I was in Ybor City outside of Tampa, FL not too long ago. There was actually a group of ATHEISTS on one of the street corners yelling at people that Jesus is dead and handing out pamphlets. I was shocked. What do you guys think about this?
I think that it's a bad idea. Radical atheism is like radical gentile-ism. Being radical for what one is not is a really wonderful way to waste time.
1) There's no actual evidence that Jesus was ever alive. How can someone who was possibly never born dead? It's inflammatory and radical, that's how. It has nothing to do with helping people to understand.
2) Street corners? That doesn't seem a safe location to protest against something that's so popular. I'd be concerned about being ironically stoned to death on the corner by passers by.
3) Atheism is about being strong for yourself and helping others who ask for assistance. It has exactly jack to do with attacking people. Atheists like this give us all a bad name.
Not too happy to hear about that, quite frankly. Just live your non-faith (as the faithful would say) and show the world that we are accepting, nice, moral folks without all the preaching like they do.
Then again, that means they think they can rule the world because we are accepting and silent.
All the same, it's a bad idea to be all yelling and such. Just live and try to be happy.
Standing on the street corner yelling that Jesus is dead is not a positive demonstration of atheism....it's just plain dangerous.
Did you pick up a fine, hand-crafted cigar while you were in Ybor City? I hear they're the next best thing to a Cuban cigar.
I agree with all postings above. Why should we use the same stupid methods as the fanatical christians to get the "message" across?
@MommaSquid: Talking about cigars, I feel sorry for you guys in the USA that you can't smoke real Havanna's. When will this silly trade embargo with Cuba stop?
Quote from: "Willravel"3) Atheism is about being strong for yourself and helping others who ask for assistance. It has exactly jack to do with attacking people. Atheists like this give us all a bad name.
Wow - I really agree with this, very strongly. This was well phrased, Will.
QuoteDid you pick up a fine, hand-crafted cigar while you were in Ybor City? I hear they're the next best thing to a Cuban cigar.
I did pick up a cigar. Very enjoyable. I used to have some Canadian neighbors that would totally hook us up with Cuban cigars anytime they visited home. Alas, we have moved since then... So Ybor is the next best bet. Or maybe a good Dominican... they also have a beer made in Ybor but I didn't find it too impressive. It had a strange flavor.
QuoteWhen will this silly trade embargo with Cuba stop?
There was some talk of it a few years ago. Apparently somebody had asked Fidel if he was ready for masses of Spring Breakers. He said bring it on. I don't think it's been at the top of anyone's priority list recently, as it's an election year and all. During election year apparently politicians have to die on a few well selected swords because the American public doesn't have the attention span to consider abortion intelligently and chew gum at the same time. I would love it if they lifted the stupid embargo. But now that Fidel met with Chavez and Kim Jong and Mahmoud, he's participated in the axis of eyvil. Eyvilders. EYVILDERS!!
And how about the retarted debate about Mitt Romney's Mormonism? Joseph Smith supposedly interpreted golden scrolls or some shit which is no different than stone tablets next to the burning f-ing bush. And the Conservative right is going ApeShit! My wife thismorning says to me "Golden Scrolls? What garbage!" I raise an eyebrow and say "Stone Tablets. What's the difference. IT'S ALL THE SAME BULL. " She's like, "heeey, heeey, heeeey". (she's also a Christian for those of you who might not know).
Probably a very bad idea. Atheists need to keep in mind the perception most people (especially southerners) already have of us. Fair or not, we're digging ourselves out of an already deep hole and shouting at people from a street corner is not helpful.
It's not appropriate to shout (offensive) things in public. It doesn't matter if it's about abortion, race, religion, or how much you hate the color pink.
I think it's funny! You know, I'd probably go check it out!
Yelling at peoplel isn't going to make any difference...it is more likely to make things worse when you are yelling in favor of the unpopular group...even most christians dislike street preachers...they are annoying.
