If you have to be Genius to be Atheist, We are in Real Trouble

Over the past three years I have been using Stumble Upon as a resource for atheist sites. I have read thousands of blogs and arguments between atheists and “christians.” I know how frustrating these debates can be because there is clearly no convincing some christians that what they believe is completely ridiculous. Regardless of how frustrating debates with “believers” can be, my deeper concern is that most of the current population does not have the opportunity for higher education and because of this, most don't have the chance to become critical/skeptical thinkers. Unfortunately, the tenor and attitudes that some in the athiest community have aren't helping this situation. Instead of being open-minded and debating in a civil fashion, many christians are instead ridiculed and berated by athiests—eventually causing many of them to leave these debates feeling “non-bielevers” are rude, hostile, and arrogant. I see this as a missed opportunity.

I work and volunteer with the rural low income populations. Most are christian and probably will never be open to atheists perspectives—but I believe many other may, if presented the right information, in the right way. I believe many of these people are open to skeptical thinking (not towards religion) but towards the system that represses them. People begin to see the injustice around them, and start researching facts in hopes of improving their lives. Learning facts develops leadership and many community groups are being developed by low income people focused on gaining evidence and facts that exposes how they're being exploited or ignored. This type of critical thinking isn't far from the very same skeptical thinking necessary to understand the faults in their religious beliefs.

What I observe in many (but not all) atheist sites is atheists boasting about their high levels of education, and belittling others who don't have the basic knowledge or even education to even understand the argument. I also observe harsh judgment on grammatical errors, this prevents people from asking questions and communicating: and when there is no discussion there is no learning. Because of OUR inability to discuss atheism with those less educated, less fortunate, I believe we miss a great opportunity to show that atheists are NOT snooty and snobby elitists who look down on the dumb and blind masses. I think its time we atheists take a different approach.

Personally, my own transition from catholicism to atheism many years ago was not an easy journey. I spent years in transition, mainly because I wanted to continue a relationship with my family, who are die-hard catholics. Growing up in a very religious, blue-collar town, I did not become an atheist because someone smarter than me explained how ridiculous being catholic was, nor by someone who berated my spelling and grammatical errors; I did not become an atheist because I went to college and became impressed with the minions of intellectualism; I became an atheist because I realized innately (as many do) that something just wasn't quite right about everything I had been told growing up about religion and life. That spark of skepticism led me to research even further. Luckily, I completed this transition to atheism before I ran across any super-elitists bent on pummeling me about my ignorant ways and the stupidity of my improper grammar. Had I been ridiculed and laughed at by a puffed-up atheist interested in his/her own superiority, I may have taken many more years to “open up” to the ideas of atheism.

We as atheists need to ask ourselves who we have turned away and what opportunities we might have lost to open eyes and minds? How many poor, rural Indiana girls have we chased away? You don't have to be a genius to be an atheist or a skeptical thinker. Perhaps its time to re-evaluate our language, intentions, behavior, motives and whether a different approach might have different results.

12 members like this

Comment by Andrew Hall on April 11, 2011 at 1:48pm: There are class issues within the movement, and that is the dirty secret no one talks about.

Comment by StaticMotion on April 11, 2011 at 2:42pm: It seems that you fear alienating people. That's nice and commendable. But shouldn't you then rethink your profile pic? It's funny but it might offend someone, doesn't it?
But it has been said before: There's no right not to be offended.

Don't get me wrong, usually I'll do my best to show common courtesy, but there's time and place to ridicule strange beliefs.
I don't recall a lot of boasting about higher education. Care to provide some links to back up that assertion?

Comment by StaticMotion on April 11, 2011 at 2:45pm: I forgot: I for one like being notified about my grammatical & orthographic errors. That way I can improve. Obviously, typos don't invalidate what had been written.

Comment by Mo Trauen on April 11, 2011 at 4:44pm: I certainly agree with your general sentiment. You should know, however, that usually when atheists are rude and critical of believers it is because the believer was rude and critical toward the atheist. I have had a number of very bad experiences with believers. Even when I tried my very hardest to get along with them, I found it virtually impossible. Believers are the type of people who pick their "facts" based on how they feel about them. They do exactly the same thing when confronted with an atheist. They pick on us mercilessly. Consequently, when one of the religious with intellectual pretensions comes to a site like this one to "teach us a lesson", I have no qualms about abusing him as much as possible.

http://goodatheistarguments.blogspot.com/2011/02/bias-against-non-b...

http://goodatheistarguments.blogspot.com/2011/01/tolerant-of-intole...

http://goodatheistarguments.blogspot.com/2011/02/tolerant-of-intole...

http://goodatheistarguments.blogspot.com/2011/01/pat-condell-on-res...

Comment by Craig A. James on April 12, 2011 at 3:29pm: I wrote a very relevant blog back in December that your readers might find interesting: Is Evolution Only for Smart People?.

Comment by Mo Trauen on April 13, 2011 at 6:18pm: I think it might be more accurate to say that if you are a genius, then it is almost impossible for you to be religious. The intellectual prowess to understand that religion is false, however, is not that high. Almost anyone can understand the logic of it. Some people simply refuse to do so for illogical reasons.

Comment by Andrew MacVicar on November 12, 2011 at 11:17am: Great piece. Very true. It is a real challenge because the facts at the core of non-belief often require a higher level of knowledge, hence
making atheism a "harder sell" than the ease of faith.

Comment by Craig A. James on November 12, 2011 at 1:29pm: I wrote a popular blog about these a couple years ago: Is Evolution Only for Smart People? You might find it interesting.

Comment by Donald Pennington on November 23, 2011 at 7:14pm: I just wanted to acknowledge what you're saying is 100% accurate. I used to be a member here as "DadP." I had some issues (still working on them) and I wasn't ready, willing or able to accept what turned out to be some really good advice directed my way. I'm over that...I think :D

I'll maybe always have a bit of the low frustration threshold with the abusive, undercover evil types of people hiding behind the cross. But I'm also willing to try like hell to be a bit more friendly and reasonable to everyday folks who have sincere questions.

Thanks for not blocking me.

Comment by Danny Sanchez on November 23, 2011 at 7:43pm: As a person with no formal education I agree with your grammer police observation.

I don't think the arrogance and condescension is from Atheist but rather a symptom of intelligence that most Atheist have. My mothers side of the family is mostly of above average intelligence and they are religious. I can definitely say there is no lack of arrogance and condescension there. I call it the "Gomez Arrogance"(my mothers maiden name). I know I have inherited this trait along with the intelligence and I fight it everyday(I fight the arrogance not the intelligence). My mother raised me to believe that we are better than most and to take pride in our family. As I grew up I figured out my mother was wrong in many ways and I rebelled. I made friends with those my mother considered very little of.(Drug Dealers and Gang Members) I discovered that intelligence comes in many forms and I met some of the most loyal friends a man could ever have. And I got in trouble way too much and found out my mother was right about some things.

Comment

You need to be a member of Think Atheist to add comments!

Join Think Atheist

RSS

Welcome to
Think Atheist

Get Started Now
or Sign In

Or sign in with:

What's new today

1	How to acknowledge good fortune?
2	The mob psychology of human sacrifice.
3	Soldier killed in Woolwich, London, UK
4	insane comment following tornadoes in Oklahoma
5	Why do atheists ask for so much proof to believe in God?
6	Does every living animal have a consciousness?
7	Wolf Blitzer Asks Tornado Survivor if She Thanked the Lord; Replies She's an Atheist
8	So the Pope said I can go to heaven...
9	Is It REALLY None Of My Business?
10	EMPOWERING WOMEN!!!!!!!!