# Atheists at the door **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124 "2013-06-04T16:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/41 "2013-06-04T21:40:50Z")
If for some reason I had to be an atheist activist, I wouldn’t bother mentioning atheism at all and instead talk about evolution. I suspect there is a good correlation between rejection of evolution and the desire to reduce my rights and rejection of climate change. (With the exception of Catholic priests.) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/42 "2013-06-04T21:45:32Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Then perhaps the OP could first explain what he meant by the claim that communities were “accepting” of door-to-door evangelists from the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses. For the most part, either a quick listen to or a polite “I’m not interested”, with a rare(as far as I can surmise)rude response every once in a while. No articles in the paper or various magazines about the audacity of going door-to-door, just general resigned acceptance. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/43 "2013-06-04T21:47:48Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > Then perhaps the OP could first explain what he meant by the claim that communities were “accepting” of door-to-door evangelists from the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses. > > Anyway, I think most people would probably assume this was a joke or that the person doing this was trying to piss them off the way the Australian guy in the linked video was. In most cases they’d probably get what Mormon and Jehovah’s Witnesses get. A “no thanks, I’m not interested” followed by a slammed door if they persisted. Your standard religious person and your standard political door to door campaigner get treated about the same. Sure, plenty of people slam the door in their faces, but society as a whole supports their right to knock on doors. The issue isn’t whether an atheist would have the door slammed in her face. It is whether some in the community would attempt to find ways to harass the atheist - in the way school administrations harass atheist clubs in schools where religious clubs are allowed (as they should be.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/44 "2013-06-04T21:57:02Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > The issue isn’t whether an atheist would have the door slammed in her face. It is whether some in the community would attempt to find ways to harass the atheist I’m still not sure what the point of this thread is. I deplore actual harassment, but I can’t get too worked up about imagined persecution that someone supposes _would_ happen. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/45 "2013-06-04T21:57:51Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No articles in the paper or various magazines about the audacity of going door-to-door, just general resigned acceptance. And the occasional [criminal assault](http://masslawyersweekly.com/the-docket-blog/2011/08/12/conviction-of-newton-man-who-assaulted-jehovah%E2%80%99s-witnesses-stands/): > [@](#): > > The Appeals Court has upheld the conviction of a Newton [MA] man on charges that, apparently irritated by the frequency of visits by Jehovah’s Witnesses, he assaulted and injured two older women hoping to proselytize him on his front walkway. [Another assault allegation:](http://www.kens5.com/news/texas-news/Its-a-priest-versus-Jehovahs-Witnesses-after-a-FW-altercation-90531324.html) > [@](#): > > The Jehovah’s Witness has accused Father John Parnell, a priest at the St. Augustine Mexican Catholic Church in Fort Worth, of assaulting him after he knocked on Parnell’s door. I think you can’t assume that whatever rough stuff door-to-door atheist proselytizers might run into would necessarily be owing to prejudice against atheism. Some folks are just plain quarrelsome. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/46 "2013-06-04T22:04:52Z")
I found this story on CNN: [atheists-to-start-1-800-hotline](http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/04/atheists-to-start-1-800-hotline/?hpt=hp_c2) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/47 "2013-06-04T22:13:20Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Did you watch the video that hotflungwok linked too? I imagine that this would be the average response…though I loved the old guy that swung the rake at the guys. 😛 I bet Mormons get pretty similar responses. It would be amusing to do a double-blind study, but I can’t find any Mormons who don’t really know whether they’re actually Mormons or not. It’s a little easier to find atheists who don’t really know. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/48 "2013-06-04T22:15:18Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > I found this story on CNN: [atheists-to-start-1-800-hotline](http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/06/04/atheists-to-start-1-800-hotline/?hpt=hp_c2) > [@](#): > > Sarah Morehead, executive director of **Recovering from Religion** , told CNN that the mission is to help people, not convert them to atheism. :dubious: Emphasis added. If a group called “Recovering from Religion” is not in fact encouraging conversion to atheism, I think their organization’s name is a tad misleading. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/49 "2013-06-04T23:31:13Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > :dubious: Emphasis added. If a group called “Recovering from Religion” is not in fact encouraging conversion to atheism, I think their organization’s name is a tad misleading. It actually sounds like a number to call if you think you might be an atheist. Remember-you call it, it doesn’t call you. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/50 "2013-06-05T00:04:47Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > :dubious: Emphasis added. If a group called “Recovering from Religion” is not in fact encouraging conversion to atheism, I think their organization’s name is a tad misleading. Maybe yes or maybe no, but if they offered deism as a choice it would help people recover just as well without turning them into atheists. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/51 "2013-06-05T01:09:07Z")
