What motiviation drives the "Evangelical Atheist" behavior?

reply to post by infolurker

So, I shall ask... What is driving the Evangelical Atheist's zealousness?

Probably they simply get kicks out of it.

I'm a fairly argumentative person, myself, and I rather enjoy the banter that occasionally stirs up between me and my christian friends (especially the few times they attempt to convert me) but in the end I don't particularly care what they believe as much as what they do.

The militarists would be militant no matter what camp they were arguing on the behalf of.

reply to post by infolurker

What motiviation drives the "Evangelical Atheist" behavior?

I've never come across an evangelical atheist, where do they hang out.

None have come to my door to try and scare me into joining them.

Neither have they asked me for money to fix their roof, there doesn't appear to be any posters up for an evangelical atheist coffee morning either.

Where have you come across these people, do they have meetings near where you live ?

reply to post by moocowman

Where have you come across these people, do they have meetings near where you live ?

lol. I'd sure as hell go...

Or maybe that's the wrong choice of words.

Originally posted by Welfhard
reply to post by moocowman

 

Where have you come across these people, do they have meetings near where you live ?

lol. I'd sure as hell go...

Or maybe that's the wrong choice of words.

Tell you what dude we could go together, we could well get saved lol.

Hey I'm supposed to be playing in a church baseball team next week, my son doesn't want to go with me as he has no time for churches and stuff complete Antichrist is my boy., don't know where the hell he gets it from lol.

Sorry, but this type of atheist isn't that common. This thread speaks as if atheists are standing on corners, yelling that there is no god and shoving pamphlets in your hand. It just doesn't happen that often.

I've been on hundreds of internet forums and met aggressive, dogmatic atheists on almost all of them.

Likewise, Richard Dawkins (a fraud and an idiot) and his clique recently paid for side-of-bus advertising saying God doesn't exist, and insulting religious people.

That someone with no background in theology, philosophy of religion, history, cultural theory or metaphysics could be elevated to the level of a popular spokeman on religious topics simply because he's an aggressive dogmatic atheist appealing to lots of Generation Y-ers should illustrate that this is actually quite common. That it does happen 'that often'.

Originally posted by Vinciguerra


Likewise, Richard Dawkins (a fraud and an idiot) and his clique recently paid for side-of-bus advertising saying God doesn't exist, and insulting religious people.

They did that in response to the religious side-of-bus advertising that was prevalent at the time. They were simply showing the other side of the debate. If religious people were insulted by it, then non-religious people were insulted by the original religious advertising.

Play fair. Atheists are finally pushing back against evangelical religious people, and it is making the religious establishment very uncomfortable. It's about time.

[edit on 3-8-2009 by DaisyAnne]

Sorry, but this type of atheist isn't that common. This thread speaks as if atheists are standing on corners, yelling that there is no god and shoving pamphlets in your hand. It just doesn't happen that often.

Well yes and no. They are VERY common on the internet but not as much IRL, at least the christians have the guts to not hide behind screen names.

Evangelical atheists do it either for fame and fortune (such as Richard Dawkins - if it wasn't for his atheist crusade, he'd just be another professor that no-one outside of academic circles had heard of) or due to peer pressure, the pseudo scientific nonsense of macro-evolution and the like.

Supposedly atheism goes hand in hand with critical thinking. That's what all the atheistic sheeple tell us anyway! They are told by loons like Dawkins that macro-evolution is a fact, which it most certainly is not, and like good critical thinking boys and girls, they follow their guru! There isn't even the slightest hint that macro-evolution has ever occurred, that's why they invented punctuated equilibrium to try and get round the lack of evidence.

There is now even an atheist summer camp in the UK, so that atheistic parents, can send their kids to be taught how to think critically!! What a stupid contradiction! The idea that critical thinking can be taught is nonsense, it's just another form of indoctrination, in this case, to think in an atheisticly critical way.

Atheism is big business. Kerching.

reply to post by speakplain

The idea that critical thinking can be taught is nonsense

Wow. I ugh am not sure to begin with this statement. Critical thinking...you know what? Just forget it. You are right.

Critical thinking cannot be taught..........to some people.

Originally posted by speakplain


There is now even an atheist summer camp in the UK, so that atheistic parents, can send their kids to be taught how to think critically!! What a stupid contradiction! The idea that critical thinking can be taught is nonsense, it's just another form of indoctrination, in this case, to think in an atheisticly critical way.

I think we can safely say that critical thinking can be taught. It is a valuable skill.

But my question to you is, do you support the idea of religious summer camps?

If your answer is yes, then what is wrong with an atheist camp? Don't atheists have the same rights?

reply to post by infolurker


...re: your perception of theists... it stands to reason that you dont know every theist, so you cannot possibly know what they're motivated by... examples of truthful statements are: "I understand the motivation of some theists" and "I understand the motivation of the theists that I've interacted with but it's possible they have other motivations that I am not aware of"...

...re: common themes and expectations of "the faith"... which faith did you mean?... jews dont evangelize, never had a muslim try to convert me, ditto with buddhists, hindu, satanists, wiccans... the only religious people who have tried to push their crap on me are christians... other themes common in christianity are: idol worship, cannibilistic rituals, butt-in-skee-itis, world domination directives, female subjugation, savior syndrome, atrocities against non-christians, teaching children that fantasy is reality to prepare them for the whoppers (god, angels, the devil, immaculate conception, jesus is his own sire, heaven, hell, etc)...

