Tennessee atheists win right to distribute literature after schools give Bibles

[Straw Man]

meh...I'm not sure.  I'm thinking there's nothing wrong with giving people, especially students, multiple sides of the issue.  If they can pass out religious material, they should be able to pass out atheistic or agnostic material.  Besides, probably not appropriate to disperse this stuff at a school anyway.  Keep it at home.

definitely not appropriate

[Archer77]

definitely not appropriate

I agree with both of you.  Easiest way to avoid a problem is not allow either group access.

[Dos Equis]

meh...I'm not sure.  I'm thinking there's nothing wrong with giving people, especially students, multiple sides of the issue.  If they can pass out religious material, they should be able to pass out atheistic or agnostic material.  Besides, probably not appropriate to disperse this stuff at a school anyway.  Keep it at home.

Oh I completely agree.  Should be equal access, or no access for anyone.

My point was the very fact some atheists have literature promoting a belief in nothing is retarded.  No different than atheist churches, etc.  Pretty stupid IMO. 

[Straw Man]

Oh I completely agree.  Should be equal access, or no access for anyone.

My point was the very fact some atheists have literature promoting a belief in nothing is retarded.  No different than atheist churches, etc.  Pretty stupid IMO. 

says the man who believes in talking snakes, believes he is having a personal relationship with a jewish zombie and thinks that a book written by a bunch of anonymous human men which has been translated, mistranslated and redacted countless times is somehow the word of "god"

yeah, nothing retarded about any of that

[Agnostic007]

Oh I completely agree.  Should be equal access, or no access for anyone.

My point was the very fact some atheists have literature promoting a belief in nothing is retarded.  No different than atheist churches, etc.  Pretty stupid IMO. 

While I am no member of an atheist organization, I can clearly see the need. If left to their own devices, religious people would push their agenda and beliefs on everyone much like they have tried to do for centuries. Non believers need to organize to protect themselves from those zealots who want to legislate their beliefs into laws.

[loco]

Personally, I have no problems with atheists passing out literature to kids, just as I have no problems with Jews, Christians, Muslims, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses passing out literature to kids.

Christians proselytize because it is a huge part of our faith.  It looks like atheists proselytize because they are afraid of religious people pushing their agenda on them, yet many atheists such as Richard Dawkins and his followers say that Christians shouldn't proselytize.

While I am no member of an atheist organization, I can clearly see the need. If left to their own devices, religious people would push their agenda and beliefs on everyone much like they have tried to do for centuries. Non believers need to organize to protect themselves from those zealots who want to legislate their beliefs into laws.

why is it retarded and why are you so scared of atheists in the first place

If your religion is valid then it should be bulletproof from a few atheists passing out pamphlets

If atheism is valid, then it should be bulletproof from religious people trying to proselytize, and therefore atheists passing out pamphlets shouldn't be a necessity.

[LurkerNoMore]

While I am no member of an atheist organization, I can clearly see the need. If left to their own devices, religious people would push their agenda and beliefs on everyone much like they have tried to do for centuries. Non believers need to organize to protect themselves from those zealots who want to legislate their beliefs into laws.

Good post.  You see this all the time when people try to use the Constitution and Bill of Rights to enforce biblical law. 

[Straw Man]

Personally, I have no problems with atheists passing out literature to kids, just as I have no problems with Jews, Christians, Muslims, Mormons, and Jehovah's Witnesses passing out literature to kids.

Christians proselytize because it is a huge part of our faith.  It looks like atheists proselytize because they are afraid of religious people pushing their agenda on them, yet many atheists such as Richard Dawkins and his followers say that Christians shouldn't proselytize.

If atheism is valid, then it should be bulletproof from religious people trying to proselytize, and therefore atheists passing out pamphlets shouldn't be a necessity.

LOL - same goes for any religion.   They should all just stop proselytizing other wise they are just proving their own vulnerability to atheists and agnostics

Given your statement I assume you agree

[Agnostic007]

I'm just realizing the most shocking thing is that there are atheists in Tennessee 

[loco]

LOL - same goes for any religion.   They should all just stop proselytizing other wise they are just proving their own vulnerability to atheists and agnostics

Given your statement I assume you agree

Hard for me to agree with your statement when I don't understand what you are saying.  Atheists and theists should stop proselytizing, otherwise atheists and theists are just proving their own vulnerability to atheists?  That doesn't make any sense.

[loco]

I'm just realizing the most shocking thing is that there are atheists in Tennessee  

There are atheists everywhere, but they will always be the minority, unless they start popping babies like crazy, much like many religious groups do.  Atheists tend to have at most two kids, if any at all.

[LurkerNoMore]

I'm just realizing the most shocking thing is that there are atheists in Tennessee 

Definitely a CT if there ever was one.

[Agnostic007]

Definitely a CT if there ever was one.

I think the churches with the snake handling are in that state..they need atheists more than any other state.. ironic if God is sending them to save people from those churches.. 

[blacken700]

I think the churches with the snake handling are in that state..they need atheists more than any other state.. ironic if God is sending them to save people from those churches.. 

[Straw Man]

Hard for me to agree with your statement when I don't understand what you are saying.  Atheists and theists should stop proselytizing, otherwise atheists and theists are just proving their own vulnerability to atheists?  That doesn't make any sense.

It makes as much sense as your statement.

Lets take your statement and change a few words and see if you agree.

