teacher says "the atheist in you is coming out:"
Offline Hi guys, I would like your opinion about something. It does involve religion, but I want to give you a little background info:
I am a senior in college, and I try to be active in the defense of human rights. I decided to take a human rights class offered by a professor I highly respect. Since the class started, we have focused mainly on human rights violations in Africa. Last night we watched a film called "Invisible Children" which focused on the child soldiers in Uganda. Afterwards we had a discussion about the film. She also showed us websites that would be useful if we were to donate money to the cause. One was a christian site and for $30 you could send bibles to the people there. So, being the person that I am, I raised my hand and voiced my disgust. I stated that it was horrific that these people were STARVING and they want to send them bibles instead of food or tools-- something actually USEFUL. She looked at me and said "Pallas* that's the atheist in you coming out". WTF? Would she be allowed to tell someone that their opinion was "The Jew in them coming out"? I sent her an email asking her why she was so angry with other comments I made in the class afterwards and she told me my "cynicism is dangerous" and I have a "negative air about me".
This is the first time I have really had to deal with a professor saying something like this, and I am not really sure how to deal with it.
I just wanted to see what you guys think. Am I making too much of an issue out of this?
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I don't know, I see nothing wrong with sending them Bibles. But I definitely see your point that they need food to survive.
(This is a bit off-topic) One thing I have a problem with with most foreign aid, is that we just hand everything out. It seems to me that we are just teaching them to be dependent on us. It would be better to help them survive AND teach them how to be self sufficient and establish an economy that supports them, rather than relying solely on handouts. Because all handouts will do is hurt any kind of local market for food and such, because why buy what you can get for free?
Who is more irrational?A man who believes in a God he doesn't see, or a man who is offended by a God he doesn't believe in?-Brad Stine
The reason why atheists deny God is that they can't stand the fact that there IS someone more powerful than they are.
And herein lies a small danger to religious belief. Of course you didn't say, but I'm willing to be my left arm she's a theist. And as you can see you voiced a completely valid and good point, yet her vision is clouded by irrationality and therefore proceeded to make some dumb ass comments.
Me neither. If it were me I'd just let this issue slide and make a small logical point the next time something similar comes up. I guess if you're really interested you could write a note to her or stay after and politely express that you were simply trying to voice a valid complaint, and ask her "Do you not see the waste of a bible over food?"
No.
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I wrote her, she wrote me back, and I replied again. It was in her reply to me that she said the "thing that irritated her the most" about me was "my picking out the most insignificant detail of the night and making an issue out of it"
I am still awaiting her next reply.
One of my favorite kind of 'parables'
Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day.
Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime.
Tell him to pray for a fish and watch him starve.
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I like the version where it goes:
Give man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day.
Set man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
You were right. The Bible doesn't even make good toilet paper.
Giving them handouts is what the Bible teaches as Jesus taught his followers to give to the poor. I don't recall him ever telling them to teach the poor how to fish. Jesus teaches that the poor, the hungry, and the wretched shall be blessed. But blessing only comes when they cease to be poor, hungry, and wretched.
Do think it would be a good thng to send them copies of the Koran (it's the same God after all)?
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. - Seneca
What she means is that a skeptic or a thinker (AKA Atheist) is not swollowing her crap and that makes you "negative". The next time she says "That's the Atheist in you coming out", reply with "Thank You".
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. - Seneca
There it is! That's the response you wanted.
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Wrong on all counts. Thank you, please try our home game!
Who is more irrational?A man who believes in a God he doesn't see, or a man who is offended by a God he doesn't believe in?-Brad Stine
The reason why atheists deny God is that they can't stand the fact that there IS someone more powerful than they are.
Might as well... you're already trying ours.
Go back 3 spaces for dodging the question.
Lose a turn for not providing evidence for a claim.
