Who is your "neighbor"?

[bigthinker]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

 

[Ignatius]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

Of course it's a generalization therefore what needd is there for further discussion? This is drivel.

 

[Torin]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

I'm not sure this is provable or disprovable. The claim is about an empirical tendency within two groups, each consisting of millions of people. I presume the evidence is life experience, which will differ from person to person.

We'd need serious research, which does not exist, to definitively prove or disprove the claim. Of course, there are situations where it can be worthwhile and even beneficial for laymen to discuss things that are not currently definitively resolved - there would be little point in forums like CARM otherwise! However, in this case I wonder if it's anything but yet another exercise in tribal signaling among many on CARM.

 

[Mr Laurier]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

Atheists, and religious moderates, tend to see all people as fellow human beings.
Religious fanatics are less likely to do so.
There are a few hardline christian fundamentalists on CARM who have made clear that they reject utterly the idea that I ought to be allowed to live.
No atheist or religious moderate has ever said anything to the same effect.

 

[Authentic Nouveau]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

So when artheeists shipped people to Siberia, the neighbor dimension no longer applied.

Humanists are famous for brutal inhumane treatment.

 

[Ignatius]

Atheists, and religious moderates, tend to see all people as fellow human beings.
Religious fanatics are less likely to do so.
There are a few hardline christian fundamentalists on CARM who have made clear that they reject utterly the idea that I ought to be allowed to live.
No atheist or religious moderate has ever said anything to the same effect.

Who said you should be allowed to live? I think that statement needs some proof.

 

[Authentic Nouveau]

Atheists, and religious moderates, tend to see all people as fellow human beings.
Religious fanatics are less likely to do so.
There are a few hardline christian fundamentalists on CARM who have made clear that they reject utterly the idea that I ought to be allowed to live.
No atheist or religious moderate has ever said anything to the same effect.

The Devil got excited when your athe bros and ring leaders KILLED 200 million in the last century.
Don't try the dishonest trick of pretending you don't know who done it.

 

[Whateverman]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

I suspect that the more conservative the Christian, the more tribal they are, and thus the more exclusive the membership to their "my neighbors" club.

Less abstractly, there are Christians who try to treat everyone as their biblical neighbor. Some of them post here, but they're in a tiny minority among those who think biblical neighbors must-and-do agree with everything ultraconservative Christians think.

 

[bigthinker]

Of course it's a generalization therefore what needd is there for further discussion? This is drivel.

You require specifics? Generalizations are what, beneath you? Too broad? Not specific enough?
lol.
Regardless, I'm not surprised by your dismissal.

 

[bigthinker]

I'm not sure this is provable or disprovable. The claim is about an empirical tendency within two groups, each consisting of millions of people. I presume the evidence is life experience, which will differ from person to person.

We'd need serious research, which does not exist, to definitively prove or disprove the claim. Of course, there are situations where it can be worthwhile and even beneficial for laymen to discuss things that are not currently definitively resolved - there would be little point in forums like CARM otherwise! However, in this case I wonder if it's anything but yet another exercise in tribal signaling among many on CARM.

I'm not sure if its tribal "signalling"; it directly addresses one of the differences between these two "tribes".

 

[bigthinker]

The Devil got excited when your athe bros and ring leaders KILLED 200 million in the last century.
Don't try the dishonest trick of pretending you don't know who done it.

um.... lol.

 

[bigthinker]

Atheists, and religious moderates, tend to see all people as fellow human beings.
Religious fanatics are less likely to do so.
There are a few hardline christian fundamentalists on CARM who have made clear that they reject utterly the idea that I ought to be allowed to live.
No atheist or religious moderate has ever said anything to the same effect.

I agree. Atheists have less to lose and fewer reasons to be fearful of "the other" -While you are aware of Christians who think you shouldn't be allowed to live, there is little reason to fear them. Being able to understand "the other's" position -even if that position is that they reject the idea that you ought to be allowed to live- makes a difference and lessens the fear.
For the believer, even thinking the wrong idea is a sin -although that seems to be highly selective, because entertaining or holding the other's idea in their head in an attempt to understand might open the door to Satan.

