- Pick out one quote that was significant to you. Explain it and why it was significant.
- What biases did you have, for or against the subject, while reading this text? When did you become aware of it and did it hinder your evaluating the text in an objective way?
- What ideas were you unfamiliar with from the text and how did you approach that information?
- Pose one question you have about the text. Then, attempt to answer someone else's question.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
More Atheists Shout it From the Rooftops
Answer the following questions based on the reading, More Athiests Shout it from the Rooftops, in 4-6 sentences and then respond to 2 of your peers for a total of 6 posts.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1) "More than ever, America's atheists are linking up and speaking out." What I got out of this quote is that finally non believers feel they have the freedom to speak out. For such a long time many people were afraid to say anything. Probably because they knew it would be looked down on by religious groups and faithful believers. For me personally I believe in God but I do not believe in religion and struggled with the idea of coming out and letting people know how I felt. This article actually made me feel a huge sigh of relief knowing more non believers are surfacing.
ReplyDelete2) I felt a bias attitude in favor for the topic right away on a personal level. I read the quote “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone” and immediately I was intrigued. I wanted to read more to get an understanding of how others were finding ways to feel publicly accepted. Although I do not believe I let my feelings affect my overall conclusion of what the writer was trying to get across.
3) I would not say it was so much the idea of the text I didn’t understand but the meaning. Certain words were difficult for me grasp the concept. I underlined them while reading along in class so I could come home and look up the definitions. By doing so I have a better idea of what is trying to be said. For example I was not aware of the word symposium once I looked it up I knew it was a public meeting.
4) Why do you think the non believers population has increased nearly double from 1990 to 2008?
1. "The most important thing is coming out of the closet." This quote is very significant to me because in this generation, almost everyone is coming out of their shell, more and more people are becoming more open minded and are not giving any thought to what others have to say. I feel that people are not afraid to be themselves any more. In a way to achieve more is coming out of the closet and let people respect you for who you are and what you believe in and not a mask that people hide under.
ReplyDelete2. I really have nor had any bias toward the text, I'm an agnostic, in a way I do believe but also question his existence. This text really didn't interest me one bit. It's just a way I feel about the whole religious text. Believe or not believe; everyone has different views towards this text.
ReplyDelete3. I didn't fully understand this text, some words were difficult to try and get a meaning without a proper definition. The text had me lost but as I read it over I kinda got a better understanding of what was going on.
ReplyDelete4. Why is it that many people take this sort of religious view to the max? And care of what other groups feel?
ReplyDelete1. The Pastafarian leaders say that their goal is not confrontation, or even winning converts, but changing the public's stereotype of atheists.
ReplyDeleteWhat i got from here is that atheists aren't looking for a problem or even trying to make people change their religion. They just want others who don't share their same beliefs to respect the way they think and what they believe in. As well as not to judge them and think of them as everyone else does. Everyone has their own way of thinking and who are we to judge them. They want the respect they deserve, as anyone else would.
"I had an ancestors who fought in the American Revolution so I can speak my mind" I choose this quote because it called my attention. Also because it show's us how lucky we are that we can express ourselves freely.Not everyone might agree with us but at least we can speak our thoughts.
ReplyDelete2. Im a person who believes in god, but i don't have a problem with people who choose not to believe in him. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and each person knows why they have it. Its either because thats how they were brought up, or what they have gone through in their lives. I never have allowed my beliefs or feelings get in the way of me having to evaluate on how other think or feel.
ReplyDelete2)Honestly speaking I have never juged anyone on their believes. So while reading the txt I really didn't have a problem at the biggining I didn't really understand what the txt was about. Once I got into it I thought to myself people should be allowed to believe in whoever or whatever they want.
ReplyDelete3. I understood the text just fine. Some of the words were kind of difficult, but when reading the words that followed i got a much better understanding of what it meant.
ReplyDelete4. Why is it that so many people have decided to voice now their feelings in believing in god or not?
ReplyDeleteIt had increased because in todays society people are more open-minded.
ReplyDelete3) I was unfamiliar with the percentage of people that are Atheists. I didn't know so many people had such strongly doubts about God and the bible. It's intrusting to know that weather you believe or not your not alone. You have other people sharing your thoughts and ideas.
