Something I think that gets lost in our ongoing 'conflicts' [View all]

[uriel1972]

Is the fact that only one thing unites all atheists and that is a lack of belief and by the same token the only thing that unites all believers is their belief in one or more deities.

There are atheists I would think of as benevolent and atheists I would think of as malevolent, those I would think of as eminently sane and those I would think of as batshit crazy and all points in between. Those on the right and those on the left and those somewhere in the middle. And by the same token, the same is true of believers.

That one atheist or believer is or does one thing does not mean all are tarred by the same brush. An individual is not necessarily guilty of the crimes of their predecessors or compatriots in belief/unbelief. However each person is responsible for their own actions and if they choose to perpetuate a past injustice then they are guilty of that crime.

This is not some "why can't we all get along thread?" I fully respect that there are deep and dividing disagreements. I am just trying to remind people that people are people with all the messy and confusing business that implies.