To atheists/non-believers: Why the evangelism?

And like i said before. The really sad part to all this,
is that all these people died over sonething that is
just a fairytale, a book written by primitive people,
hence the reasob why the stories sound so stupid
now.

I used to be a rabid atheist until something happened to me.

Now I recognize that there is something more powerful than me running the world. I can't put a name on it. Maybe it's God. I don't know, but there is something there. I saw it and I felt it and I heard it.

When I didn't believe, I was a hostile atheist because I had organized religion crammed down my throat for years. I was also psychologically victimized by a Church brother. He hated my guts. He had the most evil eyes I've ever seen.

Understand, atheists are at their limit when it comes to religion. Their world is saturated with reminders that they are "wrong" or the "minority" or "undeserving of life". They cannot escape it and they cannot escape the hostility of believers.

The solution is tolerance on both sides.

Originally posted by rtyfx
I used to be a rabid atheist until something happened to me.

Now I recognize that there is something more powerful than me running the world. I can't put a name on it. Maybe it's God. I don't know, but there is something there. I saw it and I felt it and I heard it.

When I didn't believe, I was a hostile atheist because I had organized religion crammed down my throat for years. I was also psychologically victimized by a Church brother. He hated my guts. He had the most evil eyes I've ever seen.

Understand, atheists are at their limit when it comes to religion. Their world is saturated with reminders that they are "wrong" or the "minority" or "undeserving of life". They cannot escape it and they cannot escape the hostility of believers.

The solution is tolerance on both sides.

So, something happened to you to make you think there
is a god, or some higher being. Do you believe just that,
or did you join a religon too.

What i mean is, if something happened to me that made
me think there might be a higher being, that does not mean
you have to join a religon, why would it?

reply to post by Jay-morris

I have not joined an organized religion.

My feeling is that what I experienced is bigger than that.

I rally against Chirstians because they actually believe in some of the most non-sensical things imaginable. A snake talking, a man parting the ocean, living in whale's belly for 3 days, bread raining down, ect. ect. ect.

And we're just supposed to accept these things, and treat people who believe them as if they even have a bit of sound adjudication?? Cmon get serious.

I'm agnostic, which is a claim that I don't know much. That doesn't mean any bit of nonsense should be accepted. If you're seeking the truth and land on Chrisitianity, you are a fool and deserve to be ridiculed.

reply to post by lives

Your post is precisely what raises Christian hackles.

Why be so nasty?

Isn't it easier to say I disagree with you and keep things peaceful for both sides.

You give disbelievers a bad name.

reply to post by rtyfx


You keep walking with that bit in your mouth. Pretending that speaking out against Christianity is somehow an intolerable act within the scope of brutality. Woe is you. Woe are Christians.

reply to post by lives

So now you turn your hostility on me. I don't accept it. You can have it back.

I don't have a bit in my mouth. YOU do. Hate has you firmly in its grasp.

This experience freed me from hate.

I can't put a price on that.

I don't say don't speak about your disagreement. I say be civil when you do it.

Your post is precisely what raises Christian hackles. Why be so nasty?

You'd be mad too if you realized that the people were voting on things that affect your life were voting based on fairly tales.

reply to post by CB328

If you read the thread you'd know I am a former athiest.

I am qualified to speak on this matter.

reply to post by DeadSeraph


I don't evangelize, and I am technically an atheist (I am open to the idea of a cosmic maker but find all human religions unconvincing) but I certainly understand why some evangelical atheists act the way they do: If they don't "fight fire with fire," their message is quickly drowned out by the persistent evangelicalism of the religious in our society.

Originally posted by 0zzymand0s
reply to post by DeadSeraph

 

I don't evangelize, and I am technically an atheist (I am open to the idea of a cosmic maker but find all human religions unconvincing) but I certainly understand why some evangelical atheists act the way they do: If they don't "fight fire with fire," their message is quickly drowned out by the persistent evangelicalism of the religious in our society.

That seems to be a recurring theme in this thread. I'm not so sure I agree that such a view is necessary, however. You see fundamentalist Christians do the same thing (yelling at the top of their lungs about how so and so is going to burn in hell). The behavior is equally distasteful regardless of who's engaging in it (Christians, Muslims, Atheists, whatever). What I find interesting is that the atheists who practice this philosophy don't see any irony in the fact they are participating in the very behavior that likely had a part in turning them into atheists in the first place.

I contend that atheism (or any belief for that matter), isn't going to just die off because people don't rant and rave about it and verbally assault anyone who doesn't agree with them. The ideas will still persist. It's not like anyone is rounding up atheists and killing them for their beliefs, so the notion that they need to be the loudest of the philosophies or cease to exist is false.

reply to post by DeadSeraph

Athiests experience a lot of discrimination.

I was ostracized on a job because of my disbelief.

Athiests are constantly derided in the media.

Originally posted by rtyfx
reply to post by DeadSeraph

 

Athiests experience a lot of discrimination.

I was ostracized on a job because of my disbelief.

Athiests are constantly derided in the media.

Someone had mentioned earlier in the thread that they were even discriminated against at their job for being an atheist. I openly admit I was ignorant to such happenings. I'm not sure if that is a localized problem in the states but I can't say I've ever seen it happen here in Canada. If such things go on, I find it deplorable, personally.

reply to post by DeadSeraph


You aren't listening. In 2012, an atheist cannot be president, unless he pretends to be a Christian. Some atheists are fighting back because they are trying to win the hearts and minds of the next generation of believers, and there is plenty of evidence that it is working; the US -- like the rest of the first world, is becoming more secular.

www.guardian.co.uk...

Originally posted by 0zzymand0s
reply to post by DeadSeraph

 

You aren't listening. In 2012, an atheist cannot be president, unless he pretends to be a Christian. Some atheists are fighting back because they are trying to win the hearts and minds of the next generation of believers, and there is plenty of evidence that it is working; the US -- like the rest of the first world, is becoming more secular.

www.guardian.co.uk...

Good point. I suppose I never looked at it that way

reply to post by DeadSeraph

When I visited Britain I could discuss it openly and no one freaked out.

I think America is wound a little too tight on this issue.

Originally posted by CB328

Your post is precisely what raises Christian hackles. Why be so nasty?

You'd be mad too if you realized that the people were voting on things that affect your life were voting based on fairly tales.

You are referring to the evolution fairy tale ? Then these nut jobs vote and upset you ! The blatant hypocrisy of these people . You should run for government and sponser bills to kill all these people just to show them how tolerant you are .

Originally posted by 0zzymand0s
reply to post by DeadSeraph

 

You aren't listening. In 2012, an atheist cannot be president, unless he pretends to be a Christian. Some atheists are fighting back because they are trying to win the hearts and minds of the next generation of believers, and there is plenty of evidence that it is working; the US -- like the rest of the first world, is becoming more secular.

www.guardian.co.uk...

Not unlike the Muslim did in 2008 who in all reality is really atheist .

Originally posted by rtyfx
reply to post by DeadSeraph

 

When I visited Britain I could discuss it openly and no one freaked out.

I think America is wound a little too tight on this issue.

I was going to say: Perhaps the discrimination is more of a cultural issue? I know here in Canada, we also openly discuss it, and even at work. I've never seen someone discriminated against for being an atheist here (although I have seen it happen to Muslims, shamefully enough). But if discrimination is the underlying factor, why do we see the most vocal opponents of religion coming out of the U.K (Dawkins, etc)?