I don’t think it would go well. I think that atheism is something somebody needs to realize on their own, and then confide in with a close friend. A proselytizing atheist would be viewed as a direct threat to the core of most people’s worldview. The thing about the modern proselytizers is that they have similar beliefs with most people. Jesus is integral in one way or another, except for Jews and Muslims. However, those two groups aren’t known for their proselytizing, at least in this country. I think it would do some good in the long run. I suspect that most people have a lot of doubt in their faith and are afraid to admit it. Coupled that with the fact that most other people are in the same boat so nothing changes. A proselytizing atheist would at least allow people to see that others share their doubts. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/52 "2013-06-05T01:18:53Z")
> [@panaccione](#): > > I don’t think it would go well. I think that atheism is something somebody needs to realize on their own, and then confide in with a close friend. A proselytizing atheist would be viewed as a direct threat to the core of most people’s worldview. > > The thing about the modern proselytizers is that they have similar beliefs with most people. Jesus is integral in one way or another, except for Jews and Muslims. However, those two groups aren’t known for their proselytizing, at least in this country. > > I think it would do some good in the long run. I suspect that most people have a lot of doubt in their faith and are afraid to admit it. Coupled that with the fact that most other people are in the same boat so nothing changes. A proselytizing atheist would at least allow people to see that others share their doubts. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/53 "2013-06-05T01:38:56Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > 😕 I’m not quite sure of your confusion. What I mean is that in the short term it would not go over well, but in the long run it would be for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/54 "2013-06-05T01:45:56Z")
> [@panaccione](#): > > I’m not quite sure of your confusion. What I mean is that in the short term it would not go over well, but in the long run it would be for the best. It was all that stuff in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/55 "2013-06-05T01:57:21Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > It was all that stuff in the middle. 😛 Well, what of it? ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/56 "2013-06-05T13:45:02Z")
I think one of the problems with atheists going door to door is that atheists don’t actually have a belief to spread. Because it’s just a lack of religious belief, any ideas they put forth are going to come out as just anti-religion. And because they’re not replacing that belief with anything else, like a Christian proselytizer would try to, that’s what they would be. All they could say is ‘How about you abandon your belief in a god’? They could present evidence against god, show what good atheists have done without god, or show how religion is bad, and in the end it would just come across as being anti-religion rather than pro-atheism. ---
**Author:** ![Human\_Action](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/57 "2013-06-05T14:19:13Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > I think one of the problems with atheists going door to door is that atheists don’t actually have a belief to spread. Because it’s just a lack of religious belief, any ideas they put forth are going to come out as just anti-religion. And because they’re not replacing that belief with anything else, like a Christian proselytizer would try to, that’s what they would be. All they could say is ‘How about you abandon your belief in a god’? They could present evidence against god, show what good atheists have done without god, or show how religion is bad, and in the end it would just come across as being anti-religion rather than pro-atheism. Right, going around trying to persuade people to abandon their religion would be antitheism, not atheism. ---
**Author:** ![TommyzNR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@TommyzNR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyzNR)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/58 "2013-06-05T14:37:37Z")
In my cartoon bubble I see the same reaction as there would be if buyers went door to door offeing bottom dollar for vacuum cleaners. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/59 "2013-06-05T14:42:44Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It actually sounds like a number to call if you think you might be an atheist. Remember-you call it, it doesn’t call you. In Russia, Atheism finds YOU! ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/60 "2013-06-05T14:44:19Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > :dubious: Emphasis added. If a group called “Recovering from Religion” is not in fact encouraging conversion to atheism, I think their organization’s name is a tad misleading. I know a number of people who consider themselves theists but would also describe various points in their life as times when they had to recover from damage religion had done to them. I don’t see a belief in god and religion as necessarily being synonymous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124.md?page=4)