Thank you and I totally agree. Making poorly reasoned statements and unsubstantiated assertions should be left to the religious lobby. If we consider ourselves to be free of superstition and advocates of critical thinking we should hold ourselves to a higher standard. I dislike the title ‘brights’ that has been used for thinking atheists, as it smacks of elitism but I appreciate the feeling behind it.
Let me deal with your final point first. I agree that it’s nonsense. It comes from the same place as men aren’t supposed to cry. Outdated social norms.
I understand your anger and that of other atheists. I used to feel it. When I first ‘came out’ as an atheist, thirty years ago, I was zealous and angry. I resented the lies and the way beliefs had been taught to me as facts. I resented the fact that the Abrahamic faiths have, at their core, some elitist and very ugly tenets that are never discussed with the vast majority of believers and the way most of them behaved. It was before the word sheeple had been coined but it fits.
These days I rarely let it get to me to that extent. But that is not to say the resentment has gone away, only that I choose to use different tools in the ongoing struggle I sometimes cross swords with an apologist or an evangelical and I enjoy combatting their BS but in the main I try to use calm reasoning and gentle questioning to reach the middle of the road believers and to get them to see that the certainties they have been taught are untrue and that there are other ways to see the world.
All that being said, we must all follow our own path, use our own feelings and methods and do things in whatever way works for us as individuals. If you get angry, work it in to a fierce narrow beam that cuts through the crap. 
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Awwwww fuck! I didn;t know atheists were using that term? I thought is was some new age spiritual shit that Oprah was spreading. “Brights” my ass.
Hi everyone! My first post.
I’m italian, and first of all my apologies, my english isn’t fair at all. Blessed google translate! 
I subscribed as an atheist, that’s what I am.
For me every opposite issue to the well known laws of physics, chemistry, biology, and astronomy should be proved by its supporter. So, if someone wants to convince me that there’s an invisible and almighty supernatural entity, whose prerogatives are far outside the known natural laws, the burden of proof isn’t mine. Religions try to impose themeselves as they have the truth, but when questioned about their contradictions they reply talk about a mistery, It’s an unacceptable nonsense.
Welcome!
Look forward to reading your thoughts on the various threads. We talk about everything…and every so often a theist comes in …
Welcome to the forum Pablito! The next time you are in Vatican City can you drop off a little package to the Pope for me? The best I have done is to write comments in these little “The Pope Was Here” visitation books that the asshole leaves in airports. I don’t think he ever reads that shit because I have been calling him (various Popes) out on their bullshit in those books for years. It would be nice to have a package 'hand delivered." Perhaps you could just toss it up on the balcony the next time the Pontiff makes an appearance. I can reward you with a golden banana.
Have been. No need to go again. I prefer Florence.
At the time, the Sistine chapel ceiling had just been cleaned. Off season, we were allowed to lie on the floor and look at it for half an hour. It was wonderful. This was immediately followed seeing St Peter’s and Michelangelo’s breath taking statues. Plus of course the tomb of St Peter, conveniently located in the floor of the cathedral.
We walked out of the Sistine chapel and the Vatican became a self parody. Immediately outside of the Sistine chapel is an ineffably tacky and vulgar souvenir shop, run by portly nuns. You can get just about any piece of tacky rubbish you can imagine. That includes real papal blessings on faux (?) parchment. The blessings are free. The high cost is for the calligraphy and the parchment.
—A few years ago, I visited the home of a couple of chronic Catholics who had been married for five children and nearly 50 years. As one enters the home, one is confronted by a papal blessing some one had bought them when they were first married. It was revered.
Also had the worst espresso of my life in Rome. Starting with the Vatican denizens, many Romans have made ripping off tourists a lucrative art form.
Yea, Italy in general can be pretty tacky in parts. I thought it would be great to go see the Olympic stadium where the Olympics were held in Rome. I had to walk across fields of used condoms. I couldn’t stop laughing but the people I was with didn’t think it was funny. While they were taking pictures of the statues I was taking pictures of the condoms. It seems the prostitutes were using the statues as cove to do their dirty deeds. Funny as hell.
