A little wisdom from an old man

Temujin said:
Nothing is true for all atheists, except that they don't believe in gods. Atheists come in all stripes of political belief, cognitive ability, nationality, ethnicity, gender, age, whatever. Knowing that someone is an atheist tells you nothing else about them. Any judgement on someone's character, honesty, criminality, intelligence or responsibility that's based purely on the fact that they are an atheist, will be unsound.. Unlike being a believer, being a non-believer does not have implications on how other aspects of one's life are conducted. The dichotomy between believer and non-believer is not symmetrical.
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You don't think that being an atheist affects your life at all? I think it colors every aspect of your life.
 
Caroljeen said:
You don't think that being an atheist affects your life at all? I think it colors every aspect of your life.
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No, I don't think it affects me any more than not being a stamp collector affects me. It only comes up on this site, which is hardly representative of real life. It is possible to live for months or years, without thinking about ones lack of belief in God. You think that it affects my life , but honestly, it doesn't.
 
Temujin said:
No, I don't think it affects me any more than not being a stamp collector affects me. It only comes up on this site, which is hardly representative of real life. It is possible to live for months or years, without thinking about ones lack of belief in God. You think that it affects my life , but honestly, it doesn't.
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I do. I don't wish to argue about it since you feel that it doesn't.
 
Caroljeen said:
I do. I don't wish to argue about it since you feel that it doesn't.
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I think that one of the asymmetries of belief is that believers not unnaturally think that Jesus permeates through all aspect of all lives, whereas non-believers see their non-belief as rather less important than the weather or what's for dinner. These asymmetries lead to misunderstanding and even confrontation as each side thinks the other is not taking them seriously. This is the reason so many Christians here tell me what I think, because when I say what I think, they don't believe me. One of your personal strengths is that you don't do this. Your efforts to understand how others think, puts most people here, including myself, to shame.
 
Caroljeen said:
... feel superior and regard as silly anyone who doesn't agree with me on this point"

Why does this have to be true for all atheists?
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It doesn't.

We are looking for (non-tautological) actions that are only done by atheists; "feeling smug about atheism" is tautological, by the way.
 
Temujin said:
I think that one of the asymmetries of belief is that believers not unnaturally think that Jesus permeates through all aspect of all lives, whereas non-believers see their non-belief as rather less important than the weather or what's for dinner. These asymmetries lead to misunderstanding and even confrontation as each side thinks the other is not taking them seriously. This is the reason so many Christians here tell me what I think, because when I say what I think, they don't believe me. One of your personal strengths is that you don't do this. Your efforts to understand how others think, puts most people here, including myself, to shame.
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I feel like it (atheistic underlying lens) my be in you subconscious and is there as you do your daily life. If you disagree, that's fine.
 
Torin said:
What do you think an atheistic underlying lens is or involves?
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I have an underlying Welsh lens, because being Welsh is part of my identity. Similarly, I have underlying lenses conveying veteran, parent, teacher, because these are also important to my sense of identity. Atheist is rather less important than bearded, bridge player or fond of cakes. It's something I am, and always will be, but isn't important to me.
 
Temujin said:
I have an underlying Welsh lens, because being Welsh is part of my identity. Similarly, I have underlying lenses conveying veteran, parent, teacher, because these are also important to my sense of identity. Atheist is rather less important than bearded, bridge player or fond of cakes. It's something I am, and always will be, but isn't important to me.
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Your thoughts are interesting, thanks.

I was asking @Caroljeen about her meaning because I know Evangelical Christians sometimes associate "atheism" with a number of unrelated ideas, like Communism.
 
Temujin said:
I have an underlying Welsh lens, because being Welsh is part of my identity. Similarly, I have underlying lenses conveying veteran, parent, teacher, because these are also important to my sense of identity. Atheist is rather less important than bearded, bridge player or fond of cakes. It's something I am, and always will be, but isn't important to me.
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Except for the many years and hours where you beat your chest over your atheism, sure. lolz
 
Torin said:
What do you think an atheistic underlying lens is or involves?
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Basically a mindset that guides an atheists decisions and thoughts in regard to what he/she sees, reads, in their conversations in everyday life. They would make judgements consistent with that mindset or a least be guided by it. An atheist does not have God in all of their thoughts. He is not on their radar. They see the world through an atheistic lens.
 
Torin said:
Your thoughts are interesting, thanks.

I was asking @Caroljeen about her meaning because I know Evangelical Christians sometimes associate "atheism" with a number of unrelated ideas, like Communism.
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His answer to your question let me know that atheism is clearly not what influences him the most.
 
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