Emp-JohnIV

1. We can't turn everyong in to atheist because of the brain washing and all. Peopl will ignor us and stick to what hey want to believe.

2. If we could deconvert everyone many of the weaker minded ones would not understand that life can have meaning without a God controlling it.

What we could do though is prevent conversions in the first place, then after a few decades there could be more atheists and then in more time theism will faid from memory. Without theism there wont be atheism as people will spend no time thinking about if there is a god. Then when the problems of theism are all forgoten someone will see the "truth" in the year 2207 and tell everyone of the power of the Gord and the mercy of the Gord. He will tell us that we were fooled by the evil Lod in to beliving in science when the truth of imortality was only reveiled to him. People will believe what he says and both Mars and eath will fall back in to a new dark age.

badger3k

First off, I voted no. People need different things from life. Some prefer a concrete, rock-solid foundation where nothing exists that can't be scientifically proven. Others prefer a world where there's another side that, perhaps, can only be glimpsed or experienced in other ways.

I agree with you in one respect (which is why I chose to quote you). Nobody, not even atheists, "know" the "truth" (whatever 'truth' happens to be).

How can you seek truth based on real evidence if there is no evidence to be found. Why are we here? Because of our parents? No, that's how. Because atoms formed (etc) to cells to (etc) humans? No, that's still how. Chance? Well, that's one guess. Prove it. Nobody can prove squat, but we all can find something (even nothing) to believe in - it's part of human nature. Atheists can disprove specific claims of religions (something I admit I like doing myself, being a lifetime skeptic), but since faith is a personal and highly subjective thing, nobody can disprove that.

Many atheists I know believe it is their duty to convert people to their belief, just like evangelicals. Human nature, I guess, seems to want us to make others believe the same as us. Maybe I need to see if this is a thread (it seems too obvious to have not come up before).

Anyway, if everybody believed the same thing, discussions would sure be boring, but the Borg seem to like it .

sourdough

no,
I seriously doubt there would be anyone out there today believing in god/gods if it wasnt forced into their heads(usualy at a very young age)

when a child is born/raised atheist and is given proper truthful scientific education regarding evolution,archeological discoveries,universe and so on,
theres no fng way anyone could seriously consider making up some all mighty creator to explain things,like ancient people did when they had no clue what makes the world go round..

also people dont need fear of hell to be kept in line imho,
all we need is apropriate punishment that fits the crimes people commit,ie,for example why does someone smoking/selling weed get longer jail sentence than a murderer/robber,wife/child abuser,is simply fucking mind bogling
while legal thieves like gambling casinos and poison/(cancer) providers=cigarete makers get praised for creating jobs,making money aka greed is good for our system :down:

Athnostica

WOW. I'm shocked that most of the respondents feel that atheism is NOT for most people. I'd think a truthful explanation for our own existence and contribution to the world would be more beneficial in the long run than the insanity affecting most of the world today. Religion brings about irrational fear and self-loathing. The idea that religion is absolutely necessary is an argument that religious people created in order to maintain religion as long as possible.

The most dangerous black atheist: www.infidelguy.com

lpetrich

To my mind, the most honest such viewpoint is what I call the royal-lie theory of religion, that it is necessary to make the common people practice some religion one considers false in order to make them happy and virtuous.

It actually makes me happy to consider the viewpoints collected in the linked-to thread, because they show such a refreshing honesty.

Biff the unclean

There is quite a difference between rudeness and telling someone the truth.
I'm sure if this Fundys brother was a Roman Catholic members of his faith would be comforting him by telling him his sibling was burning in the pit of Hell.

But to play along with a Theists fantasy is to be a mere enabler. Enablers do no one a service

Bright Life

Enablers are one thing, those who avoid the subject for the sake of family harmony are another.

BL

reprise

Most of the respondents said that atheism is not for everyone, which is quite different than saying atheism is not for most people.

I have every right to share my atheistic viewpoint with people. What I do not have is the right to harrass them with it at every opportunity and insist that they adopt it as theirs. I find such "evangelising" contemptible when it is practised by theists and no less so when it is atheists who are hiding behind "truth" and "honesty" to bully those who don't share their view.

I'm not an "Amway atheist". I don't get special bonuses for recruiting people and I not only is it unnecessary for me to launch into a sales pitch every single time someone mentions their religious beliefs (or their belief in homeopathy or ghosts or astrology or whatever), it would be utterly inappropriate for me to do so without some kind of indication that the person to whom I'm speaking even wants to know what I think.

Biff the unclean

"Now don't you bring up Uncle Bill's drinking, whatever you do. It only upsets him when you say he's an alcoholic and we don't need he getting upset."

Nope, they are pretty much the same thing

reprise

Biff, you mentioned in another thread the hostile responses which you receive when publicity is given to your work with Koko. Some people out there truly believe that the work done at your facility is evil and for whatever reason they feel compelled to let you know that they feel that way - whether or not you've solicited their opinion.

Now when the JWs and the Mormons knock on my door, I tell them I'm not interested. I'm no more obliged to explain to them why I'm not interested in discussing religion with them than I'm obliged to explain to a telemarketer why I'm not interested in listening to their sales pitch. I'd much rather spend my energy talking to people who are at least curious about why I'm an atheist than try to bludgeon people who simply aren't interested in my worldview into listening to me. I'm not enabling them. I'm not agreeing with them. I'm not pretending that I do believe in God to "keep the peace", but nor do I feel compelled to turn every single interaction in which religion is mentioned into a "my paradigm is more valid than your paradigm" pissing contest. Life is simply too short to be wasted on those who are utterly uninterested in anything outside the cave.