Now....it would be funny to parody street preachers by pretending to be a christians and going way over the top with it...preaching the bible literally including all the less favorable parts. we had one do that when i was in college...i think he was doing it for humor; even if he wasn't it was really funny. he would pick women out of the crowd with short hair and start in on them for being whores and things like that.
surely this is what America, in particular, needs??
I hear loads of stories about how atheist is so looked down on, and people have to lie about having faith in order to retain their social standing or jobs or whatever... especially in political circles.
So i think atheists making themselves heard, showing people they don't have to hide it, showing people that there IS an alternative to what they have been taught to believe, and that there are others like them.. is very important indeed.
It is not necessarily radical evangelism of atheism
I bet they where Christians trying to make us look bad...
Quote from: "Marke"I bet they where Christians trying to make us look bad...
HAHA! Regardless, what a bunch of goons!
In came across the literary version of these proselytizers the other day, Richard Dawkins, arguing the case for a Newton day instead of Christmas day in the New Statesman - http://www.newstatesman.com/200712130029 (http://www.newstatesman.com/200712130029)
I'll have to support these guys. I don't see what's wrong in yelling "jesus is dead" and distributing pamphlets. If it is okay to hold processions about global warming and stuff, what's wrong in this one? Don't rallies about global warming hurt the sentiments of those who believe that global warming is a natural cycle?
Atheists believe Jesus is dead and won't come back(if he ever lived). Why should distributing pamphlets about this be considered radical? I know that this will not cause any Christian to give up his beliefs and is probably not a good strategy in spreading the message of atheism (couldn't find a better phrase), but I don' think it is wrong or radical to do this. I may be wrong, of course.
It is my observation that atheists are trying too hard to create a "positive" image before the theists. IMHO, it will be too much to expect that all atheists be non violent, peaceful and non aggressive. These traits are inherent to a person's nature and not his/her faith or lack of it. Every atheist isn't responsible for what one individual atheist does.
What REALLY sucks is that atheists like that are the only kind that some religious people ever see. Then the religious people assume that all atheists are radicals... and the rest of us get butchered. I think that everyone should be judged based on their individual actions and...
YOU MOFO STREET-CORNER ATHEISTS
I don't think that yelling from a street corner is the way to go about things. However, I do think that non-believers need to stop hiding in the shadows. The idea that one must be a "god-fearing" citizen is so deeply planted in the American society that it is quite disturbing.
In the 1940s and 1950s, McCarthyism had everyone so scared that nobody had the balls to say anything when religious crap was added to our national pledge and our currency. Conservative Christians took advantage of this and convinced the entire nation that communism and atheism go hand in hand.
Now, instead of hunting communists, we're hunting terrorists. Once again, who are the bad people? It's those who do not worship the Christian god. No, they don't blame it all on atheists; they're focusing on the Muslims. Nonetheless, the fundies are using it to gather all of the myth-believers.
Are we experiencing something similar to McCarthyism all over again? Only time will tell. I am afraid to see what the Christian fundies will get away with this time around.
I hardly think it's fair to call Dawkins the equivilent of the street proseliyizers, shouting in everyones face. He deserves more respect than that. The article you linked is rational and intelligent, even if he is tilting at windmils.
The advent of atheist proselytizers merely reinforces the misconception that atheism is a religion. It would have been more sensible and productive if they were promoting Separation of Church/State or Secular Humanism or even Wicca. The last thing we need is to present atheism as the inverse of Christianity.
QuoteThe advent of atheist proselytizers merely reinforces the misconception that atheism is a religion. It would have been more sensible and productive if they were promoting Separation of Church/State or Secular Humanism or even Wicca. The last thing we need is to present atheism as the inverse of Christianity.
Could you please elaborate a little? I can't understand why some people here think this is such a negative thing. Why do you think that would it have been more productive if they were promoting Wicca? What's different between people shouting on the streets about animal rights and those promoting atheism? A little knowledge about atheism makes it clear that it isn't a religion and what has distributing pamphlets on the streets got to do with presenting atheism as inverse of Christianity?
