Should atheists try to militantly convert people to atheism?

[The Joker]

Should Atheists, who believe that they know God isn't real, be out there to inform Christians of why and how they came to these conclusions?

I guess what my problem is people make religion such a taboo, and trying to change other people's views is seen as extreme.

I'm not on any side for this debate, I'm mostly neutral.

[Korashk]

On a personal level, yes. The less religious people, the better.

[deadpie]

The better question is, why not? I mean, every religion has done it to any other person they see, trying to convert people, so why not?

[FullyAlive]

I guess if they respect the religion and are informed about it, then why shouldn't they explain the flaws of it and why they don't believe. Discussing topics such as religion Is fine in my opinion it helps people understand their religion better. Im athiest and don't have a problem with thiests explaining their religion to me so why should it be a problem if it's the other way around?

[Sage]

I advocate critical thinking. Believe in religion all you like, but it's the sole part of your life that you don't apply any sort of questioning, doubt, or skepticism to, I am going to call you out as a willingly ignorant sheep. Nobody should hold deep views without questioning them first and keeping an open mind to alternatives.

[Death]

Thing is, I don't see why atheists should feel the need to preach atheism. If we are to preach that God is not real, then surely we should preach that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is not real and that there's no Chinese teapot floating in space? As weird as this sounds, it's the same principle. And even if a few religious people do have nothing better to do than try to make people believe in the concept of their own religion, would atheists be any better if we stooped down to the level of those few people?

[scuba steve]

would atheists be any better if we stooped down to the level of those few people?

Yea I agree with this having people preach against god would just be weird and I'd cringe every time I seen one of them.
If religious people want to preach, let them. I get a kick out of it anyway.

[PJay]

I really think atheists shouldn't be passive, but I don't want to be part of a "free thought" movement because that seems just as likely to have the same issues as organised religion, and if 'rational thought' was pursued with the same well meaning fervour we'd just up with any one of a number of horrible futures (1984, and other variations like Equilibrium etc) where there was no place for irrational things like music or art.

So in my view the best we can do is don't accept any truths without questioning it, and keep your eyes open.

[Perseus]

I'm not a big person on conversion through preaching. Let people hear it through unconventional means. Preaching is annoying.

[Continuum]

I'm on to giving people the right to think of their faith first, but in a sense, I don't encourage the forcing of such belief on people. Like Jake said, Preaching is utterly annoying, and most of the time if someone forces it upon your face it's unconvincing.

[Peace God]

I'd hate to see an Atheist use tactics similar to religious fundamentalists...less preaching more teaching.

[ShatteredWings]

No, it defeats the point.

The only thing I really hate about religion is the "you must think MY way" attitude and the conversion insanity.

Live and let fucking live.

[Jenna.]

No, they shouldn't. They'd be stooping to the level of the super religious people who run around trying to convert everybody.

[Amnesiac]

I say we should encourage discussion of the negative aspects of religion — because they have such an enormous and counter-productive effect on society — but no, I don't believe in going fundamentalist. I just think alternate points of view should have their time in the public spotlight.

[The Joker]

Thing is, I don't see why atheists should feel the need to preach atheism. If we are to preach that God is not real, then surely we should preach that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is not real and that there's no Chinese teapot floating in space? As weird as this sounds, it's the same principle. And even if a few religious people do have nothing better to do than try to make people believe in the concept of their own religion, would atheists be any better if we stooped down to the level of those few people?

Just for the purpose of the debate, let's all agree that atheism is correct. Don't you think that more people should be aware of the true nature of the world and how it works? If millions of people believe there is an invisible man in the clouds who gets mad at them for masturbating, or staring too long at Johnny Jones's butt, shouldn't they be taught the truth?

[Amnesiac]

Just for the purpose of the debate, let's all agree that atheism is correct. Don't you think that more people should be aware of the true nature of the world and how it works? If millions of people believe there is an invisible man in the clouds who gets mad at them for masturbating, or staring too long at Johnny Jones's butt, shouldn't they be taught the truth?

Yes. However, we shouldn't go the fundamentalist route and try and mix atheism and government or claim that religious people are 'evil' and 'stupid' (although many of them [NOTE HOW I DID NOT SAY ALL] are).

[Skeptical Bear]

As said by deadpie, all these fucking religions try so badly to convert you, it just saddens me. Seeing them do it, it should give Atheist permission to go around and convert people as well. I don't really care what who believes in. As long as I don't some prick breathing on me, trying to convert me to their religion.