 

[Five Solas]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

This is one of the more interesting threads in quite some time, and I appreciate you saying it's a generalization. But let's take atheism in its purest sense, that which is defined by the majority of skeptics here, which is only non-belief in the existence of gods and the absence of any other dogma, creed, etc. Atheism, so defined, is not sustainable as a foundation for any form of societal cohesion, so it should not come as a surprise at all that it lends itself to amalgamation, kind of like being run over culturally in Sid Meier's CIV. Other than humanity being incorrigibly religious, this may be why so many atheists (perhaps I should says nones here instead) have opted for some form of humanistic quasi-religion, creed, Scientism, or belief.

 

[bigthinker]

This is one of the more interesting threads in quite some time,

I appreciate that.

and I appreciate you saying it's a generalization. But let's take atheism in its purest sense, that which is defined by the majority of skeptics here, which is only non-belief in the existence of gods and the absence of any other dogma, creed, etc. Atheism, so defined, is not sustainable as a foundation for any form of societal cohesion,

Atheism isn't a foundation for any form of societal cohesion. Societal cohesion comes from members of the society getting along which requires at least some commonality of attitudes regarding how to treat others. Essentially, a screw driver is not sustainable as a hammer.

so it should not come as a surprise at all that it lends itself to amalgamation, kind of like being run over culturally in Sid Meier's CIV. Other than humanity being incorrigibly religious, this may be why so many atheists (perhaps I should says nones here instead) have opted for some form of humanistic quasi-religion, creed, Scientism, or belief.

hmmm.... I suspect participation in any "quasi-religion" has more to do with the social nature of human beings rather than a base need for religion or religiosity. I would need definitions for the other terms before I could respond with an opinion.
Do you make a distinction between "Scientism" and science?

 

[Five Solas]

Atheism isn't a foundation for any form of societal cohesion.

That's indeed my point.

Do you make a distinction between "Scientism" and science?

Yes. Science is something I've worked in daily for over two decades in projects you'd likely be aware of. Scientism is a mythos based on science.

 

[4tune8chance]

It occurred to me that another difference between the atheist and the believe is this:

The atheist tends to consider all of humanity to be their neighbor whereas the Christian tends to consider only those in their tribe to be neighbor.
Of course this is a generalization but I'm curious if any of the thinking carm members agree, disagree or have additional thoughts.

Rather than atheist (does not believe in the existence of God/s) I would think a Humanist would be a better example.

I don't like painting all Christians with the same brush here, in the old testament sure it's very tribal. But in the new testament the parable of the Good Samaritan is given as a very specific answer to the question of who is my neighbour.

 

[The Pixie]

... But in the new testament the parable of the Good Samaritan is given as a very specific answer to the question of who is my neighbour.

It is not that simple. The Samaritans worshipped the same God as the Jews and were very closely related. There was certainly no love lost between Jews and Samaritans, but the same was true of Sadducees and Pharisees. These were the people who lived in what had been the kingdom of Israel, after all. I do not think the Samaritans were considered gentiles, though I could well be wrong.

If Jesus had made his parable about the Good Roman, it would be clear; your neighbour is anyone, whatever race or religion. As it is, it could well be that neighbour excludes gentiles and pagans. That would be my guess, in part basis on what Jesus said else where, eg:

Mark 7:26 Now the woman was a [n]Gentile, of Syrophoenician descent. And she repeatedly asked Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not [o]good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the [p]dogs.”​

 

[Ignatius]

You require specifics? Generalizations are what, beneath you? Too broad? Not specific enough?
lol.
Regardless, I'm not surprised by your dismissal.

Good so like I figured you have no reasoned argument. Thanks for the verification.

 

[Mr Laurier]

Who said you should be allowed to live? I think that statement needs some proof.

Not you.

 

[Mr Laurier]

The Devil got excited when your athe bros and ring leaders KILLED 200 million in the last century.
Don't try the dishonest trick of pretending you don't know who done it.

Alas, my lack of "athe bros" or "ring leaders" leaves you with a problem.
Who "done" what? I honestly have no idea what you are raving.