:? :? :? :?
Telling religious people that "Jesus is dead" and proselytizing on street corners is very aggressive behavior. In addition, it is not a promotion of atheism so much as an attack on Jesus believers. I think taking a negative, aggressive stance is harmful because most people already perceive atheists as heartless intellectuals.
Now if someone were to set up a table and quietly hand out non-tracts or promote their alternative to religion (such as Secular Humanism, Wicca, et al.), I would have no complaint. To me, that seems the more positive and productive approach.
QuoteThe advent of atheist proselytizers merely reinforces the misconception that atheism is a religion.
I agree. It's a widespread idea in religious circles that atheism is just another religion. It's not. It's just rationalism. I think it's a good idea to be open about atheism with people you encounter, but to yell it on street corners is sinking to a whole new low.
Thanks for the clarification. Maybe I am being a bit dense here, but I still don't quite get it. Forgive me if I misunderstood, but are you saying that saying Jesus is dead is aggressive, but promoting Wicca is fine? What's the difference? Either way it's saying that Christians have got it all wrong.
Most of us <b>do</b> believe that Jesus, no longer exists. Forget roadsides, maybe atheists should stop publishing articles against Christianity on the net and in the mass media, in order to not offend the Christians.
For me, atheism <b>is</b> an alternative to religion. To me, wicca doesn't seems to be very much a type of religion. Secular humanism seems cool, though.
Yes, people have wrong perceptions about atheists, but I can't see how the above incident can make it any worse. Most religious people dislike atheists cause we don't follow their brand of religion. It won't make much of a difference to them if we say it publicly or we don't. The attitude is "I don't trust you cause you don't believe in Allah/Jesus/Shiva" and not "I don't trust you cause you said so on the roadside."
QuoteForget roadsides, maybe atheists should stop publishing articles against Christianity on the net and in the mass media, in order to not offend the Christians.
I am so thankful for atheists publishing content on the net. I might still be bashing my head on the church pew wondering what the hell is wrong with me. But I never would have listened to anyone on a street corner. My assent to rationalism was based on learning and research. I'm sure others would agree.
Although I can't say I've ever really heard anything about atheism in the mass media such as TV or Radio. The conservatives have way too much pull there.
Quote from: "bitter_sweet_symphony"Most religious people dislike atheists cause we don't follow their brand of religion.
The religious people will all say that they dislike atheists, simply because that's what they are told to do. On a personal level, when you meet one to one, it's different. Wait until the person gets to know you for a while, then toss the fact that you're atheist out there. They get confused - "the church says atheists are bad, but you don't seem like a bad person".
For most of them, it's not because we don't believe their fairytales. They dislike us because the church has seem thinking we're the devil. It is similar to kids that grow up with extremely racist parents and then as adults meet people of other races for the first time.
QuoteAlthough I can't say I've ever really heard anything about atheism in the mass media such as TV or Radio. The conservatives have way too much pull there.
I take that back! There were two South Park episodes I can think of that dealt with atheism. The first was the episode when all the Catholic priests were abusing the children so the parents in South Park all converted to atheism (and shit out their mouths, because Cartman proved it could be done, if you recall).
The other had something to do with a future where everyone was an atheist, and they had the same problems that Christians do today. I also remember something about beavers flying ships. But I might have been a little 'under the influence' while watching it, so I don't remember much.
Either way - atheist representation on television is next to null.
Quote from: "myleviathan"Either way - atheist representation on television is next to null.
Personally I get a big kick out of "House".
Yes, yes.... House does have some sarcastic and atheistic comments... Quite enjoyable. I remember the episode with the Cuban refugees: the wife was a believer and the husband was an atheist. They bailed out of Cuba with the single intent of seeing Dr. House. The husband finally prays as a last resort and it seems to have worked.... But they find some subsequent problem that the Dr. has to fix. God is wrong and House is right. I love it.