Do Atheists Come Out of the Closet?

superstring01 said:
You just "name called" him. Kinda against the rules. Which is better than making fun of the homeless?



Because I think it's funny to make fun of any person or sistuation given the right context. I'm not some humor hypocrite who says one thing is okay while another is not. Niggers, Fags, Jews in death camps, Muslims, Poloks, Nips, Spicks, Children with cancer, AIDS, rape, Drunk Native Americans, Tourettes, the homeless, murder, atheists, 9/11, the Challenger Explosion, Sarah Palin, the various tsunamis, war, addiction, theists, bestiality. You name it, and I've laughed at it. Keep in mind a number of those things apply to me. I'm gay, I'm a recovering drug addict, all of my grandparents have died of cancer, my mother was killed in front of me in a car accident, I have a religious family and I'm an atheist, I've had friends die of AIDS, my best friend had non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (you'll never see a person with as sick a sense of humor as one who's dying of a debilitating disease) and I've pointed and laughed at Native Americans drinking rubbing alcohol out of a paper bag.

It doesn't offend me. People making fun of me doesn't offend me either. I'm a grown up with thick skin. People who get offended are often mental midgets. "Oooh, that sort of thing offends me." Which is not to say I can't operate with some decorum. I'm a frickin' HR manager, it's just that I also understand the reality of life: It sucks. Everybody on this planet gets fucked, so laughing at our miserable state is a form of coping mechanism and is WHOLLY appropriate.

~String
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this was really not what the point was. it's that there is a stereotype of homeless and it's considered acceptable. this is about an insulting, condescending and dismissive view about homeless people in general. the belief that they are the losers and everyone else isn't because the homeless are visibly the most down and out. people see them with shame or embarassment.

You even seem to acknowledge that you have been a loser
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and my point to you was that there are different reasons people become homeless. i also don't agree with your views on what is a loser as if not being homeless or homeless , being a drug addict or at least be functioning with a residence/job is the sole criteria of a loser or not a loser. homelessness is not a dysfunction, it is an outcome.

there are even runaways who are homeless because they came from such abusive homes, they are not losers because of it. some homeless have severe damage from abuse or other mental health issues and that does not make them a loser. they did not all do this to themselves. it is very common for people to label homeless as losers when in reality they are just luckier.

i am telling you my opinion on the matter which may be contrary to yours. that is what happens in a discussion. you have the perogative to say and do what you want, just as i have a right to comment on that and vice versa. you can stick to your opinion just as i can to mine.

i do NOT find it funny to stereotype homeless. it has gone on too long and is just completely based on insensitivity. this is not a passing joke, it is how the public views them.

also, if you really were joking then you wouldn't have kept replying as seriously as you did which means that you are pretending you didn't really see them that way and it was just a joke which contradicts your earlier replies that homeless are indeed losers (according to your opinion and the public). then you have others backing you up that it was a joke because they may not give a shit about the homeless. that is their perogative.
 
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KilljoyKlown said:
Tweekers as a group tend not to take care of themselves. That fast food diet just doesn't cut it.
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So true. I lived on Safeway cookies, Del Taco and Jack-In-The-Box for two years.

KilljoyKlown said:
She said a tweeker would steel your dope and then offer to help you look for it.
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Oh my god. That is the single best, most succint description I've ever heard.

She's dead on.

~String
 
A note to birch: in his comment about "homeless" he did include "hitman". He was obviously joking, in general, while including a valid question.

~String
 
superstring01 said:
A note to birch: in his comment about "homeless" he did include "hitman". He was obviously joking, in general, while including a valid question.

~String
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i would believe except he posted clearly that is how he views homeless and thinks the public does too.

just because you put a stereotype in a joke, doesn't mean you don't believe in it. i just made a short comment and he replied seriously. it's clear from the posts with his query 'if you were homeless, how would your family view you?' as well as the opinion that you are a loser until you become non-homeless.

if he was really joking, he would have just dropped it when i made the first comment. he didn't want to for some reason and proceeds to explain seriously why they are losers, then whines that i took his statement out of context when he explained that is how he views them. he just walked right into it to stress his point. when his point didn't hold up, then he says i can't take a joke or jumped to conclusions. totally nonsensical.

anyways, this is just a difference of opinion. he can believe that and so can others. i am just commenting on it.
 
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KilljoyKlown said:
Just my own limited experience. When I was growing up I didn't talk about not believing in God because kids can be cruel to those who are different from them. To this day outside of this forum, I don't feel comfortable telling anyone I'm an atheist. So in a sense I'm in a closet and was just wondering if there were others like me out there.
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Now I understood.
Who is in the closet and who is in the room?
I think it's just a matter the point of view we consider.
It also depends on how strong is our personality.