ReplyDelete4) why couldn't people confess that they were atheists along time ago when some people were lost and needed hope and guidness about their believes?
ReplyDeleteAnswering Joey's question some people take their religious believe to the max because they grew in such a strict society. Which didn't really allow them to explorer different theories about society or questioned what they were told about.
1. "Josh Streetman, who once attended the very Christian college that the Pastafarians were about to debate, said he knew the Bible too well to be sure that the Scripture is true." This quote caught my attention because I wondered about its meaning. Little do I know about the Bible but I'm sure that it brings up many questions about its significance and whether some of the text is real or not. I find it interesting how Josh Streetman says he knows the Bible too well to be sure that the Scripture is true, because my mind set back then was that most people who read the Bible believed its words and wouldn't question it.
ReplyDelete2. I had a positive attitude towards the article especially after reading its title. The title within itself expressed a lot. As I read the article I found a satisfaction with the fact that everyone is feeling comfort in expressing themselves in different ways and not feeling excluded. This country is very free and I feel that expression is a form of individuality and diversity.
ReplyDelete4. I'm interested in knowing if Atheism would be considered a sort of religion and also why do you think some people find more comfort in being with a person who shares their same beliefs rather than with a person who does not?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMaybe people didn't confess that they were Atheists long time ago because they were afraid of what others might think or probably to avoid an argument. Since in today's world people are speaking freely more often, then that gave others a chance to " come out of the closet" and express themselves as well without feeling awkward or alone.
ReplyDelete1. "Free hug" from "Your friendly Neighborhood Atheist" This quote states exactly what it means. There are no illusions or deceit in the words. It is a very significant quote in that it's a gesture of friendship and welcome. If we live our lives by past experiences of our elders nothing will ever change. Everyone must accept change and learn to adapt to new ways and current times. This does not mean you need to change who you are or your personal preferences.. just to try and leardn to have an open mind.
ReplyDelete2. The biases I have on this article for me are very simple ones. I am a believer in the catholic religion. I was raised that way but keep my faith due to personal choice. I would not take kindly to someone trying to sway my children into being non believers. The biases I have I knew from the moment I read the title. In having read the article I kept an open mind and did not let it hinder me in any way. I believe everyone has a right to live their lives as they choose so long as it doesn't effect me or my family's lifestlye. Most people regardless of religion tend to live their lives to find happiness, stability and unity in some way shape or form.
ReplyDelete3. I was unfamiliar with the ideas of the different groups involved. I was also unfamiliar with the ideas of holding meetings in bars, the billboards, buses, etc. The fact that many people who are atheists being involved in so many facets of volunteer work troubles me because I have done many things in my life. Now, I wonder if because of my own beliefs did I ever make someone feel threatened or uncomfortable. I can't imagine the fear some of these people have had to live with due to a personal choice on religion when I myself have not had to worry about it. It's safe to say that as we meet new people in life not many of us ask what religious group they belong to. Maybe we should. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be that important anymore.
ReplyDelete4. What outcome do you think the growth of Atheism will have on our future? How might this change our lives and that of our children?
ReplyDeletejvaccaro said...
ReplyDelete4. Why is it that so many people have decided to voice now their feelings in believing in god or not?
September 15, 2010 7:32 PM
In answer to your question Jennifer. I think that many people are now speaking out due to the fact that society has changed many view points that people hold. It seems that we live in a world that is run by the what I call "me syndrome". No one really cares about how others feel any longer so people feel more freely to speak their minds and share their views. Although this could be a bad thing, for some things such as, the religious issue it is actually a positive one. This group of people now have more confidence to come forward without the fear of the consequences that would be bestowed upon them in the past. In the past they would have been isolated or better said exhiled like lepors. They would not be welcomed anywhere nor allowed to interact with anyone.
tdbforever: Why do you think the non believers population has increased nearly double from 1990 to 2008?
ReplyDeleteI think that maybe due to all the problems that many people are facing in these hard times could be a reason. When you are a believer and begin to doubt your faith you tend to try and look for reasons why things happen when in fact at times they just do. It feels like a challenge to your faith and if you believe in something so stronly you prevail if not you falter.
