You're making a few big assumptions. "humans are more entitled now than ever before"
How do you know that's the result of secularism? I'd wager the level of entitlement doesn't drop off that much when you include the still religious folk. While this just a theory, and don't have any evidence, it's a possibility that higher entitlement is the result of higher economic success, and nothing to do with religion.

Your evaluation of art covers only the material that seems to support what you're saying. There is plenty of art that surpasses anything that has come before.
The "toxic" stuff may be more popular, but is more influential? Uncertain, but possible not given the idea that the as a work is made more massive in its appeal, the amount people care about it wains. The fewer people understand a joke, the more those few will laugh, and the reverse can be observed as well.

Loud status translating to authority? That's certainly a problem, but that's always been the case. It isn't something at all new.

At the end of the day, while we may need more emphasis on morals other than attainment (financial or material) I think the inflation of the ego is a problem, but the importance of individuality is a net positive.
It's easy to look at the 'good old days' and smile, but just remember, there was a lot of crap as well. It's the people in charge who write the history books, and there have always been selfish, shallow and greedy people in the hundreds of millions.
"...freedom as we know it is severely overrated" ? That's a worrying thing to hear someone say. No what we need is more emphasis on the responsibility that comes with freedom.

In your first 7 words you have generalised religion to the point of rendering all after it void.

Don't really see what the bold has to do with what you put above it nor what I said would have to do with trying to gather followers, you have clearly invested a lot of time and effort into religion and have labeled yourself an Atheist in the hopes that means you can get away with petty insults on those who write 2 lines you don't agree with.

Anyway. I see importance in religion for the elderly and those in need of someone to blame for issues in their lives (AA, NA etc.) it really is important for some people to think that their pain is not directly their own doing or that a 3rd party is testing their will with such issues or the realization of their mortality. Most healthy educated people shouldn't be spending any amount of time on the subject tho, there is a lot more can be done than asking a cosmic superbeing "why?" in my opinion.

There are some people who love religion tho and who are happy as a result of their love, and I think that is great. Personally I find it's not for me tho and I think those who threaten, hurt and murder people based on their religious beliefs do massive harm in the media against the moderate gains to be had from relgions existance. If you were to do a pros/cons on religion as a whole you would be hard pressed to compare that warm fuzzy feeling of thanking cloud man for the food that was GM grown and the lives lost to religious extremist murders in France or 9/11 then you're going to have a hard time balancing that out.

What a dumb thread. Do you like causing drama here??

As a Christian I like my beliefs. They are mine. It's what I believe. It does not affect you at all. And I don't "jam my religion down your throat".

To be honest I don't really give a fuck what you believe. I have Christian friends, Muslim friends, atheist, buddist and other believing friends. It's just what they believe (or don't believe).

For all the talk about how Christians interfere and hate on atheism, you're doing the exact same thing with Christians. Not 100% of Christians get into your religious business or try to constantly convert you over. I might tell you what I believe and why I believe it; and just as well be interested to hear what you believe and why so.

But this Christian hating needs to stop. You're only making an endless cycle where Christians are hated against by atheists so naturally atheists are then hated against by Christians.

Keep your shit to yourself. I don't care what's logical and scientific. It's what I believe.

What i believe gets me through my day just as whatever you believe or don't gets you through yours. So stay out of my business and I'll stay out of yours.

Bunch of crybabies is what you sound like. Not aiming that at all atheists. That's aimed at everybody who keeps bickering back and forth.

~Mod Edit~

This post has been moderated.

-Smeags

Faith doesnt come from the fear of dying.

...altho it is true that there are no atheists in foxholes (which proves how shallow and weak atheist belief really is) but even that is mostly about the fear of immediate death, which i dont think it was your point

I can imagine much worse then the current society. Another religion to force people ibto behaving a certain way will just create more suffering. just because some people are talking drivel on twitter facebook and fet likes for it doesnt make this society bad. Scientific progress and technological progress are at an all time high. EEverything develops very fast. This is what ultimatly matters the rest is just background noise and will be forgotten sooner or later

The issue I always take when people are hyperbolic about the doom of the present is how they preceive the past.  Human beings through out history were awful creatures through modern soceities' gaze.  We butchered, enslaved and oppressed people for centuries.

The hardest thing for many seems to be admitting that we live right now in the golden age of humanity and civilization.  There are no "good old days" for humanity as a whole.   Some rnadom exmaples of recent good news. Unintended pregenancies have declined dramatically over past generation.  Infant mortality has declined globally to record lows.  In the past 50 years more humans have climbed out of abolute poverty than did the prior five hundred.  Nations such as China, India and Brasil have seen dramatic shifts in those that earn over a dollar a day since 1990. The quality of life for women globally has increased with access to education and literacy climbing to recrod highs.

My point is things have always "sucked" based on the expectations of people. We are a flawed species based on our own lofty goals for ourselves.  However, we should celebrate that we suck less than we did 50 years ago and way less than 100 years ago.  

There have been atheists in foxholes across numerous nationalities.  We should aim to be civil in discourse rather than make baseless statements intended to insult others.

Yes, keep up trying to fight the religious traditions of the west. Will make it easier for muslims to make slaves off you in a few decades. You deserve it.

~Mod Edit~

This post has been moderated.

-Smeags

It must be lonely in here for Smeags. Keep at it sir.

It's awful.

Awful.

@ The content in this thread

If we cannot treat one another like fellow human beings and show some basic respect (And I don't give a damn of what type of ist or ism you throw yourself under), then how can we possibly move past that point to share ideas and discuss with one another? We can't. And we wont tolerate any more of this petty and vitriolic behavior. You all have shown that you're just not ready for this type of discussion yet. If we're just going to sit in our prospective corners making uneducated generalizations or taking shots at those who don't believe what we believe, then there's no point in continuing this charade of a "discussion".

Again, to those of you who did partake in this discussion in a respectful and positive manner, I'm sorry that the others have tainted this for you.

This is about the only thing I could fully agree with. And the ice cream part. That too.