I think if we make a detailed analysis we realize that the room is empty and we are all in different closets.
From time to time we get out from our closets and we meet in the room.
 
Emil said:
Now I understood.
Who is in the closet and who is in the room?
I think it's just a matter the point of view we consider.
It also depends on how strong is our personality.

I think if we make a detailed analysis we realize that the room is empty and we are all in different closets.
From time to time we get out from our closets and we meet in the room.
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One good thing about this forum is that it allows you to express yourself in ways you might not do in real life and you get to hear others doing the same thing. When you start talking about something with other like minded souls it helps formulate your thoughts and responses on the subject and this builds your confidence to a point where going public is no longer a problem.
 
KilljoyKlown said:
One good thing about this forum is that it allows you to express yourself in ways you might not do in real life and you get to hear others doing the same thing. When you start talking about something with other like minded souls it helps formulate your thoughts and responses on the subject and this builds your confidence to a point where going public is no longer a problem.
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I passed the stage when I considered the others superior or inferior.
They are just different from me.
So I have no problems to say my opinion wherever. (And of course, taking account courtesy, efficiency, opportunity etc...)
 
superstring01 said:
The reason for the loss of teeth is dehydration overall and the drying of the mouth, which causes the gums to retract and the teeth to die.
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This is interesting!
Do you know of any studies on that?
I would really appreciate more info.

I am not doing any drugs, nor do I have any apparent gum or teeth problems - but my gums are receding, and my dentist doesn't know why.
It could be that I don't drink enough water.
 
Signal said:
This is interesting!
Do you know of any studies on that?
I would really appreciate more info.

I am not doing any drugs, nor do I have any apparent gum or teeth problems - but my gums are receding, and my dentist doesn't know why.
It could be that I don't drink enough water.
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These links are a good place to start looking for a solution to your problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Receding_gums

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-can-i-do-about-receding-gums.htm

http://www.oramd.com/receding-gums.htm
 
Signal said:
This is interesting!
Do you know of any studies on that?
I would really appreciate more info.

I am not doing any drugs, nor do I have any apparent gum or teeth problems - but my gums are receding, and my dentist doesn't know why.
It could be that I don't drink enough water.
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Drink more water then.

Seems logical. Teeth can be repaired or replaced, but once gingivitis sets in, there's really nothing you can do but stop it. The gums never return to their previous state.

Brush, floss, drink lots of water.

~String
 
KilljoyKlown said:
Before I found science forums I very rarely ever met anybody that claimed to be an atheist. So when do atheist ever make the opportunity to talk about not believing in God? My bet is mostly at parties and get togethers where someone else is talking about God.

When you find yourself in the presence of a God conversation, do you declare yourself to be an atheist and talk about your reasons for not believing or do you just listen or participate without declaring yourself?

When the neighborhood religions come knocking at your door. Do you say your not interested and close the door? Or rub your hands together thinking this is going to be fun?

As the title implies, do you feel that the people who admit to being atheist are just the tip of an iceberg? And that most atheist stay out of the picture to avoid conflict and family strife?
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I am atheist and yes, I avoid conflict by telling only a few people...
 
Diode-Man said:
I am atheist and yes, I avoid conflict by telling only a few people...
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Cool avatar. You know I often wondered how many atheist I've talked to and never suspected were atheist. Even if you wanted to come out of the so called closet, how many opportunities do you ever get. There may be a lot more of us than anybody knows about, but nobodies ever going to build an atheist church to go to and socialize with like minded people. Do you know in the U.S. I've never met an atheist woman in person.
 
I can't imagine what that must be like. Meeting religious people where i live is fairly rare.
 
I don't know. Whichever gender has the lowest average IQ would have more religious tendencies statistically.
 
Mathematical Facts said:
Why do you think it's rarer to meet an atheist woman than a man?

Just curious.
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I'm not sure but I imagine it's because I've talked to more men than women in my life, but I've only met two men who said they were atheist. So I just don't meet very many atheist period. I suppose with computer dating I could make that a requirement, but I can't help but wonder how small a selection I might have to choose from.
 
She said a tweeker would steel your dope and then offer to help you look for it.
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Or anything they could sell for the dope...

Not atheist...but the slang term among pagans for outing oneself as one is:"Coming out of the broom closet."

Talking about my mental disorder? "Coming out of the padded rubber closet."
 
Mathematical Facts said:
Why do you think it's rarer to meet an atheist woman than a man?

Just curious.
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Here's something on it:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/1386523

jg6po0.jpg
 
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