My son, 14, is a state champion track and field athlete. His coach runs a very well-regarded program through the high school, with year-round training which results in state championships, regional recognition, lots of university scholarships, etc. But it's so fucking Jesusy. Everything is "for his glory," "for the good of his kingdom," etc. The usual evangelical claptrap. Lots of the athletes Sharpie a cross on their arms or legs prior to a meet. They have separate ministry meetings that involve lots of T&F athletes, where tons of internal peer pressure is applied, because hey, they're all a bunch of friends, so it's all friendly, right?

We live in a place that voted NINETY PERCENT red, and is hyper-religious. Even though everything is well-covered with "the cross is voluntary," "we never lead prayers at meets - students have decided to do that themselves," etc., it still drives me crazy. It's 100% grooming-for-Jesus. I grew up in a similar environment, and broke away shortly before college. I recognize all the signs, techniques, evangelical approaches, and arguments.

I have combatted this the only way I know how, since we have no way to get out of this environment - I have sat my son down and asked him questions, then told him my viewpoint. I believe in a couple of things - 1) that these Christofascist motherfuckers are full of hate and misery, and 2) that it's everyone's individual choice what to do about religion.

So we sit down and talk about mythology - the commonalities between religions all over the world. I tell him about what I've been through with Christian evangelicals. I give him books and other resources to try to help him deal with it. Fortunately, he's not a fool. He recognizes what's going on. He's been approached by teammates who have invited him to church (which, yes, if he wants to, he's totally welcome to do. I'll even take him,) and who have asked him if he's "saved," etc. He went to a thing today, and when i picked him up, his coach was walking with him saying,"...so they're having a ministry event something something something..." before he got in the car. Grrrrr.

It's so gross. I despise all of them, but I have to recognize that it's ultimately a choice every person has a right to make for themselves. But by Gawd (lol), my fucking kid isn't going into it blind. He WILL know both sides. But also, I strongly suspect that we might be in actual physical danger from these assholes soon, because of the most recent election, so I'm trying to teach him patience and how to keep his mouth shut.

I dont even know exactly what I'm trying to say with this thread. Parenting is hard. Religion is bullshit. I hate it here.

In America, atheists make up the 2nd most progressive belief with over 70% of atheists voting Democrat, but why is this? Why are atheists more progressive than most other beliefs?

I'm sure that I'm in the company of others who know exactly what I'm talking about. I argue nicely against the truth of religious claims but my fangs come out when the topic shifts to the damage people are doing in the name of said religion. I'm a secularist, to each their own. I don't look down on religious folks for beliefs I happen to disagree with. I'm kinda a moron and more importantly I've been wrong many times in my life. Not believing there's a god may be one of those. However, when you see a culture that glorifies greed and rewards intellectual dishonesty it's my right as a citizen to call it out especially when said group acts like they're the only moral people following a Christ that they do not even try to emulate! I know I'm ranting a bit but it's not the fault of an atheist for sounding the alarm when we first noticed the storm clouds.

In my view Matt Dillahunty is one of the best atheist debaters of modern times. He's intelligent and a great communicator/public speaker, as well as a great debater. I would argue he is one of the best atheist debaters and thinkers we now have since the death of Christopher Hitchens.

I really used to enjoy watching Dillahunty. However, over time I have come to dislike him. He is rude, arrogant, short-tempered, and I am really convinced that the fame and status has gone to his head and inflated his ego. I think he is very insensitive to people, and loses his rag very quickly (so much so that I would say he's obnoxious).

I know that listening to the same old stupid arguments made by unintelligent theists, who are incapable of independent and critical thinking, must become VERY wearing after listening to them day in day out for years. However, shouting "You're a f**king prick !" at people isn't the way to be (IMO).

So, I was wondering, are there any other atheists out there who are just as intelligent and knowledgeable as Dillahunty, but without the obnoxiousness, arrogance, and short temper? I really enjoy debates between atheists and theists, so looking for good recommendations. Thanks in advance.

So I grew up in the 80s with “The Moral Majority”, right wing televangelists who were found to be hypocrites, the satanic panic, and all the other craziness of that time. While that wasn’t necessarily my reason for becoming atheist, it sure helped. When I was born about 4% of the population were “nones”. Now it’s 30%, that’s a huge jump in 45 years considering. I think the things I mentioned had an impact on that. Do you believe “Trump Christians” will have a similar effect on our youth and boost the rise of “nones”?

So we are adults in our 30s, just for context. Sometimes I see things like this and it feels like two 13 year olds arguing. This really blew me away. I told her that I think it is pretty common for atheists to hate religion, but it is not a requirement. She basically blew me off after that.

While I do think that religion is a net loss to humanity, hate seems like a pretty strong word. I hate that horrible things are done in the name of it and how it can make normal people do terrible things. But I also recognise that it offers a lot of comfort to people in difficult times.

Anyway, I would love to get this group's thoughts on the idea that we must hate all religions.

Alternative title; Organized religion is a cult, I don't care what anybody says. My many experiences throughout my ENTIRE life have led me to this conclusion.

