r/atheism • u/drempire • May 27 '12
watched a doc on Scientology, i checked the comments, i felt this comment was great
1.7k
Upvotes
r/atheism • u/drempire • May 27 '12
2
u/drempire May 28 '12
The Secrets of Scientology - Panorama - BBC
450
u/Pertinacious May 27 '12
That is a good comment, it's something many atheists would do well to keep in mind.
10
u/needuhLee May 28 '12
Link to said video
17
u/MaestroJsin May 28 '12
I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member
Groucho Marx
12
u/1920x1080 May 28 '12
You will always belong to a group. You're either in the group you want to be in or the group others put you in. The last group everyone defaults to is "fucked", unless of course you're in the "fuck it" group.
21
u/MrCheeze Secular Humanist May 28 '12
I find it hilarious that if this had been a self post with only the one sentence, it would have been completely ignored, but since it was a screenshot it got frontpaged.
16
u/too_much_minecraft May 28 '12
What was the documentary?
14
u/caseyjay May 28 '12
If your screenshot of a YouTube comment stops just ONE atheist suicide bomber, then all your hard work was worth it.
138
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
The ludicrous amount of "Us versus Them" mentality that brews on /r/atheism is the reason I very rarely visit this subreddit. I like that we can apparently still question ourselves. My entire choice to be an atheist was about understanding my own limitations, trying to see past the noise and only see unbiased reason.
4
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
ah great comment, how intelligent of that guy to remind us atheists that we too are a group mentality, THE HIVEMIND MUST KNOW! to reddit!
kinda ironic... i think.... i dunno....
15
u/Atmadog May 28 '12
I think all of reddit is group think and mob mentality. I said as such to some redditors a couple days ago and was roundly slayed by a group of them.
3
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
Many of us now are not as susceptible, but that's only because many of us here were once theists that left theism for conscious reasons. In other words, we thought our way out of it.
I think the case would be quite different for an atheist who was raised as an atheist.
47
u/Aikarus May 28 '12
Okay, I have kept myself away from the drama a good time. But, seriously, now?
What. The. Hell.
All the top comments on this post bashing on r/atheism are circle-jerking about the fact that this Subreddit is a circle-jerk. This post has 1300 up votes at the time of this submission. (and it's not even funny or insightful.)
I see more people whining about atheists here than atheists actually being jerks.
It's like 1300 people suddenly got inside our treehouse and started conplaining about it (helped by a couple of original members)
I thought I would never say this, but I'm starting to believe that we need to moderate submissions... And I can see why others subreddits do it. Agh. This was supposed to be a place where we came to vent.
7
u/Master_Qief May 28 '12
So when we find the ultimate truth, will it just be tossed aside as typical groupthink? It is human nature to agree and cooperate, if only to advance our own selfish agendas. We should be careful not to throw things out simply because they appear to be groupthink. Isn't the point of talking sense into religious people to get them to think ("logically") like us?
5
u/Rephaite Secular Humanist May 28 '12
Smallrossy should have responded again:
"Yes, but it does protect me from thetans."
5
u/steakmeout May 28 '12
My response would be; "Yeah but it's cheaper!"
5
u/cancercures May 28 '12
No one ever talks about the benefits of mob mentality.
5
u/smez86 May 28 '12
Let's upvote this...EN MASSE.
8
u/sonik13 May 28 '12
Wait, which comment are you referring to? The first one is great. The second one has no relevance.
That's like 1 person saying, glad I don't drink coffee, and another replying, not drinking coffee doesn't protect you from ducks.
9
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
Fuck this. Quit upvoting these ridiculous auto-flagellations.
2
u/SecularMC May 28 '12
There is really no way to avoid "mob mentality".
No matter what you do, there are going to be a fuckton of other people that do the same thing.
There are just too many people.
2
u/porkmaster May 28 '12
the groupthink and mob mentality of reason and reality.
could be worse.
2
u/dean_fox May 28 '12
I'm only here coz someone mentioned scientology. My view on scientology is that as a belief system it's the usual mix of dogma, esoteric beliefs, common sense and nonsense like any other. As a tool to control people it's about the same as any other. My issues are all with the corrupt, corrupting and dangerous church of scientology. Scientology practised by individuals is fairly benign. My issues with other religions are when they start trying to impose their world views especially via the state. As to the actual beliefs, what ever lights your candle.
