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Are you Angry?

When I joined the nexus I felt confined. I had no one really to talk to about my views and it was a relief to find a group of people I could have "those" discussions with. After joining I found plenty of other Atheism sites I was not previously aware of (example r/atheism). Since then I go to more links where Atheists and fundies argue. I read more fundie nonsense than I use to. I am exposed to religious nonsense Daily. I must have been living in denial before nexus because now I am getting (for lack of a better word) Angry! The abuse of children for religion, the saturation of religion into our government, the discrimination and hate of anything against "their" religion. I don't know if I should turn my computer off and stop looking at this stuff or do I stay angry and argue with fundies online. There does not seem to be a middle road for me. If I see fundie nonsense on FB or comments under an online article I have read I am unable to stop thinking about it. I knew the world was full of fundies and "stupid" people but I guess I shielded myself from it before. Now it feels like I have jumped in the deep end.

Did joining coalitions of Nontheists online help you or are you experiencing an increase in unbelief/anger? If so, how do you deal with it?

Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on May 4, 2012 at 8:59am

I guess I'm the only one. I better work on it (:

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Permalink Reply by Michael Black on May 4, 2012 at 9:29am

I started off angry 30 years ago when I let go of the nonsense. It got worse for the next 5 years as I looked closely at the ill effects of such belief. After that, I gradually let go of a lot of the anger. I don't expect much from people and even less from those that still believe in make believe. "Shit Happens", just try not to be the one leaving a mess for someone else to step in. Even with that effort, we all leave a mess some times.

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Permalink Reply by booklover on May 4, 2012 at 9:40am

I don't argue with them online anymore or even read any of that shit. I stay here on AN so I am interacting with rational people. If someone says something in real life, I decide if I want to get into it or not. I am tired of being angry, because it's a lost cause I think. There are too many morons.

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Permalink Reply by Gila Guerilla on May 7, 2012 at 9:07pm

I feel hemmed in by religion. Religion advertises itself all around me. Our city newspaper often publishes religious articles, and occasionally anti-atheist ones. TV, radio and church billboards pump out the message. Many of our schools and other institutions are named with religious names. The English language is chock full of religious words. Assumptions of "God" and religious dogma abound in the public arenas. It's an historical legacy. I can't see that I can do anything about all of this.

A lot of people actually get a great deal from their religion. I simply can't buy into all that, because I find it not to be based on any reasonable foundational truth, ie. I'm atheist.

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Permalink Reply by Jedi Wanderer on May 7, 2012 at 9:51pm

Good post, Jessica! I've experienced all of the same things; white-hot anger at their stupidity and the ill-effects of religion, the need for shielding myself from my own anger, and disappointment and resignation about the whole thing. I deal with it two ways. Firstly, moderation. I try not to let myself get too angry, but on the other hand I think it is important to be righteously indignant about the whole thing because, let's face it, we're right and they are hurting people. But there's only so much each of us can do. The other thing is objective dispassion. I try to think deeply more about the actual arguments than the people making the arguments, and then it becomes an exercise in figuring out how to handle myself and my own arguments, becoming a better arguer, and so on, and less about "them". Joining A|N helped a lot, because in isolation my anger just festered; once I joined, there was a period of being more motivated and yes, angry, because I had other people with whom I could join forces, but now I'm much more relaxed and comfortable with myself in relation to believers, because I now know a bunch of like-minded people that see the world the same way and now I know I'm not crazy or alone in my beliefs. Not that I didn't know that before, but having others to talk to helps! A lot!

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on May 7, 2012 at 10:04pm

Yes Jedi Wanderer it does help to come to the site and discuss things here. We can vent our frustrations on the site.

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Simeone on May 7, 2012 at 9:57pm

Jessica, I can understand where you're coming from. When I read about all the ways that fundimentalists are ruining our country and the world it really makes me angry. But I'm not sure that getting angry is the best way for us to respond. There is no reasoning with fundimentalists. So, I think it's best we just discuss things with those who are at least willing to listen without getting angry. In my experience anger only serves to harden views--no matter how stupid those views are. Our only chance is to slowly convince the fence-sitters as their ranks grow I'm hopeful that the grip religion has on our society will decrease.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on May 7, 2012 at 10:03pm

I agree with Jonathan. He has valid points.

Discuss calmly and plant the seed of reason. Maybe they will come around. I did.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica on May 8, 2012 at 7:07am

My main issue right now is a local one. I am wrapped up in this amendment one nonsense. I guess I am shocked at the amount of discrimination I have been witnessing on the news and online. FB friends I thought I knew are encouraging discrimination. This amendment will make the only union recognized by the state a marriage between a man and woman. Past friends say you should vote yes if you don't agree with same sex marriage. However, if the amendment does not pass same-sex marriage will still be illegal in our state. So my time has been spent commenting on posts on FB and comment sections on articles/polls regarding the amendment. I read all the nonsense and I fume over it. The ignorance burns and makes me want to reach through the screen and shake them. The voting is today so I am hoping my stress and frustration will ease up after today. People who encourage discrimination bc of one line in Leviticus makes me sick. Most do not even know anything about the book they worship. Many say jesus spoke out against homosexuality but I have researched it and all I can find is that he (supposedly) spoke out against divorce. If these xtians want to protect the sanctity of marriage they should try to make it harder/illegal to divorce. I have told them such and they say marriage is for procreation blah blah blah I give them the general responses and then the scoot around it. I might as well hit my head up against the wall bc all this conversation is doing no good to further my cause. It seems all I can do is go vote. So my I am learning to ignore the ignorance and vent here on the nexus. But enough about me and my first world problems... (:

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on May 8, 2012 at 9:37am

Jessica you have good reason to be angry. The theist delusions and lies are maddening. I compartmentalize. I can't afford to be angry and can't afford to isolate myself, so I keep it in a mental place where I store those feelings then let them out on nexus. WIthout nexus I would be too isolated, so I log on frequently.