a legitimate question about atheism?

Question

why do athesits try to convert people to athism
i know christans and other religions try to convert people because they want to inspire them to live better lives and have hope in life but atheism does not help people in life. I know thinking that there is no life after death is depressing

Answer 1

An interesting reply:

"We try to inspire free thinking and free living"...

...which, of course, means that everyone should think the way that WE do, otherwise we mock them.

That being said, I have no problem with atheists, or any other philosophy/religion, that people choose to believe, so long as with their beliefs they are not infringing on others' rights to THEIR beliefs.

Answer 2

Atheism is not something one can be converted to. Christianity, Islam, etc... those are things people can be converted from. Atheism is a lack of a belief in a god or gods -not is not a system of beliefs.

Many atheists desire to see a world with a future where more people wake up and see the light or stop believing in fairy tales. We would like for people to not be suckered into believing religious lies. And for the ones who have already been fooled to eventually come back to their senses.

Thinking that there is no life after death is only depressing if one is not satisfied with his or her current life. Maybe you could stop daydreaming about a magical afterlife and instead make this life worth living.

Answer 3

Back up a bit. You've made a couple of big assumptions and you're acting as if they're facts.

Assumption #1: "Atheism does not help people."

If you had bothered to ask an atheist about this (though I'll admit they're not always easy to find), you would have learned that atheism does indeed help people. It helps them to face the real world, accept it for what it is, and go about the business of making their own place in it without recourse to fantasies or pleadings to imaginary friends who never return their calls anyway.

Assumption #2: "Thinking that there is no life after death is depressing."

Why? Everything living dies. Everything dead rots. No exceptions. What's depressing about a natural process?

So you're not gonna live forever. So what? Neither is anybody else. It is what it is, hun. If you find that depressing, then nothing can help you, because you've literally set your face against the world -- as if _you_ deserve to escape the fate that everybody else cannot avoid. Wow. How special are you, huh?

Grow up. You can do better than this. We all can.

Answer 4

First off, atheists don't try to convert anyone, usually they are responding to theists trying to convert them. I wish that they would please stop. If we wanted to follow your religion, we would already be doing so. It's not like we just haven't heard about it. We know what you're about, and we don't want it. Please leave it at that.

Knowing that there is no afterlife is only depressing if you have nothing good going on in this life. I'm an atheist, and the thought of ceasing to exist doesn't bother me at all. It's just a fact of life. Religion teaches people to give up lots of time worshipping things who's existence is completely unprovable, and also teaches people to refrain from doing things that can bring great joy, pleasure and happiness in this life.

Religion also uses guilt and fear to help keep people from deviating from the rules. Fear of death and punishment, and guilt over thoughts and actions that are normal to most people.

Religion encourages people to deny logic and scientific discovery if it contradicts religious scripture. This kind of thinking that held back advancement for hundreds of years in the dark ages, and this thinking continues today and threatens to hamper scientific advancement.

Religion can be more harmful than you would think.

Answer 5

True Christians, a rare commodity these days, aren't upset in the least by "atheists" and have enough insight to understand the meaning of someone who has been disillusioned by one lie too many from the part of impostors calling themselves something they never really were. It's an oxymoron to even think that an atheist could ever convert anyone.
Don't break your head about that and when you truly begin to dig deep enough, and make real sure of all things for your own sake and own salvation, you won't even think such thoughts any more. Not that you are so wrong in thinking about this but it simply is not relative to the real truth that are yours which should be positive and a good force in your own life.

Answer 6

You may find thinking there is no life after death depressing. I find it quite uplifting. It reminds me to make the most of my life. And that I am just another part of 'creation' subject to death and decay like everything else. But that's just my view.

And I don't think I've ever attempted to 'convert' anyone. That would suggest that I have a monopoly on the 'right' beliefs. Which I do not. Mine are just right for me.

Peace be with you.
.

Answer 7

I don't try to convert anybody, just to get them to think. I do this for the same reason you teach a child to think. If someone starts thinking and then questions what they believe, then so much the better.

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Then, think instead about life BEFORE death.

Answer 8

Atheism inspires people to live better lives and to have hope in life. Because it helps people in life, it's good to try to help people to achieve atheism.

Let's face it - when it comes to inspiring people to live better lives, religion is pretty "hit-and-miss". It's at least as likely to inspire them to apathy, excuse-making, or even outright evil. Atheism has a FAR better track record, as you'd expect of a belief system that implies that life is genuinely valuable.

Answer 9

What might be depressing to you is the sole reason to cherish this life, and to make the best and most of it. I've seen children beaten and abused by their parents, to think It will be OK because something beyond life will be good for them, allows you to ignore the fact that their life sucks. I however see this tragedy and think, this child, this persons life isn't fair, and what can I do to make it better. What can I do for mankind to make it fair and right for everyone.

You have only proved one thing Religion is a coping mechanism, not a reality.

Answer 10

I personally don't try to convert other people but I know that there are atheists who do. And, when they do, they do it for the SAME EXACT reasons that anybody else does -

1. They think it is correct.
2. They think that is is the way to a better life.
3. They think it is important.

You may disagree with their interpretations but I think you need to grant them the respect that they don't just say "I think I'll try to convert this person just to screw them up."