Dealing with Theists
I was just over at Atheist Revolution, vjack’s blog, reading the May 18 post entitled How Are We to Treat Believers?. I think this is an immensely important question. I would bet that the vast majority of atheists (maybe not in this crowd) hide in their little godless closets. I don’t say this to mock them. They’re vastly outnumbered, and it can be frightening to voice your true feelings in a room full of theists.
Society, in general, doesn’t accept the atheist. The agnostic gets along fine. It’s OK to be confused, and the believers feel there’s hope for them. The atheist, though, is written off as hopeless and sad. Every such incident makes the atheist more likely to keep his mouth shut next time. Remember the words of Ealanor Roosevelt… “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” You’re RIGHT, for godless sake. Hold your highly-evolved, ape-descended head up high, and speak your mind.
If, one glorious day, we all start to behave like we’re right and we start to turn the tables, and let the theists feel OUR pity for their ignorance, suddenly, the world will wake up and realize that there are hundreds of millions of us. Atheism would be a movement instead of a curiosity.
Don’t keep silent when your friends talk about church. If your family is discussing religion, start to show them the way instead of having another helping of chicken while they talk. If an employer asks your religion (and I don’t even think that’s legal), don’t name the faith you were born into like you’ve done up until now, say “I’m an atheist. Is that a problem?” If it is, you’ve not only avoided working for the wrong kind of company, but you’ve also got yourself a lucrative lawsuit.
Hell, if you’ve got the type of personality that lets you get away with it, make fun of the them. It’s just what the silly bastards deserve.
Speaking of which, I’m really surprised that I’ve had this blog up for a week, and I haven’t had a single comment from a theist (except Athana, but she’s just using us 
). I’ve had about 1,000 distinct visitors (woo-hoo!) at this point, and I KNOW at least a few of them have to be theists. So, god-lovers, I’m calling you out. Defend yourselves. Don’t be afraid. Maybe your gods will speak through you. They’ve been known to do it before.
~I AM~
May 28th, 2005 at at 1:09 am
I had a conversation with my brother tonight over how to deal with theists, or perhaps more specifically, how to get them to analyze their beliefs rationally. I had been recently watching some “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO, as well as a stand-up routine that he did. He often makes jokes about christians, christianity, as well religion in general. I think this may be the best way to fight christianity— by making jokes about it.
First off, humor is a great way to put people at ease and get them to listen to you. Then want to agree with you, or at least see where you come from, because they want to see the humor in it (they want to laugh). Secondly, nobody likes to be the butt of a joke, especially if it involves their core beliefs. If celebrities like Bill Maher, Penn, Teller, etc continue to make jokes about christianity, I think it will help bring these people back to reason. The more jokes us everyday people make as well will also help.
I AM is also right in that, for those who haven’t already, you need to come out of the closet. I wait patiently for family or friends to bring up religion, and then I pounce
Another thing is that we don’t have to completely free them of religion to make progress. I know arguing with christians can be very discouraging and feel like a complete waste of time, but even though you might not shake their beliefs completely, you might shake them enough or make them doubt enough so that they don’t go to church and give the church money. Without money, the church will shrivel. The church leaders will become more desperate for cash (and will be shown by an increase in begging during the sermons) and the more open-minded of their congregation will begin to feel aliented (or used) by it, which will further hurt them for cash, and the vicious cycle will continue.
Sorry about this last paragraph, it’s a bit of a hopeful theory
May 28th, 2005 at at 2:24 am
I have never once been quiet about my views. In fact, many wish I would be. LOL I am very respectful, but definitely make my views clear. And am raising my boys to be the same. We are not ashamed of our views. And have no reason to be.
My family, friends, and even co-workers/boss — everyone knows I’m an atheists — and no one has an issue with it. Doesn’t mean they understand. But they have no issue with it. Then again, the Bay Area is tolerant of many things.
May 28th, 2005 at at 10:21 am
Yep, that’s why I’m excited to move out to the Bay Area this summer. It’ll be a dream world compared to Texas!
May 28th, 2005 at at 12:58 pm
A quote from Athana’s post: “But you guys! You can’t escape religion!
It’s a default condition!”
How can something be a “default condition” if you have to be indoctrinated into it. Nobody is born religious. She is beyond wacky.
May 28th, 2005 at at 1:52 pm
Have you been to the Bay Area before?? Are you from here? Let’s meet up when you get here.
