The Three Evangelists — Christopher, Richard and Sam
The most entertaining of the three “unholy” books is Evangelist Christopher’s God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything
We know why Christians, Muslims and other religions proselytize, as they are commanded to do so by their holy books and the teachings of their prophets. My question is, why do Atheists proselytize? Has Atheism become a genuine “World Religion” which is now seeking converts to justify its entrée into the mainstream of America’s religious community? Next thing you know they will be setting up a “Prison Outreach” program. Oh, you say, they’ve already done that. Good Lord, what next?
According to the King James Bible (Matthew 28:19,20), during His last days on earth Jesus commanded His disciples to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.” Christian Evangelist Mark (Mark 16:1) commanded Christians to preach the Gospel of Jesus: “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Muslims have received a similar commandment which they refer to as “Dawah”, an Arabic term meaning “invite” or “invitation”. It is considered obligatory for Muslims to invite others to Islam, to “preach Islam”, according to their holy book. ThQur’an, Sura An-Nahl 16:125 states: “Call unto the way of thy Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation, and reason with them in the better way. Lo! thy Lord is best aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who go aright.” (Pickthall translation) Or “Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.” (Yusuf Ali translation) In Islam a “Da`i” is a missionary or an Islamic evangelist.
So, whence came “the calling” for Chris, Dick and Sam to give up the Atheistic mantel of “live and let live”, and to instead convert the world to godless Atheism? I shudder to think.
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We don’t proselytize per se; we don’t knock on people’s doors to spread the good news about atheism. We speak because, like all human beings, we care about the truth, We speak because we care about the well-being of our fellow human beings, and because we believe that the truth, which can be apprehended by any rational, sapient human being without mystical revelation, can only enhance their happiness.
And we care about our fellow human beings not because an invisible sky fairy commands us to do so (and could (and has) just as easily command us otherwise) but because it is not only rational and sensible but also human to care about our fellow human beings.
Comment by The Barefoot Bum — June 3, 2007 @ 9:50 am
Thank you for your comment about the “Good News” of Atheism. I think you just answered my question in the affirmative: ‘Has Atheism become a genuine “World Religion’ which is now seeking converts to strengthen its organization?”
Comment by Kerfuffles — June 3, 2007 @ 9:57 am
I think Atheists are finally realising that their rights will continue to be trampled on as long as they tiptoe around the sensitivities of theists. They are now on the offensive because they are sick of the bombardment on TV, radio, in the papers, of religious fundamentalism and the attempt to insert religion into science classes. Unfortunately when they stand up and put their case assertively they get characterised as overreacting.
you say, “We know why Christians, Muslims and other religions proselytize, as they are commanded to do so by their holy books and the teachings of their prophets.”
This does not give them the right to do it. Quoting from an old book does not justify that sort of imposition on others. It is an arrogant way of saying to others “your culture is unworthy - replace it with my Christian culture”. They should butt our and “live and let live”.
Comment by jimgo — June 4, 2007 @ 8:12 am
9/11 and the rise of the religious right and dominionism probably had something to do with it. I think it’s obviously a reaction to those things. Atheism isn’t a religion though. Secular Humanism is more like a religion since it has a philosophy. Atheism doesn’t have one.
Comment by Gary — June 4, 2007 @ 8:23 am
Jimgo - Of course Christians, Muslims and any other religion, including atheists, have a right to proselytize … and it is guaranteed to them in the U.S. by The Bill of Rights and other like international laws.
Comment by Kerfuffles — June 4, 2007 @ 8:53 am
They are guaranteed the right of free speech. That is not the same as forcing religion into science classes. I wouldn’t expect scientists to have the right to force science into religious services either.
After leaving the excesses of theocratic societies behind, it would be tragic to have them resurface again. Of course it is already happening. Afghanistan used to have universities where about half the students were female. We all know what happened there.
Comment by jimgo — June 5, 2007 @ 12:00 am
Well … if we are to forbid religion from being taught in science class (which seems quite logical a thing to do) then shouldn’t we also disallow pseudoscience?
Religion sounds wonderful to most people, however it is NOT science. Pseudoscience sounds like real science to most people, however it is NOT science either, but is in fact a religion to many of the people who claim it to be science.
Comment by Kerfuffles — June 5, 2007 @ 7:03 am
Absolutely. Pseudoscience has no place in science classes, except as a lesson in the teaching of critical thinking. and pseudo-medicine (like homeopathy) has no place in the teaching of medicine, except to demonstrate the pitfalls of non-evidence based systems.
Comment by jimgo — June 5, 2007 @ 9:10 am
Why? Because we have no choice. Churches are not only places for the gullible, credulous and superstitious to gather to reasure each other of the lies their parents told them, they are also fund raisers for powerfull political lobbies.
Prosyletisers and political lobbies are like nuclear weapons. They have theirs so we need ours.
Oh and thank you for furthering the case to have atheism classified as a religion (maybe next you can make baldness a hairstyle), maybe now atheist organisations will get a free ride at the expense of the tax payer like the ‘actual’ religions do.
Comment by Jimbo — October 30, 2007 @ 10:48 am
Jimbo - You may be able to prove that some people at Church are “gullible, credulous and superstitious”, but not you nor anyone else has ever been able to prove that the Church’s basic teachings are “lies.”
God is truth and one can only find truth through God. Whatever truths you have managed to uncover in your lifetime have been revealed to you by God.
As for baldness becoming a hairstyle, I already deemed it to be so long, long ago, back in the days of Yul Brenner.
Comment by Kerfuffles — October 30, 2007 @ 12:04 pm