FSTDT Forums

Community => Religion and Philosophy => Topic started by: the_ignored on April 25, 2013, 07:52:00 pm

Title: An atheist challenge to xians.
Post by: the_ignored on April 25, 2013, 07:52:00 pm: You can see it here (https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=568723426506469&set=a.126561567389326.11059.122675341111282&type=1).

From The Friendly Atheist (http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/04/25/challenge-to-christians-wear-an-atheist-t-shirt-and-gauge-reactions/).
Title: Re: An atheist challenge to xians.
Post by: Radiation on April 25, 2013, 08:06:45 pm: I would love trying this and get the atheist shirt but I don't have money to get the t-shirt
Title: Re: An atheist challenge to xians.
Post by: Sleepy on April 25, 2013, 10:04:22 pm: I would love to do this just to see people's responses. I'd be afraid to wear it around this area since I'll be living here for awhile and don't want to deal with hateful reputations, but it's still a neat idea.
Title: Re: An atheist challenge to xians.
Post by: Random Gal on April 25, 2013, 10:58:44 pm: I liked this exchange:
Quote
Scott Ollerton: I'm more concerned with what my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ might think of me.

Andy Nield: He probably thinks you're a knob-end Scott
Title: Re: An atheist challenge to xians.
Post by: Sylvana on April 26, 2013, 03:47:33 am: Interesting challenge, but I would be very surprised if any christian actually did something like that.
As for choosing to wear the christian shirt, I basically do that already. I am a closet atheist who keeps quiet about it because it helps social cohesion far more when everyone just assumes you are a christian. I wouldn't say atheists are persecuted though, but slightly harassed to treated with mild contempt and disdain is more applicable.
Title: Re: An atheist challenge to xians.
Post by: Dakota Bob on April 26, 2013, 10:01:58 am: Yeah, I don't think "persecution" is the best choice of words here.
Title: Re: An atheist challenge to xians.
Post by: chitoryu12 on April 26, 2013, 10:20:29 am: The way The Atheist Advocate puts it in the comments, the "persecution" is the use of "schoolyard tactics" to abuse atheists at work (especially in political or judicial positions) or keep them from getting the position or keeping it in the first place, having religious messages in public or on money, and religious folk coming onto his page to preach to them or demand answers for why they're atheists (which he compares to an atheist walking into church and criticizing everyone for being there; not a bad analogy, seeing as how web pages are the closest thing atheists have to a place to congregate).

While calling it "persecution" is a bit heavy-handed, he does have a good point. I'd imagine that anyone who willingly walks out in public in an Atheist shirt, especially if you live in the South or anywhere notably religious, would at least face a lot of questioning and proselytizing. Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of the problems religious folk have gotten with atheists stems not only from their own beliefs, but also the tendency for asshole atheists to act superior and treat anyone with religious beliefs as sheep or terrified cavemen. It doesn't exactly paint a good picture of them.