# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/81 "2013-06-05T22:19:40Z")
> [@pricciar](#): > > How would people react if atheists went to funerals trying to convince people that gods didn’t exist? Would communities be as accepting of them as they are of Westboro Baptist, or would there be a backlash? “There is no god, but if there were, he’d certainly hate fags” would make for some unwieldy signs. ---
**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 5, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/82 "2013-06-05T22:26:21Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Please stop making him bust out his eyerollies just because you posted something that makes his OP look even more foolish. > > Reading along in this thread I’m starting to hear him with a different voice: > > [Look, I already told you! I take the backlash for being an atheist bravely by putting these threads out there on a messageboard that already skews atheist! I have people skills! I am good with these silly scenarios that don’t hold up in real life because people actually hate anyone who goes door to door! Don’t you understand that? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAY27NU1Jog) It’s _sooo_ much easier to compose a response to the voices in your own head instead of the words I actually post, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/83 "2013-06-05T22:28:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How would people react if atheists went door to door trying to convince people that gods didn’t exist? Would communities be as accepting of them as their are of people going door to door for their religion, or would there be a backlash? You have not offered one essential piece of information: Are they sexually attractive? Obviously, this is key. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/84 "2013-06-05T22:52:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It’s _sooo_ much easier to compose a response to the voices in your own head instead of the words I actually post, isn’t it? No, it’s _sooo_o much more fun to read your eyerolling, tsktsking, answering-questions-with-questions pretzel twisting logic trying to make it seem like it’s everyone else who doesn’t get it and you and those who agree with you are the only ones who make sense in your silly thread based solely on how things exist in your imagination. Your imagination where door-to-door evangelists are treated wonderfully and welcomed and gosh things sure would be different for an atheist doing the same. The more I read the more I think **Kimmy** had it right earlier with the persecution fantasies. When you get a drawing of what your SUPER ATHEIST MAN superhero costume looks like, be sure to post it up so we can all ooh and ahh about it. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/85 "2013-06-05T22:59:50Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It’s _sooo_ much easier to compose a response to the voices in your own head instead of the words I actually post, isn’t it? \< Eliza \> Why are you concerned about the voices in your own head instead of the words you actually post? \< /Eliza \> ---
**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 5, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/86 "2013-06-05T23:06:48Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > No, it’s _sooo_o much more fun to read your eyerolling, tsktsking, answering-questions-with-questions pretzel twisting logic trying to make it seem like it’s everyone else who doesn’t get it and you and those who agree with you are the only ones who make sense in your silly thread based solely on how things exist in your imagination. Your imagination where door-to-door evangelists are treated wonderfully and welcomed and gosh things sure would be different for an atheist doing the same. > > The more I read the more I think **Kimmy** had it right earlier with the persecution fantasies. When you get a drawing of what your SUPER ATHEIST MAN superhero costume looks like, be sure to post it up so we can all ooh and ahh about it. Whatever. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/87 "2013-06-05T23:09:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Whatever. I agree. That’s pretty much exactly what people would say after they shut the door on the Fuller Brush Atheists. ---
**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 5, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/88 "2013-06-05T23:20:14Z")
> [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](#): > > So did I. If you have a cite to any reaction more severe than expressions of disapproval on internet message boards, I’d be gratified if you’d share it. [Denied access to place billboard already bought and paid for.](http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/03/07/american-atheists-hebrew-billboard-must-relocate-due-to-landlords-opposition/) [Another bilboard company refuses to take on atheists clients…and puts up religious ads to counteract them instead.](http://www.krmg.com/news/news/atheist_billboard_gets_opposit/nwJS/) [Atheist billboards taken down after violet threats are made to billboard company.](http://citybibleforum.org/city/melbourne/blog/saddened-atheist-billboards-came-down) [Billboard torn down after one day.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/atheist-slavery-billboard-pennsylvania-raises-tempers_n_1342268.html) [Billboards come down because of threats.](http://tucsoncitizen.com/freethought-arizona/2012/08/25/atheist-billboards-come-down-in-charlotte-nc/) edited to add: You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/89 "2013-06-05T23:44:33Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > [Billboard torn down after one day.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/atheist-slavery-billboard-pennsylvania-raises-tempers_n_1342268.html) > > edited to add: You’re welcome. I don’t think it was the _atheist_ part that people found offensive there. :rolleyes: ---
