How Can Atheists Be Talked Out Of It

How do I stop my daughter from talking to atheists?

Why are you worried about your daughter speaking to atheists? Do you fear a correlation between one’s religious beliefs and morality? Are you afraid that the fundamental precepts of your own religious views lie on shaky ground?I know some fundamentalist Christians fear that a disbelief in God makes the thought of death unbearable. There is this terror that arises when the absence of religion is interpreted as no safe haven for the soul. Is this your belief?Or is your hostility toward, and mistrust of, atheists so particularly pronounced because of existential concerns? Again, this reflects a presumption that the unknown is only knowable through religion.I think that your closed-mindedness here will only strengthen your daughter’s resolve to seek answers to questions that you do not satisfactorily answer. People have a right to their opinions, and the quest for knowledge can strengthen one’s beliefs as well as redefine them.I do not think the issue is with your daughter. I think a bit self-reflection on your own state of mind would first help you to understand why you feel a need to stifle her curiosity by imposing your will on her.Young people have a natural curiosity; that is an admirable quality. Your daughter is not seeking to engage in criminal activity, so do not make her search for additional knowledge a crime.She has listened to you all her young life. It is now time for you to listen to her. Her curiosity is not a challenge to you; it should serve to spark your own sense of curiosity. Clearly, there is room in everyone’s life to question beliefs. This is not heresy; it is honesty.If the truth can set one free, then there is nothing for you to fear here. Allow your daughter to begin making her own judgment calls. Listen to her now. You may find her search has produced answers that are quite revealing.

How do I deal with not wanting to talk to an atheist?

If religion/afterlife is not the subject what is the problem with taking with an atheist?I understand not wanting to discuss/debate religious/afterlife type subjects with an atheist. As they are often very close-minded on the subject. After all an atheist is someone who believes completely and with certainty that there can be no god, no afterlife, no ghosts, and most likely any other supernatural possibility. It is like a religious extremist but the opposite. They often see themselves as much smarter and more enlightened than a religious person. though they do the same thing of making assumptions about the world around them and close their mind off to any other possibilities than what they "know" to be true.I am uncomfortable having discussions on religion, afterlife, or deeper questions about the universe with atheists just like I am uncomfortable talking to most devout religious followers about these subjects. Because you expect and most likely will get a close-minded person with strong unbending beliefs. But you really can't know they are like that without talking to them. And in a decade or sooner they may have different beliefs. And maybe so will you.Don't push people out simply for having different beliefs than yours. Avoid the religious subjects. Or challenge their beliefs if you want. But give them a chance. They are just people. And the life they have led has helped shaped their opinions. If you don't want to talk about religious subjects with an atheist, and you explain this to them, and they won't stop than perhaps you should avoid that individual. But don't avoid all atheists based on your own assumptions about them.

Why do some atheists talk so much about these gods they don't believe in?

A great many reasons here are a few. 1 theists will absolutely not stop trying to force their beliefs on everyone (never ever ever ever, not gonna happen, the sun will turn green first lol. They have the arrogant certainty that they are right so they are entitled to legislate their beliefs, they never use simple empathy to see why it is wrong. They have even used their belief to pass legislation preventing others from legislating their belief and don't see the hypocrisy!!!!) using education, politics and law. Oh and to do so they lie and thats a sin but they don't consider lying to non Christians or lying on behalf of god a sin. 2 theists constantly ask atheists insane and insulting questions.3 theists lie about atheism and science alot and we don't like lies so correct them. 4 unlike theists atheists are interested in learning about religions (it fascinates us that theists cannot see through all the crap they are forced to believe) most theists barely know their own religion forget about the rest. The Jews are an exception on average they know as much as atheists because their religion does not try to suppress questions and curiosity. 5 knowing people are forced to believe as children and are little more than unwitting slaves to their religion (they have to give them money or their 'god' will punish them) and if their god is true slaves to him mean many atheists cannot ethically allow this to continue without atleast trying to free them. 6 theists trying to convert us. And many more. Atheists are individuals not a group of organised people with an agenda or a doctrine or a dogma etc. So our reasonx vary greatly.Brought to you by the Department of DuhEditIf a big group of adults were believers of Santa and want to pass laws about it and have science teach why and how reindeers fly, if a political party was financed by them would you not talk about them?

How come so many atheists only talk about Western religions? What about Buddhism or Taoism?

Very good question.Because the religions like Buddhism and Taoism are logical.I think there is a lot of wisdom and ancient knowledge in Buddhism, Taoism and some other eastern religions. They're not based on faith. There is good philosophy in these religions, i.e. intelligent speculation about the questions of life and universe. Some of the ancient knowledge is amazing and makes a person wonder how people came up with thousands of years ago. The teachings are obviously not scientific but they're not illogical either, in fact the conception of them was probably more intelligent than what today's intelligent man can conceive; more intelligent that is, considering the time they were conceived in. These religions are more like philosophy than theology. Such religions introduced the idea of God in an attempt to explain the universe and life.Christianity, although it has its merits, is less wise. It targets common people and intends to tell them how to live a good life. It was a teaching of how to live a good life for a common person of two thousand years back who was not concerned with a deep study of the mysteries of life. Christianity is often considered as superstition now but back when it was created, it was an attempt by Jesus to remove the superstitions that were prevalent then. But people took it to be divine doctrine and continued to have faith in it for the years to come even when our knowledge became advanced enough for us to know better. But even then, Christianity has been much easier to apply for common people than Eastern religions. That is its merit. It heavily increased social cohesion.Now when a young logical person is consistently fed with Christianity, he gets frustrated and tends to lean towards atheism. Atheism in many cases begins as an attempt to rebel against the people of faith that surround you. Many atheists call themselves atheists simply because they reject - not only reject but they're aggravated by - the Biblical idea of God. One can be logical and believe in a concept of God at the same time.  So since Christianity aggravates the logical atheist, he uses it as an example of how religion is foolish. He cannot use the religions you mentioned for such an example because those religions are full intelligent speculation on matters out of the reach of the logical atheist's favorite tool, i.e. science.