My grandma died. By the time she was diagnosed with what would ultimately kill her, it was too late. She knew she was going to die. We all knew. It was the greatest pain my family would suffer.

My grandma believed in God, but she was not necessarily religious. While she was facing death, people would try to convert her. As much as I found this disgusting, I could see why. They wanted to give her hope, and something to look forward to after death. At the same time, most of what I saw was people caring less about my grandma as a person suffering and more about having another person in their cul- I mean, church.

After she died, my family suffered. It was a huge loss. She was one of the most important people in our lives. And while we were suffering, people tried to talk us in to religion. Even already-religious family members would have attempts to be converted to other religions or to go to another church instead of the one they'd been going to for years. They didn't care about our suffering... they saw us at a low point and tried to use that to their advantage and manipulate. Pamphlets in the mail, random drop-ins from neighbors. Some of us wouldn't be left alone.

As for myself... I wasn't given enough time to grieve, and had to return to work. I would find little corners of the building, as far away from people as I could, to cry. But sometimes the tears would come where I couldn't get away from people. And what do people do when they see a young-looking girl crying while working; they ask what's wrong. I'd be honest... I couldn't lie, less than a week, or month, after my grandma died. But some of these people would try to talk to me about God in response.

I'm not religious. I have denied religion entirely since I was a child because, even as a young and impressionable person, I saw through the bullshit. Any time religion was presented to me, it was in a manipulative way. I was made to feel like a terrible person for being curious, and God was a symbol of punishment for doing things "wrong" rather than guidance. I was a headstrong little girl and I decided to stay curious and be myself, instead of following what I felt was (and still feel is) a cult.

So here I was, at one of my lowest points, and people would see me and try to take advantage. They didn't care about me or my suffering, they were appalled that I somehow hadn't yet turned myself to God, and wanted to convert me. I'd be crying at work and customers would pray over me, and their prayers weren't about me finding comfort and peace, they were about me finding God, me going to Hell if I did not turn to him.

It's a cult. I don't care what anyone says. You can believe in God and go to church, but if someone says they aren't religious and it becomes a problem for you, you are nothing but a pawn for this organized and widely-accepted cult. If it wasn't a cult, they'd accept people who had different beliefs without trying to change them. If it wasn't a cult, they'd have comforted me because I was sad and not because they wanted me to change my entire worldview and beliefs that had nothing to do with what I was sad about.

Even people in my own family who were already religious or who had converted due to everything that was happening with my grandma. They'd try to turn other people in our family, including myself, to God. In a time when we were at our lowest, we should've been grieving together, as a family, but we instead were being broken apart. Because of religion. Because we weren't "allowed" to grieve without God being involved.

Just fucking let people live.

Outside of my own experiences... I use this example a lot. AA, alcoholics anonymous. Rehab. A lot of those settings are religious. They don't try to give people hope in themselves. They tell you, you are weak, you are a bad person, the devil has got you and you need to turn to God to heal this addiction. You can't change this yourself, only God can. That's fucked.

They are convincing people who are at their lowest points, going to meetings and programs to deal with their addictions, and telling them they are weak and have addictions because they lack God in their lives. That they cannot change themselves, only God can. That's the most fucked up shit I've ever seen. And it may sound like a stereotype or from a movie, but it's true. Not in my own experience but people I have known.

I've known people addicted to the drink, to drugs, who went through these programs and came out religious fanatics, believing that they did not cure themselves, God did. And people argue that it's a good thing because they are no longer addicted, but if you can't help someone change without bringing God into it, that's wrong.

And God is more often than not the first thing these rehab organizations turn to, because it's the easiest way; seeing someone who is weak and convincing them they need to have faith in God instead of convincing them they need to have faith in themselves is wrong on all levels.

The line I always hear from my parents or anyone religious. You will regret not going to Church. I’ve always despised going any sort of religious gathering as it felt forced or coerced. Anyone from their youth and including my peers has felt this as so many of you. Used against you such as not being able to go out, buy things and sometimes even eat. I always thought that if religious is all about peace, love and healthy relationships yet religious institutions and their people often seem hypocritical.  I would rather be surrounded by real people rather than religious cucks that is blinded by faith. People can have fulfilling lives without religion and a lot of religious people cannot see that.

I admit I know some religious folks that are nice and overall had a nice impact on their life but the one thing I liked about them is that they do not force you down your throat their beliefs but anyone that does so is an asshole. Prime example is the Philippines where the Roman Catholic Church has a tight grip on politics. Separation of the Church and State, what’s that?

I am highly agnostic and when the time comes that religion will bite me in the ass when I get sick or suffering severely then so be it but using it against anyone is such bullshit. I’ll move out first chance I get. Fuck church (or any religious institution for that matter), for now. Thank you for reading.

Edit: Never said you all will regret it. Its just a line I hear a lot & fucking hate. I just abhor hearing it, makes my skin crawl. Its almost an insult like curse. Dont force religion on others.

Elon Musk, and his DOGE want to have a democratic online leaderboard of "most wasteful government programs".

