SlackMaster
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2011
- Messages
- 598
- Reaction score
- 399
- Location
- Dallas, TX
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
To other atheists on this board. Are you able to be openly atheist amongst family, friends, and co-workers or do you risk being outcast?
To other atheists on this board. Are you able to be openly atheist amongst family, friends, and co-workers or do you risk being outcast?
Since atheism is a choice made based on available information, I really see no reason to protest and march and request tolerance from any other group.
You can't choose race and you can't choose sexuality, but you CAN choose whether or not to make your religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) an issue of contention.
When my family works to convert me (as the the religion they've chosen instructs them to do) I politely remind them that I appreciate their concern, but I'm okay with my decision. That isn't to say they won't try again later, but what harm is it doing?
Those who would do harm are the radicals, the extremists, those who have larger issues than refusing to accept atheism.
I would disagree with you. I don't "choose" to believe in something. I'm either genuinely convinced of a proposition or I'm not. If I'm not really convinced, the best I can do is fain belief in something.
Intolerance for atheism is out there. There's no reason why a news anchor should be telling people to treat atheists like "trolls". Could you imagine if she had said, "Yea... you have to treat these Christians like they're trolls."
If I went knocking on someone's door trying to convert them to atheism, they'd call the cops on me. You live in Dallas. Can you imagine the response I'd get if I started going door to door? If I didn't get shot, I'd definitely make the 6 O'clock news.
There are many other double standards and ways in which Atheists are marginalized.
I have never made my non-belief a "point of contention". I've merely stated that I am atheist. After which came the threats, the disassociation, and the marginalization. I lost friends over it and would likely lose family if I were to tell them.
I'm not making my non-belief a point of contention, believers are.
Would it be considered rude if you constantly tried to convert them to atheism?
I've seen lots of harm done by main stream religious people, the least of which is harm to our educational system when they try to get intelligent design taught in our schools, or teach that homosexuality is an abomination, or that atheist are all immoral devil worshipers.
There is no doctrine of atheism which states that you must convert people to atheism in order to be true in your beliefs (or non-beliefs). Almost every sect of Christianity requires ministery and missionary work to convert and encourage conversion of non-believers. Without such action you are not following the righteous path of that religion. It is a mandate of faith. It isn't about being rude, it's about what you are compelled or required to do on the basis of your faith.
And yeah, you make a choice. If you're in somebody's face screaming, "I don't believe in God, shut the hell up. Don't tell me about God" you're probably going to get a lot of crap from people. If you don't mention it (and why should you? there's no reason to discuss faith in a work environment, during a casual meeting, etc) there's no cause for uproar. If you do mention it, being polite, respectful, and firm will be enough with MOST people of faith. As much as you choose whether or not to make your beliefs a focal point, they're also choosing whether or not to act in a certain manner towards you. Those who harass you can be handled.
Then again, I'm a "live and let live" type. I don't feel the need to discuss religion unless somebody else brings it up because honestly, I don't care. I don't need to identify myself as an atheist or a follower of Christ or anything else, because it isn't all of who I am, and and it's personal. I also see no reason to be defensive, hostile, or disagreeable towards somebody of faith on the basis of our opposing views.
So religious people can shove it down our throats because it's "part of their doctrine" (which, by the way, so is stoning people who don't follow certain rules) and we atheist should just shut up about it and stay in the closet so as not to make our non-belief a "point of contention".
This is like say, "Yea... you can be gay, just don't tell anyone and you'll be fine."
I don't get in religious people's face, but I have to hide it. If I even let someone around here know that I don't believe in Jesus I can kiss my job good-bye. They won't fire me because of that directly, but they'll "find a reason".
To other atheists on this board. Are you able to be openly atheist amongst family, friends, and co-workers or do you risk being outcast?
It seems to me that many of the atheists who have problems with religious folk are those who are hostile about their atheism. Perhaps there's something to that.
I'm openly atheist with pretty much everyone, but it doesn't always come up in a conversation
Right, because religious people don't want to shove their beliefs down anyone's throats or anything. If an atheist feels marginalized it's entirely the atheist's fault. :roll:
Setting aside the overly dramatic music in this video, it makes a good point. I'm an atheist and I know if I came out at work and let it slip that I was, I would immediately be marginalized by many co-workers.
In my office anyone not seen to be religious in some fashion is looked down on.
To other atheists on this board. Are you able to be openly atheist amongst family, friends, and co-workers or do you risk being outcast?
Religious people don't respect atheism, why should they deserve to be respected?
That generalization neglects a very large group of religious people who respect others just fine. SOME religious people don't respect those who don't believe in God, but to say or imply that all of them are that way is inaccurate.
They are told that they cannot spend eternity in a place of goodwill unless the meet certain requirements. Some rules change with time, but ministery and missionary work have always existed in the pretense of Christianity, and because informing people of God's word is consider a relatively docile activity, it's not likely to be subject to societal change any time soon.
But you said, and I quote:
That's not respect, it's trying to change another person's mind, simply because they're convinced they're wrong. Further, there are lots of theists of all stripes who vote to include religion in our secular government. That's not respect either.
I can't explain it any better than I have. They are compelled by absolute belief to present the word of god to those who do not believe or have not had the chance to "know God". Some will be more ardent in their cause than others. It isn't about respect, it's about obligation. If you're a soldier obligated to do your job and you kill an insurgent firing on your truck, you damn sure aren't respecting his family, but you're living up to your obligation..and at the end of the day, which is better?
Either you understand and accept religion, or you don't. If you choose not to nobody can stop you; but pretending that discounting their system is somehow less offensive or disrespectful then them trying to convert you is a fallacy.
Since atheism is a choice made based on available information, I really see no reason to protest and march and request tolerance from any other group. You can't choose race and you can't choose sexuality, but you CAN choose whether or not to make your religious beliefs (or non-beliefs) an issue of contention. When my family works to convert me (as the the religion they've chosen instructs them to do) I politely remind them that I appreciate their concern, but I'm okay with my decision. That isn't to say they won't try again later, but what harm is it doing?
Those who would do harm are the radicals, the extremists, those who have larger issues than refusing to accept atheism.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?