Why Do Atheists Debate Theists? Why Do Atheists Care What Others Belie

Atheists and theists frequently get into debates over the existence of gods, over the nature of religion, over whether religions do more harm than good, etc. Although every atheist and theist are different, it still works out that a lot of these conversations keep hitting the same topics and keep running into the same problems. Both sides can be...

Proselytization is central to the religious faith of many evangelical Christians — they will "share" their beliefs with anyone they come across if they are given half a chance. They believe they are doing a good deed, but from the other side it often doesn't appear very positive. This can be difficult for many Christians to understand because they accept without question the truth of their religion and are thus convinced that there is nothing wrong with sharing this truth with others.

Most atheists who have had discussions with religious theists, especially Christians, about religion, theism, and atheism have probably experienced this. The atheist explains something about their own atheism (like why they became an atheist) or about atheism generally (like what atheism is) and the religious theist refuses to believe them. Even...

Whenever atheists criticize or attack religion, religious beliefs, or theism, religious theists of course seek some way to respond. Sometimes they may able to show that the atheists' arguments are unsound in some manner, but very often they have to acknowledge the validity of criticisms of particular religious beliefs and doctrines. At this...

It's common for atheists to debate theists, or at least just discuss religion and theism with religious believers, but even so there are many mistakes atheists can and do make in the process. Some are easier to avoid than others, but if you really want a productive and substantive conversation it's important to watch out for all of them. You...

When religious theists debate religion and theism with atheists, it's common to make a lot of mistakes about atheism and atheists themselves. There are many myths and misconceptions which can be easily avoided with a minimal amount of effort. Religious theists need to familiarize themselves with what atheism is, common arguments and their...

Atheists and theists frequently get into debates over the existence of gods, the nature of religion, whether religions do more harm than good, etc. Every atheist and theist are different, but a lot of these conversations hit the same topics and run into the same problems. Both sides can be at fault, but there are errors which theists make that...

Atheism and religion are often portrayed and treated as polar opposites; although there is a strong correlation between being an atheist and being irreligious, there is no necessary and inherent connection between the two. Atheism is not the same as being irreligious; theism is not the same as being religious. Atheists in the West tend not to...

The problem with answering such a question is that the term 'spiritual' is so vague and ill-defined most of the time. Usually when people use it they mean something similar to, but nevertheless very distinct from, religion. This is probably an improper usage because there are very good reasons to think that spirituality is more a type of...

The most common type of interaction between atheism and theism comes in the form of debates (if people are feeling civilized) or drawn-out arguments (if people are feeling annoyed). Atheism and theism are mutually exclusive options: a person must be an atheist or a theist, but they can't be both and they can't avoid both. At the same time, though, it can't be said that the best option is always unambiguously clear based on the debates atheists and theists have. What's a person to do?

So, do you want to be an atheist? Now you can learn the simple and easy way to become an atheist. If you follow these steps, you'll be an atheist in no time at all!

Atheism and anti-theism so often occur together at the same time and in the same person that it's understandable if many people fail to realize that they aren't the same. Making note of the difference is important, however, because not every atheist is anti-theistic and even those who are, aren't anti-theistic all the time. Atheism is simply the...

This is rather an odd question - shouldn’t the primary concern be with whether or not any gods really do exist? Shouldn’t the truth of this question be the focus of our attention, and not any personal advantage or disadvantage which we might get by taking one position or the other?

When atheists and theists debate the existence of gods, atheists generally ask for some sort of proof of the god or gods that the theist claims exist. Why do they do this? That is a difficult question to answer because while it is true that atheists often ask theists for proof that their god exists, sometimes they shouldn't. Asking for proof may end up confusing the important issues, causing distraction, and leading the conversation away from where it should be.

Sometimes theists find it odd that atheists would have web sites explaining, discussing, and defending atheism. If atheism is not a philosophy or religion, what's the point? If atheists don't believe in God, why spend so much time discussing God? These theists are, I believe, misunderstanding the purpose and reason for atheist sites. The reason...

I was not always an atheist. Although my parents did not raise me to be religious, they also did not raise me to be an atheist. However, when I was in school, I was invited by a classmate to start attending a Christian church, and I did so. My parents did not attend with me, but they also did not discourage me. On the contrary, they did whatever...

There is a common perception that there must be 'something more' to atheism than simply disbelief in gods because of the fact that atheists are so often engaged in debates with theists. After all, what's the point of debating if not to convert someone to some other philosophy or religion?

This can be a difficult question to answer without knowing more about a person's particular situation. There are two ways to interpret it: why should you, an individual in a specific situation, consider being an atheist, and why should anyone at all consider atheism and the challenges which atheism and atheists present to theistic beliefs?

This is a very good question; unfortunately, it isn't very easy to answer. There are perhaps as many reasons for being an atheist as there are atheists. What I mean by this is that the road to atheism tends to be very personal and individual, based upon the specific circumstances of a person's life, experiences, and attitudes.

When it comes right down to it, atheism itself doesn't inherently mean all that much. Fundamentally, atheism itself isn't anything more than not believing in any gods. Why or how one might be without belief in gods is no more relevant to the definition of atheism than why or how one might believe in gods is relevant to the definition of theism.

The concept of a ‘burden of proof’ is important in debates - whoever has a burden of proof is obligated to ‘prove’ their claims in some fashion. If someone doesn’t have a burden of proof, then their job is much easier: all that is required is to either accept the claims or point out where they are inadequately supported.

It's not unusual for me to get emails from people who say that they intend to pray for me - but as often as I hear such things, I continue to have trouble understanding why people would do so and, if they must pray, why they would feel the need to tell me about it. Neither seems to make much sense and I frequently find myself saying so to the...

Atheists frequently encounter theists who are more interested in sermonizing or lecturing than in conversation. You can prevent this from happening before it starts, though. You can tongue-tie a theist in ways that can make discussion possible if that's what they want while preventing preaching if that's their intention. Life is too short to...