1)I have choosen the phrase of was the one that said the most important thing is coming out of the closet. It's not something you hide from others it's not to be asheamed of it's your parents and fathers religon so I don't see why they said you have to come out of the closet. I think what they try to say is that they didn't know that thier was another religon. So it's not like you go out and hide an identiy that you are but, also don't go out and scream I am a specific religon. I guess what I am tryin to say is that this country was to be a free country were people from differnet country's come and join as a familiy might be not together but, all live in a certain place.
ReplyDelete2)The biases that I have on commenting is the next:I recall on seeing ofcourse when I could see ofcourse from birth that my parents were relgios persons yet I say we didn't attend church every Sunday. But,yet I say that you dont have to go to church to be with god well I am cathloic and I think if you prey from your home with faith is enought. So I would say I was born with this and until know and until I die will contuie going not always but sure I will go. Likewise, I say that this phrase is not much of coming out but, know in day's I see people that change religion and see and I get to know more from differnet places. So I would say is not much coming out but knowing what you were raised. It didn't hinder to me in thinking indiffernet yet it put me to think on the other side of story that thier's many religon's live and have many differnet belives. SO it might have caught my attention on that point yet I think it didn't get to my objective which was to inform the reader of my point of view.
ReplyDelete3) The ideas that I was not familiar was the following: "no religion" were the only demographic group that grew in all 50 states in the last 18 years. That realy got my attention i knew that in every state thier is differnet religon belivers but not that the grew in all 50 states in just 18 years it's incredibile how the non religion increased that fast in so short years. Yet I didn't know but I can see that indeed many groups of religous people from different have grew in such numbers. Also another phrase that ot my attention was the one that they say the one that they say that thiers people that would not hire them to work do to their bckground or religon I was amaezd that they and all people would face a situation of being a different religion and not be accepted. From my personal experanice I say that their indeed people that won't hire you do to the race and religon and all but we can't give up we have to fight for what is right in the right fall way no violence.
ReplyDelete4)what influence does it have being from a differnet religon when being hired to work? Do you think it has a great inflence on wheater hireing you or not? Why do you think you are being asked your religon does it really matter when it comes to work we all do the job were all capablie of doing it don't you think? why do you think were being asked this and back in the day's they didn't?Why is it?
ReplyDelete1."It's not about carrying banners or protesting" I like is quote because, all those things don't mean anything to them.It is more about Atheists coming out and speaking there minds. Also more of their population is growing. I am a very is shy but at the same time I am outspoken, when I have an opinion i speak out, and say how I feel. One thing I do believe that no one should be afraid to speak about how they feel. This is a "free country" so they say.
ReplyDelete2.This text did interest me because it is similar to my family lifestyle,I have believer and non believer. In my house we believe in god but we don't go to church, I really feel that you don't need to go to church to believe in god, but what do you do in church you go over the bible, i do that at home in my own space and this is me and god relationship. Most of the older people do not feel the same way I feel and then there is the younger ones that say they just have faith in them self. But this will always be a confusing subject for me.
ReplyDelete4) why couldn't people confess that they were atheists a long time ago when some people were lost and needed hope and guidance about their believes?
ReplyDeleteFor so long it was shun upon not to believe in GOD. Many groups thought if you did not believe in GOD then you were obviously a devil worshiper. I personally never felt comfortable voicing how I felt because some of my family were so very religious and I knew they would try to change me.
6) Well answearing jvaccaro question sorry don't see your name but, I can answear question ok well its not that peolpe decided to say thier religon is that they were here all the time. Its just that we are used to see just the main ones we know the most cathloic and chrsitans and other but non beliver's has incresaed and we know start to notice how big they have become well their religon cause it's thier's like mine is cathlism. It's not that they don't belive but have passed threw an inceident that made them doubt that god exist or they have had coffussins about what is right and what is wrong so that have made them change but they no differnet then us they have the liberty to express and to think what they want to think and belive in they like us belive in something yet not the same but similar in some ways. So it's not much that they decided know to show the non beliver's it's something that you think is not thier. They just happen to come on a story that they have indeed incresaed the last past years and they to have the right to belive in something. well that's from my point of view.
