Comments on: Theists Anonymous

By: fideism

fideism — Fri, 09 May 2008 05:54:32 +0000

If you were raised in fundamentalist religion, then you might see the parallels between religious addiction and other addiction. The more you were devoted to it, the harder and more painful it is to break free. If your parents let you think critically and encouraged you to make up your own mind (even if they were religious) it may be difficult to see what is so “hard” about changing your belief system. The video didn’t exaggerate anything. Not everybody needs a support group to quit drinking, but it’s not patronizing that support groups exist for those that need it.

By: RobL

RobL — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:32:28 +0000

I would not want to associate with an atheist group that thought this was an appropriate way to further atheism. If it was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek it fell way short (for me) of being funny and if it was supposed to be serious then I find it way too harsh and insulting to be productive. Ignoring the small minority of religious believers who are crazy and do stupid things it is not honest to equate religion and drug addiction. Regardless of my opinion that religion is a bunch of nonsense it is not all bad and I have to admit that religious groups here in Spokane do a heck of a lot more for the poor than the secular ones. I suspect the director of the Spokane Mission, who keeps a couple hundred drug addicts and alcoholics from freezing to death in the winter, would be amused to hear that he was being compared to a drug addict. I think he is totally wrong to believe in theism but I respect what his religion drives him to do. Chill out, it’s not all bad.

By: Kori

Kori — Fri, 09 May 2008 00:37:01 +0000

I can’t say that I really like that approach, because it’s liable to be a major turn-off for anyone who could potentially find use with the information given. I mean, people don’t tend to like feeling as though they’re being patronized (often nonreligious people experience this from believers, as believers feel that it helps them to get them to believe, and that they’re “save”ing them; why should believers react with any less disdain toward the same attitude from nonbelievers?)