Has Atheism The Mission To Convert Others Over To It?

[Wandered Off]

We do. It's more or less a multi-level marketing scheme where we get free toasters and swag, since we don't have afterlife rewards to offer.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

In your opinion, does atheism have a mission to convert others over to it?

Conversion? No. Perhaps to accelerate the enlightenment of those few who have the potential. Something as crude and inherently disrespectful as conversion, is for religions.

 

[Subhood]

doesn't any belief wish to convert/convince others to it?
hence the purpose of a debate/ forum/ arguement/ sermon

wat was the point of jesus if not to convert/and convince people to believe in god.

or any religion for that matter that claims there have been prophets sent by there god/gods

isn't that the reason there are so many forms of beliefs and religions
somewhere along the lines someone couldn't convince or convert others so they branch off and start there own religious sect
since obviously there is not one worldwide religion or belief being followed?

 

[Jeremiah]

In your opinion, does atheism have a mission to convert others over to it?

I posted a similar thread over in the atheist section but I understand that only atheist can reply there. I would like to hear all your opinions on the subject.

No, I could care less, beside many theist already seem set on that mission and are doing allot better job then I ever could.

 

[Shia Islam]

Here's where I got that little gem:

Famous Dead Nontheists

Thanks for the list

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Conversion from ignorance and foolishness is simply knowledge and wisdom.

 

[Panda]

I don't care what religion people follow, as long as they don't try to impose on me or my beliefs I couldn't care less what they believe in.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

In your opinion, does atheism have a mission to convert others over to it?

I posted a similar thread over in the atheist section but I understand that only atheist can reply there. I would like to hear all your opinions on the subject.

I have known many kind loving Atheists who are very nice to people of faith. Just like I know kind Christians. I do not see Atheists as a group that takes marching orders from a leader.

 

[gnomon]

In your opinion, does atheism have a mission to convert others over to it?

I posted a similar thread over in the atheist section but I understand that only atheist can reply there. I would like to hear all your opinions on the subject.

Convert to what?

 

[Alceste]

doesn't any belief wish to convert/convince others to it?
hence the purpose of a debate/ forum/ arguement/ sermon

Atheism is not a belief: it's the lack of a belief. There's no point trying to "convert" people to the absence of an irrational belief. I trust anyone who is a logical thinker with a high standard of evidence to base their beliefs upon to come to the conclusion that there are no gods independently, without any help from me.

 

[Subhood]

Atheism is not a belief: it's the lack of a belief. There's no point trying to "convert" people to the absence of an irrational belief. I trust anyone who is a logical thinker with a high standard of evidence to base their beliefs upon to come to the conclusion that there are no gods independently, without any help from me.

but then don't you believe in no gods as you stated they must "base their beliefs"


also atheism is the lack in belief of deities not simply a lack of belief

 

[Alceste]

but then don't you believe in no gods as you stated they must "base their beliefs"

I base my beliefs on a relatively high standard of evidence. Where there is no evidence, there is no belief. I have no belief in gods because there is no evidence of the existence of gods. What believers present as "evidence" of gods does not meet my standards, so the proposition is not worth my consideration. I don't sit around spending specially allocated time believing there aren't any Gods. I'm too busy refining the beliefs I do have, which relate exclusively to things that are occurring within the natural world.

BTW, "atheism" isn't an "ism" in the traditional sense. It's not a philosophy or system of thought. That this particular word happens to indicate the absence of belief in deities doesn't mean that this single non-belief is an important part of my identity. There are millions of implausible things I don't believe in.

 

[Subhood]

not sure i get what your saying so in order to believe in something you must have evidence of this belief. which discounts pretty much every religious belief since not one has evidence of there gods.

Your evidence of not believing is the lack of evidence from the believers?

Which means you BELIEVE there are no gods, that in my eyes is a belief.

 

[tumbleweed41]

not sure i get what your saying so in order to believe in something you must have evidence of this belief. which discounts pretty much every religious belief since not one has evidence of there gods.

Your evidence of not believing is the lack of evidence from the believers?

Which means you BELIEVE there are no gods, that in my eyes is a belief.

Guess what?
I believe there are no unicorns. Would you count that as a belief?
I also believe there is no Bigfoot, Yeti, or Loch Ness Monster.
Are these then three more beliefs?

 

[Amhairghine]

In your opinion, does atheism have a mission to convert others over to it?

Your first error is presuming that Atheism has a world spokesperson who speaks for all humans who lack a belief in gods. That is ridiculous. I could turn it around and ask if Christianity has a mission to convert or kill all those who have not accepted Jesus Christ. On second thought, don't answer that one, it might scare the crap out of me.

I posted a similar thread over in the atheist section but I understand that only atheist can reply there. I would like to hear all your opinions on the subject.

Aside from your rather daft attempt to elect a world spokesperson for all Atheists, the rational answer is that we are as varied in views as all other people or perhaps more varied. Undoubtedly some Atheist would like to deconvert all Christians from superstition and mythology to free thinking and rationality. But most of us including me, think that each persona has a right to believe what he/she believes no matter how silly or stupid it seems to me. If they are happy believing in Saviour Zombies born of virgins, I do not wish to make them unhappy by realising that humans have a dangerous world to face and problems to solve. If they give up their Zombie God, they will feel the reality that we must solve our own problems and are responsible for our own survival. We must face the real life threats of nature without protective angels or goblins. Many Christians might not be able to face reality and hold their mental processes together. They may be better off with religious delusions.

