this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2024
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A lotta internet atheists seem to care more about hating the specific flavor of Christianity they grew up under and didn't like than the concept of religion in general, but they view those two things as one and the same.
They cry foul at (admittedly, abhorrent) outlier behavior and use that as a generalization against a globe of different religious practices without knowing how they affect the day to day lives of various practitioners.
It seems to me they have a larger problem with vulgar hypocrisy and abuse of institutional power than the concept of theism in general.
Like the people hypothetically sentenced to work a restaurant service job so that they're more empathetic to wait staff, I think many internet atheists would do well with a stint as a half-practicing Protestant who's mostly in it for the potlucks or a Reform Jew who prefers to party most Fridays, but makes a point of showing up on High Holidays to catch up with acquaintances.
My favorite are the ones that treat science like religion, and don't recognize the hypocrisy.
The phrase "treat science like religion" may be applicable to a few atheists but it's also often exaggerated to discredit science's position of authority.
There a lot of people who aren't scientifically minded that treat scientific knowledge just like scripture. It comes from wize people and they just trust and accept it unquestioningly.
Those who practise science know that all knowledge is to be questioned, and everything needs evidence. They also know that everything we "know" is most likely wrong. It's just the best explanation we have so far and that's a good thing.