For the formerly religious
Posted on: July 9, 2009 - 2:48pm
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For the formerly religious
For those of you who were formerly religious, did you feel an overwhelming urge to debate with christians, or people of your prior faith once you became atheist?
"Take all the heads of the people
and hang them up before the Lord
against the sun.” -- Numbers 25:4
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Yes, but what I've discovered is that religion is self-censoring. They will close down debate, demonize you just for raising quesitions about their beliefs and what religion really is about. They essentially go into an information bunker. We not one of them, we're the inferior ones without a belief or eternal life.
The Christian forums on the internet all sensor atheists and do not permit the members to debate atheists on the their forum. Interesting for people that supposedly believe "The truth will set you free".
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen
No. I did not.
I slowly became more and more aggrivated by them trying to shove things down my throat though.
So I started asking them questions, which they couldn't answer. And then as time passed and still people didn't leave me alone, I began mocking them for their entire lack of thought.
Like asking the people pushing to make abortion illegal, what the punishment should be for the women. 9/10 of the people I asked say "I never thought that far ahead."
For me it is more I don't like people stepping on my toes, or on other people's toes because of their delusions.
Theism is why we can't have nice things.
Not at first.
At first, I just left religion and theism with a very live-and-let-live attitude. It took a couple of years before I started getting upset about what religion was doing to my new atheist life. At that point, I got very heavy into debating Christians. After a few more years, I pretty much gave it up. I don't look at theists as the enemy anymore. I look at faith as the enemy. Instead of debating, which is inherently confrontational, I prefer teaching.
Sure, I spend some time with Christians and other theists on this site, and some of it is argumentative, but it's been a long time since I engaged in an actual debate.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
The 'holy' books tell the believers not associate with the infidels and heathens. The Christians don't seem to do a very good job following their own book. Seems like it's up to us not to associate with them, especially since they don't want hear us out anyways.
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen
I feel like since I have been enlightened it is my duty to deconvert as many people as possible. Although I have yet had someone admit that their faith may not be true, I believe that I have planted that seed of doubt. I have been spending quite a bit of time on the Atheist nation chat and every now and then a xtian comes in for whatever reason and tries to debate with me. I try not to let it turn into an argument but more of a teaching session. I just try and get them to think of why they actually believe in what they do, and that everything that has happened to them can be explained using logic, not fairy tales. Then I suggest that they actually read an actual science book on evolution ( most have only read the xtian ones that try to disprove it.) I feel like I have a huge advantage when debating with then because of my background. Ususally when they just disappear from the chat room is when I know that they are doubting their faith and I consider it a victory for the side of logic.
"Take all the heads of the people
and hang them up before the Lord
against the sun.” -- Numbers 25:4
I was the same as Hamby at first, but once I started looking at the history I had learned objectively instead of holding it to that religious standard I had always applied before, I became very interested in debate. However, I don't treat debate as my duty to deconvert people. Two of my closest friends have unshakeable faith in Christianity, and we have knock-down drag-out fights about it. At the end of the day though, they know I respect them and their right to believe whatever they like. My friend has even admitted that belief in god is totally irrational but as he kinda likes that. Whatever.
If, however, the person thinks they're going to make me look stupid or scare me with brimstone and hell fire, I make it my personal mission to deconstruct every single point they raise on religion. Particularly if they try and mix religion and politics. That really gets my goat.
"Do not, as some ungracious pastors do, show me the steep and thorny way to heaven. Whiles, like a puff'd and reckless libertine, himself the primrose path of dalliance treads. And recks not his own rede."
Word.
Although I still have strong emotions regarding religion I prefer to just bypass any face to face mention of my deconversion. It has never been my mission, nor will it ever be, to bring believers into the atheist fold. Apart from my occasional interaction on this forum it is a non-issue. In my daily interactions my only request of christian theists is simply to keep Jesus to yourself and leave me the hell alone. That's all.