I would actually like an answer: Has anyone ever had an atheist proselyte come to their door and attempt to sway them to un-belief?
In addition to home visits, I’ve had one of those dudes in the black pants and white shirt with the nametag sit by me on a subway car in order to try to make me believe. I can’t say I’ve ever seen an atheist do anything similar.
Do you have a cite showing the numbers of people who were actually atheists in those countries at those times, or are you confusing people who were forced to stop openly going to church and worshipping with people who are actually non-believers?
Well, except for the fact that they’re not. A significant number of Chinese are Buddhists or Taoists. In fact, I know a Buddhist lay priest who lives in China right now. The only time that Communists give religions a hard time is when they break up an organized hierarchy or people go out of their way to antagonize Communism or their leaders.
I really don’t understand this meme as much as I don’t understand the meme of atheism being a belief. The only belief required in being an atheist is believing your own senses. I really think that believers simply can’t fathom a lack of belief so they think atheists are somehow lying.
Yes, in fact, I did. But they did so for different reasons: The Nazis realised soon enough that all the true believers would soon be darwined away if they continued to let them run around with their right thumb in the nose and shoot up the arm attached to this thumb whenever they saw a picture of Hitler. Or heard his name. Or drove by some statue in a bus (no kidding). And since they had reason to believe that many of their supporters only had a vague idea about the difference between right and left, they consequently outlawed any finger reaching for any nose whatsoever.
Göring, of course, was allowed some leeway.
I think the Russian communists, otoh, had the growing suspicion that this old habit was subversive in some way.
Come to think of it, both parties showed rudimentary realism in this question.
Novelty Bobble, doesn’t frequent awareness add a sharper identity to unbelief?
Dude, you are just missing it. All those people who sit next to you on the subway and say nothing are atheist prosletyzers. What could speak more loudly than that.
Are all mimes atheists?
sort of yes, but sort of no. In other words, there is more work involved even if the nature of unbelief is no different. I’m realising this line of enquiry is going to quickly go no-where. Can we pretend I never said anything in the first place?
Incidentally, I had an atheist proselytiser not come to door the others day. He didn’t witter on for ages and if he doesn’t turn up again I’m not going to give him the broom handle.
that’ll probably not teach him.
Well, no. But if we really wanted to spread the word, we’d make a porn movie where a traveling atheist missionary comes to a door and rings the bell. It is answered by a hot and doubting believer in a sheer nightgown. And boom-chicka-wow.
You know, I didn’t intend to start a walk down sophistry lane but I guess, I might have suggested exactly that. Yeah, lets turn around before we even go there.
Ha. I think we should give RitterSport et al. some credit for saving this thread from an overdose of sincerity.
Exactly, when faced with a particularly tricky argument didn’t even Spinoza say “let’s get the f*%k out of Dodge”. I’m pretty sure it was Spinoza.
Last night upon the stair
I saw an atheist who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
I wish, I wish he’d go away.
As the young whippersnappers say, Woot!
Except not eating something or not doing something isn’t in line with an atheist promoting his ‘belief’ about the non-existance of something.
If there is no promotion of this thing they call atheism, then I wouldn’t characterize it as a belief. If there is promotion of this ideal, then I’d call it a belief.
Okay, but whether or not you promote something doesn’t make it a belief. I’ve never promoted Gain laundry detergent*, but I believe it’s the best one.
*until now.
How does that even work? Is it a belief for the rest of my life if I have ever promoted it, or is it just a belief for the duration and then goes back to being a non-belief afterwards? If someone else promotes it, does that make me a believer?
Wait, does that make you a Gainist or an aTideist?
First Evangelical Baptist Church of Gain, Missouri Synod (Reformed).
The you have the belief that Gain is a good product.
Yes.
Clearly that makes him a Gainist.
Hmm. What about the converse? Say I truly believe there is a god, but choose never to utter a word in promotion of said belief. Does that make me a non-believer?
Don’t you try your dirty atheist mind tricks on me!
Getting all logicy and stuff…