It never fails to give them pause, but usually they follow up with something along the lines of "Well the one true God of course. the God of the Bible."
At that point they have lost the argument as all you have to do is to start listing off the thousands of gods that have been worshiped by man, and ask them why THEIR deity is so special.
That usually ends the discussion, though if it does not you can always ask them what their argument against believing in Set, or Padma, or Odin entails and then ask them how that same criteria fails to disprove the one God that they have chosen to believe is real.
It is always good to remind religious people that we are ALL atheists.
It is just that some Atheists believe in one less god than the majority do.
I don't usually engage people about my non-belief.The usual reaction is they feel sorry for me or pity.That's fine. I on the other hand know my truth and it isn't some fairytale passed down generation after generation.I grew up Catholic and in the 2nd grade I didn't buy into the Noah story back then.With religion you have to suspend all logic. I don't believe and I'm free.....my two cents.
ReplyDeletellol!
ReplyDeleteWhich god? is my answer as well.
Followed up with- religions have been around for eons. Who can see which if any god is correct? Everyone is free to dream as they wish - as long as it doesn't effect me anymore.
Only one problem with the idea: It NEVER works here - or at least, so rarely as to make no nevermind.
ReplyDeleteDown here is the heart of the fundie/taliban territory and they will not even TALK about it to a non-believer. Well, they will rant and rave and curse you and yell that you are going to hell, but that's as far as their little minds are capable of going.
How dare you blaspheme against almighty Zeus, Blasphemer, if that's really your actual name, which I highly doubt!!
ReplyDeleteThere is only one true god! All knowing, all powerful, all the time: ZEUS, TERRIFYING GOD OF SKY AND THUNDER, KING OF MOUNT OLYMPUS (plus most of the island of Mypos)
How dare you blaspheme! Have your drachmas ready at hand, buddy boy, you'll need them soon to pay the ferryman to cross the woeful River Styx! (plus parking isn't exactly cheap near the dock either, but try to get there early and take the riverwalk tour, it's a lot of fun. And happy hour tequila shots are only $2 at Hobo's across the street from where the ferry ties up. just sayin'....)
I recall watching a debate in which the late Christopher Hitchens argued--successfully, I think--that to believe in one particular god and disavow the existence of all others technically makes atheists of every believer. Let's see the fundamentalists get their heads around thatone, for to substantiate their claim, they would have to validate the "one-trueness" of their god by supporting an inherently atheist position: a Chinese finger trap of logic (and faith) if there ever was one.
ReplyDeleteI'm always surprised that someone's religion, or the lack of same, is so dang important to everyone else in the U.S. Growing up in small-town Canada, we were taught to not discuss politics or religion with our neighbours and acquaintances -- only within our own family. BECAUSE these are highly personal matters and are no one else's business.
ReplyDeleteWhereas, a couple of good friends who moved, with their hubbies, to the U.S. for business, were amazed that the first thing they were asked after moving to their new home (one in Atlanta, one in Cincinnati) was "What church will you be joining?" One of them, a professed atheist, instinctively knew that if she gave a true response, she, her husband and, most of all, her children, would be shunned. She simply answered "Haven't decided yet." Sad, isn't it?
What is sad is that was the way it USED to be here.
DeleteThen the fundies raised their ugly heads again.
Not so sure about that, Leland. This all happened in the late 70's. Isn't that before Falwell and his so-called Moral Majority came to the fore?
DeleteOnce most (semi reasonable) people know neither I nor my family "checked" the "God box", they usually get it. Our daughter is getting married with a justice of the peace, followed by a reception. We got three "Well, why don't they get married in HIS church?" And her stock answer is "Because they demanded I convert, and it's my wedding, he's fine with it"
ReplyDeleteWhat blows my mind is how accepting the people of Italy are when it comes to atheism.
The people I talk to will insist there can be only one God, and that all those pagan gods are just demons or whatever. The one God is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, timeless, etc.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's true that every pagan god has limits, right? Zeus didn't create the universe. Zeus does things without Hera knowing, but then he gets caught and punished. That's qualitatively different from the monotheistic concept.
Talking about more than one God is like talking about more than one reality. It doesn't make logical sense. That's what my theologian friends say, anyway.
@John
ReplyDelete"Zeus didn't create the universe. Zeus does things without Hera knowing, but then he gets caught and punished."
Skating awfully close to blasphemy there, John. You weren't there, were you? How about a little more humble worship and a little less rational thinking, ok?
All Hail All-Mighty Zeus!!