If you search the word “advocate” on Google the first result is for a gay and lesbian pride portal. They literally own Advocate.com. Search “public relations” and the first result outside of the Wikipedia definition and a couple PR job outlets is the Black Public Relations Society. As atheists, we need to start caring about our public face. We need an Advocate.com. We need a Atheist Public Relations Society. So I searched “atheist public relations.” First result? A blog post titled The Fallacy of Atheism’s Public Relations Problem. Awesome.
Atheists are usually right, we have that going for us, but reason and logic isn’t enough in this world. I’ve spent the last two days trying to engage in a civil debate with a series of atheists over disagreements in popular antitheist rhetoric. After presenting my argument, their case against my argument quickly turned into a case against beliefs that were based on assumptions and turned out, weren’t even my beliefs. They thought I was a Christian apologist just because I took issue with a Hitch quote or a Dawkins line of reasoning. I was called a troll and blocked for an attempt at honest debate. This is what I’ve come to expect from fundamentalists.
So, yeah, some atheists are annoying. Some are even be jerks. WE CAN”T BE. We don’t have that luxury. Half the world already thinks we’re immoral, loose cannons who are going to hell. Every Humanist needs to be an example for humanity. Every atheist needs to be a role model. When a believer asks what good have atheists done, I don’t want to have to point to Bill Gates because he gives a butt-load to charity, I want to point to any random infidel. Blindly circulating “we’re all born atheist” is no better that theists reciting the mantra “atheism is a religion.” We need to turn our much ballyhooed critical thinking inward and cut the crap.
Okay, my high and mighty rant is over. I’ll leave you with one tip that has already awarded good will to the atheist name. When you wrap up a debate with a theist, while you’re each jockeying for the last word, finish with a thanks. Let them know that you appreciate the time they spent sharing their thoughts and that you expect they come from a place of good intentions. If they say “God Bless,” just accept it. If you don’t get offended when your nerdy friend says “may the Force be with you,” don’t freak over their chosen imaginary sign-off.
Hi Grundy, thanks for your comment at Lucky Atheist. And you're right, there are a lot of atheists that are either more about getting a reaction, or think that any diplomacy is somehow "selling out" or sleazy, and they've often set the tone for the public's perception of us. If we want people to re-evaluate us, make them LIKE us. Easier to do than many realize. -Mike
ReplyDeleteI often like to quote Richard Wade: "If you want to help someone see more clearly, don't start by poking them in the eye".
ReplyDeleteThat's not to say we don't need a few gadflies out there. I've read comments from some people who said they started to come to their senses only after trying to rebut some particularly pointed barb from PZ or Dawkins, and realizing that they couldn't.
But I think it serves us best if most of us are NOT JERKS. (Even PZ, in person, is actually more of a cuddly teddy bear.) That doesn't mean we have to be accomodationist in our writings, or show any deference to ideas just because some religion likes them. But the more of us that are genuinely nice, or at least polite, the better.
However, the diehard religionists are going to continue to paint us as jerks and hypocrites, no matter how nice we actually are. They are so focused on the idea that their religion makes people good that they have to shut out all the massive evidence to the contrary. They may know a hundred non-believers who are lovely people, but they will point to the one jerk as conclusive evidence that their religion is right. Classic confirmation bias.
I like that quote.
DeleteThere are some that think atheists are...influenced by the devil or something? It's unclear, but yes, I doubt any amount of kindness will change their minds. I think those people are the minority. I hope those people are the minority.
I'm surprised by all the insults up there (idiots, annoying, retarded, etc...)but think of it this way. You know how when you are a kid, and the class bully calls you names. And you go home and tell your mom about it, and she says "It's alright dear, they just call you names because they are jealous"...
ReplyDelete:)
Nice blog, glad to have found it, and look forward to future discussions here.
My mom also said those people would work for me one day, still waiting on that. ;-)
DeleteI think you have made a salient point about how we engage with theists. It is too easy to sit in our own camp and give pats on the back.
ReplyDeleteRecently I have made an effort to leave comments on religious web sites and made a concerted effort to control my EQ and leave measured responses and always end my dialogue with a :) or Peace & love……sign off.
Interestingly they have both tried to subtly convert me, asking me to give god a chance, etc………if I can just plant some seeds in their minds, then that’s the best I can do………
Nice looking site by the way……………I’ll be back
Planting seeds is all we can do. It's hard to tell if anything we say works since it takes a long time for the seed to sprout, but hopefully no one will step on the poor, defenseless plant.
DeleteHit the nail on the head with this post, I have run into similar problems. "New Atheists" drive me just as crazy as Theists, neither group seems educated enough (in many cases) to actually defend their opinions or stances when scrutinized. As if blindly quoting Hitchens or Dawings is any better than blindly quoting passages from some prophet... About.com does a decent job at educating people, I have yet to find fault with any of the logic in articles by Austine Cline (there is some level of bias but I suppose that comes with the territory). I may be becoming a bit cynical as I age, it just seems that the average person doesn't have the faculties required for logic and Reasonable Skepticism. People too often appear to be arguing to "win" rather than discussing to gain greater understanding. I have been ranting lately about the influence of Conformity and questioning the value of "converting" religious conformists into atheist conformists. If a person is unwilling or unable to follow the premises to their conclusions on their own, it becomes a very big ethical problem for "new atheists" who want everyone to think as they do. Hypocritical becomes a valid term to describe Atheists when they use tactics similar to religious cults in order to market themselves to the same groups of people.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, and I totally agree. "Arguing to win" is a good point. We all want to win, but when it is at the expense of shutting out potentially correct information or sound arguments, it is counterproductive.
DeleteThere's no point in having a debate on atheism vs. religion except to have an enjoyable philosophical discussion. An atheist proselytizing to a believer is equally obnoxious as a believer proselytizing to an atheist.
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