I love these theist versus atheist arguments. It always devolves into an endless flame war which seems completely at odds with the core beliefs of each group. Here’s the thing:
Atheists are people who think about existence, in what they hope is an objective way, and come to the conclusion that a godless universe makes more sense than one with a God. Theists on the other hand believe that existence only makes sense if there is a God. As far as I’m concerned both views are perfectly all right. Theists do not need to argue for the existence of God through logic and deduction because they believe. That is not to say that they are any less intelligent than atheists. Belief is a powerful force in people’s lives and is, perhaps, critical food for the human “soul”. Atheists aren’t amoral people either just because they don’t take their morals from holy texts doesn’t mean they don’t have any. In fact they have the freedom to craft their own moral codes through life which allows for more flexibility and the acceptance of others’ choices that don’t correspond with their own world views. That’s not to say religious moral codes are totally inflexible because they do tend to change with the times as well.

What I’m trying to say is “Can’t we all just get along?” As an atheist I respect theists’ views and wish them all the best. I would just like the same in turn. I accept anyone and their pursuits so long as they don’t encroach on the freedom of others.

It saddens me to see how to see how people on either side of this issue debate it. They use a rhetoric filled with hate and accusation, claiming that the other side is amoral or stupid. I recognize that I won’t win a true believer over to side of atheism with words, but I sincerely hope that I can help them see that atheists are no more inherently worse people than the religious.

I hope that with this post I may facilitate a civil and respectful conversation between the two sides of this argument. Perhaps this is is vain but I have faith that neither side consists of inherently bad and quarrelsome people. Ultimately, I think theists and atheists that post in this context are thoughtful, kind people. Please treat each other with mutual respect.

We are all good people.

Besides the discussion on religion, atheism, agnosticism etcetera; This film does not deserve to be called a documentary. It is merely a selective compilation of news shows and other TV programs adding some biased texts. It would be a documentary if it objectively approached the subject of religion and atheism in US society. Now it is merely as objective as FOX or CNN news. As a European I wonder: Why does it seem that American interest groups tend to polarize discussions (assuming this film was made by an interest group).

Believers just seem so ill-informed to me.. I’d find it very hard to take seriously any criticism or condemnation from them.

I live in Ireland, a Catholic country basically trapped in the middle ages. I am Atheist and I get treated differently because of it. I don’t see how we don’t have a plea to human rights just like gay people and muslim/jewish people who are constantly discriminated against. I also think that it shows the true stupidity of christians when they try to argue that I am a satanist, I don’t believe in fucking satan, in the same way that I don’t believe in god. I just want to finish with my favorite Dawkins quote “I am agnostic about god in the same way that I am agnostic about fairies.”

While this poll may be somewhat accurate if you go up to random people on the street and ask them what they think about Atheists, from a much broader perspective, it’s completely full of shit. Atheists don’t get specifically treated any better or worse than Christians or Catholics. The only group of people who unfortunately get berated and shunned by Americans individually are Muslims. This is just what I’ve observed from being a 25 year old American and living through the continually expanding and ever-growing Atheism, and also living through the various terrorist attacks and the way the media purports it, and Muslims as a whole. There is way too big of a percentage of Americans who believe that Islam a political state of mind, and not a religion. It’s a quote I’ve heard many times.