As an atheist, do you go to the cemetery to "talk" with dead loved ones?

Yes. Sort of.I go to the cemetery where my granddad is buried. I find his grave. It’s not easy to spot because it’s not a typical gravestone; it’s just a marker set into the ground and it’s only a few inches tall. At this cemetery, they’re all like that.“Hi, Bop,” I say mentally to the marker stone. “I’m back.”I bend down and place a few roses on his grave. In life, he loved roses. Grandma let him have a whole section of her flower bed just for his roses. They’re still there, but after three years, they’re a little unkempt. Grandma just doesn’t know how to take care of roses as well as he did. I “transmit” these mental images to the marker stone too.“The yellow ones bloomed so nicely last spring, so I hope they bloom as beautifully this spring too,” I remark.I gaze down at the marker stone. Sometimes there are coins placed on top of the marker. They mean something, but I can’t really remember exactly. I think they’re left by people who knew him during WWII and the value of the coin depicts how well they knew each other. I see many pennies and nickles and a few dimes on other graves, but I don’t see any quarters. Quarters mean something significant, like the deceased person saved the grave-visitor’s life or gave his life to protect the visitor.Mentally, I tell him all about my life and everything that’s happened since the last time I visited. Eventually, I run out of things to talk about. Then I stand there, looking down at the marker, at the earth under the marker, and know that my granddad is buried there. Beneath my feet, there’s a casket. The last time I saw it, it was gleaming, polished dark wood draped with so many flowers.But I don’t want to think about the funeral. The days of the wake and the funeral were some of the worst days of my life.“I’ll come back soon, Bop,” I promise.I go back to my car, get in, and sit for a long time, trying to come up with something else to tell him so I don’t have to leave quite yet. Eventually, after coming up with nothing more, I jam my key into the ignition and leave.To someone watching, it would look like I walked up, placed a few flowers at a grave, and stood there for a few dozen minutes silently. I know he can’t hear me, but it feels good to have a one-sided dialogue. I think that’s why people pray, because it feels good to verbalize your thoughts and make sense of them, even if you don’t say anything out loud.

How can I approach my atheist co-worker and talk to him about God?

Ooooh—we atheists love it when a coworker takes an active interest in our eternal destiny. I know exactly what you need to do in this situation:Start simple, with your own appearance. Be unobtrusive but obvious about your faith. Wear plenty of crucifix-inspired jewelry (open-collar shirts are a great way to show off that Jesus bling). If you've got a fairly casual office dress code, try digging up some of those early nineties God's Gym ® tees—the ones depicting Christ doing push-ups with the cross on his back were rad!Make sure your manners and attitude convey that you are completely at peace—downsizing rumors? No sweat. The big guy's got it covered! Try to keep your face composed in a radiant, beatific mask. In the hectic environment of the office grind, they'll notice for sure.Look for simple opportunities to show God at work in your life. At an Applebee's® lunch, for instance, ask if your atheist pal would like to bless the meal. If they decline, be a good example by saying Grace aloud—something brief but punchy like, “Dear Lord, we thank thee for thy bountiful Riblets™ which we are about to receive, and for the two-for-one entree coupon you bestowed on Susan in your infinite kindness. Amen.”Try leaving tokens of God's benevolence around the office for them to find. Fresh-baked scones on their desk when they arrive accompanied by a short note, “You're on my mind—Jehovah”, is a great ice breaker. If you know they take a coffee-induced bathroom break at ten-thirty every morning, sneak in ten minutes earlier to leave some Chick Tracts® in the stalls. A few minutes on the john are all God may need to change the heart of an unbeliever. Give them a nudge.Put a positive Christian spin on nasty office gossip: “Sandy used to f**k anybody to get ahead, but since Christ came into her heart, she's a much more obedient wife.” -or- “Jesse seems so much more productive since I brought him to church and God cured him of gay!”Like Miley Cyrus said, “Be the change you want to see in their world!” Some people might bristle at the idea of bringing religion into the workplace, but they forget that Jesus was the original HR Director. If He didn't want you to spread His message at every Quarterly Review Meeting, He wouldn't have written you a beautiful instruction manual called the Bible telling you to do exactly that! After all, who were the Pharisees if not clueless middle-managers?

The girl I'm talking to cut things off because I'm an atheist. I like her too much to just let this be. What should I say?

Is she cutting things off because you are an atheist or because you make fun of her beliefs and want to convert her into atheism?It’s hard for atheists to converse with believers without cracking a few jokes.If you really want to be with her, you may need to explore if there is a possibility of spirituality within your atheism? Maybe you don’t believe in God but you believe that there is a force in the universe that underlie everything else.For example, one may not believe in God but believe in mathematics—which is almost like God—it’s eternal, immaterial, all powerful, and underlies everything in the universe. So maybe you can find common ground—she may label that as God and you as Mathematics—one has a beard, the other has a tics.Anyway, if you want a deeper relationship with her and she is not a fanatic about her brand of religion, then you need to find a way to connect on this important matter.