A prankster in Salt Lake City changed a flashing construction sign from “EXPECT DELAYS” to “IT’S OFFICIAL - GOD DOES NOT EXIST”. Witnesses and reporters exaggerated the prank by calling it a “malicious attack on someone’s theology”. There was no “message against religion”. If a prankster had instead declared that “LDS IS THE ONE TRUE CHURCH” or even simply “JESUS SAVES”, would observers have seen it as a “malicious attack” or a minor nuisance? At least it’s electronic text and not spraypaint like the “Jesus Saves” graffiti I see so often in Houston.
That said, I doubt that there would be much of a reaction.
We already have a whole slew of atheism-promoting billboards and a small number of radio ads.
I have seen almost no reaction to the billboards, and that tiny action tends to be along the line of a single pastor (typically, but not exclusively, of a storefront church), clucking his tongue that the country is going to hell. I have not heard any reactions to the radio commercials.
If a bunch of atheists got together and decided to go door to door, I would guess that there would be a few towns, mostly, but not exclusively, in the Bible Belt who would try to limit such “solicitation” by atheists.
Other than that, each individual encounter at someone’s front door would depend on the presentation and the personality of the recipient. meh
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 don’t know what communities you guys live in, but I am certain that it would be taken far worse here than where you guys live. I’m from a poor county outside Saint Louis, MO.
While atheism is common and accepted on the internet, people are still shocked, offended, and somewhat scared if you mention you are an atheist in my neighborhood. My parents wanted me to pretend to be a Buddhist instead of an atheist because they are regarded with less scorn in the community.
(Okay, I know that many Buddhists are also atheists, but people around here generally don’t know that.)
A lot of people literally have never heard of atheism or don’t believe it to be a possibility. I told one of my friends in high school that I was an atheist and she didn’t understand it. “Are you a Satanist? A Muslim? How can you just not be anything?”, she asked, genuinely confused.
Granted, that was a few years ago, but people are very ignorant about atheists where I come from.
So yes, I do believe that going up to someone’s door and proclaiming the “good news” of atheism would cause much shock and offense, although I’m not sure how many people would actually be violent.
[edit] I doubt people would try to limit their freedom of speech, though. Generally political activism is not a popular hobby where I come from.
I Googled “opposition to atheist billboards” and got quite a bit more than the occasional tiny action from single pastors, and as far as atheist commercials are concerned I haven’t heard any yet and Google doesn’t seem to be of help here-do you have any links so I can see how the public reacted to them?
Whether it is a telemarketer or a door-to-door evangelist, I react the same.
When I feel it is time for a new product, that is when I am in the mood to chat about it. Cold calling doesn’t work on/for me.
As far as evangelical atheists, they would need to show up at just the right time for me to express something other than indifference. I don’t think I’m unique in this regard, either.
Real followers of Jesus Christ don’t go door to door anyway too many demons in certain neighborhoods, but the good news is that i heard that if you put up an American flag in front of your door or property the Jehovah Witnesses will leave you alone.
Honest injun … this ain’t no lie.
by the way what would an atheist try to convince you of … “that there is no God”?
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.
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?
I’ve heard the argument, or counter, if you will, of “Look, Atheists just don’t believe in one more God than you do.” You’ll get farther when you answer the “You mean you don’t believe in God??” gambit with “Which God are you referring to? Zeus? Odin? Baal?”