I actually loved everything about Italy. I would return for an extended stay tomorrow. One of my all time favorite countries. (I just happen to have a fun condom story.)
@cognostic
I would prefer a real banana, I really like it! 
I don’t know about those books, let me know what are you talking about. My favourite books against religions are written by Bertrand Russell. I’ve read also Christopher Hitchens, Piergiorgio Odifreddi, Edoardo Boncinelli, Michael Onfray, and I warmly reccomend Ibn Warraq (Why I’m not muslim).
Last, but not the least I want to remark I’m not longer part of catholic church. Since 2010 I asked to refuse my baptism. If you’re nor italian you can’t figure out what it does means. Now I’m excommunicated “latae sententiae”. That’s ridicolous. I can’t be a godfather, I can’t get married and my funeral can’t be held in a church. I’m also excluded by sacraments. I’m very worried about my afterlife… 
Any other bright italian member on this forum?
I loved most of it except Calabria. (we didn’t go to Puglia)----Rome, Venice, Florence, Sorrento and Pisa. Had a great pasta, pizza and gelati.
I live in a very small village in south-east Piedmont, north-west of Italy. The nearest well known city is Genoa. I’m the atheist of the village, but I’ve a good feeling with everyone here. First of all I’m a humanist, atheism comes after. I respect human beings, all of them, I can’t say the same for their minds.
When I was a child I used to be an altar boy. I clearly remember I quit to believe in God just after my last confession, it was september 1990, and I was 13y old. The next sunday morning I woke up and I said to my mother “I don’t want to go to the mass anymore, and there’s nothing you can do. I don’t believe in God, they’re all bullshit”. Do you know about the sacrament of confession? Have you ever figure out how catholic church’s influences italian’s customs and traditions?
Quite an insight for a thirteen year old. Welcome to the forums…
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Hi @Cognostic
For me to call God an arse, I would first have to prove that God exists, and that, in itself, is a tough go, and has been to many theists, who come on here and troll you folks. For me, I simply refuse to believe in God, regardless of whether God exists in reality, or is a figment of human imagination. Any supernatural explanation for the world is quickly becoming a past for me…and thank goodness for that.
I myself used to be an angry atheist…angry at God for all the things in this world, and angry that God was trying to make me suffer or punish me because I did not worship Him and believe in Him, yada, yada ya… But now, that anger is gone. The God of the theists, and the belief in such a God are gone, and never have I felt better for it, in terms of being more peaceful and happy, It was the right decision, to reject such things, when the opportunity came along.
Not really. You can say the “God of the Bible is an ass.” He does not have to exist, he is in the bible… It’s like saying “Harry Potter is an ass.” Well he may be, even though he is fictitious.
So we have loads of definitions of gods. I think as long as we are clear which definition we are talking about, we are good to go, and that god, need not, necessarily exist.
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@Cognostic Yes…you are correct. The fictional God or Gods of humans are never on our side…all they want, is for us to worship them, and thereby, inflate their oversized egos.
I reject all God and/or Gods…real or imaginary. Other such supernatural claptrap like the Devil or Satan in Christianity, or “Mara the Evil One” in Buddhism, as well as angels, demons, etc… are also rejected. I reject all supernatural explanations for anything and everything…enough is enough.
I was a Christian for 30 years and believed I had a relationship with God, but never once did I hear a voice or experience anything that could not be explained by natural processes or chance. I saw the complexity of nature as strong evidence for God’s existence and used it in my many attempts to convert people to my worldview. I had bouts of “special knowledge” where I was certain that God was working on my life and would save me. That made me a gnostic (though I would have vehemently disagreed with this classification at the time). When I look out my window as I write this I see evidence for the existence of a god or gods, but no proof. If there is a god or gods they have made no attempt to give me proof of their existence. The God of the bible who I once forced myself to “Love” is a monster who I believe is the construct of human minds, though I cannot prove this. I personally don’t believe in the existence of gods, but make no claims that I am correct and am doing my best to stay well clear of faith. I’m not sure what that would categorise me as.
You sound like an agnostic atheist; a very common thing around here.
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That is why I appreciate his presence in this forum, and respect him.
He keeps me honest.