Ben is an individual human being.
Atheism is the absence of belief that any deities exist.
Ben agrees with Atheism.
Agreement with the principles of Atheism does not inhibit Ben from being a loving, caring, decent human being.
Ben feels negatively discriminated against for agreeing with Atheism.
Is he? Ought he be?
I believe on the former count: Yes. The latter: No.
Just about everyone I know and love are religious and they know I am atheist. By golly they love and respect me, I do not get preached at or condemned. Could be due to mutual respect of beliefs. Hell and there are preachers in my family circles.
Respect must be given to get respect. Yes, many tried to change me at first but, respectful conversation changed the outlook. Love and respect goes a long way.
God doesn’t care if you’re atheist or theist, he only cares if you ‘get it’ or not. You get it, Kris, so it doesn’t matter. Ben here doesn’t get it and he never will.
He may get it. Perhaps most atheists and theists that he associates with are disrespectful to their opposite. Some words of sanity could change his view.
Perhaps, but I think it’s going to take someone saying ‘he’s never going to get it’ to make him push to try to get it. You can be as patient as you want to be, but some times, a heavy hand is needed. It’s like a mental slap to the face, which is quite effective when you’re not your self. If he was still insecure and lost within himself to the point of being completely wishy-washy, I’d try a more mellow approach; but he can handle it.
Or it will make him harden up, since it seems it is a permanent judgment of him and he closes down, where he might have opened. And since we are interacting over the internet who knows? (this was me focusing on the issue in the abstract, not an evaluation of Ben and what he does or does not need)
He’s already hardened up. He also just had a meltdown recently that softened him up. There is no right or wrong way to handle things. All you can do is trust that things will work out. I’m not the only source he has to listen to; and he may hear a variety of things from those closest to him as well as from people here and anywhere else he may be online.
Besides, he hasn’t yet re-earned ‘nice’ from me.
I agree with Moreno but, I would like to add that Ben’s threads lean towards pain and emotion as if that is all he is used to. More would not phase such a person. In fact it reinforces the attitude many times.
Yeah, I know. His meltdown recently was a prime indication of that, since it happened shortly after I posted in his thread and he was rude to me. I did try.
Since he was rude to you, I understand but, then again in it’s way that could reinforce the suggestions I and Moreno made.
Only time will tell. As it is, I’m going to ease up a bit anyway, because you are right. If I’m only ever going to be mean to him and never move on from that, then I’m no worse than I think he’s being and it would most likely reinforce the wrong things.
Thank-you, what you decided is never easy, it does take a strength and courage. Change can bring out the best or the worst. Don’t let the worst get to you, ever. 
No worries. I’ve been lost too many times to ever be lost again. I will always make my way back.
Me too.
That would be an agnostic.
And atheist believes that there is no God.
The level of confidence of his disbelief doesn’t change the nature of it.
If he thinks that he is certain, then he is a “hard-atheist”.
If he isn’t sure, but guesses that there isn’t a God, then he is a “soft-atheist”.
But if you just don’t know and hold no belief one way or another (an honest person), then you are an Agnostic.
And a “hard-agnostic” is one who believes that no one can ever know, it just can’t ever be known, period.
Way to verify, James.
Scientific method.
Look into it, no?
I’m the one using the word. I’m the one who defines the word.
Not you.
Why the allegory?
Why the apologetics?
====
Kriwest,
Lots of people shoot the messenger. Even the ones expected to know better.
The truth never dies. Regardless of how an individual is smeared.
No one can smear you but you yourself for having allowed such smearing to have been done. Had you been certain of your self, you would have defended your self adequately instead of whining about it, now.
I was treating you with respect, Idioms.
And you know it.
That’s why when I said, ‘Fair call. I concede your point’. You were offended.
You knew I wasn’t sorry. You’d disrespected me again, after I was perfectly blunt with you. And I had other priorities to attend to, so I just left you to your own devices.
You & Arc fed off each other. You don’t trust me. It’s all good.
Your actions of going around the forum smearing me, is an indication of your defenses.
I’m not here to hurt you, Idioms.
I was tired, so instead of describing you slowly, I lifted up a mirror to your face.
You can’t stand yourself, and your coping mechanism is to spew the hate out onto others.
One can’t love another, until one truly loves oneself.
You’re making good progress, but there’s more to learn.
The points you accuse me of, reflections of yourself, I’ve already confronted.
That’s why I can easily post my work to you, and it’s always relevant to YOU.
I’m here to empower you, but I’d appreciate if you don’t use that power against me.
Warm regards,
Ben
No, you weren’t; that’s why I went back and edited it when I isolated the source of my discontent. You were emotionless and that is not logical or respectful. You dismissed everything I said with a wave of your hand and that is not fair.
You don’t need to be here to hurt me; you do it anyway and I’m done being hurt by you because you’re unapologetic about it. You know you’re wrong and won’t admit it. You’re shut off inside of your self and repressing so much shit and one day it’s all going to come snapping back out to destroy you. I fear for you.
You have done none of the things you just said you have. You can’t really love your self until you truly love another. You’re never going to get it and you’re always going to think your way was right. That reminds me of the end of Tron Legacy where Jeff Bridges meets the clone he made of himself and has to tell him that he was wrong.
You’re just a shallow, empty shell of a person. There’s nothing there. You killed it all away. You are a very dangerously unstable person and you need serious help; in fact, you need to be fucking committed before you do something extremely horrible.