Responded to this e-mail: I had a conversation with a theist recently, and one their arguments was that atheists shouldnt really associate. According to their rationale, non-golfers dont get together and talk about how they dont golf. But isnt this kind of ridiculous? Playing golf is a preference not a belief. You cant choose whether you believe in a god. Is there some ulterior motive here? It seems like the argument is trying to discredit atheists reasons for associating. Really though, atheists associate for the same reasons anyone else does: to share common experiences and frustrations and support each other. What do you think? With this: If the golfers were legislating their golf-based views in such a way that it infringed on the rights of non-golfers... If the golfers were taking action that harmed innocents in the name of golfing or shielded golfing perpetrators from prosecution... If the golfers were claiming that golf made one morally superior, while demonstrating that this isnt the case... If the golfers were claiming that this is a golfing nation, founded by golfers and if the non-golfers dont like it, they can leave... If the golfers had tax exempt status for their clubs, didnt have to open their books and demonstrate that they were doing something in the public good, while this was denied to other clubs... If the golfers were spouting anti-science rhetoric, damaging science education... If the golfers were forcing kids to wear plaid pants and beating them if they didnt... If the golfers were disowning their kids for not golfing or for golfing in non-plaid pants... If the golfers were taking advantage of peoples fears and encouraging guilt for merely being normal... If the golfers, after failing to make billiards illegal, were enacting legislation that made it virtually impossible for anyone to actually open a billiard hall which makes it effectively impossible for anyone to play billiards... If the golfers were doing all of this while claiming that magical pixies invented golf and that those who dont accept this are inferior and damned... Youd be writing to the Non-Golfers Experience TV show, which would be affiliated with the American Non-Golfers Association...and youd be talking to the guy who continually spoke out against the absurdities and atrocities that golfers had been responsible for. The theist youre talking with is making at terrible argument. Essentially Hey, why would you guys group up based on what you DONT believe. Were social creatures and association based on shared beliefs and values is what we do. Were not just getting together because we dont believe in god (and how does this person know what we talk about? clearly they dont), were getting together because we believe that religion is unfairly privileged, frequently harmful and needs to be opposed. Were getting together because we want a better world, free from the superstition and irrationality that impedes progress and equality. Were getting together because were tired of being second-class citizens, sitting in the corner, quietly nodding at the superstitious garbage that comes out of the mouths of our friends and family. Were getting together because wed rather live in a world where no one gets to disparage the godless and no one has to think that theyre the only atheist in their area. And were getting together to build communities so when people, like your theist friend, find their way out of religion and into reality, theyve got a place to land... a better place to land than had many of the escapees who came before them.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 09:58:09 +0000
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