Proselytism and Atheism (Jesus, follower, choice, experience, atheist)

[Fluffy]

I believe that the reason why there is conflict between religions is because religions tend to be proselytising. Some Christians are not just happy being Christian, they want you to be a Christian too. Of course that means trouble if you happen to be a Muslim and would quite like for them to check out the Koran.

You can see this in real life. Go along to a place of worship that is big on proselytism and then go along to a place of worship that is big on universalism. Which one did you feel more comfortable in? Which place do you feel like you could more easily begin friendships and make ties with the people who go their?

So taking that into consideration, it seems to me that the latest trend within atheism is exactly the wrong path to take. Many atheists have decided that it is not okay to just live their lives as an atheist, they want you to be an atheist too. A world without religion would be a better place, they claim. When people think of atheism, they think of that irritating person who tells them how irrational and stupid they are for believing in God.

Wiccans and Quakers don't start wars because they believe in live and let live. Why haven't we learned from the examples of the religions with whom we do not find ourselves in conflict with? Why in attempting to assert ourselves against proselytism have we turned into proselytisers?

[crystalonyx]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

I believe that the reason why there is conflict between religions is because religions tend to be proselytising. Some Christians are not just happy being Christian, they want you to be a Christian too. Of course that means trouble if you happen to be a Muslim and would quite like for them to check out the Koran.

You can see this in real life. Go along to a place of worship that is big on proselytism and then go along to a place of worship that is big on universalism. Which one did you feel more comfortable in? Which place do you feel like you could more easily begin friendships and make ties with the people who go their?

So taking that into consideration, it seems to me that the latest trend within atheism is exactly the wrong path to take. Many atheists have decided that it is not okay to just live their lives as an atheist, they want you to be an atheist too. A world without religion would be a better place, they claim. When people think of atheism, they think of that irritating person who tells them how irrational and stupid they are for believing in God.

Wiccans and Quakers don't start wars because they believe in live and let live. Why haven't we learned from the examples of the religions with whom we do not find ourselves in conflict with? Why in attempting to assert ourselves against proselytism have we turned into proselytisers?

I don't understand your point, and think it's a needless rant. Expressing one's opinions on this forum, and active proselytising in public by an atheist are 2 entirely different things. I'll be honest, I've never seen an atheist proselytizing in public in my life (including me). It's done constantly by Christians - they're the ones who need to tone it down quite a few notches.

[Bouncing Ball]

Originally Posted by crystalonyx

I don't understand your point, and think it's a needless rant. Expressing one's opinions on this forum, and active proselytising in public by an atheist are 2 entirely different things. I'll be honest, I've never seen an atheist proselytizing in public in my life (including me). It's done constantly by Christians - they're the ones who need to tone it down quite a few notches.

I actually don't think of his post as rant.

I do agree with him though, I loved it when I was surrounded by christians. But nowadays, around me that is, everybody is turning into atheist. pretty boring..

[ChristineES]

I agree that some Christians want everyone to be a Christian and I agree it is also true that there are some atheists who want everyone to be an atheist.

But is just telling someone about your religion or non-religion always proselytizing? I mean if some atheist tells me that he or she is an atheist and can't believe in God, that doesn't bother me. As long as someone doesn't say to me that I have to be an atheist, too, it doesn't matter what they say to me. I don't get offended or anything.

Can the same be said about Christians or other faiths talking about their faith (meaning after the person tells that they don't mind hearing it)?

I think all I am trying to say is that not everyone talking about their faith or non-faith is trying to get people to "convert" (for some reason, I don't like the word convert).

[ChristineES]

I was thinking about my last post on this subject and I realized that even if an atheist tried to convince me not to be a Christian that I would not be annoyed. When a person starts having a faith, it is only them who accept it-- What someone else says will not cause a person to leave a faith or accept one.

And if it did annoy me I could always tell the person I don't want to hear it and most people will stop. If they don't I have the choice to walk away.

[Dunemeister]

Originally Posted by ChristineES

What someone else says will not cause a person to leave a faith or accept one.

It did in my case, at least in part.

[Dunemeister]

I had a run-in with an evangelical atheist at university. At the time, I was a rather inexperienced follower of Jesus. That atheist taught me a great deal about how not to prostelitize. And BTW, I don't think that prostelitizing is a bad thing in itself, just as selling isn't bad in itself. It depends a lot on whether your "pitch" is a con or actually respects the person being prostelitized.

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by ChristineES

But is just telling someone about your religion or non-religion always proselytizing?

Context is everything. If some stranger came up to me and started talking about his faith or non-faith, I would consider that proselytizing. If otoh, I was talking to someone and their religious views came up (which happens quite often), that's fine. If otoh, this person starts arguing with me about my religious views and won't quit - ie, is trying to change my mind - I would call that proselytizing too.

On RF, it's a little different because this is a religious forum, and much of the threads are centered around debate. So if people are trying to convince others about some particular point, like the trinity or such, that's fine too. But when someone starts in about how their religion or lack thereof is superior to others, I consider that proselytizing.

I also consider it proselytizing if, within the context of debating about a particular subject, someone tries to introduce their point of view when it's irrelevant to the debate. For example, if the OP asks "What is the nature of God?" and someone posts "There is no god. All god beliefs are made up." I think that's an appropriate (albeit rude) response to the OP because the person was inviting different views on God. But if otoh, the OP asks "Is God's love unconditional?" and someone posts "There is no god. All god beliefs are made up." I think that's an inappropriate response because it ignores the intent of the OP.

[Apex]

Originally Posted by crystalonyx

I don't understand your point, and think it's a needless rant. Expressing one's opinions on this forum, and active proselytising in public by an atheist are 2 entirely different things. I'll be honest, I've never seen an atheist proselytizing in public in my life (including me). It's done constantly by Christians - they're the ones who need to tone it down quite a few notches.

I dont think it was a rant. I have seen the type of atheists that are mentioned in the OP here at my campus. They have a club on campus that I found out about this year. I originally wanted to check them out just to hear about other peoples views on life since they said they were open to everyone. Then I started reading some of the things they said on facebook. I found the majority of them consider religious people to be mentally handicapped. And they have proselytised on campus. They even had an event called "Fiction for Fiction" where they took religious literature and gave you fiction novels in return. To me that sent the message of *assumes little kids voice* "neener neener neener, your beliefs are stupid".