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I have been meeting up with some Atheist friends and we have been trying to get proactive - to the extent of, as my friend says, "puching back". We all pretty much agree that organizing would pretty much turn this into another religion.
We really have no intent to take over the world or anything, but what are some suggestions on how to get our "message" out there without getting too organized?
I have concluded that we could just ditch the term atheist and stick to the ideals that we all adhere to (such as just being an all round good guy without threat or other worldly reward).
I don't really like the thought of organizing and more or less turning my non-belief into a religion. Although I discuss it a lot on this forum, it's not really something that pervades my thoughts every waking day. With that being said, if there was one thing that I do wish people in this country better understood is that I am not some sort of monster or eater of babies because I don't believe in God.
My only thoughts on it are that if the environment you live in is 'secular' enough to where people don't ask you what your religious beliefs are and it is treated as something personal and private than there is no reason to proselytize. However, if you live in a place or find yourself in an environment that this question often does come up in conversation, such as where I live, my best suggestion is to just be honest about it and although they may not agree with you, they may realize that you're not a bad person, just a person that doesn't believe in deities.
Yeah, I live in a very red and very religious area... It's kind of like bible belt lite. for the most part we are trying to do what you said, get the idea out there that we aren't baby eating sinners hell bent on taking over the world and imprisoning everyone and anyone that utters the word god. I can't speak for the whole group but I do want to stress that we can be and are very moral people without any crutch.
Yeah, I live in a very red and very religious area... It's kind of like bible belt lite. for the most part we are trying to do what you said, get the idea out there that we aren't baby eating sinners hell bent on taking over the world and imprisoning everyone and anyone that utters the word god. I can't speak for the whole group but I do want to stress that we can be and are very moral people without any crutch.
Well, in that case, I would just read and examine different philosophies about the existence/non-existence of God so that if it comes up in conversation you have a valid response for each of the hundreds of questions posed by your fellow believing conversationalist. They always ask a ton of questions.
I have been meeting up with some Atheist friends and we have been trying to get proactive - to the extent of, as my friend says, "puching back". We all pretty much agree that organizing would pretty much turn this into another religion.
We really have no intent to take over the world or anything, but what are some suggestions on how to get our "message" out there without getting too organized?
I have concluded that we could just ditch the term atheist and stick to the ideals that we all adhere to (such as just being an all round good guy without threat or other worldly reward).
Thanks
Your message IS being radically pushed "out there" - by colleges and universities. Its successful indoctrination too as nearly 75% of Christian students who attend public school and go on to secular college become atheist by the time they graduate college.
Plus, you are the ones always complaining about the perception that Christians are trying to push their faith on you. Maybe Christians don't want to get atheism pushed on them?
Your message IS being radically pushed "out there" - by colleges and universities.
I love this attack. It makes it sound like colleges and universities are forcing people to not believe in God due to the fact that they are educating people. The irony of this actually cracks me up. It's like saying "If you don't believe in God you're smart and well-educated but if you do than you're an ignorant fool who has no education." It sounds like one of the most self-defeating arguments I have ever heard.
I love this attack. It makes it sound like colleges and universities are forcing people to not believe in God due to the fact that they are educating people. The irony of this actually cracks me up.
Yeah - seriously. Universities teach people how to think - what students do with their brains is up to them.
One of my professors of History was a Christian who is far more intelligent than I will ever be. Guess what: I learned European History from him and I still don't believe in his religion at all.
I love this attack. It makes it sound like colleges and universities are forcing people to not believe in God due to the fact that they are educating people. The irony of this actually cracks me up. It's like saying "If you don't believe in God you're smart and well-educated but if you do than you're an ignorant fool who has no education." It sounds like one of the most self-defeating arguments I have ever heard.
Well churches aren't forcing people to believe in God, but that doesn't mean they don't promote that viewpoint. Same with colleges and universities today.
If professors would stick to philosophy and stick to science instead of focusing on an agenda, this wouldn't be a problem.
Your message IS being radically pushed "out there" - by colleges and universities. Its successful indoctrination too as nearly 75% of Christian students who attend public school and go on to secular college become atheist by the time they graduate college.
Plus, you are the ones always complaining about the perception that Christians are trying to push their faith on you. Maybe Christians don't want to get atheism pushed on them?
Look, I have my arguments, you have yours. Neither of us is going to change the other minds. I am here trying to ask a CIVIL question. If this is something that is snared that far into your craw, please send me a message or start a thread about it.
better yet, I just started on ein the religion forum...
Well churches aren't forcing people to believe in God, but that doesn't mean they don't promote that viewpoint. Same with colleges and universities today.
If professors would stick to philosophy and stick to science instead of focusing on an agenda, this wouldn't be a problem.
Yeah, but the whole agenda of the church is to reinforce the principles and notions of believing in God. The main priority of a college or university is not to convince people that there is no God. Furthermore, the answer to a God's existence is a question posed by philosophers and scientists for thousands of years so it would be hardly fair to leave this out of a philosophy class.
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