A Crime To Be
An Atheist In America?
Anne
From: "anne" (Belgium)
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: WebMaster:
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2000 12:30 PM
Hello,
I'm from Belgium.
When I saw your site, my first thought was 'It must be almost a crime to be an atheist in America', you seem to be defending atheism before a court of theists, my second thought was 'he's making atheism into a religion'.
| A good test of theists,
to see if they are serious about following truth wherever it may lead,
is to suggest that they renounce theism if they cannot make their case
with you. This is risky in that it works both ways: you become willing
to convert if they do make their case with you. Some theists are masters
at the art of debating, and know more about controlling a discussion than
they do about discerning truth from falsehood. Others are highly skilled,
very shrewd salespeople. Rev. Billy Graham was once the Fuller Brush Company's
most proficient mover of product, and went on to use these skills to sell
Christianity. [from the Positive Atheism FAQ] |
This is probably an American issue. Maybe I should tell you how it is here. There are many atheists here, this is normal, there is no discussion over who believes and who doesn't and why or why not, nor how to convince one another of the opposite.
I'm an atheist, still I respect my neighbours' beliefs, whatever it is, christian, muslim, hindu. The only problem I have is with religious institutions and fundamentalists. There's no need to change my 80 year old neighbour's mind that there is no god if she's perfectly happy with it.
What I read too, is somehow they connect morals with religion, that's odd. Over the centuries, religious institutions have proved it, to name a few from the million page list, the catholics with the inquisition, the hindi with killing female babies, the muslims and catholics killing each other everywhere, the Ku Klux Klan killing everyone that is not up to their so-called standards, the Irish killing each other in Nothern Ireland.
Is there a need in America to convince each other which way is the best way to live?
Greetings
Anne
From: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
To: "anne"
Subject: Re: WebMaster:
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2000 7:53 PM
The point I was trying to make in this section is that theism, especially the American brands of Evangelical Christianity, relies on hard-sell sales pitching.
Perhaps I neglected to include the fact that Europe and America are vastly different; most of our e-mail subscribers and all of our print edition subscribers are Americans (only 18 months ago did I branch out from covering strictly the state of Oregon). I have heard that things are much different in most of Europe, and will try to see if I can work this element in to the FAQ when I become healthy enough to revise it.
For now, I am very experienced as speaking on the religious situations in America, and have studied the situation in India and have spoken with several atheists from there. India's situation seems to be along the same lines as America's with its open market of religious ideas. Nevertheless, America's "open market" more resembles a row of travelling carnival side show barkers.
Cliff Walker
"Positive Atheism" Magazine
Material by Cliff Walker (including unsigned editorial commentary) is copyright ©1995-2006 by Cliff Walker. Each submission is copyrighted by its writer, who retains control of the work except that by submitting it to Positive Atheism, permission has been granted to use the material or an edited version: (1) on the Positive Atheism web site; (2) in Positive Atheism Magazine; (3) in subsequent works controlled by Cliff Walker or Positive Atheism Magazine (including published or posted compilations). Excerpts not exceeding 500 words are allowed provided the proper copyright notice is affixed. Other use requires permission; Positive Atheism will work to protect the rights of all who submit their writings to us.