[Perseus]

Just for the purpose of the debate, let's all agree that atheism is correct. Don't you think that more people should be aware of the true nature of the world and how it works? If millions of people believe there is an invisible man in the clouds who gets mad at them for masturbating, or staring too long at Johnny Jones's butt, shouldn't they be taught the truth?

Preaching about religion (or lack thereof) is annoying. Let people believe in their contradictory god.

[Korashk]

Preaching about religion (or lack thereof) is annoying. Let people believe in their contradictory god.
I'd be content to let them believe in their contradictory god if they didn't try and force their contradictory god's values on the rest of us.

[Perseus]

I'd be content to let them believe in their contradictory god if they didn't try and force their contradictory god's values on the rest of us.

We shouldn't do the same, though. And plus, Christians would find some way that it's "bad" and complain about it.

[Bluesman]

As long as it stays at informing... as a Christian I believe that I should inform atheists why I believe in Christianity, so why shouldn't they be able to inform me why they're an atheist? Trying to change others' views is where I draw a line. Christians should inform atheists, atheists should inform Christians. Neither should try to change the others' views.

[Jess]

to be honest, I believe no. people can believe what they want to believe in. they shouldn't be forced to convert.

[Bougainvillea]

We shouldn't do the same, though. And plus, Christians would find some way that it's "bad" and complain about it. And then make it illegal, with the excuse that it's opressive and destructive to their practices, and that it causes emotional distress.

[Syvelocin]

I think it's better to stay out of the religion area unless it's only informing ABOUT the religion to interested listeners. I don't want to hear why you are this religion, but the religions that I'm a bit foggy with, I'd love to hear about what this religion in question is about in your words. I've had some very intriguing conversations this way, instead of the conversations with my Baptist aunt about finding Jesus that make me want to kill myself. But even some of these intriguing conversations have been with Christians themselves. Like one woman I met who is Catholic, but has some of her own views. She doesn't believe in Hell and she's fully liberal. To even my last psychologist who agreed with a lot of my own religion's beliefs, but she believed in a higher power, a sort of energy instead of a person. And my theatre director, who has been in a religious search for decades learning all about religions of the world, seeking information on my own religion.

My views, don't meddle in personal areas. I will not tell anyone what they should be or why their religion is wrong, no matter my personal opinions. Unless they get on my nerves of course. I won't let them shove their dogma down my throat unless I can shove my dogma down their's :)

[Nathan_B]

i believe that people should be able to make their own decisions and i would never try to convert someone. Most people are smart enough to have their own views and opinions and i respect that about them and won't try to change that.

[The Joker]

to be honest, I believe no. people can believe what they want to believe in. they shouldn't be forced to convert.

But what if their views border on dangerous, because certain people are naturally intoned to be violent? If they read something that might imply that homosexuality is bad, they may become abusive to homosexuals, which isn't right.

[BOBBY HILL]

No. Atheists are always bitching how Christians and others shove religion down people's throat. This would make Atheists hypocrites.

[Sith Lord 13]

Short answer: No.
Long answer: It depends.

The base fact here is that anyone trying to convert someone who didn't ask for more information, etc is an ass. In fact I find it less excusable in Atheism than in religion. In certain religions, they're told to convert people. If they don't try and "save" you, they're damned too. Doesn't make it less annoying, but it is at least understandable. Compare this to an Atheist, who should have no fear for his soul, and you can see why I feel militant atheism is a little worse than religious militantism.

The longer answer depends on what you define as militant. Responding to religious argument, having it come up casually and offering to explain it, things like that are fine. It's when atheists start preaching that they've crossed the line.

[huginnmuninn]

IMO religious people try to convert others for mainly 3 reasons: money, they are genuinely concerned about the other persons life and after life, and power. Since atheists cant get money from converting people to atheism thats out, since they dont believe there is an after life thats out and since atheism cant really give power thats out. the only reason that i can think of is that an atheist might want to convert someone is that the religious person is trying to do harm for religious purposes. I dont see a big reason why all religious people should be converted. but if they want to try then they should have the right since religious people have the right to try to convert others.

