Aggressive Atheism
In the past couple of years I’ve noticed a growing popularity in this brand of “aggressive” atheism. This first came to my attention in the holiday season of 2008 when I saw an article about atheist billboards being put up for the holidays in Colorado. In that case, a group of pioneer atheists decided they needed to put it in everyone’s face over the holiday season how stupid it is to believe in God. I shook my head at their foolishness thinking how amazing it is that these “brilliant,” “enlightened” atheists could be so stupid to think that their tactics will actually influence people towards their side of the belief spectrum.
To my disappointment, “aggressive” atheism seems to be getting worse. Much worse. I just saw a news story about a group called ‘Atheist Agenda’ giving away porn in exchange for Bibles in a campaign they’re calling “Smut for Smut”.
Take a moment to consider how unbelievably stupid that is.
Dear “aggressive atheists” of the world, here’s what’s wrong with your approach: it is accomplishing the stone-cold opposite of what you want it to. So you don’t believe in God. Good for you! What a savvy intellectual you are for discarding the idea of a God on the basis that 2,000 year old unverifiable religious text is insufficient ground on which to base a belief. Honestly, what brilliant little thinkers you all are! I’d like to take a moment to applaud your brilliance!
*Applause!!*
Alright, now that that’s over, let’s sit down and have a little talk. It seems apparent to me that you think religious beliefs are detrimental to the happiness and peace of humanity. Perhaps you have a point. In fact, let’s say that you’re 100% correct. Let’s assume that religious beliefs do indeed facilitate war, conflict, poverty, and the self-loathing tendencies of man. I might suggest that it’s the egg that came before the chicken, that religion is a coping mechanism that comes after the war, fear and self-loathing thoughts, but let’s not get stuck on that point. Let’s say that you’re 100% correct. Let’s say that religion is bad for humanity. I can understand how it could be easy for you to think that. We did just have a President invade a country that probably shouldn’t have been invaded on the grounds that “God told him to do it”. So you’re mad at God. Fine, I get that.
Here’s where you’re screwing up: if you want people to consider the possibility that their religious beliefs are not unlike that of a child believing in Santa, you can’t scare them off by running campaigns to distribute porn in exchange for Bibles! Do you realize how horrifying that is to people? Take ten steps backwards and look at what you’re doing: you’re saying “hi, I’m an atheist, and I believe your precious holy book is on the same level as pornography.”
How does that not make a record screech to a halt in your mind? In the minds of the people you most desire to influence (believers), you are anchoring your doctrine (atheism) as a belief system that leads to people doing things like distributing pornography in exchange for Bibles. Do you really think that’s influencing anyone to your side? I can assure you it absolutely isn’t. But here’s what it is doing. It’s giving Ma and Pa Believer a fantastic excuse to climb even further down the rabbit hole of their beliefs. Just when they thought it might be safe to peek their head above the surface, what did they see? They saw an angry group of atheists passing out porn to anyone who gives up their Bible.
You people are setting back your own kind.
I understand that you’re angry at God. And I know why you do things like put up billboards on Christmas and exchange porn for Bibles: you do it because you’re angry and you need a way to release that anger. But the problem with your tactics is that they are selfish. You are catering only to your own needs and it’s bringing down humanity as a whole in the process. What you’re doing is in no way unlike what the religious do when they put up billboards that promote their beliefs or go around handing out Bibles. And if it angers you so much when they do those things, why are you practicing the same activities yourselves?
So ask yourself, aggressive atheist, what is it that you really want? Do you want to wallow in self-pity for the “lies” you perceive to have been told about God your whole life or do you want to rise above the petty God vs. No God argument, an argument that, no matter which side you’re on, is bringing down humanity and keeping us from living together peacefully?
If you want to wallow in self-pity, keep passing out porn and putting up billboards. Just don’t be surprised when church attendance increases in the process.
For the rest of you who might be able to conceive where I’m coming from and realize how utterly selfish and counterproductive you’re being and wish to change that, here’s what you do: relax. Forgive. Try a little compassion for a change. Realize that people believe in religion because they’re scared and it brings them comfort. If you really want to be a force for good for humanity, accept this with an open and understanding mind. It is only when you do this that healing the world becomes possible.
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Top site you have here. Really enjoy reading it. Would you be able to email me when you get the chance?
There is something I would like to run by you.
Thanks
Thomas
Though I agree with the need for a little bilateral compassion between atheism and theism, I feel the need to point out a couple of flaws in your logic.
1) You claim that atheists are “mad at g-d”. This argument only holds water if you come from a perspective in which a g-d, or higher being is assumed. I start with the premise that there is no g-d, and I welcome any evidence that there may be… but until such time that that evidence is found, I continue to assume that something that I cannot see, hear, feel or experimentally infer does not exist.
2) I only give as much leeway to religion as they give to me… if yor policy is (as you claim) “live and let live”, then please stop shoving it down my throat, using my tax dollars to fund it, and complaining when I only begin to express my ideals in the public forum.
3) you are NOT a persecuted minority in this country, you and your ilk are the MAJORITY, and the consistent complaining that you are being persecuted is a fallacy, please stop acting like it.
So, in sum, I am cool with the practice of tolerance and mutual respect, but I, as an atheist, will not bend over and take it… practice what you preach bro…
Thanks for your comment muchadoaboutstupid.
Re #1: I’m not suggesting atheists are mad at “God” as much as they’re mad at the idea of God or others beliefs in a God. I thought that was pretty clear.
Re #2: If you care so much about getting the religious to stop “shoving it down your throat”, as I stated in my post, I think the way to go about making this happen is radically different than tactics like exchanging porn for Bibles.
Re #3: For the most part I see where you’re coming from and would say you make sense.
I think there’s a huge world in between “bending over and taking it” and handing out porn for Bibles.
Thanks for your response… I actually thought it (the smut for smut campaign) was a clever way to depict an old problem!
These students are from a school in Texas, arguably one of the most fundamentally religious (and intolerant) states in the union. This is a group of students trying to make a point: that the “bible” that they have to deal with on a daily basis is, to them, as offensive as pornography is to others… so why not offer a trade?
It’s the first amendment at it’s finest, freedom of speech for all!
i like this post and couldn’t agree more. Porn for Bibles is like setting a fake $100 bill on the counter of a local bar hoping that someone will open it to find the story of how we’re all going to hell unless we accept Jesus as savior – neither approach solves the perceived issue at hand.