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This thought crossed my mind recently and it amused me. Could you imagine if non believing groups went doorknocking to try and deconvert Christians? Handing out tracts and little magazines. Do you think they'd be angry? I'm not sure. Some probably would be. Others would like the challenge. And there would be a few quacks that would protest and try to have "laws passed" to stop it. When I was in church I NEVER one time went on those silly doorknocking trips. I was to embarrassed. I mean how obnoxious!
Just as a side note, one of my relatives posted on her facebook page recently that she was awoken by her dog barking at 4 in the morning by a doorknocker putting church flyers and tracts in her screen door. Wow.
Bear in mind this isn't the atheist/agnostic group so you can't expect to just have self-satisfaction go unchallenged.
Most Christian denominations do not go door-to-door. Also there are atheists and agnostics of late who clearly are proselytizing. Even if you can't admit to yourself you're proselytizing it's pretty clear there are groups and books with the intent of "de-conversion." Not just books there's documentary films with that intent, there are proselytizing atheists at many/most online religion-related news articles, there are Wikipedia articles created by atheists for the purpose, and PZ Myers even had someone get him a Eucharist to desecrate.
So what you're saying here is that you are less proselytizing than the small minority of Christians who go door-to-door. I've heard this before and I'm always almost amazed you think this should impress anyone. I've never had someone obtain an American Indian sacred feather for me so I could flush it down the toilet. What do I win?
Bear in mind this isn't the atheist/agnostic group so you can't expect to just have self-satisfaction go unchallenged.
Most Christian denominations do not go door-to-door. Also there are atheists and agnostics of late who clearly are proselytizing. Even if you can't admit to yourself you're proselytizing it's pretty clear there are groups and books with the intent of "de-conversion." Not just books there's documentary films with that intent, there are proselytizing atheists at many/most online religion-related news articles, there are Wikipedia articles created by atheists for the purpose, and PZ Myers even had someone get him a Eucharist to desecrate.
So what you're saying here is that you are less proselytizing than the small minority of Christians who go door-to-door. I've heard this before and I'm always almost amazed you think this should impress anyone. I've never had someone obtain an American Indian sacred feather for me so I could flush it down the toilet. What do I win?
There is a big difference. Sure there are books and documentary films by atheists/agnostics that promote their point of view. But you have to go looking for them in order to find them. Books and films don't knock at your door at 9:00 am. Religious fanatics do.
I've yet to open the door to a Hitchens or Dawkins book rapping to be let in.
Or even a bible, that would indeed be a miracle. But, about once a month I do get a servant of god knocking on my door carrying one and wanting to spread the good word.
Bear in mind this isn't the atheist/agnostic group so you can't expect to just have self-satisfaction go unchallenged.
Most Christian denominations do not go door-to-door. Also there are atheists and agnostics of late who clearly are proselytizing. Even if you can't admit to yourself you're proselytizing it's pretty clear there are groups and books with the intent of "de-conversion." Not just books there's documentary films with that intent, there are proselytizing atheists at many/most online religion-related news articles, there are Wikipedia articles created by atheists for the purpose, and PZ Myers even had someone get him a Eucharist to desecrate.
So what you're saying here is that you are less proselytizing than the small minority of Christians who go door-to-door. I've heard this before and I'm always almost amazed you think this should impress anyone. I've never had someone obtain an American Indian sacred feather for me so I could flush it down the toilet. What do I win?
Geez Thomas, I am not used to you being so arogant sounding. I obviously know that this isn't the A/A group. That was my intention if you didn't notice the title. I find no satisfaction in going unchallenged actually. What fun is that?
As for books about deconversion, I am specifically addressing door knocking. Nothing else. Invading upon someone's home with religious material. I find it appalling. Always have. I went to quite a few different denominations and they all did door knocking. Most called it something like "Neighboor hood or community outreach."
I just am perplexed, and a little irritated, why many atheists seem to kind of fish-for-compliments on this issue. Because you're not the first atheist or agnostic here to bring this up and want us to be grateful you're not like that.
And I don't think that makes any sense. All it tells us is that there are groups, probably smaller than you are, that are more annoying than you. Which is true, but I'm not sure why that should mean anything to anyone not in those groups. All you are saying is you're like pretty much 90% of everyone. It's barely worth commenting on at all.
The other thing the door-knocking is rarely ever even be a big deal anyway. You tell them you're not interested and they go. If they don't you shut the door on them or threaten them if you have to. It's not like they're throwing copies of the Watchtower or the Book or Mormon or "The Purpose Driven Life" in your window. (Which weirdly reminds me of something from Home Movies I think, "Jason: Now that you invited him in he can't be stopped. Melissa: You might be thinking of vampires. Jason: Or Jehovah's Witnesses. Brendan: Or both." Not saying JWs are vampires or anything) It's a nuisance, but I don't know that it's necessarily a big thing.
I think if I were atheist I would just find it amusing and maybe even an opportunity to goof off on people. (I've known atheists who do the "I worship Ra the Sun God" to JWs or do other kooky things. I used to think it might even be funny to buy a copy of Dianetics so I could go "Read Dianetics!", like how they said it in those old '80s ads with the volcano, to one of them) If it happened too much I'd get a sign warning them away or something.
Last edited by Thomas R.; 07-12-2010 at 04:33 AM..
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