Is Atheism Dangerous?

This clip is from The Atheist Experience, Episode 27.23 for June 11, 2023 with Forrest Valkai and Seth Andrews!

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Copyright © 2023 Atheist Community of Austin. All rights reserved.

[hegyak]

The caller says "I got the proof."
The hosts ask "Show us the proof."
The caller, panics and swaps topic.

[matthewgordon]

"Why can't you keep your atheism to yourself?" "Why can't you keep your gayness private?" "Why do we have to see homeless people in public?" All the same thing: crap said by authoritarian jerks trying to control others.

[sparki]

Incredible, instead of offering proof, he just threatens torture. There is no hate like christian love!

[wertuias]

"God may judge you, but I promise you, his sins outnumber your own."

Damn, I want that line on a T-shirt.

[robby]

Not being allowed to ask questions about your beliefs is dangerous.

[condorboss]

Athiesm puts you in extreme danger of having to think for yourself.

[theflyingdutchguy]

"Threatening an atheist with hell is like threatening to punch them in the aura." thats hillarious😂

[inshadowz]

“Aren't you afraid that God will be angry at you for not believing in him?”
One of my absolute favourite lines from a Christian trying to “save” me 😛

[NotALiberalSoSkipYourScript]

It’s not atheists saying genocide, slavery, subjugation, child marriage, and fascism are good things.

[danielrussell]

Q: How did the universe come into existence? A: I don't know. This is not dangerous. What is dangerous is making up answers to questions without any evidence to back them up.

[Mrbongos]

The dichotomy of Forrest and Seth is perfect. Seth is so calm, even in the times I've seen him get incensed. He's like a living quaalude. Partnered to Forrest's, enjoyable, explosive enthusiasm, they balance out so well.

[thestraydog]

In response to Forrest's line about badmouthing Sauron I agree. However, I talked bad about Darth Vader and now I have imperial stormtroopers at my door. Thankfully they've been shooting at me for 5 full minutes and haven't hit anything I own yet...

[sparki]

Theists NEED respect, but refuse to even consider giving it to anyone else.

[bitplanes]

I've mostly stopped watching these kinds of call in videos. The callers are either:
A: Mentally deficient.
B: Have poor English skills so don't understand that the position they are taking has been rebutted effectively.
C: Are apologists by trade so are comfortable arguing a dishonest point.
I suspect that the vast majority of religious people avoid this kind of dialogue because the clarity of the arguments against god and supernatural beliefs is uncomfortable and frustrating to have to listen to.

[panqueque]

"Why can't you keep your atheism to yourself?"
Because you can't keep your religion to yourself

[EnhantedSaber]

"God may judge you but I'm sure his sins outweigh your own"
That is a good line to end off the video

[TBomb]

"As an activist, I continue to hear this line: "Why do atheists talk so much about God and religion?" Or, "Why would someone speak so often about a deity he/she doesn't believe in?"

In truth, I suspect that these questions are deflections designed to make the questioner seem self-consciously obsessive...the sinner that "doth protest too much."

But the reality is that atheist activism exists because religion exists. Religion permeates our culture, shows up on our doorsteps with literature, scriptures and threats of eternal damnation, influences our science books, contaminates our political systems, indoctrinates our children and postulates that its doctrine must be followed, lest we be destroyed in body, in soul, or both.

Non-believers are simply responding to the avalanche of religious messages that bears down upon us daily. And they do so by (surprise!) speaking on the subject.

Religion gets carte blanche to be as vocal as it wants, to knock on our doors and accost us in our homes, in our places of work, in our personal and professional lives. Believers are charged with a life mission to preach, teach, disciple, shout it from the mountaintops and to "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Religion...is everywhere.

Ask yourself. When's the last time an atheist rang your doorbell with the Good News of Humanism? How often do you find Richard Dawkins books in the dresser drawers of your hotel rooms? When was the last atheist temple erected in your neighborhood? Have you ever attended an atheist revival? Has atheism demanded 10% of your household income? How many dedicated atheist television channels come through your satellite dish? How many atheist verses were you instructed to memorize as a child? When's the last time someone thanked a FARMER (or even the cook) at the dinner table instead of God?

On a more radical front, what's the name of the last atheist who sawed the head off of an "infidel?" Or sentenced a shrouded woman to death for displeasing an oppressive husband? Or strapped explosives to his belt in order to kill hundreds in a public square? Or publicly executed someone for being gay?

It's everywhere. Religion is a pounding drum that has gone mostly unanswered for a long, long time. And religion is not satisfied with merely existing quietly in the homes and hearts of the faithful. Its very nature compels the believer to proselytize, preach, promote, convince, convert and prevail. If you play on the team of the religious, your game plan is to stay, always, on offense.

Throughout our history, those who raise a simple hand of protest against these advances have been portrayed as the real problem. Religion has attempted to marginalize and defeat legitimate questions and concerns by indignantly portraying any resistors as misguided, immoral, rudderless, angry, miserable, lost and alone.

And when skepticism challenges wildly improbable (or impossible) stories found in the Bible, the Qur'an and other holy books, the religious wail, "Why do atheists talk so much about religion?"

It's often like asking cancer survivors why they're advocates for cancer cures.

We ask, we challenge, we battle, we care because it matters. The facts and fiction of religious claims matter. The larger question, "Is it true?" matters. The countering of religious privilege matters. And the building of a superstition-free future matters.

The next time a religious person labels you as obsessed with religion and God (pick one...there are thousands to choose from), just remember that religion began the discussion. It amplifies itself before the world. It targets the vulnerable and ignorant. It often threatens all humankind with punishment upon its rejection. And it's making Truth claims that - despite all of the fluffy platitudes about "faith" - must meet the burden of proof.

Religion started this mess. And if an atheist speaks out against religious claims, it's likely the speech wouldn't be necessary if the claims weren't made in the first place."

- Seth Andrews

[Fantax]

My dear sister is moving to Texas and I feel nervous for her. When I visited there were churches everywhere. Like one around every street corner, it felt insane to me. We're from Québec and we've got one old church in the middle of every city, but that's it. Most people are either atheist, agnostic or non-practicing here. It feels weird thinking about that many grown adults down south who live by the words of an old book.

[jave]

Seth’s bit on why atheists are so vocal is outstanding.

[SorenPenrose]

If Forrest calls you an asshole, you’ve earned it.