Discussing atheism with religious people (I)

» dlstang - I'm really looking forward to the second part of your article.

I have no interest in "converting" anyone to atheism, but I have faced challenges from several acquaintances and co-workers (my friends and family know better).

Comments I've gotten include, "But...you have to believe in god. What else is there?" "You can't be an atheist, you seem so ethical," and "Atheism doesn't really exist because everybody must have some belief about god." (The last one still has me scratching my head.)

Mostly, I've just accepted that people who make these comments are so tied in to their own beliefs that they cannot bear to incorporate even the *possibility* of disbelief into their systems. I end up saying something like, "Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree," and then spending the next several months patiently saying "no" when they invite me to church, prayer meetings, or or a personal meeting with their minister who will "show me the way."

So, I am looking forward to the second part of this article to give me some other ideas for responding. I'm perfectly content to leave other people's belief systems alone, but I'm getting pretty tired of constantly being on the defensive about my disbelief.

-- posted by dlstang

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» Franc28 - Re: I'm really looking forward to the second part of your artic

In response to message posted by dlstang:

"You can't be an atheist, you seem so ethical"

That's an odd one. As I tell people, "you're so nice, you're almost an atheist". I guess everyone has to feel reassured that he's on the "right side"...

As for your question, I suppose my proposition would be either to stop talking to these people, or to give them some atheist tracts. There is really no magical formula here.

-- posted by Franc28

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