Atheists just want to sin.

[Mazzerkhan]

I quite like the idea of them thinking I'm only an atheist becuase I want to sin..in their minds I have a very glamourous life. Flitting from orgy to orgy, whist spending my down time on a yacht purchased with the proceeds of my ill gotten gains...Oh NO I've just realised I am evangelical preacher.

On a more serious note, the most moral people I hve ever come across have been atheists. I have come across bigotry, hate, violence, theft, peadophilia and embezzelment in the religious communtity. (And all of those mentioned were just in my own childhood parish). When I was younger the hypocrisy of devout christians, used to frustrate me (polite euphisim for anger). I saw it again today but I am older now and it just made me smile. I was reading an article about isreals possible bombing of the iranian nuclear site on the times on line. There were all these US bible thumping zelots praising god and telling isreal to bomb the bejayzus out of the iranians. They could not see the dicotamy in their own statements. It also tickles me now (in my old age) that all they have on us are sematics. We are dammed not by our actions but by our lack of belief. As opposed to say GWB who I imagine most fundies think will stroll through the pearly gates, even though he is responsible for the biggest loss of life on the planet in 50 years. Any way I'm rambling i'm sure you get my drift.

 

[Jotto999]

As previously mentioned, every time I hear this, I just ask them "Well if atheists just want to sin, then why is it that 20% of the population is atheist, but we make up less than 0.5% of the population in prisons?".

 

[Mapp]

I've always loved this argument myself, because if you then ask the next question which is, what sins are you talking about, the answer usually seems to be, "You know, having sex with whomever you please." This always seems to be said with a kind of wistful air about it. I'm not sure how atheism got associated with being a libertine, but it's very revealing about the Christian mindset.

 

[Rivius]

Atheism is simply a lack of belief in god. This definition states nothing about morals, thus making atheist a diverse group. Although, it may be true that some of the bible's silly ideas of the concept of sin may have been an additional determining factor in a person's atheism.

Example:

9But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother's wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother.

But Yahweh was displeased for what he did, so slew him.

10And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD, and he slew him also.

 

[Gnomesmusher]

I actually laugh when I hear that Atheists just want to sin. My personal life is pretty damn conservative (while still retaining "liberal" views) even compared to a lot of the christians out there. Maybe I'm not enough of a hardcore atheist eh?

Off I go to an orgy...

 

[Fordi]

Hahaha, yeah... I cannot remember the precise number, but is the atheist percentage of the incarcerated populous really low? Like, ten or less?

(circa 1997 (prison) / 2000 (Gen Pop via US Census); atheist / irreligious population is 10 points higher in the gen. pop. now; can't speak to prison stats, though I'd love it if someone could get these. I could probably do it the same way Rod Swift did, honestly)

In the US, 0.209% of incarcerated are atheist or irreligious and 14.1% of the general population are atheist or irreligious.
Christian: 83.8% incarcerated, 76.8% free
Muslim: 7.273% imprisoned, 0.5% free
Jewish: 1.773% imprisoned, 1.3% free
Buddhist: 1.180% imprisoned, 0.5% free

Prison N = 74,731
General N = 195,828,000

Prison population: 93,112
General population: 281,421,906

So, firstly we see that the conviction rate for US Citizens is approximately 1 conviction per 3,022 citizens.
Then, we note that the rate for Christians is somewhat higher: 1 conviction per 2,769 citizens
Muslim: 1 in 208
Jewish: 1 in 2216
Buddhist: 1 in 1280 (?? surprising!)
But then for atheists / irreligious: 1 conviction per 203,876 citizens

What does that mean?

Well, almost certainly that, as an atheist, your behavior is about 980 times less likely to get you ass-raped* than a muslim.

And we're supposed to be less moral.


* Assuming that the ass-raped population is uniform accross the religious demographics of the prison population.

 

[Aught3]

But on the other hand, there's nothing better than going before the parole board and telling them you've been saved by Jesus. Unless the panel was made up of atheists...

 

[Fordi]

But on the other hand, there's nothing better than going before the parole board and telling them you've been saved by Jesus. Unless the panel was made up of atheists...

With the focus on "convictions", my guess is that these are entry statistics, not exit.

I'm still preparing a request for information; I think it'll be wise to request collection methodology as well.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

Atheists just want to sin.

I'm an atheist... sometimes I just want to punch creationists. Does that count? :lol:

 

[scikidus]

Note that atheists, being a moderate proportion of the USA population (about 8-16%) are disproportionately less in the prison populations (0.21%).

Win. Obviously, atheists who want to sin are good at evading the law.

 

[Otokogoroshi]

The idea of sin itself makes me laugh. It's interesting (and sad) that any form of attraction is a sin of lust but by that same logic shouldn't eating be a form of gluttony?

I never was a Christian or even close to it. I realized at an early age that it was bull and didn't comport with reality. THAT is why I'm not a religious person, because if a 'god' can't understand the most basics of the natural world they aren't very godly...

 

[You]

The notion that atheists are atheists because they want to sin has never made much sense to me (but then, what creationist argument does?). So, I don't believe in God so that I can sin without fear of retribution...from the god I don't believe in? That's like saying that I don't believe in Santa Claus so that I can be bad without not getting toys for Christmas.

 

[Otokogoroshi]

The notion that atheists are atheists because they want to sin has never made much sense to me (but then, what creationist argument does?). So, I don't believe in God so that I can sin without fear of retribution...from the god I don't believe in? That's like saying that I don't believe in Santa Claus so that I can be bad without not getting toys for Christmas.

At least there was once a real person we now base Santa Claus on so there is more proof for him than for God! HAHAHAHHAAH

 

[xchillx42]

Sinning is fucking fun. Its even funner if you don't have to beg for your life afterwards.