[UnknownError]

I don't think anyone should try and convert anyone.
You either are born with your parents religion, or you adapt a religion yourself IMO.
I hate these random Americans who stalk me down the street waiting for me to turn around so they can try and get me to join their church. ¬.¬

[Peace God]

In fact I find it less excusable in Atheism than in religion.
Completely agreed here.
No. Atheists are always bitching how Christians and others shove religion down people's throat. This would make Atheists hypocrites.
Unfortunatley a lot of us are hypocrites when it comes to forcing opinions down other people's throats.

[Korashk]

Compare this to an Atheist, who should have no fear for his soul, and you can see why I feel militant atheism is a little worse than religious militantism.
We do, however, have legitimate fear for our quality of life with all the politicians that want to legislate their religion. That is pretty much why militant atheists exist. We want less religious people so religious people stop trying to run our lives. If this didn't happen I guarantee that the only militant atheists would be a few nutters instead of a decent sized portion of the atheist community.

[steve1234]

What I don't like (personally) is how some athiest groups act just like a religious group.

I think in an ideal world everyone should be athiest, but people should have a choice about having a religion or not. Religious people should not militantly encourage people to join their religion (i.e. saying things like you will go to hell if you don't believe in God), and Athiests should not militantly encourage people not to be religious. I would of thought athiests would of learned from the numerous mistakes of religion.

[Camazotz]

If personal religion happens to come up in conversation, an atheist has the right to express their views calmly, without intentionally trying to spark conflicts with another person. This is common courtesy, as an atheist would not want a religious person to influence their religion upon them or intentionally say something to get them mad. However, if a discussion is already started arguing the two sides, then each atheism and theism has the right to "preach" their respective beliefs and why theirs are supposedly better. People should consent to listening to each side from a more emotional view because frankly, most people don't want to hear about your (non)religious beliefs. "Keep it to yourself" is probably the best policy concerning religion.

[deadpie]

I don't think anyone should try and convert anyone.
You either are born with your parents religion, or you adapt a religion yourself IMO.

Raising your children according to your beliefs would count as converting them. So what your saying is pretty hypocritical.

Also, if nobody converted anyone, than there would be no reason for debates really. That would kill allot of intelligence and free thinking.


Seriously, I don't see the problem. If a Christian wants to preach Jesus to me, than I'm going to preach how he's bullshit. There's nothing wrong with trying to convince people something; we've been doing it to people for a long time.

If you're going to say atheists aren't aloud to, than you should say that no religion is aloud to either. But then that would just lead to what I already said a few paragraphs back.

[The Joker]

By the way, here is a link (http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_dawkins_on_militant_atheism.html) to what inspired this thread.

[DarkHorses]

My personal opinion is that if a Christian tried to convert and atheist, they'd be mighty pissed. So why should they do the same to other Christians or those of any other religion? I don't think atheists should do it, and I don't think religious people should either.

[embers]

Religion is where you belong to a group of people that follow a set of beliefs relating to a supernatural power. There are different religions with different beliefs. A religion can be monotheist but not all monotheists are members of a religion. Where I'm going is that atheism is simply a disbelief in God, and the extremity of this disbelief along with any additional beliefs is purely up to the atheist individual him/herself. Preaching atheism would pretty much turn atheism into a religion itself.

Making a set of beliefs for atheists to follow and preach would be just like trying to get every single monotheist to believe in the same religion, which is pretty much impossible. Atheism isn't religion, let's not change its definition.

[Noooooooooo]

I don't think atheists would convince relegious people that god is BS. Its the same as religious people trying to convince atheists that god exists. So yeah, it would be hard to convince them. I don't approve of converting people.

[Modus Operandi]

Heh. This thread makes me laugh because it makes me realize just how absurdly some theists try to convert people.

This isn't very related, but it's something to think about:
A fundamentalist Christian (think WBC and such) goes around telling everybody how evil America is and how god hates fags. This is allowed (yes, it's debated whether or not this constitutes hate speech, whatever. Ignore that for now) by freedom of speech and freedom of religion as guaranteed by the constitution. And if someone is upset by it, what can they do? Nothing.

Take the protests at military funerals for instance. Most everyone here would agree they're wrong, or at least objectionable. But can we force them to stop? At this point, no. They have the right to assembly and free speech.

But if an atheist disagrees or objects to what these people are preaching in a public space, he/she is told that they are "disrespecting our religion". There is a major double standard here, and it's all monstrously wrong.

[Alaph]

It's up to them, atheists could do that if they like, it probably won't work though.