If Christianity is valid then it should be bulletproof from atheists handing out pamphlets therefore Christians proselytizing shouldn't be necessary. 

Makes sense?

No need to go all over the world trying to spread christianity

[Dos Equis]

While I am no member of an atheist organization, I can clearly see the need. If left to their own devices, religious people would push their agenda and beliefs on everyone much like they have tried to do for centuries. Non believers need to organize to protect themselves from those zealots who want to legislate their beliefs into laws.

There is nothing wrong with pushing an agenda or beliefs. 

So you agree that these atheists exist to oppose people who believe in God? 

[Agnostic007]

There is nothing wrong with pushing an agenda or beliefs. 

So you agree that these atheists exist to oppose people who believe in God? 

No, I believe they exist to protect their rights to freedom from religion

[loco]

It makes as much sense as your statement.

Lets take your statement and change a few words and see if you agree.

If Christianity is valid then it should be bulletproof from atheists handing out pamphlets therefore Christians proselytizing shouldn't be necessary.  

Makes sense?

No need to go all over the world trying to spread christianity

No.  Christians proselytize because it's a big part of Christianity, not because of fear.  Gospel means "Good News."

Matthew 28:19
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Atheists proselytize out of fear, their fear of religious agenda being pushed on them.

Unlike you, I believe both theists and atheists should proselytize all they want.  I have no fear of either one.

[Dos Equis]

No, I believe they exist to protect their rights to freedom from religion

How are they protecting their right to be free from religion, when they are pushing their own agenda?  Why not just ignore religious people?  I do it all the time.  I got bum rushed by some Jehovahs Witnesses the other day as I walking into my house.  I accepted their pamphlet, thanked them, went in the house, and threw it away.  I wasn't offended.  I didn't feel the need to go protest, etc. 

[Straw Man]

No.  Christians proselytize because it's a big part of Christianity, not because of fear.  Gospel means "Good News."

Matthew 28:19
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Atheists proselytize out of fear, their fear of religious agenda being pushed on them.

Unlike you, I believe both theists and atheists should proselytize all they want.  I have no fear of either one.

LOL - I love the pretzel logic that compels you to proselytize....i.e. to have 24/7 Christian networks begging for money, to travel the world spreading your beliefs, going door to door, and person to person, etc... because that is a requirement of membership in your particular cult

yet

atheists who merely want to leave pamphlets on a table where someone might wander by to pick up .....that is just silly and unnecessary and by your judgement merely leaving pamphlets on a table somehow suggests that atheism is not valid

BTW - I've never said that christians (fill in any religious group) or atheists shouldn't push their beliefs

All I've said in this thread is that neither one has any business doing so in a public school

[loco]

BTW - I've never said that christians (fill in any religious group) or atheists shouldn't push their beliefs

LOL - same goes for any religion.   They should all just stop proselytizing other wise they are just proving their own vulnerability to atheists and agnostics

Given your statement I assume you agree

Unlike you, I believe both theists and atheists should proselytize all they want, anywhere they want.  I have no fear of either one.

[Straw Man]

Unlike you, I believe both theists and atheists should proselytize all they want, anywhere they want.  I have no fear of either one.

that was in response to your specific comment about atheists

I was taking your comment about atheists and applying to all religions because if your belief that it shouldn't be necessary (or as you oddly phrased it, "a necessity") for atheists to do something as mundane and non-invasive as leaving pamphlets on a table then the very same thing should apply to all religions

I was hoping you would realize by that comparison that you would realize how silly your statement was (i.e. your group can do something but if an opposing group does the same thing...even on a much smaller scale..well that is just silly and unnecessary)

If atheism is valid, then it should be bulletproof from religious people trying to proselytize, and therefore atheists passing out pamphlets shouldn't be a necessity.

[loco]

that was in response to your specific comment about atheists

I was taking your comment about atheists and applying to all religions because if your belief that it shouldn't be necessary (or as you oddly phrased it, "a necessity") for atheists to do something as mundane and non-invasive as leaving pamphlets on a table then the very same thing should apply to all religions

I was hoping you would realize by that comparison that you would realize how silly your statement was (i.e. your group can do something but if an opposing group does the same thing...even on a much smaller scale..well that is just silly and unnecessary)

When I said that is "unnecessary" it was in response to Agnostic007 who said that it was needed in order to try to stop theists from pushing their agenda on atheists, and I said it in sarcasm to your post.  That's why I quoted you both in the same post.  The post of yours which I quoted goes both ways too.  That is my point.

Unlike you, I believe both theists and atheists should proselytize all they want, anywhere they want.  I have no fear of either one.

[LurkerNoMore]

There is nothing wrong with pushing an agenda or beliefs. 

So you agree that these atheists exist to oppose people who believe in God? 

Or maybe they exist to protect everyone from having to live under conditions that are based on a fairy tale and is forced upon the nation through laws and constitutional amendments.

[Straw Man]

When I said that is "unnecessary" it was in response to Agnostic007 who said that it was needed in order to try to stop theists from pushing their agenda on atheists, and I said it in sarcasm to your post.  That's why I quoted you both in the same post.  The post of yours which I quoted goes both ways too.  That is my point.

Unlike you, I believe both theists and atheists should proselytize all they want, anywhere they want.  I have no fear of either one.

and unlike you I don't think either atheists or any religious group should be pushing their beliefs in a public school

other than that

have at it