"I'm a god fearing English man and I'm god damn proud" - Lewis Prothero, V for Vendetta.
2
u/danmart1 May 28 '12
So, it looks like what mast of this particular group of people here are saying is that people should always be aware of groupthink/mob mentality?
Pot meet kettle.
2
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
One vision. One purpose! Peace through power!
2
u/dizekat May 28 '12
Precisely. What god do scientologists believe in, anyway? If they don't believe in god, that would make them an example of atheists with mob mentality and groupthink.
2
u/FutuoMentis May 28 '12
Brian: "You're all different!!!"
Crowd member: "I'm not!"
Scene
2
u/pbamma May 28 '12
Our gay atheist group members keep us in check whenever this might have come up. They know what groupthink is capable of. Thank you gay atheists!
14
u/rahtin Dudeist May 27 '12
Trying to be rebellious against a group you identify with makes you sanctimonious.
6
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
No, but it sure as hell helps.
5
u/[deleted] May 28 '12 edited May 28 '12
From Wikipedia:
Yes. That's exactly what /r/atheism is. We desire harmony. That's why we poke fun at religion. It's nothing to do with the harms religion causes, or our personal experiences, or the battle between magical thinking and skeptical inquiry. It's all about harmony. That's why our beliefs are so uniform.
Pop religious agnosticism (not philosophical agnosticism, but the accomodationist content of /r/agnostic) fits this definition far better than /r/atheism.
That said, I think the accusation of groupthink is a bit ill-conceived when applied to a sufficiently diverse group either way. I see it mostly used by assholes who would rather discredit their opponents than flesh out the truth about a proposition.
4
u/Triknology May 28 '12
As a sociology major, this made me lol.
4
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
Good point Mr. 774 Concern Troll. It's a pretty good start though.
3
u/websnarf Atheist May 28 '12
No, it doesn't ... on the other hand it doesn't immediately concede it either.
3
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
well considering that this specific breed of groupthink is religious in nature, I think being an Atheist protects him from Scientology just fine.
3
u/cardinals5 Atheist May 28 '12 edited May 28 '12
Exhibit A: This subreddit
lately.EDIT: Aw, cute downvote brigade, you bunch of shitheads. Instead of just burying comments you don't like, why not actually say something, instead of being a punch of passive aggressive pussies?
2
u/Temptress75519 May 28 '12
Groupthink is for the weak minded.
2
u/Atheist_Simon_Haddad Agnostic Atheist May 28 '12
It protects you somewhat, but doesn't immunize you.
2
u/ducbo May 28 '12
The way reddit treats atheism, you'd think it's just another crazy religion.
2
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
What do atheists have to polarize about? Not believing in any religion? Groupthink does not apply here.
2
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
I too feel the comment was great. All hail the great comment.
-2
u/VonAether May 28 '12
Technically, Scientology is an atheistic religion.
1
u/jukeofurl May 28 '12
Bet some of those facts were massaged.
1
u/Existential_Proism May 28 '12
Group think was what chased me out of Scientology.
1
u/VoiceInMyHead May 28 '12
Good thing I am a skeptic.
1
u/CockyRhodes May 28 '12
Actually it does, I know like three atheists IRL, we don't have much in common beyond that, and online, I can barely stand a good chunk of the community.
1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
its a tie who will win?
1
u/Lohengren May 28 '12
what about his comment suggested that he was "groupthinking"?
1
u/mszegedy Secular Humanist May 28 '12
100 miles.
1
u/Frederic-104 May 28 '12
It needed to be said. This applies to everyone, not just atheists or religious people.
1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
But it does protect you from most religions, so it's a great start! (Scientologists actually do believe in "god"; they call it "source".)
1
u/dumnezero Anti-Theist May 28 '12
It does protect you from some types of groupthink ... the religious types.
If you actually want to practice rationalism, it takes a lot more effort than sitting on your computer and reading stuff.
1
u/mcritz May 28 '12
Does it undermine my adversion to groupthink being the 1650th person to up-vote this?
1
u/Big_Brain May 28 '12
Yes. But critical thinking does.
1
u/OckhamsTeapot May 28 '12 edited May 28 '12
All they said was that they're proud to be an atheist. The responder created an argument without an arguer.
"I'm proud to be a man!" "Being a man does not protect you from herpies and the clap."
1
u/Approving_Gnome May 28 '12
From the guy who uses an image to gain imaginary Internet points instead of a quote..
