, it can be difficult to deal with the proportion of theists who may be intolerant and most often ignorant of the intricacies of your position. Often, wild assumptions and keenly over-complicated accusations of being "closed minded" are rife. This article will look into how you can deal with the irritation and frustration this can bring - and help you reach a level of mutual understanding with the people in question.
Steps
- Stop. Ignorance is a lack of knowledge.
Being ignorant does not mean intentions are malevolent. See an encounter with an ignorant person as an opportunity to educate and open a meaningful dialogue; bringing with it mutual respect and understanding.
- Ensure you know your stuff. Though most of the 40,000 religions
throughout recorded human history are built on the same premises merely dressed differently; it's important to know exactly what the people you are dealing with actually believe. Read about all the major religions, and investigate whatever "reasons" the followers of these particular religions use to justify their beliefs. This will not only enhance your performance in a debate
, but squelch any ignorance and misconceptions you yourself hold.
- Explain why you do not believe in a deity. Atheism is not a dogmatic institution. You clearly have your reasons as I do for being atheist. Nor is atheism a belief, it is merely a lack of belief. Ask a theist why they do not believe in "Helios" or "Omniscient Shoe Soles on Saturn", or why they are a follower of one religion over another. Describe why a "possibility" does not equal a reality. Explain that the reason they don't believe in pixies, unicorns, Helios and a god of another religion is the same reason you don't believe in their "god".
- Explain how you don't need the "virtue" of faith to justify your position. A lot of theists pride themselves on their ability to have "faith"; euphemism for "believing in something you have no reason to". Explain how the universe can be explained without "God" and why God is not a necessary entity. Explain how reason is the way a human brain works naturally, and stepping out of this constraint and residing independent of what you can observe is absurd.
- Ask yourself what is the meaning of all of this? Most of the religions in circulation today have archaic roots. It only takes a look up at the night's sky to realise the scale of the universe. Our planet is not even a mote of dust in all this, and we have some people arrogant enough to propose they know the meaning (should there even be any) of it all despite the fact that all human understanding is taken from this mote of dust. Explain that you humbly humbly accept our relative ignorance as a species (on a scale of the entire universe), and choose to contribute to the objective search for a real answer through scientific enquiry, reason, logic and humanistic ideals.
- Rise above rhetoric. It's possible that the person will resort to flinging claims out that appraise their cycle of faith. Accusations such as you being "the devil" or corrupting may pop up. If it gets too heavy, bring the conversation down a notch and calmly detail the fallacies with their accusation. Do not get angry or resort to insults.
- Remember the goal. Your goal should not be to de-convert the theist. Your intention should only be to educate them with regard to why you are atheist. In some societies, atheism is an enigma - largely unheard of and unjustly vilified in isolation from the larger world. It's hard to deal with a person who's only seen one way of life. Take it easy.
- Accept that you can't win them all. For some people, ignorance is comforting and they will choose to reside in it. They will assert that you are a Satanist or an enemy of "God" or make ridiculous generalisations they are sure of. If you discern a person like this, just leave them be because you are wasting your time.
- Reach a happy ending. Ideally, you will both learn a bit about each other's position and come to some degree of tolerance. Take note, you don't have to "respect" each others belief/lack of belief; it's merely important that you tolerate and accept that you hold different positions. Don't treat such an encounter as a means to an end, and don't feel disappointed if you don't fully agree with each other by the end.
Tips - Ensure you are not ignorant yourself. Read up, and get educated. Reflect and philosophise. Don't be as ignorant as the person you are dealing with.
- Be fair.
- Be calm.
- Don't think you cant be friends with a theist, a belief/lack of belief is a minor aspect of a person so long as neither of you are overtly opposed.
- Remember that the position of atheism is a naturalistic position to hold.
- There's no such thing as being outnumbered. In some parts of the world - belief in a deity is widespread; in other's it is obscure. If you happen to be in the former, just because only 1 in 20 of the people in your local community does not believe in a deity by no means weakens that position. You could be standing alone and still have the right reasons behind your convictions.
Warnings
- Avoid frustration, and don't get worked up.
- Realize your ideas may be fallible.
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