Why Do Atheists Feel The Need To Describe Themselves As Such?

[Khandro]

after all, people who don't like or participate in sport, don't go around calling themselves Asportsmen/women do they?

[davebro3]

loads of reasons if you think about it

[Barsel]

You don't need to give me all the reasons, a few would do.

[Khandro]

The reason I ask, is because I believe it is in itself a substitute for religion. It shows a need to belong to some form of grouping, anything is better that nothing.

A friend told me that at an AA meeting in New York he found several people attending who weren't even alcoholics, they just came along because the liked the evangelical atmosphere! 

Did anyone see Nigel Farage's item on last night's GB News about the worrying (at least to me) amount of young white British children who are being converted to Islam, with the excellent woman psychologist saying why she thinks it is happening? 

[Barsel]

Khandro, perhaps some Atheists do feel like that. I suppose it depends on that person's character or personality.

 

[douglas9401]

It's mostly for the beach parties and big raffles, Barsel.

It can also lend respectability to flower arranging for men.

[davebro3]

Khandro - you just described one of the major reasons for being in a religion whilst not believing in god!

[Khandro]

dave; There are many people who attend church who don't strictly-speaking believe in God, & I have it on good authority there are even members of the clergy too.

[douglas9401]

That's okay, many people lie to get a job or club membership.

[naomi24]

//The reason I ask, is because I believe it is in itself a substitute for religion. //

 

You're kidding yourself, Khandro.  Truth is you're needy and you can't believe other people aren't.  

[Barsel]

Khando, perhaps if you had worded your question as 'Why do some Atheists' I would have just given the answer I gave at 10am, but like a lot of what I think are simple questions turn out to be not simple at all, and this is the point I lose interest.

[ToraToraTora]

Khandro: "Did anyone see Nigel Farage's item on last night's GB News about the worrying (at least to me) amount of young white British children who are being converted to Islam," - they'll soon convert back when they find out that anything that is remotely enjoyable is banned.

[THECORBYLOON]

We're they concerned only about, "white British children" reverting to Islam?

[THECORBYLOON]

Were...

[lankeela]

I truly cannot comprehend how intelligent people believe in the creation of the world by some god and believe the words of a book written many thousands of years after the earth was formed by scientific processes. Why do all religions think theirs is the correct one and theirs is the only real god? 

[Khandro]

TTT ; //amount of young white British children who are being converted to Islam," - they'll soon convert back when they find out that anything that is remotely enjoyable is banned.//

How little you know! There are parents who bring up their children, without any semblance of religion, not even to recognise the Christian culture into which they have been born, which is bad enough. Then there are the unspeakable people who bring up their children to be actively atheists.

There are now white British kids who are finding themselves in classes comprising almost entirely of children being brought up as Muslims an feel isolated by it. Add to this all the woke junk (be a boy or a girl, your choice), and the need to know where you are, is strong & which is prevalent in the young.

When along comes a parent of a Muslim child they know who is introducing them via the services of imams (documented in the GB News piece) to the whole Islam thing which can fill a gap in their lives.

All they have to do is recite a few words and bingo - they belong, and are not 'outsiders' !

But TTT, it isn't at all like Christianity or other religions, the are actually Muslims  & it's for life! they can't, as you suggest, just drop out that is apostacy & according to the Koran, the penalty for apostacy is nothing less that death. 

[Hopkirk]

I sometimes am presented with a drop down menu to declare my religion.

It's necessary to have an option I can select.

[lankeela]

"Then there are the unspeakable people who bring up their children to be actively atheists."  

The fact you call them unspeakable tells us all we need to know about you religious zealots.    Nearly as bad as vegans.

Had you not brought this up none of us athiests would have even mentioned it.  

[jackthehat]

I can't recall groups of evangelical atheists singing, clapping and getting themselves arrested in High Streets across the land; bothering shoppers with their nonsense.

As others have said, I only declare my lack of faith when questioned. I have no idea how many of my acquaintances are atheists or people of faith.

[davebro3]

//All they have to do is recite a few words and bingo - they belong, and are not 'outsiders' !//

Isn't that what Christians do also?

[THECORBYLOON]

Which would you prefer, someone brought up as an atheist or someone believing in a non-Christian god?