ReplyDelete1-The quote that was more significant to me "volunteering in food pantries and picking up roadside trash".They want to gain more respect as a group or no belivers. They want people to know that they are normal person as other peoples religion.They want people to see that they are great too and that they can also help.
ReplyDeleteReligion doesnt make you a better or a bad person because if you are not a believer and you help people and feel good about it then thats what matters.
2-Im religious and i grow up in a family that use to go to chruch every sunday in the morning and i do so too. But i respect other peoples religious. So the bias that i have against the subject while reading the text was when they said "dont believe in God" "You are not alone." I think thats like trying to convince people not to belive in God and to go with them.
I have a cousin that dont belive in anything and he is a nice person and he stills go with us everywhere and we dont try to convince him to go to cruch wit us or him trying to convince us because thats what we believe and thats what he believes because like i said before religion doenst make a better or a bad person.
3-They were a lot of words that i did not know but i looked them on internet and while peolpe in class where talking i understood also.
i didnt know that atheist has increasing this much in this past years. But while reading and hearing others peoples prospectives, i know that each of us has different thoughs on why or why not to believe in God.
4-You see people on the streets giving you papers and talking about religious a lot.
Why you think people of other religios try and try so hard to convert you in their group religios?
1)"Despite changing attitudes, polls continue to show that atheists are ranked lower than any other minority or religious group when americans are asked whether they would vote for or approve of thier child marrying a member of that group". I found this significant because its amazing how now they even have to see what religion the person is to marry them. When you chose to marry someone,its since you love them. Why does religion have to be one of the options of you liking a person nowadays?
ReplyDelete2)i was neither for or against it because i am in the middle as in i do and dnt believe in god. I say i could blame science class for that how they say that "the big bang theory" to us how everything was created. Then on the other hand, i would be in catechism class learning how god created the everything. So to this day i dont know what to really believe.
3)i was unfamiliar with the text because i didnt really know what it was mainly about and most things they talked about i didnt know what they were.
4)Why are Atheists being almost considered something bad or wierd if its just how the person wants to be?
I also was unfamiliar with the text , i honestly had to read it a few time to try to understand most of the thing they were explaining, i mean i understand some of it now.
ReplyDelete4. why do you think some people find more comfort in being with a person who shares their same beliefs rather than with a person who does not?
ReplyDeletethis is yessyc26 question
Well yessy I feel that people are with people who share the same belief because they try to avoid argument or disagreements.
4. They say we should not judge another , but why do most religions judge one another? aren't we all human?
ReplyDelete1."one young mother said that her husband was afraid to allow her to go public as an atheist because employers would refuse to hire him". It must be hard for atheist to speak out because they are rated higher or lower for their believes.
ReplyDelete2.I really didnt have a biases for or against it because everybody has the right to believe in what they want. However when someone mentioned in class how in South Carolina the people are very different and is very important for them to believe in something or be part of a religion I understood more why is a big deal for people who live there to say openly that they are atheist.
3.I was very unfamiliar with the idea that many people who were raised learning the bible and actually knowing so much about god turn out to become atheist because they knew so much about the word of god that they started believing it wan not true.
4.should people read the bible less to not get to the point of becoming atheist?
1. “Ten national organizations that variously identified themselves as atheist, humanist, freethinkers and others who go with out God have recently united to form the Secular Coalition for America, of which Mr. Silverman is president.
ReplyDeleteIn my assumption I think it is great that they have joined together to form an organization. In the passage it explains they used to be rivals. “Why are they rivals if all of them don’t believe in God”. This is a significant quote to me, because if you tell me your atheist I’m not going to become your enemy right away. I’m not going to judge you because we both disagree on our religions.
2. “Mr. Silverman whose specialty license plate, one of many offered by the state, says “In Reason We Trust”- was walked out”
The contradictory to this quote is In God We Trust. In this country one of our biggest quote is In God we Trust. In a way I’m against in changing the quotes that The United States of America always mentions. It’s a line that even the President has used in their speeches. It’s also in our money that we all work hard for. I do understand that we got freedom of speech, But I don’t like the fact how they changed that quote.
