Being completely correct in every respect can come across as smugness.
Yahweh is literally a sky god (of weather and war), the angels (his kin) are essentially religiously appropriated fairies, or, at best, a convergently evolved mythical concept. Winged supernatural goodies (along with their neutral and baddy counterparts).
What is a humble and inclusive way of arguing that religion belongs in the same field as folk myths and fairy tales?
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Fri 4 Jul 2025, 20:03,
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Well, it's the need to argue that can come across as smug, isn't it?
Most people have story and ritual in their lives that doesn't stand up to much scrutiny.
You see people going full Dawkins on mildly religious people who aren't cunts, just because they want the same old argument. No attempt to understand what they actually get from it, just straight in with "you're wrong...", which isn't going to change anyone's mind.
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monkeon schmonkeon, Fri 4 Jul 2025, 23:32,
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It's common for the convert to be a bit too evangelical at first.
People can enjoy arguments as a kind of sport. Some people react very badly to good arguments. You rarely see someone who is confident in the validity of their arguments calling their opponent smug.
There are convincing arguments stating that mild/moderate religious people provide the environment for religious extremists to be tolerated and to thrive. The existence of mild/moderate believers in a death cult does not justify or nullify the actions of that death cult. An adherent who does not believe in every aspect of the death cult's teachings has no moral immunity from criticism, in my most humble and entirely correct opinion.
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brb Monkhouse Stampede, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 0:28,
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These aren't mildly religous types tho
They are the types that go online to prove the atheists wrong. They've lost from the moment they try to argue with any reason at all as all they have is faith. I think a mildly religious type wouldn't enter this arena at all.
I think smugness is unavoidable when you meet people of particularly insane beliefs. Try not being smug arguing with a flerfer.
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simbosan is too tired, Sat 5 Jul 2025, 8:09,
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