Carrie

It seems to me that believing Christianity is harmful, to the individual, and to society. (For example, irrational guilt, fear, anger, intolerance, war, mind control, ignorance, etc).

So as non-believers, should we be trying to improve the world by
promoting atheism / agnosticism? This web-site of course does that. But should we be coming out and telling everyone we know that we are non-believers, and tell them why? Should we actively try to get others to deconvert? Like our friends and family. Or should we be going to Christian forums and filling their heads with doubt? Or would it be a futile effort?

I WISH that there was a TV program that was all about disproving the Bible. Like our own 700 club, except anti-Bible.
(Might be impossible to get advertisers though, unless the show was on public television or something). How about calling it the
666 club? No, that wouldn't fly. Anyone have any good titles for a TV show like this?

I think we ought to start something up. We could get some experts to come on the show and all that. It would be fun. What do ya say?

And hey, if anyone takes my idea and runs with it, I want my cut dammit.

Mageth

So as non-believers, should we be trying to improve the world by promoting atheism / agnosticism?

I view a show promoting atheism/agnosticism as categorically different than an actively "anti-bible" or anti-christian show.

I think we have enough problems with xians accusing us of "hating god", trying to eliminate xianity and god in America, and persecuting them without giving them examples to add as sticks to their strawmen.

So I'd perhaps be for a pro-atheism show as long as it wasn't so blatantly confrontational as to promote itself as an anti-bible, anti-christian show. Sure, thoughtful criticisms of religion could be presented (I don't know how you could have such a show without them), but that shouldn't be the central focus. Tell what's good about atheism/agnosticism, why they are defendable stances, and valid alternatives to theism.

Abel Stable

I agree with Mageth. If the show was too provocative it wouldn't gain any credibility, and it shouldn't take a stance against any specific religion. It should simply be an atheist/agnostic alternative to a christian program. I get only five channels right now and there are times when I'll turn it on and two of them are evangelical shows. Sometimes I enjoy watching them for awhile to see whats going on, but it would sure be nice to have something to flip to if it gets exasperating. Something other than Pokemon or the Oxi-Clean Man.

LogicMage

There actually is one. It is called "The Atheist Viewpoint" It is produced by American Atheists. To view a few episodes check the link http://atheistviewpoint.tv/nowshowing.shtml

beth

Well, an atheist in another forum filled my head with doubt. But, I think I was already questioning my faith, otherwise I would not have let my wall down. His point wasn't blatant god/Jesus bashing like the other 'offensive' and rude atheists' in that board. It was polite and poignant. He did me a favor, really. I think religion was doing me in.

Comquirk

I don't think we as atheists should stoop to the Christian level of trying to "convert" people.

However, stating your own position in regards to a paticular subject is alright. Just don't threaten or try to force people.

Though I know the bulk of you already know this.

Queen of Swords

I once went to watch a Scientology recruitment film with two people from the University Skeptics Society. It was great - we sat there making wisecracks throughout the entire ludicrous spiel and it was like being on the set of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

I'd love to write material for a show like that. It's easier to make people think if you entertain them at the same time. Of course, any such show would be a grander version of the Nutwatch and would probably focus on the utter kooks, rather than the more liberal versions of christianity.

lpetrich

If I was to compose something, I would compose:

* Miracles

Why don't big miracles happen anymore? Why are "miracles" nowadays so tiny?

And are the Bible's miracles really unique? Both Jesus Christ and Roman Emperor Vespasian had reportedly cured people with magical spit therapy. Both Jesus Christ and Apollonius of Tyana had reportedly raised people from the dead. Etc.

* Birth Stories

Is divine impregnation really unique? Pythagoras and Plato were supposedly sons of the god Apollo; Alexander the Great was supposedly a son of the god Zeus. These gentlemen were all superior achievers; could their fathers really have been "normal" men? And that's only clearly-historical people.

And about the story of King Herod's massacre of the baby boys, point out how only Matthew mentions it, and how that is similar to other stories of heroes who escape getting killed in their infancy. Romulus and Remus, Moses, Zeus, Hercules, Oedipus, Perseus, Krishna, ...

* Paul vs. the Gospels

Why does Paul seem not to have heard of the Gospels?

* Worship of Other Deities in the OT

And how a YHWH-only faction took over.

* NT "Prophecy Fulfillments"

And how they are bogus and/or contrived.

Etc.

lpetrich

If one is going to have a TV show, one ought to take as much advantage of that medium as possible. IMO, just showing talking heads is not enough.

One could have some artwork to dramatize one's themes. Such as having lots of cartoons and diagrams illustrating various points.

Here might be something about Hera vs. Hercules, in a section about birth stories:

Panel 1. Hera looks steamed up and thinks to herself "Another one of hubby's love children!"

Panel 2. Hera with some snakes, saying "Here, my little ones. Now, sic 'em!"

Panel 3. The baby Hercules strangles those snakes; inset showing Hera thinking "Rats!"

philechat

I believe the Herod massacre to be written as a parallel to the Moses story, since Moses also escaped narrow death by the decree of the Pharoah. The entire NT does read like an exegesis of the OT with new characters.