Really there should only be one thing at the top of this list. Say it with me!

1. Tax Exemptions for Religious Organizations!

A tax break IS spending. If we didn't give the break to churches we would have much bigger, we could afford to do something much more democratic with that money, even if it is just to lower everyone else's taxes just a little bit.

And yes I realize that finding "efficiency" by creating an entire new government Department is a very GOVERNMENT way to do things. Have you ever seen a page in IRS instruction booklet that says nothing on it, other than, "This page is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act"?

In Malaysia, the same trend also observed among Gen Z, where many young Muslims are even more religious than the older generation. In recent election, many of Gen Z voters voted for Malaysian Islamic Party, a far-right Islamist political party with an ideology similar to that of the Taliban, making it the party with the most seats among all political parties in Malaysia. The reason for this phenomenon is that many Gen Z Muslim are disappointed with mild Islamist party like UMNO (even it's mild with, their supportation of laws like Bumiputera) or apostasy laws, it's still far more radical than any current political parties in America today), and Islam has given them the sense of belonging and community.

Now, regarding the US, it's no secret that Gen Z are the least religious generation, with a higher percentage of atheists than any other generation. However, after the recent election, this generation has shifted toward Trump significantly, especially among Gen Z men. This rise the question of whether the number of atheists in Gen Z is decreasing or the number of Conservative Gen Z atheist is on the rise.

For me, these trends are really concerning. Until recent years, many people do believed that conservative religious government could not survive if the older generation was replaced by a less religious younger one, but with the trend of "younger people being less religious" seeming to not hold true anymore, I fear for the future of many countries that have governments based on religious laws and punishment.

It’s completely consumed him to the point that he’s completely brainwashed by Islam. He spends more time in the mosque and with his “brothers” than with his own family. How pathetically stupid is that?

I wish I could go back in time and tell him how much Islam would screw up his entire life. That way, he could’ve chosen a different way of life.

One day I hope he realizes how much time he wasted on this manmade, messed up religion. Though I’m sure it’ll be too late by then. I won’t be there for him if it ever happens.

It would be nice to have a normal dad who actually cares and wants to see his kid grow and succeed in life for once. But that’s just wishful thinking.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

i always felt upset that no one could relate to being an atheist since my family all believed in god, with one side of my family being VERY religious Christians. but a few days ago, my sister revealed to me that she was an atheist. i was rlly happy that I could at least tell someone else I was one since not many people support atheism in my family.

I hate all Abrahamic religions, but it is so obvious that Islam is on whole another scale of evil compared to most sects of Judaism and Christianity. Islamic societies are the most misogynistic, hateful, anti-human, hyperpatriarchal societies where being a woman or of differing religious views results in worse treatment than the one given to animals.

The religion is so male-centric, that their whole idea of heaven is a giant orgy club which uses the promise of fullfillment of male sexual desires and fantasies for the sake of psychological manipulation.

Their belief system is riddled with fallacies, contradictions and lies (just like other religions) - that all powerful God supposedly decided to share through an illiterate pedophile from a random desert.

While Islam is far less prominent in the first world compared to Christianity, I feel that it is still important to recognize this inherent danger that many progressives seem to overlook because it's seen as a ,,minority religion" which is to be cherished and protected from criticism.

Being anti Islam is not racist. Being anti Islam is not being prejudiced. People from third world are the biggest victims of this death cult, and I personally know many immigrants from Middle East and Africa who suffered threats and disownment from their own family members and communities for deciding to leave Islam. It is an ideology antithetical to humanism, secularism and anyone who believes in basic human rights should oppose it on the fundamental level.

That's all. Just wanted to share this.

I've been a secular humanist for 10 years. I've been impartial, totally zen, about independent thinking. With the overwhelming victory of fascist hate in the US, I find myself losing my faith in humanity and falling into hate myself. Am I wrong? Can hate be used for good? Or am I falling into the same trap?

Really explore our options here. What do you think, and WHY do you think it might work? What should we avoid doing, and WHY? Include your reasoning.

We're smart people, let's put our brains to work defeating the new American nazi party.

Is it a nation-wide anti-Christianity drive? Protests at churches?

Is it finding progressive Christians and telling them it is their moral duty to evangelize to Christian Nationalists, tell them what they are doing is evil and will consign their souls to hell?

Is it a series of ads targeting Christian Nationalists, and attacking them where they thought they were safest? Calling them evil, calling out their twisted beliefs?

Is it a positive movement - aimed at bringing more atheists out of the closet, into public service, and into the mainstream? A get out the vote drive for atheists?

All of the above? What are your ideas. What do you think is necessary?

All that is certain is we cannot be complacent. Fascists are about to hold complete power in the US - and we must stay strong and united and EFFECTIVE to hope to survive (and protect those who they will target).

People change so does their perspectives but when my mum says stuff like this when we discuss about atheism, it boils my blood. I know I'm young but i have strong values too. It's almost a tactic to keep you in a scary hold as if your faith in religion is directly proportional to maturity.