Atheists & Agnostics
Related: About this forumI recently encountered a bigot who referred to atheism as my "particular religious belief".
Is it worthwhile to engage someone like this or it ultimately futile? On one hand if others are paying attention it might be beneficial to try to discuss this subject but on the other I'm so damned tired of trying to reason with bigots.
How do you handle it when someone deliberately misrepresents atheism just to piss you off?
*Standard disclaimer: This is posted in the Atheists and Agnostics group, a safe haven where we can discuss religion and its effects on society and criticize fundamentalists who are not part of our coalition. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
9 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited | |
Ignore them | |
0 (0%) |
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Explain why it's intolerant to lie about people who don't share their beliefs | |
1 (11%) |
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Ask them to explain how a lack of religious belief is a belief | |
7 (78%) |
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Laugh at their pathetic attempt to get under your skin | |
0 (0%) |
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Tell them to go (use your imagination) | |
0 (0%) |
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I like pie | |
0 (0%) |
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Other (explain) | |
1 (11%) |
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0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided. | |
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trotsky
(49,533 posts)Sometimes it's satisfying to expose their ignorance and hypocrisy.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)Offer them knowledge and if they refuse it hit them with a truth stick. And if I'm in a bad mood I'm not above resorting to mockery.
dchill
(40,704 posts)beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)My little brother often used the Pee Wee Herman defense when he was little but he grew out of it.
dchill
(40,704 posts)that I don't know what NOT to believe.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)They see atheism as a rejection of what they believe and they take it personally. They don't seem to understand that it has NOTHING to do with them.
Warpy
(113,131 posts)then walk away, usually twiddling an index finger next to a temple.
It's the only way to deal with bigots. They're only parroting what they've heard. You can't really make them think with reasoned arguments and logic.
A one liner is about all any of them will ever absorb.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)The Friendly Atheist Hemant Mehta made a video of some of these analogies:
If this happens in a setting where I have a chance to expose their ignorance as well as educate people about atheism I might be inclined to go with that option first. I just don't have as much patience these days - too many hours wasted dealing with bigots has taken its toll.
LakeArenal
(29,850 posts)beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)I thought he didn't make mistakes?
LakeArenal
(29,850 posts)has hacked god's system...
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)How can a fallen angel be more cunning and powerful than the allegedly omnipotent being that created it? No part of that makes sense.
LakeArenal
(29,850 posts)If god is all forgiving... Then why is he still holding that grudge against Eve.. Supposedly she was very sorry for eating fruit.
I have posted this debate before but I just love it...
http://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/video/ricky-gervais-and-stephen-go-head-to-head-on-religion/vi-AAmwO7V
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)And let's not forget how in a fit of rage he murdered every man, woman, child and every other living creature on the face of the earth. What kind of loving father does something like that?
They like to claim that was the old testament guy and he's changed but isn't that admitting God is fallible?
Gene Roddenberry summed it up perfectly:
LakeArenal
(29,850 posts)mountain grammy
(27,356 posts)but think I like this. I once told someone who said, "I'll pray for you," that they were actually "reporting me" if they believe their own nonsense. Once we become adults, life's too short to sit and listen to fairy tales.