Relationship with your father

theidiot · #1 by **theidiot** » Mar 19, 2010 1:28 am

I'm just looking to hear what sort of relationship anti-theist have with their fathers? I'm curious to know if there is some relationship between this and their anti-theism.

I'm not looking to hear from just any atheist, but rather by those who classify themselves as anti-theist, like Christopher Hitchens.

Edit: Thought I'm primarily concerned with anti-theist, I would also like to hear about the relationship of other atheist as well, especially those who share in the hostile view of religions of individuals like Dawkins, and Harris. I only ask that you mention how you feel towards religion, as well as how you feel towards your father.

james1v · #2 by **james1v** » Mar 19, 2010 1:34 am

Would the opinion of an anti-cleric do? :ask:

RichardPrins · #3 by **RichardPrins** » Mar 19, 2010 1:37 am

Myth

More wrote:(...) Now if Vitz’s theory is correct, we could expect many atheists we know to have a defective father. This naturally raises the question, What about the new atheists? Do they confirm this thesis?We know that Daniel Dennett’s father died in a plane crash in 1947, when Dennett was just five years old. As Vitz notes, losing one’s father at such a young age is particularly devastating, since it is during this developmental period that a child bonds with his or her father.

Christopher Hitchens’ father appears to have been very distant, so much so that Hitchens confesses, “I don’t remember a thing about him. It was all her [his mother], for me.”10 Tragically, when Hitchens was twenty-four his mother killed herself in a suicide pact with a lover. After his mother’s death,Hitchens says, “I no longer really had a family,” which is an especially sad statement considering his father was still alive. As for Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, there is very little information available regarding their relationships with their fathers. Harris, in particular, has maintained such a low public profile that personal information about him of any kind is scant. (...)

theidiot · #4 by **theidiot** » Mar 19, 2010 1:41 am

RichardPrins wrote:Myth

Sorry, I asked a question looking to see what we find. And I wasn't look to hear about relationship between atheist and their fathers, I'm sure quite a number of you have excellent relationship with your parents, but I'm rather curious about what we would find in the relationships of anti-theist.

Gallstones · #5 by **Gallstones** » Mar 19, 2010 1:46 am

I'd answer but I'm just any atheist. Sorry.

theidiot · #6 by **theidiot** » Mar 19, 2010 1:54 am

Gallstones wrote:I'd answer but I'm just any atheist. Sorry.

I guess I'd curious to hear your view as well, but I'm interested to know if you find yourself hostile or quite indifferent towards religion as well.

virphen · #7 by **virphen** » Mar 19, 2010 1:59 am

I get on great with my father, and I think theism is a scourge on the planet (which is not how Hitchens describes his anti-theism). Do I still count?

Gallstones · #8 by **Gallstones** » Mar 19, 2010 2:00 am

I am only hostile to the religious when they try to impose their dogma on society at large. I am not anti-theist.

I have no relationship with my father. His choice.

theidiot · #9 by **theidiot** » Mar 19, 2010 2:05 am

virphen wrote:I get on great with my father, and I think theism is a scourge on the planet (which is not how Hitchens describes his anti-theism). Do I still count?

Sure.

So you have a very loving relationship with your father? No hostility towards him at all? And does the thought of theism provoke your anger and hostility, or are you rather indifferent to the fact it's a scourge on the planet?

Thommo · **#10** by **Thommo** » Mar 19, 2010 2:06 am

I regularly share conversations with my father about the negative impact of religion on society and how fed up we are with the government's ever growing advocation of faith schools which segregate elements of society. Does that count?

mmmcheezy · **#11** by **mmmcheezy** » Mar 19, 2010 2:09 am

I consider myself an anti-theist, indeed, there are few things that upset me more than the idea of religion in general. I make no secret of my distaste for religious dogma, either. And wouldn't you believe it, my relationship with my father is better now than it was when I was a child and a believer.

virphen · **#12** by **virphen** » Mar 19, 2010 2:14 am

theidiot wrote:
Sure.

So you have a very loving relationship with your father? No hostility towards him at all? And does the thought of theism provoke your anger and hostility, or are you rather indifferent to the fact it's a scourge on the planet?

No hostility at all towards my father, no. Does the thought of theism provoke anger and hostility directly - no. Nor am I anti-theists - just those who act like arseholes. For example those who want religion to be a factor in setting public policy, and those who consider themselves superior because they follow a path supposedly laid down to them in a book crammed full of bullshit.

rachelbean · **#13** by **rachelbean** » Mar 19, 2010 2:19 am

I am an atheist (I don't hate or have anger towards religion, but towards bigotry yes). My father is a born again Christian. I love him and we have a good relationship.

