Will you please help me with this issue?

Question

I am an agnostic atheist and I now have to explain myself to 4 strict catholics who are pretty pissed at me for not being their religion. We're all classmates and have gone to the same catholic school from kindergarten to now (seniors in high school), so we've had many religion classes together, including why atheists are dead-on wrong and how to defend catholicism to the death.

I am most certainly not looking to prove them wrong or to cause strife... I want to continue my loose friendship with them... I just want them to see that perfectly intelligent people can choose religions other than catholicism and explain to them that my choice is my own, fully thought out, and not "ridiculous!" as they are so quick to fault me on.

Everything I say will be used against me, I know, from the idea of faith (especially as it has to do with logic) to history to gravity. I need some things that will help me prove my point; I believe strongly in my position but as I've never met another atheist

I've not had the philosophical backup like they have; I can't express myself as well as they can because I have to think for myself and when I can't come up with an answer on the spot they fairly well laugh at me.

Can you please help me out? If you provide links, please make sure they are intelligent ones that would actually help, because the 5 of us are well-grounded in academics and reason. Thank you.

Answer 1

Couple of things: I would really recommend "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. (Check your library)

Go to: www.internetinfidels.org Best atheism site ever. Just cruise around their library and you will find so much to back up your point-of-view.

And nice to meet you! I remember when I was the only atheist I knew in "real life" and could only find other atheists online. Feel free to email me if ya want.

Answer 2

You have had 12 years of Catholic education with your classmates. You sound more Christian than they do. Perhaps they were asleep when the class on tolerance was taught.
Jesus once said, "If they do not accept you in one town, shake the dust and move on." Life is too short to try and win arguments with closed-minded people.
Do not waste your time with them. When you go on to college, you will be able to debate religion on an entirely different level.

Answer 3

The best way to deal with this is to let go of you need to prove your point. You can be right without having to make someone else wrong. They will just dig in harder to make themselves right and have to make you you wrong by doing so.
If you can both agree that it's OK to each have your own point of view and that mutual tolerence of this is senoir to the desire to be right and prove another wrong then you no longer have the problem.
Unless you need the problem of course.

Answer 4

To start with, all Catholics are obliged to believe a number of things that are contrary to scripture, and on every point, according to the Counsel of Trent, "If any one will say that ... yaddy yaddy ya ... and that it is not (as we believe) blah blah blah... let him be anathema."

You're dealing with followers of a religion who for over a thousand years in political power brutally tortured and murdered anyone who would not embrace their religion. Anyone who questioned a Catholic dogma even slightly was immediately arrested and charged with heresy before an inquisition, and relentless tortured until they either confessed or died. And if they survived the torture and still wouldn't confess to heresy, they were chained to a stake and burned to death.

Now if you believe the Bible you'll be about as anti-Catholic as they come.

Here's the deal. In America you have a right to your religion (atheism is a religion). I may not agree with it and would warn you against it, but that is your right. We supposed to have freedom of speech. Which means that you are supposed to have a right to tell someone else about your religion and try to persuade them, provided it is only in words. Nobody has a right to try to force anybody to their religion by any type of threat or cajole, other than of course warning what will happen to their soul after they die naturally.

It's entirely up to you if you want to keep your friendship with these guys.

Answer 5

Just because you can't say your arguement right on the spot doesnt mean you are wrong about your belief. If they don't except you sometimes you just have to say ***** em. Life can be like that. They don't have an arguement for their side worth hearing anyway.

Answer 6

I've been in the same shoes as you have, i just blocked it out, you have to. When i went to religion class and confirmation i kept my mouth shut, they have no reason to know what you believe, i did it so my mom would stop making me go to church so far...unsuccesful

Answer 7

you don't need to prove your side, if they want any kind of friendship with you then they should respect your beliefs and not make a big deal out of it, you're not trying to convert them are you?
if they can't respect your decision then it's time to find some new friends.

Answer 8

Why do you feel you have to explain yourself to anyone? I'm christian, I know a lot of atheists, and I certainly don't force them to explain their non-belief to me, and they don't force me to explain my belief to them. Everyone is entitled to their own belief, but they are not entitled to attempt to force it on anyone else.

Answer 9

gee it's ahard one. That is one problem with religious nuts who try and shove their beliefs down your throats. They do not listen to reason or facts so I wish you luck.