**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 5, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/90 "2013-06-05T23:49:33Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I don’t think it was the _atheist_ part that people found offensive there. :rolleyes: Maybe quoting the Bible was just too offensive? What about the other links? ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/91 "2013-06-06T00:05:36Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > [Denied access to place billboard already bought and paid for.](http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2012/03/07/american-atheists-hebrew-billboard-must-relocate-due-to-landlords-opposition/) > [Another bilboard company refuses to take on atheists clients…and puts up religious ads to counteract them instead.](http://www.krmg.com/news/news/atheist_billboard_gets_opposit/nwJS/) > [Atheist billboards taken down after violet threats are made to billboard company.](http://citybibleforum.org/city/melbourne/blog/saddened-atheist-billboards-came-down) > [Billboard torn down after one day.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/atheist-slavery-billboard-pennsylvania-raises-tempers_n_1342268.html) > [Billboards come down because of threats.](http://tucsoncitizen.com/freethought-arizona/2012/08/25/atheist-billboards-come-down-in-charlotte-nc/) > > edited to add: You’re welcome. Taking these in turn… **1. Landlord welching.** Of the several you list, this is probably the closest that comes to anything resembling a real offense (and not simply “failing to agree with my side,” which though you may (lol! what do I mean “may”!) percieve this to be an offense, it actually is not). And really, here the offense is a pretty run-of-the-mill breach. You sign a contract to let Clear Channel run ads on your building, then you’re deferring the billboard’s content to the Standards and Practices Department of Clear Channel. That said, I am curious as to whether you understood that is what took place here (as your phrasing seems to suggest you understood this to be a two-party dispute, between landlord and AA, rather than the three-party dispute between Clear Channel, the landlord, and AA). AA and the landlord never agreed to anything directly, so it wasn’t really welching on a deal they had. **2. Refusal to post the ads; put up opposing ones.** Welcome to Free Speech and Free Enterprise! Let’s nip this objection in the bud: “They refuse to do business with atheists!” In fact, they didn’t, as, after all, they met with AA (suggesting that they were, in fact, contemplating doing business with them). It is of course illegal to discriminate on the basis of the religious/atheist identity of potential clients. But I don’t see a showing that happened here (again, they met with a group called American Atheists to discuss an ad buy). Advertising platform providers are allowed to develop their own Standards and Practices to promote/protect their reputation. **3 and 5. Charlotte billboards.** We’ve discussed this before. I refer you to [this thread, post 179 _et seq._](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=662989) Isn’t it remarkable that Amanda Knief hasn’t filed any police reports or the like associated with these fearsome threats? **4. One-day billboard.** Classic **Czarcasm** mischaracterization. The billboard in question had line art of an African slave in neck chains and in mega-sized point type, “Slaves, obey your masters!” in one of Harrisburg’s most racially diverse neighborhoods. The demand to take it down came not from any Christian organization, but NAACP. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/92 "2013-06-06T00:08:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Maybe quoting the Bible was just too offensive? Do you think it was taken down because quoting the bible was too offensive? ---
**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 6, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/93 "2013-06-06T00:17:11Z")
> [@pricciar](#): > > Do you think it was taken down because quoting the bible was too offensive? I think it was private property that was vandalized. The people behind it said that in the interest of keeping the peace they wouldn’t press charges or replace it. The President of the local NAACP, on the other hand, said > [@Stanley Lawson](#): > > Stanley Lawson, president of the Greater Harrisburg Branch of the NAACP, said his group didn’t advocate taking the sign down, “but, boy, was I pleased it was done.” That’s a funny way not to advocate vandalism-making a public statement that you were glad it was done. