Archive through August 13, 2002
MoveCloseDeleteAdmin

TV ClubHouse: Archives: Archive Four: Atheist Roddy playing the game (ARCHIVE): Archive through August 13, 2002

Sanfranjoshfan

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 08:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Jane_Bond - thanks for picking up where I left off, though! LOL

Jane_Bond

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 08:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
SFJF - No problem! I think I discovered the reason religion is a no-no topic of general/casual conversation! Too personal!

Nutsy

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 08:26 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks hillbilly! wipes off screen

Twiggyish

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 09:03 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I think we can keep this on a less religious tone and more informational.
Let me see if I know where you are coming from San. He isn't tied to any organized rule of thought. He is honest/dishonest because he chooses to be this way. hmmmm

Twiggyish

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 09:04 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Jane, I'm staying out of the druggie thread.

Jane_Bond

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 09:17 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Twiggy, good idea! The smoke was getting thick in there last night!

I think that Roddy's Atheism puts him in an interesting position - he has constructed his value and belief system for himself and we can't know what those possible influencing factors might have been.

With Jason, I think it is fairly safe to assume (and he has, of course, told "us") that his value and belief system comes from a well-known range of values that most christians aspire to.

As SFJF has implied, Roddy has a moral compass of his own, but we have less to go on than Jason in figuring out which way it points.

Twiggyish

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 09:21 am EditMoveDeleteIP
True, because we have nothing to guide us to a conclusion.

Mystery

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 09:27 am EditMoveDeleteIP
SF yes, definitely, solstice rituals and other pagan feast days were co-opted by early Christian leaders to aid in their recruitment efforts. I just think it's funny that the California Dental Association would be having a Harvest Festival party every December.

I agree with all the posters who speculated that Roddy might be looking for something, anything, to read. I too am often caught reading cereal boxes in the morning--whatever I can get my hands on! And I too took a "Bible as Literature" class in college.

Sanfranjoshfan

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 09:33 am EditMoveDeleteIP
"Let me see if I know where you are coming from San. He isn't tied to any organized rule of thought. He is honest/dishonest because he chooses to be this way. hmmmm "

Yes, but as an atheist, then I believe that he chooses to be the way he is because of his innate free will....not because he was given free will.

I agree with you Jane....that's why I like Roddy I guess. He is a free thinking rather than just going with a popular herd mentality.

Thanks, Mystery! I thought that was the case but wasn't sure.

Gotta go now, will check in later today.

Twiggyish

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 09:50 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Josh, don't you think "herd" mentality is needed to some degree?
He does need to follow the crowd, or at least appear to do so.

Kearie

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 10:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
"....that's why I like Roddy I guess. He is a free thinking rather than just going with a popular herd mentality."..."Yes, but as an atheist, then I believe that he chooses to be the way he is because of his innate free will."

If we are talking about Roddy's behavior and morals....isn't he following the 'herd mentality' of what makes a "good person"?

Last night I stated that we could all agree a good deal on what we believe and see as good behavior. Honesty, integrity, compassion...etc.
I think this is true whether or not one is an Aetheist or a person who chooses to believe in God.

Brenda1966

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 10:26 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Loved reading this thread. Although I don't like Roddy much, I do admire his willingness to admit he's a non-believer -- something that is very difficult to do in post 9/11 America. Most of us chose to just say we "aren't religious". Easy way out.

I'm amazed at the atheists I have met online and how much research they have done on religions and the bible. I find the topic extremely boring and decided what little I learned at Catholic Sunday school was enough to make my decision.

I'll close with one of my favorite quotes:

"I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen Roberts

Maesin

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 10:47 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Brenda, I like that quote.

Wcv63

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 01:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I see we're back on topic again!

Snee

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 02:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
sanfran, atheists aren't the only free-thinkers. i suppose it depends on what you define as free-thinking and herd mentality.

Ryanc2002

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 02:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Athiests don't have a "belief system" so to speak. An atheist is a person who does not believe in a singular god (as in, someone who believes their can be many gods) or just gods in particular.

Wcv63

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 02:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I consider myself a bit of a free-thinker (please don't let my earlier propensity to be easily influenced distract you from my statement) and agree with Snee that Atheism isn't so original of an idea that he deserves commendation for choosing that path. I mean, he didn't invent the concept.

Snee

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 02:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
wcv, i actually didn't mean to say atheism includes herd mentality, just that other ways of living don't always either.

Wcv63

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 02:55 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Snee that was point although perhaps I didn't make it very well. Well no "perhaps" about it...I didn't make it very well.

Snee

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 03:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
ah. i get it .

Sanfranjoshfan

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 05:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Twiggyish - "Josh, don't you think "herd" mentality is needed to some degree?"

Please, if you shorten my nickname, call me "sanfran" . Being called "Josh" makes me feel icky.
;-)

No, I don't think herd mentality s needed.

"He does need to follow the crowd, or at least appear to do so."

Not as to his beliefs. I think it took courage to admit that he was an atheist to this "herd" of believers, since it is not the most popular thing to be. I admire him for that.

Sanfranjoshfan

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 06:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Snee - "sanfran, atheists aren't the only free-thinkers. i suppose it depends on what you define as free-thinking and herd mentality."

I didn't mean to imply that. I'm sure that there are plenty of non-atheist free thinkers on all kinds of subjects. I was just referring to the idea that Roddy's beliefs (like my own) pretty much go against the grain, especially in this christian indoctrinated country.

Then again...I could be totally wrong about Roddy. For all I know, he was raised in an atheist household and among an entire extended family and social structure of devout atheists. Then he *would* be pretty much following a herd mentality. (I guess I just don't assume he was raised that way because I personally don't know anyone that was.)

I guess I define "herd mentality" as just believing what you are fed and not deviating from the general consensus around you.

Twiggyish

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 06:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
(Sorry San, I think of you as the good Josh) How can you be a devout nonbeliever? (j/k)

Snee

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 06:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
sanfran, that makes sense to me. in these discussions i have to remember that most of you are american and i'm canadian. i think we may be quieter about the beliefs we have and the way we live our lives. any other canadians want to chime in on this?

Sanfranjoshfan

Tuesday, August 13, 2002 - 06:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Kearie - "If we are talking about Roddy's behavior and morals....isn't he following the 'herd mentality' of what makes a "good person"?"

I don't believe so....there are whole social ideologies of "herd mentalities" out there that do not respect "godless non-believers" and do not think of them as "good people". I am not saying that you, personally, (or anyone else on this board) are like that.....but there are plenty of them out there, believe me.

I do not believe that *I* follow a "herd mentality" although I believe I do have morals and that I am *basically* a good person (I can be bitchy sometimes! LOL) I was raised in a HUGE herd of Southern Baptists, had mostly Catholics for high school friends and most of my current friends believe in god. I don't. But I don't attribute my morals to me being led along by the herd mentality....I think being nice or tolerant or trying to be a good person is rewarding in it's own right. I don't have morals because "everyone else" does (and let's face facts...."everyone" else doesn't) but because I believe it is the right thing to do and it makes me feel good.

There are others out there that are also free thinkers, that go against the grain and become serial killers or whatever. They are not the type of "free thinkers" that I respect.

It's all a matter of context. I respect Roddy's admission that he did not believe in god in front of the other HG and in front of the whole world because that set him apart and put him in a group that often commands zero respect. Believe me, atheists are villified every day....a lot more than Christians are, in this country. (Let's not even get into "One Nation Under God"....)