RE: Alabamian Atheist in Need of Advice
January 19, 2013 at 12:18 pm
(This post was last modified: January 19, 2013 at 12:20 pm by Aardverk.)
Similar advice from me, except that I would think more than twice about calling yourself an 'atheist' at all - ever. Bear in mind that even Richard Dawkins calls himself an agnostic (6.9 on a 7 point scale) to leave himself just that little bit of room in case of new information.
The very word 'atheist' gets theists knickers in a twist for no good reason. Unless you really want to start a fight with your Christian family and neighbors, just stick with agnostic. You never need say that you are 99% atheist unless you really want to wind them up. Just keep innocently asking them why? Why? Why?
There is a good case to be made that an out and out, 100%, adamant 'atheist' is just as closed minded as a 'theist'. It is the percentage that makes you sane or deluded. There are plenty of sane Christians out there, they just don't make their doubts very public in Alabama.
Best of luck. Do test the water carefully.
The very word 'atheist' gets theists knickers in a twist for no good reason. Unless you really want to start a fight with your Christian family and neighbors, just stick with agnostic. You never need say that you are 99% atheist unless you really want to wind them up. Just keep innocently asking them why? Why? Why?
There is a good case to be made that an out and out, 100%, adamant 'atheist' is just as closed minded as a 'theist'. It is the percentage that makes you sane or deluded. There are plenty of sane Christians out there, they just don't make their doubts very public in Alabama.
Best of luck. Do test the water carefully.
A sensible man should not demand of me, or hope that when we mention a subject, we shall make a complete exposition of it. - Maimonides