I do not hate people whom I believe are aflicted by Religious mind viruses (Memes). I feel sorry for most of them. If the false meme helps them to cope, I would never wish to weaken that faith. Their coping sanity may depend on that belief.

Those who post on forums like this are not those people. Those who post here are:

1. Looking for answers to religious contradictions.
2. Doubting their faith and honestly looking for evidence for or against. They are open minded. They wish to strengthen their faith or consider dropping it.
3. Some post here to proselytise their particular cult beliefs with the goal of converting us.
4. Some post here to help their faith by attacking other faiths or those of no theistic belief. They fear those who do not believe like they do. To the hardline religionist, any other person who admits non-belief or belief in a very different religion poses a challenge to the hard-liner. The Hardliner has doubts aplenty. Seeing real and intelligent people who do not believe in the Hardline faith, make s the hard liner THINK. Thinking is the greatest threat and enemy to all religions because thought and reason may ultimately expose the irrational myths and superstitions clearly to the hardliner already fighting subconscious doubts. Paradoxically the hardliner posts here, in a delusion that attacking the rational ideas will strengthen his mythical system.

5. Some Agnostic Non-theists may wish to hear the views of religionists who are a majority of the world's non-Europeans. They and I would like to see if we are missing something. We always fail to find something to end our rational scepticism. The more we read from Christians the more convinced we become that Christianity is a very harmful and mentally destructive mind virus.

6. Some Atheists come here for the wrong reason. They are convinced that there is no evidence or reason to believe in gods or religions. But they like to come here to play with the confused, the troubled, the delusional, the irrational, the unstable, and the angry hardliners. That is dangerous play and should be discouraged.

7. Some Atheists come to religious forums because of their egos. They like to show the more irrational and unstable Christians as daft or unintelligence. They intice hardliners to make outrageous statements of faith and make fun of them. That is just plain wrong and uncharitable.

I will not name them but there are one or more of each of the above posting here.

Amhairghine

 

[Subhood]

Guess what?
I believe there are no unicorns. Would you count that as a belief?
I also believe there is no Bigfoot, Yeti, or Loch Ness Monster.
Are these then three more beliefs?

yep i would since u stated u believe

 

[Subhood]

Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.--wikipedia

which means you hold your proposition of the non existence of bigfoot, yeti, loch ness, and unicorns to be true.

Yes these would be beliefs

 

[Alceste]

not sure i get what your saying so in order to believe in something you must have evidence of this belief. which discounts pretty much every religious belief since not one has evidence of there gods.

Your evidence of not believing is the lack of evidence from the believers?

Which means you BELIEVE there are no gods, that in my eyes is a belief.

It's much simpler my way, with no mental, rhetorical antics to try to twist my actual point of view into the point of view you would like me to have.

I don't believe the moon is made of cheese. There's no need to believe "the moon is not made of cheese", because my beliefs about the moon are based on evidence, which strongly suggests it is a big rock. Cheese is only one of the billions of things the moon could potentially be made of, but isn't. I have only one belief about what the moon is made of: the belief that is supported by the evidence. I don't have a billion different specific beliefs about every conceivable thing the moon isn't.

Likewise, I don't have specific beliefs dealing with each of humanity's endless pantheon of deities. I have one belief that is supported by evidence: Deities are characters in metaphorical narratives we tell each other to pass on our cultural values. I don't sit around listing off the gods I don't believe in - it would be an endless task and a waste of time.

 

[McBell]

In your opinion, does atheism have a mission to convert others over to it?

I posted a similar thread over in the atheist section but I understand that only atheist can reply there. I would like to hear all your opinions on the subject.

Atheism does not have a mission.

However, some atheists do have a mission.
However, I would be interested in knowing what it is you think ateists would be converting people to.

 

[Subhood]

It's much simpler my way, with no mental, rhetorical antics to try to twist my actual point of view into the point of view you would like me to have.

I don't believe the moon is made of cheese. There's no need to believe "the moon is not made of cheese", because my beliefs about the moon are based on evidence, which strongly suggests it is a big rock. Cheese is only one of the billions of things the moon could potentially be made of, but isn't. I have only one belief about what the moon is made of: the belief that is supported by the evidence. I don't have a billion different specific beliefs about every conceivable thing the moon isn't.

Likewise, I don't have specific beliefs dealing with each of humanity's endless pantheon of deities. I have one belief that is supported by evidence: Deities are characters in metaphorical narratives we tell each other to pass on our cultural values. I don't sit around listing off the gods I don't believe in - it would be an endless task and a waste of time.

im not trying to get you to believe what i am saying, they are my own BELIEFS.

By believing the moon is made of rock you are believing that it is not made of cheese.

Whether you sit there and list out things you do not believe is irrelevent the fact remains that you believe to not believe them.