3. A favorite Pastafarian activity is to gather at a busy crossroads on campus with a sign offering “Free Hugs” from “Your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist”
It seems obscured when it comes down to the atheist religion. I am unacquainted with atheist people. I never encountered such religion such as atheist. I’ve heard of it, but never met a person saying they were atheist. How I was thrown off the subject and surprised is how atheist people were friendly and gave out hugs. That really caught me unexpected! I thought atheist people were worshipping the Devil, and were not friendly at all. I do agree there is stereotyping to the atheist organization.
4. What outcome do you think the growth of Atheism will have on our future? How might this change our lives and that of our children?
My reciprocation to Y. Thalman is that in growth To Atheism will have no affect in our future. When it comes down to the fact Democracy strongly believes in God. “What party sounds atheist to you”? I think communism is atheist in my opinion, and sometimes even Republicans too. Democracy is about all people! Just like in the bible it says Love all. The future will have no affect when it comes to religions. Catholic is the biggest religion in the world. Even communism is becoming smaller. Our children have the freedom to choose any religion. I don’t think atheism will affect in our future.
Williams’s question: When I announced that communism is atheist to me, Do you agree with my opinion?
1. "A favorite Pastafarian activity is to gather at busy crossroads on campus with a sign offering Free Hugs from Your Friendly Neighborhood Atheist." Atheist's are showing people that they actually are friendly people not "evil" and that there is nothing to be scared of.
ReplyDelete5.in answer to jvaccaro I believe people have decided to voice their feelings now because they are tired of how people categorize them as evil and bad person.
ReplyDelete6.in answer to vonny atheist are consider as something bad or weird FOR SOME people because of the morals and believes they were raised with. In my opinion everybody has the right to believe in what they want
1. As Goodstein quoted in his passage from Herb Silverman, “The most important thing is coming out of the closet.”(Page 1), I believe what he is trying to say in a metaphor is that what matters from human being is to be true to themselves and not keep in hiding from their point of views, ideas, and especially what they believe in. This quote is significant to me because I agree with Herb Silverman’s metaphor and ideal attempt of understanding within each human beings mind. The freedom of freedom has no extent on what anyone can do, say, or believe in. It is important to be true to one self or else one will never pertain to embrace between the past and the future.
ReplyDelete2. While reading the text, I did not come across an accurate biases towards the subject for the mere fact that I really don’t pay any mind nor does the topic interest me towards religion. Therefore, I had lead to one conclusion towards the text, I did not have a biases against the subject because in reality every human being has every single right to believe what they like and fight for what they believe in, it’s within our veins, in our blood to fight for survival and freedom. I’ve became aware of my relation towards the passage after the many progressions of increased attention the subject was leading to. It did not hinder my evaluation towards the text because I had already met an understanding and easing conclusion towards religion but not towards the human beings.
3. In the passage, Goodstein wrote, “In Keeping with the new generation of atheist evangelists, the Pastafarian leaders say that their goal is not confrontation, or even winning converts, but changing the public’s stereotype of atheists.”(Page 4). I was quite unfamiliar with this idea because it had never occurred to me to believe that, for starters, that Pastafarians would choose to change the public’s stereotype of atheists for an understanding reason and also that it’s unfamiliar how in general anyone would even proclaim their goal in confrontation and winning converts for religion in public. I approached this information quite hoaxing and definitely not worth breath taking for anyone. Another idea that I was unfamiliar with was how the local atheist organization in South Carolina likened their strategy to that of the gay-rights movement which lifted off when closeted members of a scorned minority decided to go public in particular. If anyone were to ask me, that there, would be their key pretense in inspiration and motivation as a movement from atheists because the people who fought in the gay-rights movement actually suffered from past to present under much more serious terms which atheists may never be close to relate besides the fact that they are fighting for what they believe in. Their strategy wasn’t even a strategy, the people from the gay-rights movement wanted closure for what they felt was unfair attention on this planet. To me, the atheist organization isn’t on any serious or hurtful level compared to how the gay-rights so-called, strategy, followed up to and lead upon.
4. Why do most human beings have to believe in a religion to sleep well at night and wake up the next day to continue living their lives?
Williams’s question: When I announced that communism is atheist to me, Do you agree with my opinion?
