Dean Anderson

All right, folks. The personal attacks stop RIGHT NOW. I have just had to remove some very insulting posts.

rationalOne

1. Because they vote.
2. Because some of them will eventually listen to reason, and at least moderate their views.

Plognark

Seconded.

To simply shut up and not discuss the issues is to let the REALLY scary and motivated christian lunatics start to push their agenda.

Mostly, I want the 90% of moderate, at least partially rational Christians to keep the fuckers who want to make homosexuality and blasphemy a capital offense at bay. There's also the whole evolution/science thing. And of course separation of church and state; which benefits atheists even less than different religious denominations, but unfortunately most of the Christians I run into on message boards are too stupid to grasp the concept that it's good for them and their beliefs.

KingLouie

Wow man -- that's hardcore.

So why should you attempt to argue or convince? And why should they attempt the same?

Perhaps it's the biggest question. And I really -- and truly -- don't know.

From the Jungles of Convincing,

Kang Louie

-RRH-

I doubt I've ever dramatically changed anyone's opinion on the EOG. But I like to feel I've corrected some of the slander made against atheists, that we are ignoring the overwhelming evidence, and we are just rebelling against god, rather than holding what is quite reasonable belief.

jdlongmire

yeah, but the problem with that stance, in my opinion, is that reason is not the ultimate definer of reality. One can reasonably come to a wrong conclusion.

Ultimately one accepts what one wants to accept.

I come to "bounce" my worldview against others and test reasonability of my stance...

-RRH-

So you still care about whether your stance is reasonable.

I know that someone who disagrees with me can think I am both reasonable and wrong. Convincing someone that I'm right might not be possible, but if they know I'm reasonable, then I can expect a small amount of respect for my beliefs.

jdlongmire

agreed

Brion

The real problem is ,that many xtians are only not murderers and rapists
because they fear their god. Take away their belief and what have you got?

Clivedurdle

I probably had too strong an evangelical upbringing and think it is my moral duty to help people see the light - little problem that it is not the light they wanted me to see!

I also feel that that commandment - thou shalt not bear false witness - is worth something, and concepts like the supernatural are false witness!

It is more a matter of showing the way than getting angry about ignorance - everyone has a brain, they maybe need to be shown how to use it, and often, the process of challenging a worldview where God is aware of every hair of your head and personally died for you is very heavy work!