So why don't atheists proselytize?

[Al B. Sure!]

I mean it's only Christians, Muslims, and their bizarro sects (Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, NoI, Black Israelites, etc.) that will try to bother you on the subway about their beliefs or stand on street corners preaching. Have never seen an atheist say, "Excuse me, I have some Richard Dawkins I'd like you to read."

Where are these insistent atheists I keep hearing about?

[Proteus_MST]

They´re usually lurking around schoolyards and address little school children with:
"Have you ever heard about the theory of evolution?"

[Snotty]

why would they? how many souls can you save by convincing people they do not have one to save?

[MikeH]

They are too busy fornicating.

[Ming]

It's simple... they don't believe it's right to cram their own personal beliefs down other people's throats, like morons that belong to silly cults/religions.

[Snotty]

It's simple... they don't believe it's right to cram their own personal beliefs down other people's throats, like morons that belong to silly cults/religions.

Im not sure I agree with you Ming. Ive had plenty of drunken conversations with militant atheists who would put firebrand preachers to shame with the strength of their conviction. Ive been backed into a corner defending the right to freedom of choice in personal belief, and its atheists that have put me there.

I guess this is why we dont talk about politics, religion or money at the dinner table or bar etc

[Wezil]

Atheists have thousands of years of religious douchery to catch up on Snotty. Religious folks have a decent head start.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Proselytizing is more than standing on street corners and giving out gospel tracts (or non-gospel tracts if you wish). I have no problems calling Richard Dawkins a proselytizer.

[MikeH]

Im not sure I agree with you Ming. Ive had plenty of drunken conversations with militant atheists who would put firebrand preachers to shame with the strength of their conviction. Ive been backed into a corner defending the right to freedom of choice in personal belief, and its atheists that have put me there.

I guess this is why we dont talk about politics, religion or money at the dinner table or bar etc

Yeah, I've had the same experiences.

I don't really care what people believe in as long as it's not hurting anyone else.

[Caligastia]

It's simple... they don't believe it's right to cram their own personal beliefs down other people's throats, like morons that belong to silly cults/religions.

Jesus still loves you.

[MikeH]

I'd include things like homophobia, racism, intolerance, anti-science lies/misinformation, restriction of personal freedoms etc. under the "hurting anyone else" bracket though. Quite a wide area. There aren't many religions that don't fail in some of those failings.

[DaShi]

Yeah, I've had the same experiences.

I don't really care what people believe in as long as it's not hurting anyone else.

Damn, I believe in hurting people.

[MikeH]

I enjoy it, I just don't worship it.

[Caligastia]

I'd include things like homophobia, racism, intolerance, anti-science lies/misinformation, restriction of personal freedoms etc. under the "hurting anyone else" bracket though. Quite a wide area. There aren't many religions that don't fail in some of those failings.

I like to separate the ritual and dogma of religious institutions from the religious practice of reaching out to God. Religious institutions suffer pretty much equally from the same malady that afflicts any other group that is formed around an ideology - lazy thinkers falling in love with an idea that makes them feel good.

[MikeH]

Would be nice to separate them. Don't see how you can without every person basically making up their own religion.

Which is kind of what happens anyway I suppose.