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Trevorus,
Lets see what I got wrong ( AKA the Gospel of Trevorus)
1. Jesus taught his followers to give to the poor.
Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handout
A handout is something given freely or distributed gratis (without compensation). It can refer to materials handed out for presentation purposes or to a charitable gift, among other things.
Either you believe that Jesus didn't mean give to the poor, that I have taken this out of context, or Jesus wanted the distribution to involve some sort of exchange. Which is it?
2. Where does Jesus teach his followers to educate the poor to provide for themselves?
3.You don't beleive that Allah and Yehweh are the same God?
According to a remark you made on another thread you implied that you don't worship/follow the god of the OT. Do you think that Jesus is God?
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. - Seneca
This sounds familiar, as I'm currently having problems with my logic professor. *sigh*
...or just the more rational, empathetic view point. The last time I checked, a bible isn't going to do anyone any "good" if they are dying of starvation. People can't eat bibles. Pointing that out has nothing to do with atheism.
Depending on where you live, shit like that is pretty normal. I had college professors BAN certain discussions and paper topics (i.e. separation of church and state or abortion) because of their religious beliefs....and this is at a major University.
chances are, she'll give you bad marks.
i mean that's college, so maybe not. me in high school, my teacher hates me 'cause i'm a communist and i've been getting c's only.
so if college isn't very different, i say get a new teacher/sign up for another course :| :| :| :| :|
I might have something add to this. I turned in an essay titled 'Faith: My Lack Of' today, well yesterday now.
and thats a bad thing how? I dont see how sending bibles will make their lives better
It could be taking advantage of their desparation... provided they could and would read it in the first place...
That seems more helpful.
"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'
I'm pretty sure if Jesus saw a family dying of starvation he would'nt hand them a bible and be on his way, he'd probly reach into his magic bag and pull out some fish or something.
And I think its pretty ridiculous the teacher reacted like that. I would honestly call her out on it right there and let her know its not acceptable. I don't get offended very often, at anything. But if someone told me that it's just the "athiest in me coming out" id get kinda pissed. I think a good response for her is to bring up the the anti-condom movement being promoted by christain leaders in Aids infested Africa right now. That one is always good for a chuckle with me when im not thinking about how sad that is.
All I can keep saying about that teacher is wow what a bitch over and over again.
My next class with this woman is tomorrow night. She has yet to reply to my last email (sent Tuesday). I feel like I am arguing with a fellow student, not someone with a Phd. I seriously do not want to go back to her class. But it would be really lame to drop it just because she insulted me.
She insulted you by calling you want you are (add or minus the negative misconceptions) and thus insulted all atheists. Now I think saying something like, "Thank you I enjoy the freedom of my mind" the next time she says something like that might be a good response. Note: it does seem to imply theist are lacking control and I haven't tried it, but it does raise the question of "what is she really saying here?".
And you should have retorted - can you eat a Bible? Can you drive a fence post into the ground with it? Can you teach a man to fish with it?
I disgusts me as well how poor nations, especially African ones, are exploited in such a manner.
I WON'T deny that occasionally such missionaries do help to improve livining conditions, but at what a cost? It's like an alcholic trading one addiction for another through the "help" of AA.
Now I don't even think Chirst was a real person, but if He were, He's pretty clear on the matter.
We've all heard the stories of missionaries denying food and water to the victims of the Boxing Day tsunami, simply because the striken had the gall to refuse to pray to an unfamiliar god.
Disgusting.
A hammer or a crouton is far more valuable than scripture.
I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world. - Richard Dawkins
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She's really saying, how dare you be practical. One of the mantras of ALL religions.
I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world. - Richard Dawkins
Atheist Books, purchases on Amazon support the Rational Response Squad server.
A human rights professor undermining your right to critisize theism is a disgrace. And so is an academic resorting to ad-hominems.
Rub her bigoted little nose in that. If she gives you more shit, drop the hammer and report her ass to higher authority.
~Let us be reasonable~
You want to claim there's such a thing as "the supernatural"? Fine. I hereby declare you to be "paracorrect" in doing so.