ReplyDeleteI disagree because communism is very manipulative, aren't MOST religions manipulative with the truth? Wouldn't you say religion in general is communism for control and power?
“Andrew Morency, who attended a Christian high school, said that when he got to college and studied evolutionary biology he decided that “creationists lie.””. This particular sentences caught my attention for the fact that, even thought it makes absolute sense to think that the more someone study science or biology, the more reluctant is to believe in creationist. I was raised in a christian family, I attend church every Sunday I could or want, but I never felt like there was an omnipotent force that could made all surrounding me, I founded the world so complicated and random to be created for something. But, as oddly as it sounds, my faith was restored the more I knew about the world, at the end, I don’t find the world that complex anymore, I get to the conclusion that with the materials in a store, a human can be built, a sea can be made and a star can be created, so, why is so hard to believe that we were made.
ReplyDelete2)-Even though I’m Christian, I never had any biases towards the article, mainly because I am used to deal with atheist, where I came from the Christians are the minority. Even if it weren’t like that, it wouldn’t affect the way I think of the text, and that’s because I respect other’s opinion and believes. Honestly, I would have found it annoying if it were a convincing type text.
ReplyDelete3)-At first I was very unfamiliar with the “atheist stereotype” thing, I couldn’t think in any form to stereotype an atheism, but again, where I came from, atheism is the normal. While we advanced in class debate, I was enlightened in its meaning. Besides that, I only was lost a few times while reading the text for the first time, but as I reread it and we discussed it, most of my questions were answered.
ReplyDelete4) - My question is, do u think that the atheism have gained so much strength for the fact that it oppose a larger group, and that if the atheism were worldwide, would it be threatened for religious group only for the fact that humans beings seems to like to defy what is old and outdated?
ReplyDeleteAnswering school girl: The fear is a strong factor, it seems that fear is the easy and most effective way to control the masses, why do they spill they guts now? The reason is quite easy, is the advance of the technology, is like in Cuba, why do you think Cuban are starting to say what no one dare to says years before, the true is that with the internet and the information, people feel safe knowing that there’s more people out there that thinks alike.
Answering Ercilio: Have you never been in a dark place alone with your thoughts? Have you never wonder what is the meaning of been you? Have you never cry at the mere thought of losing your existence? Have you never realize how small we are compared with the universe? I’m sure you have; so does everybody, and people are always trying to hang on something, money, science, God. The true is that atheism doesn’t exist; everybody is looking for what to believe.
1)"The day the World Changed". I choose this quote because it caught my attention. It's not only powerful it's also true. It's intrusting how the world changes alittle bit everyday but we don't notice until a big tragety occurs.
ReplyDelete2)I believe the text was right on target. The world is full of anger. The worst part about it is that through out time the situation is only getting worst. We are making people pay for the mistakes of others.
3) At the begging the text was unclear to me. When we started to disscuse it in class everything became clear. I approach it as I understood it. I believe it was about religion I guess since I was familiar with the topic that's how I took it as.
ReplyDelete4)My question is why do we try to blame it all on others istead of realizing that the problem is coming from the inside?
Harvest of Anger
ReplyDelete1)”The day the world changed”. That has to be the most important quote in my opinion. I completely believe the world and its faith has changed in so many ways. Security is more potent than ever before especially at airports and public arenas. America lives out of fear when it will be attacked again. Although we stood untied because of 9/11 it has affected other nations making it a world change not just the USA.
2) I am completely bias against building a Muslim mosque on ground zero. I personally do not believe it is right to have a building of Muslim worship where so many AMERICANS gave their lives on 9/11. As soon as I read the quote “Why is America now bitterly divided” I knew I would feel outraged reading this article. We are bitter because our trust was betrayed. We never imagined anything like this until it actually happened. We now feel the Muslims are responsible for those terrible events of 9/11 and I feel for that reason the mosque should not be built.
3) I do not feel like I misunderstood any of the article. I have been following the topic of the mosque for a while now. I personally have many reasons I do not believe in it at ground zero. I have done my own personal research finding many articles relating in similar ways.
4) Do you think this article gave a bias opinion against building the mosque? If yes, do you think because so many lives were destroyed on 9/11?