time on Thanksgiving (at MY table) when she
told my two daughters that they weren't
going to get anything from her for Christmas because
they "didn't believe in anything".

:crazy:

I told her that they "believed" in human
kindness, but that she was doing a good
job curing them of THAT.

She apologized.

Sometimes she just feels like being mean I guess.

:crazy:

[Soylent Brice]

8. i am SO using that

'I told her that they "believed" in human
kindness, but that she was doing a good
job curing them of THAT.'

simply BRILLIANT.

[trotsky]

2. It's the fucking triangulation thing all the time.

The moderate believer is incredibly uncomfortable with the religious loons, and so to put themselves right in the cozy "middle" of rationality, they have to invent the polar opposite of the religious fundie, the "atheist fanatic." (AKA fundamentalist atheists, militant atheists, etc.) The label then gets applied to any atheist offering an opinion on religion that isn't fawning. See how easy it is?

[progressoid]

3. Yep, just when I think I've met someone that has a similar rational feelings...

something like your experience happens. I can honestly say I've only met a couple people in real life that have openly voiced similar sentiment about religion as me. Lately, I've been taking the easy road and just kept my mouth shut and smile.

I think Newdow is seen as some sort of fanatic just because he's vocal and had the guts to try to change the system. That's pretty threatening to a lot of people. Even to the barely religious. Newdow seems like a pretty mellow guy to me. I would think they would be more pissed at someone like Christopher Hitchens.

[sarcasmo]

4. My niece taught me a new one last week. BFFN

Best Friend For Now, maybe you need to change that last word?

[pink-o]

5. Well, we have drifted apart in the last 15 years, but I've just got too much

history with her to write her off. We moved to London when she was just out of high school (I'm a year older) and it was like army buddies, in the trenches together, experiencing an amazing 5 years. I would really hate our differences in whether God exists to be a wedge factor.

I just wish we could be respected instead of belittled. But I know it's just because we pose a threat to the Order of Fear and Fairy Tales.

[onager]

6. Really sad. I'm sorry for you.

And as you point out in the OP, this is sadly common for most of us when dealing with friends and family.

Wonder why we never hear about this stuff when believers start spouting off about all the wonderful benefits of religion?

Or all the people in love who couldn't get married because religion got in the way? I know several people who went thru the modern equivalent of a forced conversion to get married. And others who broke up because of religion.

Oh, I know why we never hear about this stuff! Because we're the atheists and IT'S ALL OUR FAULT!

Grrr....

[and-justice-for-all]

7. Oh yes, people with invisible friends..

and whom cradle bronze age desert dogma BELIEVE they have an upper hand or are superior..yeah, that's 'faith' and laugh.

[Deep13]

9. I'm on my way to murder a pro-life leader at church.

Oh, wait a minute, that would be wrong and illegal! Damn my godless conscience!

[pink-o]

10. yeah, exactly. Where do you get your "moral compass" if God doesn't give it to you?? n/t

[moggie]

11. I think the new iPhone has one n/t

[pink-o]

12. LOL: You wanna talk to God? There's an APP for that n/t

[NMMNG]

13. Damn atheist fanatics

Why won't they stop clawing at the religion others cram down their throats?