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/94 "2013-06-06T00:19:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I think it was private property that was vandalized. The people behind it said that in the interest of keeping the peace they wouldn’t press charges or replace it. The President of the local NAACP, on the other hand, saidThat’s a funny way not to advocate vandalism-making a public statement that you were glad it was done. Do you think this happened because people were offended by the bible quote? ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/95 "2013-06-06T01:16:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You don’t think opposition would escalate? Let’s not forget that the religionists have(for the most part) established places and scheduled times where they meet and discuss issues. I do, and I would consider that a good thing. The more awareness of these issues the better. I believe that most people lack a deep conviction, but simply go along with the crowd. If they saw that other people had the courage to stand up to these beliefs, then they might do the same. Either that or see how incredibly delusional faith is. Then it’s just a no-brainer. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/96 "2013-06-06T02:46:37Z")
In my neighborhood (small town at the buckle of the bible belt), it would likely be akin to canvassing for the Democratic party in this red state. If one were to canvas for the Green Party or the Libertarians, the response would probably be much like LDS or JW evangelists get: folks would think they were not “right” but mostly would be polite because neither had any kind of collective power to bring change to their lives. The Democrats, though, that’s a whole 'nother ballgame. Not only are they not “right” but there are enough of them with enough power to do things like change society. Oh, the horror! Atheists, if it were exercised, would (and in some places do) wield similar power. And fear can bring out the worst in people. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/97 "2013-06-06T02:55:54Z")
> [@missred](#): > > In my neighborhood (small town at the buckle of the bible belt), it would likely be akin to canvassing for the Democratic party in this red state. By “the Democratic Party,” you do mean the political party that [has represented your small town in northern Middle Tennessee in the House of Representatives for about the last 140 years](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee's_5th_congressional_district), no? Yes, I can imagine canvassing for such folks would truly be an intolerable thumb in the eye of the Establishment! The blood curdles at the thought of what ghoulish horrors might be visited upon such canvassers! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/98 "2013-06-06T03:31:07Z")
> [@pricciar](#): > > Do you think it was taken down because quoting the bible was too offensive? No, it was taken down because the Atheists were airing the Christians’ dirty laundry. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/99 "2013-06-06T09:48:09Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > How would people react if atheists went door to door trying to convince people that gods didn’t exist? Would communities be as accepting of them as their are of people going door to door for their religion, or would there be a backlash? If the atheists were proselytizing evangical Christians, the Christians would break them within three doors. \ Christian: _“Lord, thank you for bringing this confused individual to my door today. What an amazing miracle that someone unsaved would actually come to my door! Thank you for the opportunity to share your plan of salvation…”_ \<30 minutes later\> Christian: _“May your abundant blessings be poured into his life, oh Lord, that he may find the meaning and everlasting joy he has never felt…”_ \<30 minutes later\> Atheist: _“Um…may I interrupt? My mom has cancer and I need to get back home. I think she might be dying right now…also, I think I left the stove on…”_ ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2013, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124/100 "2013-06-06T10:01:58Z")
Personally I consider an atheist who actively tries to convert strangers to atheism to be exactly the same as someone trying to convert a stranger to their religion, whatever it may be. For people like that, Atheism is just another form of religion and I’m not interested. Door knockers don’t get a polite response from me at all. The one exception being people supporting a couple of the charities I will actually give money to and even then it’s a quick donation and fuck off. I have a sign on my front wall next to the door. It says: > [@](#): > > No Doorknockers, No “Personal Callers”. > I’m happy with my Phone, Gas and Electricity companies, I already give to charity and I don’t want to talk about Jesus. > > If you’re here to deliver food, alcohol or women then please knock. Otherwise Go Away. > Thank you for your cooperation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheists-at-the-door/660124.md?page=6)