benjaburns Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I've been an atheist for just about two years now and I've found that the hardest thing to get over is the fact that atheists can't "evangelize" in general. For instance, several people in my current math class wear shirts with overtly christian messages on them (the latest was John 3:16 on the back of a guy's t-shirt) and this is considered normal, and yet if I were to wear a shirt that said something like "God! An imaginary friend for adults", then that would be frowned upon and considered to be rude. It's especially hard when it comes to my girlfriend who, though she tends to be quite liberal in her beliefs (she thinks I'm going to heaven), I don't feel like I can say those things around her for fear of offending her even though she can say things like "I'll pray for you" to me. How do you guys deal with this and how far do you go when wearing clothes with atheist slogans? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Well, to play devil's advocate for a moment, the kid with John 3:16 on his shirt is just peacefully expressing his religion, whereas a shirt with "God, an imaginary friend for adults!" is of a negative slant, ie, an attack on other people's religion. Even if something is total crap, people will object less to a peaceful, non-threatening promotion of it than something that comes across as negative and offensive, even if it's true. After all, it's why most of us criticize Xians for hellfire preaching. It's negative and can only encourage a negative response from people. Perhaps Atheists have so much trouble "evangelizing" since most Atheists focus not on their positive points, but on attacking other people's religions? I know this thread doesn't really pertain to me, since I'm not an Atheist, but I can't help but notice that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandrian Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 To me, having no pressure to evangelize is one of the best things about being away from religion. Why should we have to be like Christians and try to spend our time trying to make others think like us? If someone wants to discuss religion, fine, and I'll be more then happy to help them along the road to reason. But if they just want to live their life in peace, that's fine with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyb Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Well, to play devil's advocate for a moment, the kid with John 3:16 on his shirt is just peacefully expressing his religion, whereas a shirt with "God, an imaginary friend for adults!" is of a negative slant, ie, an attack on other people's religion. Even if something is total crap, people will object less to a peaceful, non-threatening promotion of it than something that comes across as negative and offensive, even if it's true. After all, it's why most of us criticize Xians for hellfire preaching. It's negative and can only encourage a negative response from people. Perhaps Atheists have so much trouble "evangelizing" since most Atheists focus not on their positive points, but on attacking other people's religions? I know this thread doesn't really pertain to me, since I'm not an Atheist, but I can't help but notice that. Actually, wearing a shirt with John 3:16 on it is saying "I'm going to heaven and you're going to hell unless you believe in Jesus". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insomniac Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 atheists shouldnt try to evangelize and save the day...its not necessary b/c atheism is so grounded in naturalistic logic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godless Wonder Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Actually, wearing a shirt with John 3:16 on it is saying "I'm going to heaven and you're going to hell unless you believe in Jesus". Yeah, I was gonna say... John 3:16 says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." But it ought to be written: "For the alleged God so "loved" the world that he killed his one and only Son (who was really himself -- and after he allegedly killed himself he got better, so it wasn't really much of a killing after all, or so the story goes) so that -- and the cause-effect connection here is never explained -- so that whoever believes this ridiculous story (according to the story itself) doesn't get tortured forever after they die, but gets to live forever and ever and eat pie in the sky while they watch the fabulous torture show down below." yeah. So John 3:16 isn't this nice peaceful expression of a nice religion, it is the ridiculous rotten core of a dangerous fucked up insane brainwashing cult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Well, to play devil's advocate for a moment, the kid with John 3:16 on his shirt is just peacefully expressing his religion, whereas a shirt with "God, an imaginary friend for adults!" is of a negative slant, ie, an attack on other people's religion. Even if something is total crap, people will object less to a peaceful, non-threatening promotion of it than something that comes across as negative and offensive, even if it's true. How about a shirt with a picture of Darwin on the front, with cool sunglasses imposed on his face. More subtle. But would send a message about beliefs. Now I'd really be interested if someone got offended by this shirt, because then I think you'd have every right to complain to the school for it's being biased because they allow John 3:16 shirts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japedo Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Well, Look at it this way, You know who's and who to stay away from beings though they advertise the fact that they take joy about others going to hell. I saw a women once with Jesus is my boss on her hat, She asked me an irrelevant question, I gave a short answer and hightailed it away from her. The in your face types advertise their Christ cult, take it as an opportunity to avoid them or deal with them accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emerson Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I actually used to wear those. I shudder at the thought now, people must have thought that I was really weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Actually, wearing a shirt with John 3:16 on it is saying "I'm going to heaven and you're going to hell unless you believe in Jesus". Of course it means just that, but not to most people. Most people see the positive wording and get only positive vibes - they have to question the cult before they see the truth. Most Atheists come off as negative, and lose great chances to punch some holes in the Xian myth. Many non-xians are like that, and I've slipped into that trap a few times. Sometimes, a non-xian is his or her own worst enemy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedah Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I want a shirt that says "Logic trumps faith" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RHEMtron Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Why should we have to be like Christians and try to spend our time trying to make others think like us? But if they just want to live