Meet An Atheist: Atheist Revolution: Let's Get Solution-Focused

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Atheist Revolution: Let's Get Solution-Focused

An interesting idea from vjack at Atheist Revolution. I will be posting my view on this later this weekend.

1 Comments:

At 11/03/2005 12:45 AM, Doug Linder - thinkstoomuch@gmail.com said...: Having been an active atheist for many years, I've seen a lot of approaches. Some atheists are just as angry and annoying as fundamentalist religious folks. Far too many atheists go the other way - they bend over backwards to be nice, to be "tolerant", to be "accepting", and end up being spineless. They help perpetuate the foolishness of religion by giving it the one thing it needs most to sruvive: respect.

We all know it doesn't deserve any respect, and yet we continue to contribute to the accpeted status of religion by... accepting it. By not wanting to "rock the boat", or appear "intolerant", we miss countless chances to politely but firmly show that we do *not* respect religion.

I am most definitely NOT suggesting that the way for atheists to be successful is to be combative. That NEVER works. Yelling, shouting, calling people stupid (even if they are) - none of that works, and it only serves to entrench people in their positions even more firmly. On the other hand, being so "tolerant" that we bend over backwards to risk ofending soemone, has aboslutely no effect.

The trick is to have a happy medium. We can't back down and ignore things, but we don't want to be purposely annoying, either. We have to:

1) SPEAK UP when something we think is silly happens. Don't keep your mouth shut.

2) Be POLITE but FIRM. Don't try to piss people off, and be as friendly and polite as you can without backing down.

Here's an example: recently, my brither asked me to be godfather to his child. I said "I very much appreciate the gesture, but you know I'm an atehist. I couldn't in good conscience stand there in a religious ceremony and attest to things I didn't believe. You're my brother, I don't need a religious ritual to promise to help your child."

He was taken aback at first, and I think he was a little disappointed. But he accepted it, and I think he went away with a new undertsanding that I was serious, and that some people really *aren't* religious.

Another thing I do is not call priests "Father" or "reverend" or anything else. If I know they have a Ph.D., I will call them "Doctor". If not, I call them "Mr." or "Ms." People have told me that's impolite, and I say "I'm not a member of their religion. His religious title means nothing to me. He's no better a person than I am."

When I am visiting peopel for dinner and they say grace before the meal, I say nothing. I do not bow my head, I simply sit quietly and look straight ahead. It's their home, and it would be impolite to complain or start a debate at the dinner table. But neither should I be expected to engage in the ritual. If they don't notice or say nothing, I don't, either. If they notice, I say "I'm an atheist, I don't say grace."

I could go on and on withe xamples, but you get the idea: the way to "win" is by TAKING AWAY the protectin that religion has from criticism, to make it OK, socially acceptable to criticise religion *politely but firmly*. In America, religion is so powerful because respect for it is ingrained at every level fo our society. We have to challenge that automatic, sometimes subconscious respect by showing people, publicly, that we don't think religion is a big deal.

So, the next time you're at a party and someone starts going on about their religion, don't think "I'll say nothing because I don't want to make a scene." Don't attack the person and call their beliefs stupid. Just be polite and firm. Say something like "Well, there have been hundreds of gods in all cultures for thoiusands of years. I don't see any evidence that the current one is any more likely to exist. I'm an etheist."

The best way to do this is NOT to attack what other people say, but MAKE STATEMENTS about what you believe. If someone starts claiming that evolution is wrong, for example, don't call them stupid or uneducated, even though they probbaly are. Just say "Well, I think that evolution is extremely well-proven, and I find the arguments put forth by creationists to be unconvincing. I'm an atheist." When you say something like that, it not only impresses people with how reasonable and calm you are, but if the other person then starts badgering you, it makes *them* look like the uncouth one.

And always be sure to start and/or end with the statement "I'm an atehist."