Will there be a conflict between theists and non theists?

[morteduzionism]

For the most part I think most non theists are not too bothered by the constant harrassment from theists(jehovas witnesses, self righteous muslims, etc)

Do you think that could ever change? Do you think there could arise a worldwide anti-theist movement to once and for all check these people to prevent them from further harming us, themselves and the planet?

What, if any, state would support an anti-theist movement? Or do you think non-theists will always grin-and-bear it?

[removeduser_426582376423734]

There already is.

[Blau&Gruen]

It is a necessary dialectic of modern life, a "condition humaine", if you want.

[morteduzionism]

There already is.

I don't think so. Im not talking about people like the crazy guy who says 'there's a war on christmas'...

I meant something definitive...us vs them...

[Blau&Gruen]

Sure, there is.

[jarnomiedema]

I've been thinking about this as well.. Mostly because I was astounded by a fact I heard during my American Studies class the other day, where my professor mentioned that only about 1-3 percent of Americans acknowledge they're atheists, whereas in the Netherlands (where I'm from) that percentage has been floating between 50 and 60 percent for quite some time now..

While I think there's already a conflict going on between theists and non-theists (Abortion, Evolution in schools, Condom-use, Homosexuality, Euthanasia; to name a few battlegrounds), I can't help but feel that there's going to be a major clash somewhere in the future. Due to the constant assault on liberties and free, scientific thought under the guise of religiously inspired fanaticism, I have a feeling that people are eventually going to get fed up and stand up..

I firmly believe that as people become more educated, religious thinking will be pushed back, since it fails to stand up to intellectual scrutiny..

[Blau&Gruen]

Some will always accept values as given, some will always think values as something to reach.

[morteduzionism]

Sorry Abraham I edited the post...I didn't understand your answer at first...

I can't help but feel that there's going to be a major clash somewhere in the future. Due to the constant assault on liberties and free, scientific thought under the guise of religiously inspired fanaticism, I have a feeling that people are eventually going to get fed up and stand up..

I firmly believe that as people become more educated, religious thinking will be pushed back, since it fails to stand up to intellectual scrutiny..

This is what I was thinking about too.

Will America, the worlds police, defend a group of atheists from being massacred?

[Farnan]

I've been thinking about this as well.. Mostly because I was astounded by a fact I heard during my American Studies class the other day, where my professor mentioned that only about 1-3 percent of Americans acknowledge they're atheists, whereas in the Netherlands (where I'm from) that percentage has been floating between 50 and 60 percent for quite some time now..

Sorry but you're professor is an idiot.

The percent is 15% are Atheist/Agnostics/Religionless (which means Atheist in a different word)

[jarnomiedema]

Sorry but you're professor is an idiot.

The percent is 15% are Atheist/Agnostics/Religionless (which means Atheist in a different word)

What a great of brushing aside of a highly respected scholar by naming a percentage without a source.. What he was referring to was 'atheism' in the strict sense. See the quote below and look for the ARIS Report. I'd say he came pretty close..

Here's what's stated on Wikipedia, quoting various sources:

A 2004 BBC poll showed the number of people in the US who don't believe in a god to be about 10%. A 2005 Gallup poll showed that a smaller 5% of the US population believed that a god didn't exist. The 2001 ARIS report found that while 29.5 million U.S. Americans (14.1%) describe themselves as "without religion", only 902,000 (0.4%) positively claim to be atheist, with another 991,000 (0.5%) professing agnosticism.

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_atheism

[removeduser_426582376423734]

There already is a conflict between theists and atheists.

[zerathule]

To answer your statements, not the actual title of the thread, it allmost happened in france in the beginning of the 20th century.
In 1905, was voted the defiante law for separating churches and state, as well as inscribing the laicity in our constitution.
The details arent relevant, but at the time conflict was harsh between "liberals" and "conservatives".(those concepts where different at the time, not to mention they are different from country to country)
When the separation was made, some officials wanted to register every people going to religious offices, but that never happened since it was against freedom of religion.

(disclaimer : i am atheist, these are just historical facts. I disaprove those methods, even if i think it could have been necessary at the time).

By the way, the anti religious argument was used in france to forbid women to vote up to 1944 ... supposedly, women where more succeptible to clergyman indoctrination.(but remember that before the argument was the contrary : women had to take care of kids as a "divine" task, not take part in politics)

[the_mango55]

What, if any, state would support an anti-theist movement? Or do you think non-theists will always grin-and-bear it?

This has already happened a couple of times

1. Soviet Russia
2. Communist China

[Mangalore]

what seems strange is that the theists are even moving backwards compared to their own history. What was a non-issue already for quite some time now (e.g. wether the world is 6000 years old or not) is suddenly an issue again although highstanding clergymen of the Vatican wouldn't argue such stuff anymore.

It's as if some branches of Christianity have fallen into reactionary trends ignoring that even their forefathers didn't take such radical positions...

[Oldgamer]

When people start "classifying" other people by terms such as "theist", and "non-theist", conflict is almost inevitable. It reminds me of the word "Juden" which was so prevalent in Europe about sixty years ago.

As for myself, I have almost no interest in non-theists, except to keep them from having their way on various political issues. I'm more interested in living, and allowing to live. I hope non-theists agree with this sentiment.

If they're not, that can be addressed in various ways, also ...

[morteduzionism]

This has already happened a couple of times

1. Soviet Russia
2. Communist China

hmm...I understand why you use them...but...what I was trying to ask is if there would be a conflict where 'theism' is the central point of contention...

communism, to me, just happened to be unaffiliated with religion/dogma...it wasn't as if its' main goal was to fight 'theism'...or was it?

[Falconius]

Asking if there will be a conflict between two groups of people with differing opinions is like asking will ice cream melt in the Florida summer sun.

[morteduzionism]

Asking if there will be a conflict between two groups of people with differing opinions is like asking will ice cream melt in the Florida summer sun.

it's been over 2 millenia since Christianity became a state religion...the conflict(atheists rising up to fight against the theists) hasn't happened yet...

[Oldgamer]

it's been over 2 millenia since Christianity became a state religion...the conflict(atheists rising up to fight against the theists) hasn't happened yet...

Do you wish it to happen? And what will be the nature of the conflict? What do you wish to be its nature?

[morteduzionism]

Oldgamer...ok......lol...here we go...lol...

First of all, I asked "Will there be...", Falconius is the one who thinks the conflict is 'inevitable'...I questioned him based on the fact, as I see it, since the conflict hasn't happened in the past 2K years, in essence, what made him think it would happen like "ice cream melting in the Florida sun"...his response, "give it time"...

and you ask me:

Do you wish it to happen?

I wish to see an end to all conflicts.

And what will be the nature of the conflict?

I don't know. Religious people tend to get violent when they don't get their way. I've never heard of a religious site being destroyed by atheists, being blown up by other religious people, yes, by atheists, no.

What do you wish to be its nature?

It doesn't really matter what I wish. Religious people are irrational so expecting or attempting to rationalize with one and to come to a peacefull agreement seems unlikely.