I’ve also updated in the direction of “most atheists aren’t cruel or hateful in everyday life”
I’m not sure atheist LW users would be a good sample of “most atheists”. I’d expect there to be a sizeable fraction of people who are atheists merely as a form of contrarianism.
I’d expect there to be a sizeable fraction of people who are atheists merely as a form of contrarianism.
I don’t think that’s the case. I do think there are a good many people who are naturally contrarian, and use their atheism as a platform. There are also people who become atheists after having been mistreated in a religion, and they’re angry.
I’m willing to bet a modest amount that going from religious to atheist has little or no effect on how much time a person spends on arguing about religion, especially in the short run.
Well, IME in Italy people from the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies are usually much more religious than people from the former Papal States and the latter are much more blasphemous, and I have plenty of reasons to believe it’s not a coincidence.
I’m not sure atheist LW users would be a good sample of “most atheists”. I’d expect there to be a sizeable fraction of people who are atheists merely as a form of contrarianism.
I don’t think that’s the case. I do think there are a good many people who are naturally contrarian, and use their atheism as a platform. There are also people who become atheists after having been mistreated in a religion, and they’re angry.
I’m willing to bet a modest amount that going from religious to atheist has little or no effect on how much time a person spends on arguing about religion, especially in the short run.
Well, IME in Italy people from the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies are usually much more religious than people from the former Papal States and the latter are much more blasphemous, and I have plenty of reasons to believe it’s not a coincidence.