BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Atheist Evangelical Atheists?

YEP I'm atheist all the way.

I don't know, in some ways it is critical. When you have radical fundamentalist not just in other countries but in America too who would seek to take away others rights it seems like it would be safer to push atheism on people than not. lol I mean I would never do that, but from where I sit the only people NOT pushing their beliefs on others are people like me.

Typically, Atheists aren't out to convert anyone. We just want the same rights, respects, and privileges that are afforded theists. This is what you will find us speaking out about. That is what is important. We don't care what others believe as long as it isn't imposed upon us.

... atheists do evangelize. at least most of the ones i talk to. i find that for one to have become an atheist it is in opposition to theism, and therefore they must reinforce how theism is wrong by pushing their own beliefs. it's different from the door to door christians you hear talk of, but of the same ilk. i mean look up at cream pie's post... that has nothing to do with anything in this conversation other than to push against what is perceived as a theist oppressor. if atheist's really didn't care they'd have no beliefs at all. that they believe something in the first place, that they have evangelical speakers to list off... they're the same as those they belittle for 'belief' in that they push their theories of morality onto others.

Maybe it is more accurate to say that atheists evangelize in retaliation or defense of having other beliefs pushed on them.

It's interesting that you should bring this up in this way. Personally, I feel that the definition of "Atheist" is as follows: A person who holds no belief in a deity.

Not believing in something does not mean I believe in something else. For example, I don't believe in Santa Clause. Would you say I have an opposing belief? I wouldn't. I would just say "I don't believe in Santa Claus." Not believing, in my estimation, requires no action on my part. Believing, on the other hand, does.

Generalizing is always tricky, though. Isn't it? Not all theists evangelize any more than all atheists do. So, of course, I only speak for myself and the majority of those I have spoken with on the topic.


Atheist don't hold a belief. That is what makes them Atheist. Finally, not holding a belief is not synonymous with not caring.

hoaxie- if atheists didn't hold a belief there wouldn't be a group titled 'atheist' and they wouldn't be upholding a perspective. so they obviously have a belief to believe in, otherwise that categorization of 'belief' wouldn't exist. if they have a belief they will back it in opposition to another belief, and the outgoing ones will start the conversations, so will evangelize. meaning that they do care. but many atheists i listen to say that they don't care about the whole god issue because the don't believe in god. w/e. i never said they didn't care, semantics are everything.

While there are atheists who belong to groups it is wrong to describe atheism as a belief and the logic that they are upholding a perspective seems a little bit "straw man". Atheists obviously do have a perspective; everybody has a perspective on pretty much any topic but this does not mean you are upholding a belief. Well I believe that there is no deity, this is not really a belief system, rather it is the lack of a belief system. I will agree to describe my atheism as a belief system going forward so long as all theists would describe their lack of beleif in Poseidon or Ra or Seuss as a belief system. I think most logical people would say this is not the case and they simply lack these beliefs.

I do not dispute the fact that there are evangelical atheists as I know there are. In my experience they would not be evangelical were religion to keep to itself. But by its very doctrine religion must gain followers and by its "Darwinian" need to continue it must evangelize. As an atheist I would be content to live and let live if religious people (not all of them) would stop knocking at my door, flying planes into buildings or committing ethnic cleansing against Muslims in Bosnia.

Good points, skeptic.

One thing I think most people miss is that not all Atheists are atheist because of a firmly rooted belief in Evolution or the like. Their lack of belief has nothing to do with science. To tell the truth, the majority of the Atheists I know don't even have a clue. They do not believe in a deity simply because they do not believe. It is not because they have an opposing view point or belief.

Are there those who "spread the word?" Sure. Is it because they are trying to convert others? Perhaps. But, having read most of the popular atheist themed books out there and having watched many videos from conferences, it seems to me the common theme of these "evangelists" has more to do with combating the foothold that religion has on everyday life than it has to do with trying to bring people over. In my mind, there is a huge difference.

I think my previous post got lost in the turn of page...

My comment was that I wonder how many atheists are "evengelical" in defense of their own beliefs or in retaliation of having other beliefs pushed upon them so much.

Creampie's comment was that her BIL contantly quoted Bible passages at her. If that happens - then it gets hard to just "say nothing" all the time. Of course you are going to want to give your own opinion back, therefore becoming "evengelical".