Atheistophobia

[KevinM1]

Perhaps we---as in the free thought community---should adopt a page or two from the multiculturalists and LBGT movement?

We should and here is: We have to stop making enemies of those non-atheists who are not against us. We need them on our side.

We are a tiny minority - at least in the U.S. If it's us against them, we lose. Can you imagine blacks trying to win civil rights by lashing out against all non-blacks or homosexuals rallying the cause with the cry of, "straight people suck?" Far too often, we make enemies where we should be making friends. We do that in the course of debate. We constantly ridicule and belittle theists we debate with. Sometimes they deserve it but everytime we do that, it plants a seed in the mind of all theists in earshot that atheists are arrogant pricks who think they're smarter than everyone else. As long as that perception persists, we atheists (at least those of us outside Europe) will continue to be a mistrusted and disliked group.

I agree with the sentiment, but outside of actual important issues like creationism or prayer in school, when do atheists actually debate theists?

I mean, there's probably an internal debate to be had regarding whether some of the fights we've had in the past with theists - like "under God" in the pledge or complaints about nativity scenes - were worth having in terms of a long term strategy of engendering acceptance because they seem small and petty to the mainstream. But beyond that?

I'm just not convinced that we actually interact with the zealous theists about their religions or how their beliefs are negatively impacting society enough for there to be a negative spillover of resentment with the more reasonable theists.