Atheist Evangelism

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

What are the best methods for encouraging religious de-conversion and immunising people against religious beliefs?

Another option would be teaching by example - actively behave against the stereotypes religionists have about non-believers.

-Get together with some of your atheist mates and help clean up a mucky street.

-Start a community garden.

-Donate to a local charity (donating money or goods is fine, but donating your time is better).

-Attend a fete sponsored by a church in your neighbourhood.

That’s just a sample, of course. Whatever you do, the point us to get across the notion that we’re not the baby-eating monsters they think we are. 

Boru

[GrandizerII]

What are the best methods for encouraging religious de-conversion and immunising people against religious beliefs?

Not sure, and don't care, as I'm not anti-religion. Instead, I will list a couple of things for how encouraging a productive conversation with people you disagree with.

For one, don't mock people for their beliefs, no matter how irrational you may find them to be. Following from that, don't assume theists are stupid or mad or need any psychological help or have something wrong with them for being theists. Don't assume you're smarter than them or better than them intellectually or in terms of critical thinking.

Second, respect the person's choice and let them be. I don't care if you hold to theistic beliefs, but in a context where philosophical ideas are exchanged and debated, expect to be challenged and don't make claims with a strong conviction that isn't warranted. This goes for both sides of course, and it goes for me as well.

[Gwaithmir]

I'm interested in religion becoming obsolete.  I think we'd have a better world.

The world would still suck without religion.

Why? 

[Thumpalumpacus]

The world would still suck without religion.

Why? 

All the other foibles of human nature -- not that I think the world sucks, anyway.

[arewethereyet]

I don't want laws based on religious teachings but I am not on a mission to deconvert people. Some of my favorite people are religious. A couple of them VERY religious. We have either discussed our differences and come to a place where it doesn't matter or it's just not on the list of things to talk about.

As much as I don't like the door knockers, I certainly don't want to be one of them in reverse.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I don't want laws based on religious teachings but I am not on a mission to deconvert people.  Some of my favorite people are religious.  A couple of them VERY religious.  We have either discussed our differences and come to a place where it doesn't matter or it's just not on the list of things to talk about.

As much as I don't like the door knockers, I certainly don't want to be one of them in reverse.

The biggest cultural change we noticed after emigrating to NZ was how little people seem to care about someone else’s religion. 

We were still setting up house when the neighbour couple came over to introduce themselves. Very nice people. At one point they invited us to their church. When we told them we weren’t religious, the woman said, ‘Well, about a movie?’ The invitation to church was a social thing, not a proselytizing thing. We stay friends for years until they moved away.

World of difference from Northern Ireland.

Boru

[Bucky Ball]

I don't want laws based on religious teachings but I am not on a mission to deconvert people.  Some of my favorite people are religious.  A couple of them VERY religious.  We have either discussed our differences and come to a place where it doesn't matter or it's just not on the list of things to talk about.

As much as I don't like the door knockers, I certainly don't want to be one of them in reverse.

Some of my great-aunt's associates are nuns, as was she. A nationally known educator, college president. They're (obviously) older ladies. 
They taught English to migrants, and other disadvantaged people. They've always been a part of our extended family 
as we got to know them since we were introduced when very young. I visit them now frequently, 
making sure they are OK. They have no families left, (their families are mostly "passed' now). We are all they have left. 
Nobody has ever tried to convert anybody. We've never discussed religion, ever. 
I know (from other sources) most of them are very very liberal. Kinda like the "nuns on the bus". 
I could care less. They are all just "extra aunties" to me.

[arewethereyet]

I don't want laws based on religious teachings but I am not on a mission to deconvert people.  Some of my favorite people are religious.  A couple of them VERY religious.  We have either discussed our differences and come to a place where it doesn't matter or it's just not on the list of things to talk about.

As much as I don't like the door knockers, I certainly don't want to be one of them in reverse.

Some of my great-aunt's associates are nuns, as was she. A nationally known educator, college president. They're (obviously) older ladies. 
They taught English to migrants, and other disadvantaged people. They've always been a part of our extended family 
as we got to know them since we were introduced when very young. I visit them now frequently, 
making sure they are OK. They have no families left, (their families are mostly "passed' now). We are all they have left. 
Nobody has ever tried to convert anybody. We've never discussed religion, ever. 
I know (from other sources) most of them are very very liberal. Kinda like the "nuns on the bus". 
I could care less. They are all just "extra aunties" to me.

I have two favorite teachers from high school and one was Sr. Mary Claire.  She was also assistant principal and instrumental in starting the school.  I get it.

[FrustratedFool]

Nice people can be religious, and religious people can be nice.
But that just helps religion become more acceptable in society and spreads it more. Nice people can cause harm inadvertently by making a nasty ideology more acceptable.

At root, all religious ideology is dangerous because all contain false and immoral teachings that inevitably lead to suffering or loss. The damage religion causes is huge, and it hinders progress enormously.

[GrandizerII]

Nice people can be religious, and religious people can be nice.
But that just helps religion become more acceptable in society and spreads it more.  Nice people can cause harm inadvertently by making a nasty ideology more acceptable.

At root, all religious ideology is dangerous because all contain false and immoral teachings that inevitably lead to suffering or loss.  The damage religion causes is huge, and it hinders progress enormously.

Nah, this is too much of a sweeping statement and just encourages unwarranted bigotry against religious people. Not all religions require that they contain immoral teachings or false teachings for that matter. And false teachings aren't innately dangerous, they're just false. And religion isn't compelled to impede progress.

And even within one religion, there are many branches and different schools of thought and philosophy. They're not all equally wrong or immoral or dangerous (if at all).