May 28th, 2005 at at 2:03 pm
The hardest thing about this is that some of us live in regions/states/communities where there would be fairly severe consequences for being too open with one’s atheism. While I certainly wouldn’t lie if asked directly, there are many situations where I deliberately chose to change the subject and few where I would volunteer to discuss my lack of religious belief. Some people at work know I am an atheist, and I have done my part to prevent it from ever coming up with others. I have the kind of job where it would be extremely difficult to have certain co-workers refuse to deal with me anymore, and I’m fairly confident that this would happen. Does this mean I lose all respect for them? Oh yeah! Does it mean I can afford to have them try to make my life miserable? Probably not.
May 28th, 2005 at at 4:16 pm
I’m going to graduate school at UC Berkeley starting this fall Angie. I’ve only been there once for the Open House, but I’ll be there starting in August. Do you ever do anything with the SF Atheists?
May 28th, 2005 at at 6:55 pm
Altho I’ve been an atheist for pretty much my entire life, as you know atheists aren’t joiners, and just recently looked into the groups here. And looking into being more active. Part of it also comes with having a a little more time to be more active. With two children, time is not something I always have. But also, part of the interest in being more active is the political state we are currently in. Previously (in Clinton years) I didn’t feel it was needed as much as it perhaps is now.
May 28th, 2005 at at 8:47 pm
Angie: What you said about atheists not being joiners is why I worry about our ability to ever prevail. I’ve heard it said that organizing atheists is like herding cats. I hope that, like you, others see there is a greater need to come together now than there has been in the past.
By the way, I just added a link to you under Frequent Contributors. I’m still trying to decide if this section is worth the hassle of maintaining, but I’m leaving it up for at least a little while.
May 28th, 2005 at at 10:20 pm
I do believe others are seeing more of a need and are making more of an effort. I know I am. It’s not easy, but I’m working on it. And thank you!
May 29th, 2005 at at 3:09 am
Oh yeah, I know I like seeing my name up there. It makes me feel like a celebrity
May 29th, 2005 at at 5:39 pm
I never said anything about my atheism to anyone when I was younger. I wasn’t a closet-case or afraid, I was just still formulating a strong personal conviction (trying to see all the angles-or would that be angels?LOL!). I went from that to overbearing quickly, though. All my friends know I’m an atheist and are probably tired of hearing it. Some of my family still doesn’t know, but that is because those individuals are very religious and I have nothing in common whatsoever with them.
And Delta, Texas looks like a dream world compared to Indiana, just to put it in perspective.
May 31st, 2005 at at 10:53 am
I’m a great believer in making fun of religion. Ridicule is the first impulse of the rational mind in the face of unreason, and it should be encouraged. Don’t get yourself beaten up, though!
June 4th, 2005 at at 9:45 pm
I only worry about fundamentalist Christians because they are the ones threatening my way of life. Yes, the fundamentalist Jews and Muslims are equally wicked, but they are still a much smaller minority.
I have three bumper stickers on my car:
2000 years and he’s STILL dead. Give it a rest.
REPENT! Renounce fundamentalism!
Don’t woship evil murderers! Don’t worship Yahweh!
The problem with this last one is that most people don’t know who Yahweh is. As I’m sure all of you DO know, Jehovah is a bastardization of the best guess we have of what god’s name was to the ancient Israelites, “Yahweh”.
In my dealings with theists, I tell them I agree on one thing with fundamentalists. You should read the Silly Babble (Holy Bible); how else are you going to know what it’s full of? And then I give them my version of a Bible study, pointing out the most wicked or silly things in it. Here’s one of my favorites that I suspect many of you haven’t come across:
Leviticus ch 12, vr 2-5
When a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be unclean for seven days …. The woman shall wait for thirty-three days because her blood requires purification…. If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean for fourteen days as for her menstruation and shall wait for sixty-six days because her blood requires purification.
I can only surmise that modern day fundamentalists that don’t believe this code of ethics applies today are guilty of moral relativism.
I tolerate people’s religions and respect religions that seem to bring happiness to people and give them a moral direction, even though I think practitioners of such religions are delusional. I do NOT, however, respect people that believe god is literally the evil being described in the Bible and then declare it righteous to worship him, just as I do not respect fervent members of the Nazi party.
George Skillman, San Jose, CA
gskillman@hotmail.com
November 26th, 2005 at at 10:28 pm
Christianity is not a religion but a personal relationship with the Almighty Creator, who is a loving, giving, merciful, and forgiving God. To the person who purchased the bumper sticker about Jesus still being dead after 2000 years: You got jacked. You should get your money back.
Jesus loves and died for atheists too.