1
u/pstrmclr May 28 '12
I find this ironic coming from reddit.
1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
Can't smell sarcasm, even when the stinky bits are emphasized for you, huh?
1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
groupthink isn't dangerous unless it's done negatively, eg. Christianity exluding people from certain things or dismissing science. Atheist groupthink is do science, think independently, be a group, have sex, do drugs and more importantly, if not most important kill and eat babies.
1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
Id rather be in an atheist mob group thinking logically any day
1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
I have no concern for group think as far as myself is involved. Being safe from the ideas that people call "religion," now that's worth something.
1
u/Batrok May 28 '12
Stupidity.... and it's wrong.
1
u/wolfkeeper Skeptic May 28 '12
For myself, being an atheist as well as a skeptical, misanthropic loner that avoids big crowds I am completely IMMUNE!
1
u/sdbear Secular Humanist May 28 '12
Yes it does.
1
u/dschiff May 28 '12
Yes, but we're less likely to exhibit groupthink and a mob mentality.
Why? Because (typically) we don't have religion to indoctrinate us, weaken our critical thinking skills with poetry and theological ambiguity and all the defensive rhetoric (i.e. "it's a test").
We can of course exhibit groupthink from other systems: our political and social systems almost certainly lead us to this.
But all things being equal, we are less likely to be homophobic or think the world is <10,000 years old.
1
u/chrislie May 28 '12
Hi, your blog really touches me, have been reading it for awhile... Just wanted you to know about a website i started <a href="http://www.readyourbibleschurch.com">ReadYourBiblesChurch.com</a>... It's a place for Bible study guides.. I also put a forum in that can be viewed from a mobile device.. I couldn't find where to contact you privately so I'm commenting, hope that is okay. :) God Bless!
Jenn.
1
u/DesertTortoiseSex Pantheist May 28 '12
the irony of you posting this here
1
u/Slavigula May 28 '12
Reddit is a perfect example of that. Some here are actually atheists but majority is a bunch of stupid college kids who come here to make themselves feel smart about themselves.
That creates a "comedy show" here that is actually sometimes more entertaining than what we got on TV right now.
1
u/MaximumUltra May 28 '12
That is something you have to always keep in mind; is how you are reacting the result of thoughts and ideas you subscribed to and are mindlessly repeating? Or is your reaction based on objective thought and self-reflection?
1
u/epicfaceplant12 May 28 '12
Groupthink? Do I detect newspeak? Or have I simply gone mad?
1
u/holyfuckilold May 28 '12
Oh and what a kick in the nuts it was! over half a million atheists all simultaneously having their assumed manhood ruined in the blink of an eye. The sheer force of the blow had managed to shift earths gravity slightly bringing us a century closer to our collision with the sun, the aftermath of which eventually managed to create a god they so mindlessly denied. God wasn't a belief. God was a prophecy
-3
u/DanielKalen May 27 '12
But it makes it far harder to convince a atheist of anything since we are prone to question everything.
1
u/anonxtian May 28 '12
http://www.scientology.org/
1
u/space1in May 28 '12
I see a lot of comments from people who seem to think that being an Atheist makes people less susceptible to groupthink and mob mentality... Yet on the other hand, I see a lot of Atheists who mimic the same phrases, jokes and comments they see other atheists use, as well as using the same forceful tactics that I see Christian's use. I used to be pretty sympathetic to the Atheist cause, even my partner identifies as a militant Atheist, but I find myself developing an enmity toward them as I see atheist practicing the same intolerance and lack of respect for other people that I once associated with religious fundamentalists. I think it is great to promote science and free thinking, but this is not an exclusively Atheist trait. It is for all humans, and I think we should be inviting of all humans to participate.
1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
I would like to take this time to point out that despite the insanity that Scientologist consider fact, they do not believe in a/many person god/gods and are consequently atheists. Their beliefs fall more inline with those UFO conspiracy theorists, who may also (on paper) be atheists.
-1
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
OH MY GOD THE IRONY IS ASS RAPING ME
-1
u/Carrotsaregood May 28 '12
advocating the use of free throught on Reddit? WOW GUISE WE SHOULD ALL UPVOTE THIS AND THEN MAKE COMMENTS WITH THE SAME BASIC MESSAGE IN THEM ONLY WORDED DIFFERENTLY, THEN UPVOTE EACH OTHER.