13 arguments atheists shouldn't use

[Jenny A]

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We atheists think we're right about the god hypothesis, and in our defense I'd say it's embarrassing to be always right on the same subject. Regardless, not everything we say is necessarily right, accurate or valid; and because

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I want atheists to grow as a demographic, I've decided to make list of arguments or factual statements that atheists should stop using. For the record, some of them are actually true and can be said in some circumstances, but when it comes to the debate about god's hypothetical existence none of the following proves that god doesn't exist or that atheism is logically correct:

A high percentage of scientists don't believe in god] ---> This is an appeal to authority,

Agreed.

2 - Atheists are more educated and intelligent[---> This is also a fact, it's perfectly ok to say that the average atheist is more likely to be proportionally more educated and smart, however being smarter doesn't prove atheists are right, being smarter doesn't prove you have more credibility,

Agreed

3 - God/religion is evil, immoral, harmful and bad because of (insert a verse from the holy book, a bad action practised by a religious person or institution like the inquisition, etc.)---> The reasons we should dismiss and criticize religion are many, but religion or god are not wrong/false/don't exist just because they are evil and bad. This is, at most, a reason to be against god and religion, but as far as I know, god could exist and be an evil being. I think this is a truthful statement, but it's not an argument to prove atheism is a better option than theism

This one is more interesting. That religion is or isn't evil has no relevance to whether any god at all exists. It is however, highly relevant to whether a perfect, omnipotent, or loving god exists and whether that god is depicted in a particular holy book.

It is also relevant to whether it is a good idea to take a leap of faith and believe in god without evidence.

4 - Assuming reasons why theists believe beforehand (You were just indoctrinated by society/parents/family, you are afraid of death, you really want god to exist, you are a wishful thinker, etc.)---> Making assumptions about why people believe is wrong and lumps them all into the same category. It's true that some people believe their parents' religion, but there are new born religious people, people who are raised as atheists and end up believing. The way you end up believing or not believing something shouldn't be the reason why it's wrong or right.

As an argument that god doesn't exist I agree it's fallacious. As a reason to give people as to why they should reexamine their beliefs, it is not. But yes it's important to figure out why the particular person believes first.

5 - Babies are born atheists ---> This is a no brainer, babies are born without a god concept in mind, but are also born without many abilities and realities that are latter taught in life, like morality - Babies are atheists but are also amoral, apolitical, etc. The truth is, a baby is born without capacities to take a stance on the god question, but that doesn't mean god doesn't exist and atheism is right. Logically, just like cats and dogs, babies are technically atheists, but it's irrelevant to the point; it's not the reason atheism is the most rational position

Again this one isn't cut and dried for me. That babies don't believe in god is not proof there isn't one. But, it is relevant to the "you know you believe, everyone really secretly does," theist crap.

6 - Your religion is immoral according to my subjective morality ---> Attacking the morality of a religion, no matter how much you disagree with it, is not proof that god doesn't exist and that religion is false. I'm individualizing this "argument" from number 3 because there's a higher tendency for atheists to play the "religion is immoral" card - It's not a false statement, I'll say it myself that most religions are highly immoral according to my subjective morality, but that doesn't make atheism more reasonable taking into account that it is more about the lack of probability of god existing rather than morality itself.


Again this isn't an argument that god doesn't exist, merely an argument that it makes no moral or ethical sense to pretend or "have faith" that he does.

7 - Everyone is an atheist to most gods, some of us take it one step further

Sorry, but I like this one a lot. But, it is not so much an argument as a method to get theists to look at their own belief structure. If the evidence is no better for Yahweh then for Zeus, then there is nothing to choose from between Yahweh and Zeus.


8 - You are just delusional, dumb, stupid, blind, indoctrinated, close minded, etc. (personal attacks)

Yeah, you're right. But sometimes it feels so good to say it.

9 - Lumping believers into the same bag by any reason at all and using it to strengthen an atheist argument

Agreed.

10 - Equating atheism with success, happiness, less suicide or healthier lifestyles, regarding individuals and nations

Again, not an argument that god doesn't exist, but a perfectly good counter that the existence of god can be demonstrated by the behavior or wealth of Christians.

11 - Any argument that presumes the world is split between religious fundamentalists and atheists, giving atheists the victory

Not an argument that god doesn't exist, but a very good reason for not giving great respect to religion, just because it is religion.

12 - Assuming all theists are irrational and all atheists are rational

Not an assumption on the issue of faith. It's definitional. But, no it's counterproductive in discussion.

13 - Calling religion a mental illness

Ditto.