Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Melanie Dawn Molina Wood on March 20, 2011 at 4:54pm

I am reading your post and all of the responses with interest because I wrestle with the same question. It becomes doubly difficult for me because a lot of business associates and customers have access to my FaceBook and Twitter pages. Nothing seems to alienate people faster than the mere fact of atheism.

 

The way I have been handling it is to post (or re-tweet) things relevant to atheists or presenting an atheistic pov, but I do not ever comment directly to anyone else's religious posts, no matter how absurd it may be.

 

The one exception I have been running into is when someone posts one of those atheist-bashing "jokes" like the "April Fool's Day" one. I am fortunate that I haven't seen such nonsense via my FaceBook or Twitter pages, but I am seeing it on ActiveRain. I've spoken up a few times. I was deleted and/or condescended to each time, and was even warned by a "well meaning" person that if I kept it up I would sound "strident" and "angry."

 

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Permalink Reply by Ethan Levy on March 20, 2011 at 6:59pm

i'm open all the time, i lost a couple of friends because i comment on their bible quotes with more quotes that contradict what they say, but you know how religious ppl are facts are nothing compared to blind faith.

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Permalink Reply by atheistrising on March 21, 2011 at 12:37am

Its very tough to be fully outspoken on facebook with all your co workers and friends whatever can make you have real repurcussions at work etc. I think you can only post messages of mutual respect and understanding but avoid hate speech at any cost because people who believe in god are still your friends and family and they feeling need to be taken into account.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Raymond on March 21, 2011 at 9:26am

I used to list a lot of atheist articles on facebook but have given it up for better things, such as writing comments on these blogs. If you go to ex-christian .net you will see a lot of fabulous articles written by other atheists. The story titled,"Earthquakes and the Godless" by TamaBrett was impressive. It ends with "Japan is proof that a country doesn't need religion to have a soul."

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Permalink Reply by Femia Cools on March 21, 2011 at 10:10am

Great! Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Mike Haynes on March 21, 2011 at 10:23pm

I think most of my friends and family on FB ignore me, but my wife has informed me that a number of people have approached her (instead of directly approaching me) and said they felt I was "beating them over the head with atheism." Every time I back off, I feel cowed a bit. Then I get angry when I see others touting their "prayers" and "god's will" crap. I've recently decided I'm just going to continue being vocal about my atheism. If friends and family don't like it, they can talk to me directly, ignore my posts, or block me. I feel an increase in my self-confidence when I go ahead and express myself honestly despite the consequences.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Raymond on March 21, 2011 at 10:26pm

I like the way you took the words right out of my mouth!  Great spew!

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Permalink Reply by Becca on March 21, 2011 at 10:52pm

I don't hide my atheism but I don't really purposefully push it on facebook either. My religion on Facebook is listed as: None - Atheist. I post articles from time to time but typically they are science articles or political news. If anyone has posted a bible verse or said they will pray for me on my account I don't remember and I probably ignored it or deleted it. I don't feel like every post of a religious nature needs a response. I mostly use my facebook to keep in touch with people and I don't really want my page to turn into debate after debate. I enjoy debating but I also like to keep my debates in a setting where they don't easily get carried away. Facebook debates more often than not turn into flame wars and I'd rather interact and debate in a more mature way.

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on March 22, 2011 at 1:57am

The atheist community on Facebook is pretty large.  Despite not being very active, I have 1559 "friends", almost all of whom are atheists.  Once you get on various atheist lists, friend invites become unending.

But I must say that many of the posts on my wall from these atheists aren't very nice.  It's kind of a turn-off.  There are many in-your-face atheists out there and it's kind of embarrassing to be associated with them where my non-atheist friends are concerned.  They must think we atheists are a bunch of spiteful, mealy-mouthed egomaniacs.

I don't push atheism very hard . . . because so many others do that for me -- on my wall.

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Permalink Reply by Shane Code on March 22, 2011 at 2:53am

Becky makes an interesting point, "I used to be very outspoken on it but I eventually got tired of arguing." I suggest be outspoken, blunt (not rude for its own sake) and clear and moreover, unapologetic.  Look, at the risk of getting too heady here, scientists and academics will agree on this: people will believe things regardless of evidence or fact; meaning, it's not a debate to be won 'in the head.' But, as I've recently stated to a Baptist Pastor friend, atheism is the default position in the absence of evidence. I've adopted a caring, invested and supportive role for humanity (Libya, Fukushima, etc) and that requires no god, and I make no apologies for it. It's not up to me to prove my position to you. I am far more invested in the people that are here and now.  I state my anti-theistic opinion unapologetically, without reserve, and without apology. I find I am often the only one in the room who is not upset and angry when these discussions erupt.  My two cents.

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Permalink Reply by Rodrica Davis on March 22, 2011 at 5:44am

To be honest I have been confronted with this on my facebook page because I am extremely open about my atheism. This person accused me of alienating those who see my page and that I should be respectful of their beliefs. I say bullcrap. I won't hold my tongue like a good little atheist while other can put whatever religious nonsense on theirs. I don't want to alienate anyone but if that is the case, so be it. I am not going on other people's pages and harassing them or anything. (much anyway) So I don't feel I have crossed a line. Usually what I do is put up atheistic quotes and articles or my thoughts on religion to at least get people to thinking but as you said above, it mostly goes ignored by my theist friends. I feel that you and I should be able to post what we want on our pages, regardless of how other people take it. Maybe put a disclaimer like I did which I sort of stole from someone.

 

"This site isn't for the easily offended or the blindly allegiant.

But if you're not afraid to test your beliefs, welcome."-TheThinkingAtheist.

 

But in all honesty, I think you should speak your mind on your page but perhaps step back on going on other people's statuses and annoying them too much. But if you feel that relationships are more important then by all means, restrain yourself to make them happy. My view is my facebook page is my conduit to releasing my frustrations unmitigated. If people don't like it, they can unfriend me. As many have already done.

 

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Permalink Reply by Mike Haynes on March 22, 2011 at 3:35pm

Exactly. The purpose of your Facebook page is to allow you to post things primarily about you, your life, hopes, dreams, beliefs and non-beliefs. Early on, I would go to theist friends on their pages and challenge their religious posts, but later I thought that in doing so, I was invading their "space" uninvited, so I limited my opinions (unless invited) to my own wall.

 

BTW: I actually get into more arguments with an agnostic buddy of mine who strongly disagrees with the statement that disbelief is the default position. In his way of thinking, the phrase "I don't know" doesn't imply disbelief. (but that's another topic).   

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