...re: what drives evangelicals, a question you asked at least three times... you'd have to ask each to define their motivational factors and, then, you might be able to ascertain what's driving them but only if you remove your ego, persecution complex and preconceived notions from the process (good luck with that)...

...re: why some atheists attack faith in god... maybe "attack" is just the perception of whiners... maybe its all karma's fault... maybe some atheists believe they can state their opinions about religion (and specifically christianity) without penality because their country is not a theocracy ruled by vatican supported nazis...

...btw, the appropriate definition of evangelical for the kind of atheist you dont approve of is:
**** marked by ardent or zealous enthusiasm for a cause
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

...re: your use of the word "normal"... normal is an illusion pushed by those who want a homogenous society incapable of realizing they exist within a teeny tiny box...

...re: your use of the phrase "for the most part"... i'd like to know how you came to your conclusions about atheists - because - you seem to be so evangelically anti-atheist, i wonder how much exposure you've had to atheists face to face...

...re: "the system"... when a person is stating their opposition to "the system" and it is directed at a particular religion, it is (more than likely) because they've been oppressed by that religion's preoccupation with controlling society via laws and/or unfair social mores forced upon those who do not subscribe to that religion...

...an apt example in the usofa is the abortion debate, which never should have been an issue in the first place - but - a large majority of american christians (especially males) are incapable of minding their own biz - and - when they encounter someone who does not agree with them and will stand up to them, they claim persecution cuz thats what they do best (create hooey to whine about)...

...some people have the courage to speak out against injustices... some people like being prisoners and dislike/hate/resent those who speak out against the system that imprisons them, as well as the wardens and guards... the catholic league organization is an apt example of that ilk and you posted their propaganda - tsk, tsk, tsk - god'll get ya for that one, lmao...

Perhaps it's just another situtation of misery seeking company

please delete



[edit on 4-8-2009 by Barkster]

@OP,
The short answer is this, when A pushes B, there is an equal and opposite reaction, B pushes back at A.

Maybe competing memes are just destined to kill each other ala king of the hill.

There is a third type though.

Exhibit C, who would watch everything burn.

Originally posted by DaisyAnne

Originally posted by Vinciguerra


Likewise, Richard Dawkins (a fraud and an idiot) and his clique recently paid for side-of-bus advertising saying God doesn't exist, and insulting religious people.

They did that in response to the religious side-of-bus advertising that was prevalent at the time. They were simply showing the other side of the debate.

Nonsense. There are no 'two sides' to debates. This is an ideological fallacy that has dominated the west since Plato invented dialectics.

If religious people were insulted by it, then non-religious people were insulted by the original religious advertising.

Except the original religious advertising did not criticise them personally. The Dawkins-sponsored advertising was personally offensive, not just critical of beliefs.

It was designed to stir up tension, hatred, throw flames on the bonfire. Exactly what you'd expect from a populist cretin like Dawkins who knows nothing of theology, philosophy of religion, history...

Play fair. Atheists are finally pushing back against evangelical religious people, and it is making the religious establishment very uncomfortable. It's about time.

I do play fair. If you want to criticise or attack a belief system by all means go ahead. But standing around repeating slogans you've learnt from elsewhere like 'atheists are smarter' or 'all religions are the same' is nothing short of gross stupidity and hypocrisy.

I've yet to meet a militant atheist who had actually read some theology to back up their position. I've met THOUSANDS of religious people who have read theology to back up their position.

My conclusion: Atheists are all dumb #ers with massive chips on their shoulders and no knowledge of the topics on which they opine. There should be a separation between atheists and the state.

I think we can safely say that critical thinking can be taught. It is a valuable skill.

Another fallacy that has dominated the west since Plato.

All teaching is a form of indoctrination. There may be benefits to it, but there's no denying that teaching is basically persuading someone else to believe something. How did your teachers react when you questioned something they were teaching? Did they offer a careful explanation and say it was up to you what you believed, or did they say you had to just accept it, learn it, and write it in the exam?

reply to post by DaisyAnne


I don't particularly endorse any forced opinion. I think that Christian camps are fine, for Christians. To go to the effort to create a camp for atheists is precisely what evangelical atheism is - which is the nature of this thread.

Surely if you cannot prove a negative, the notion of evangelical atheism is debunked from the start. At least agnostics are honest.

Critical thinking cannot be taught, so to claim otherwise is deceitful. Critical thinking is indoctrination under another guise.

[edit on 4-8-2009 by speakplain]

Originally posted by Vinciguerra

The Dawkins-sponsored advertising was personally offensive, not just critical of beliefs.

It was designed to stir up tension, hatred, throw flames on the bonfire. Exactly what you'd expect from a populist cretin like Dawkins who knows nothing of theology, philosophy of religion, history...

Could you please tell me how this bus advert is personally insulting and hateful in any way?




It is entirely benign and innocuous. You are really reaching if you take offense to this personally.

My conclusion: Atheists are all dumb #ers with massive chips on their shoulders and no knowledge of the topics on which they opine. There should be a separation between atheists and the state.

Well, this is a sweeping generalization based on your own pre-formed opinion. This is exactly the same as saying that all religious people are ill-educated, bigoted zealots. Looks like you could use some of those critical thinking skills you seem to loathe.

...this billboard is in the dallas/ftworth area...


...heres the typical xtian message...


...which do you prefer?...