MoonLit · **#14** by **MoonLit** » Mar 19, 2010 2:20 am

theidiot wrote:I'm just looking to hear what sort of relationship anti-theist have with their fathers? I'm curious to know if there is some relationship between this and their anti-theism.

I'm not looking to hear from just any atheist, but rather by those who classify themselves as anti-theist, like Christopher Hitchens.

Edit: Thought I'm primarily concerned with anti-theist, I would also like to hear about the relationship of other atheist as well, especially those who share in the hostile view of religions of individuals like Dawkins, and Harris. I only ask that you mention how you feel towards religion, as well as how you feel towards your father.

I'm anti-theism, not "anti-theist" (there is a difference..)

My father is a jackass.
It's had no impact on my anti-theism and lack of belief. :cheers:

Mac_Guffin · **#15** by **Mac_Guffin** » Mar 19, 2010 2:24 am

I'm an anti-theist.

My father and I get along great. We've had a few arguments, but he's one of the only people in my family that isn't an asshole.
He's laid back, intelligent, and has great taste in music... for the most part.

Did you just get finished watching "Fight Club" or something? :think:

Loren Michael · **#16** by **Loren Michael** » Mar 19, 2010 2:37 am

My father is really nice. Both my parents, actually. It makes me happy just to think about them.

I think I'll tell them that right now.

Update: It is done. With gusto.

pcCoder · **#17** by **pcCoder** » Mar 19, 2010 3:16 am

I have a pretty good relationship with my father. We visit often, watch concerts sometimes, go out to eat, do car work, etc. I am anti-theist in the sense that I strongly oppose those who push their ways onto others by trying to dictate the private lives of everyone else through law, push into science things not supported by any evidence, aid in the spread of hatred and bigotry on the basis of their religion either directly or indirectly, engage in Lying for Jesus/Mohammad/etc, quote-mining, misrepresentations, let their children die, use religion as a cover for crimes such as sexual abuse, criminal neglect, etc, all for claims that they don't have any more evidence than those of one making up stories on the spot.

Viraldi · **#18** by **Viraldi** » Mar 19, 2010 3:29 am

I'm very fond of my dad. We spoke in regards to religion, the Bible, Church, etc. twice, in which the first was completely out of line, comprised of uncalled for responses, etc. The second was remotely cooperative. We began to actually question one another, understanding our differences and our likes, but when I provoked his views on faith, spirituality, the Bible, he would either remain speechless or resort to diversions. What I like about him is that he is very helpful, and may not realize it, but employs empirical methods when testing something. We now focus what we both like and continue to keep it that way, after all, the only wish I had ever heard from him to me was that he wanted a harmonious relationship; which ironically it was partially ruined after our family attended evangelical religious organizations and the Church more frequently. But now, I guess we more or less cooperate and feel empathy for one another. What I do hate is when he is being used ungratefully, because my pop is sort of a handy man.

jim · **#19** by **jim** » Mar 19, 2010 8:37 am

I'm not sure if I would go as far as to class myself as an anti-theist, though I do find the ignorance promoted by most mainstream religions abhorrent.
My relationship with my father was never great, he just wasn't a nice person. I think that I should try to explain. My parents split while I was very young, being the youngest child I don't really have many strong memories of him being around during my earliest years, one memory I do have is of him attacking my mother with a claw hammer, that would have been when I was four years old. when I was aged 7 he "punished" me for having a bike stolen off me by breaking a broom off my head. When I was 14 I was told that he had raped my mothers first child (from a different father) thus causing the marriage break up in the first place. After the age of 22 I didn't see him again till the day he died.

I would like to state though that this has nothing to do with my atheism, I was never a believer in any god, I just wasn't brought up that way.

Mazille · **#20** by **Mazille** » Mar 19, 2010 8:44 am

I'm not exactly anti-theism, I'm just pro-secularism (and an atheist, for that matter). Although my father isn't an atheist (more of a wishy-washy-I-don't-really-care-pro-forma-believer in something up there, so to speak) he is a staunch secularist, but has a rather higher tolerance of bullshit than I do.

We get along just fine as do my mother and I. I love them dearly, although - like in every family, I guess - there is the odd rise of tempers, now and then. :cheers:

Relationship with your father

Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Re: Relationship with your father

Who is online