Hi there NATHAN J...

I'm an atheist, I don't believe in any God at all. That said, some of the things attributed to this Mr Jesus CHRIST fellow, were remarkably true. Some of his lessons, quotes, or whatever it is they're called make a lot of sense. Sure I'm unable to quote any of them but one such 'quote' I do recall - if someone assaults you, don't assault him back... To me he sure speaks a fair amount of common sense, provided it was him who made these statements ?

For this reason, I can't see any harm if somebody wishes to pursue or follow this bloke's (Jesus) lessons, what's the iniquity or crime in it ? Similarly if someone is confronting a very serious illness, one that's considered terminal, if they can derive any comfort or any contentment by believing in any religion, where's the problem for anyone else ? Some of these more vocal atheist should really mind their own business, and leave those who believe in religion alone, especially if they're not trying to push their believes onto you.

As I stated earlier on, I'm an atheist, I lost my believe in any God years ago in South Vietnam, in a place near the Long Hai's hills. There was absolutely no evidence that any God ever existed there. But I'd much rather see people follow some of the rules that were taught to these Christian people, than watch them tear themselves apart, in murder rape and mayhem. Stupid, maybe ?

." In those situations it was the behavior of the enslaves not the Atheist belief, that bought about the massacres. "
So slaves never start wars and if they do they didn't start it because slaves are right and don't fight when fighting. And the Chinese communists fought the Buddhist rice factory chain-gang slave- driving temple barons sacrificing children in Buddha's feast orgies, using atheist peaceful massacres smothering Buddhists in flowers and workers' sweat.

To Nick
The point I was trying to make, is that if you feel oppressed then you are likely to attempt to throw off that oppression. On the other if you are viewed by others that you are oppressed, but you do not, then you are not likely to take up arms. The religion of all parties involved is an irrelevance.
Chris

Lefty one
You described religious oppression as a cause of atheist war. " No atheist have ever started a war, pogrom, or ethnic cleansing."
That's a bit crook , like Hitler blaming Poland for invading Germans eating their breakfast peacefully.
The atheist paradise of Holy Mao Tse Tung punched-up the Tibetan religious karaoke choral virgins and tea drinkers. Shame on the atheist rascals.

Nick
The Chinese did invade Tibet as you point out, as it saw the area as an wayward province of China. I agree it was an example of the atheist Han expanding their control over a pacifist Buddhist region. So that is one Atheist invasion as opposed to how many Christian ones? That includes dear old Adolf who was a devout Catholic.

Chris

The fact that conflicts have been started by atheists is no more significant than the fact that conflicts have been started by men sporting mustaches, and for two reasons:

1. those conflicts were not started or fought in the name of atheism, and;
2. even if they were, there is nothing within atheism to have supported what was done.

Yet another of the virtues of atheism.