their life in peace, that's fine with me. true if they wanna live their life in peace, then cool. i think we're not trying to make them believe what we believe. everyone on this site actually has different beliefs- atheism vs agnostic vs deist. i guess we just want people to actually think for themselves. based on experience, reason, logic, scientific evidence, most of us here on the site have come to the conclusion that christianity enforces mental, emotional, physical and spiritual slavery. for me personally, i just want people to look at the subject matter from different points of view. again... for them to think for themselves and draw up their own conclusions. For instance, several people in my current math class wear shirts with overtly christian messages on them (the latest was John 3:16 on the back of a guy's t-shirt) and this is considered normal, and yet if I were to wear a shirt that said something like "God! An imaginary friend for adults", then that would be frowned upon and considered to be rude. It's especially hard when it comes to my girlfriend who, though she tends to be quite liberal in her beliefs (she thinks I'm going to heaven), I don't feel like I can say those things around her for fear of offending her even though she can say things like "I'll pray for you" to me. have you ever looked at the bottom of in& out burger cups? they all say john 3:16 on them too. if you ever come out with a shirt, let a rhemtron know cause ill buy one and gladly sport it... at in&out burger too!!! but i feel you on the whole girlfriend thing. my girlfriend is christian and around her, i hesitate to express myself on the subject matter. i told her one time i believe jesus was just a teacher [if he was real or not i didnt say] and not a savior... or god. she cried. she still cries when she thinks about my belief. i got an idea. maybe ill make a shirt with this on it: http://www.ex-christian.net/index.php?showtopic=8603&hl= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sage Nabooru Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 John 3:16 isn't a negative statement. It doesn't explicitly say anything against others, has no mention of hell. But if a kid wore a shirt with the Leviticus quote against homosexuality - that would be a negative statement, and I would very much have a problem with it. Shirt that says "Praise to Allah the Merciful All-Mighty" - no problem. Shirt that says "Death to the Infidels" - problem. Shirt that says "Celebrate Jesus, Lord and Savior" - no problem. Shirt that says "Repent or Face Eternal Wrath" - problem. Shirt that says "Choosing Reason over Faith" - no problem. Shirt that says "God - The Brainless Idiot's Imaginary Friend" - problem. etc. etc........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willybilly30 Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 evertime i wear my Austin 3:16 shirt to work people quote john 3:16 to me or say its supposed to be john 3:16. christians are weird they dont own the numbers 3:16 i mean damn if the time clock says 3:16 is that an insult to the bible too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spamandham Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I've been an atheist for just about two years now and I've found that the hardest thing to get over is the fact that atheists can't "evangelize" in general. Of course you can, but you have to do it in a way that few will find contentious (unless you enjoy being singled out). A shirt that simply says "This is your brain. Use it." on one side and "Reason is the reason." on the other, or something similar makes a positive statement that no-one will object to. Or "Reason is the only means of obtaining knowledge" - an indirect slam on faith without coming right out and saying it. "Thor does not exist." - no one you run across will find this offensive, but in the depths of their psyche it will trigger "god does not exist". "Santa is the reason for the season" - although a bit contentious, is humorous enough that people will blow it off, and at the same time make them think... "Darwin said it, I believe it, that's that." - Makes you look a bit like an asshole, but is really a jab at the "Jesus said it..." crowd who most Christians also find obnoxious anyway. "Freethinker." could work How about quotes from Jefferson and Paine? Let the founding fathers do your dirty work for you. No-one can object without simultaneously calling their patriotism into question (play one form of faith off the other). ...you're going to have to be creative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjacksonRIAB Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I've been an atheist for just about two years now and I've found that the hardest thing to get over is the fact that atheists can't "evangelize" in general. For instance, several people in my current math class wear shirts with overtly christian messages on them (the latest was John 3:16 on the back of a guy's t-shirt) and this is considered normal, and yet if I were to wear a shirt that said something like "God! An imaginary friend for adults", then that would be frowned upon and considered to be rude. It's especially hard when it comes to my girlfriend who, though she tends to be quite liberal in her beliefs (she thinks I'm going to heaven), I don't feel like I can say those things around her for fear of offending her even though she can say things like "I'll pray for you" to me. How do you guys deal with this and how far do you go when wearing clothes with atheist slogans? I once wore my sister-in-laws Evolve hat to the local Wally world. Not only did they laugh at me, but they deliberately gave me the worst, most dried up chicken out of the tub. Next day I had returned the hat, and worn a shirt my brother gave me: YOURS IS A WEAK AND FEEBLE GOD WITH SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS SEXUALITY. But I bought no chicken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thackerie Posted May 6, 2006 Share Posted May 6, 2006 I've been an atheist for just about two years now and I've found that the hardest thing to get over is the fact that atheists can't "evangelize" in general. For instance, several people in my current math class wear shirts with overtly christian messages on them (the latest was John 3:16 on the back of a guy's t-shirt) and this is considered normal, and yet if I were to wear a shirt that said something like "God! An imaginary friend for adults", then that would be frowned upon and considered to be rude. It's especially hard when it comes to my girlfriend who, though she tends to be quite liberal in her beliefs (she thinks I'm going to heaven), I don't feel like I can say those things around her for fear of offending her even though she can say things like "I'll pray for you" to me. How do you guys deal with this and how far do you go when wearing clothes with atheist slogans? There's some good stuff on this website. OK, some of it's snarky enough to offend some people, but you can also find T-shirts, bumper stickers, etc. that are thought-provoking without being offensive to normal folks (when it comes to fundies, though, all bets are off). http://www.evolvefish.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts