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Atheism
I'm an athiest, but i don't try to force people to believe what I believe. I don't challenge other people's beliefs. I've had this one guy bother me for 5 years about being an athiest. (I go to a PK-12 school distict). He's always asking me why I'm not religious, why I don't believe in God, etc, ect, and so on. i've done everything I can think of, including inflicting bodily harm on him (well - I dropped a book on his head. But I don't even think that hurt him) but he won't stop. how do I stop him?
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Maybe give some free advice about: Spirituality?
*clears throat*
I SAY AGAIN
How do you know that there isn't heaven or hell or God or Satan? Do you have infinite knowledge? Well feel special if you do, cause I don't. And why would they (who is they?) want us to act like better people eh? How would we know the difference between right and wrong? If there is no God, then what is our purpose in life? Do we live purposeless lives?
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I'm also an atheist, and I've had the same problem.
Usually it blows over in a while, but that doesn't seem to be with this guy.
Is it possible to avoid him entirely? Don't talk to him in class, keep away from him at lunch.
If he's been bugging you for five years, he's not likely to stop soon. If there's someone you can report him to, report him. Otherwise, ignore him entirely.
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I have the same problem at times cause I'm Pagan. I no longer tell people my religion when I meet them. Saves me a lot of explaining. If I do get into it I just keep it simple. But, when someone does go out of their way to convert me I keep my cool by letting them talk. As long as they are talking I don't have to talk. So let him tell you all he wants to about his religion. Eventually he'll run out of steam. At that point you can be polite and non-commital. Let him think he has given you a good talking to and then go on with your life. Just don't broadcast your religious beliefs in mixed company. It's great to be proud of being Pagan or atheist (etc) but when you know it's controversial just keep it to yourself. Unless you want to start something and then you've made your bed and you just have to live with it.
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Have you ever tried actually LISTENING to him? Has it ever occured to you that he might actually be RIGHT? Being self-centered and defensive never helped anyone ELSE, so why should it work for you? I can see your point of view, but I really don't agree with it. I'm not going to preach to you, but perhaps if you just opened up a little it wouldn't be so much of a problem any more. I'm sorry to be blunt, but you might just have to try seeing both sides of the coin on this one.
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wow! no offense, but, you guys have a really pufed-up view of yourselves.
look, i know you ppl will hate me b/c i said this, but i beleive in god, and that he is my personal savior. Maybe that guy is annoying, but chances are that the reason he is trying to talk to you is because HE CARES ABOUT YOUR SOUL and because THATS WHAT THE BIBLE TELLS CHRISTIANS TO DO.
granted, i cant speak for someone i dont know, but if he knows what hes doing then hes not trying to "force" his beleifs on anybody. maybe hes got the wrong approach, but you have to give him a chance. hes practicing his religious beleifs-which includes telling other people about christ-so how can you complain that he's taking away your right to freedom of religion when "shutting him up" would be taking away his?
the problem here is not that hes annoying, that hes a christian, that you've been annoyed for 5 yrs., problem is deeper than that. its a matter of the heart-your heart. the reason this annoys you is because your heart is hard and cold, it "does not submit to gods law, nor can it do so."
I know this probably sounds like a load of crap to you, but if you are really as wise and superior as you think you are, you will consider these things.
(p.s.-hey lauren!)
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Right. This isn't a particularly rare problem, let me assure you, though having anopther kid giving you crap is. I'm an atheist who went to a Catholic school for three years and I had these sorts of arguments with the teachers.
Anyway, before you read this, keep in mind that it will ONLY work if you are smarter than he is. Given that he's a bible bashing, convert by irritation kind of christian, chances are you wont be facing off against a Rhodes Theologial, and the fact that you're an atheist is a definite point in your favour (proves your willing to chgallenge accepted beliefs, think outside the square etc. etc.)
Anyway, step 1 is to knowledge up. The best way to do this is to read the bible and note the hypocracies, absurditites and general idiocies that riddle the ting, but I acknowledge that that's a dmaned time consuming thing to do, and chances are you wont remember all of it. So instead, use this great resource available to you (the net) and access the thoughts of those who have come before you. A few sceptics sites should be all you'll need to get tha basic fundamentals of atheism that you'll need in arguments like this. Once you've done that, all you need do is wait until he tries to piss you off again.
OK. Now, as someone else mentionaed above, the best way to begin these sorts of arguments is to ask him why he's religious, why he believes in God etc. Then poke holes in his arguments. It wont be hard. Chances are, unless he's a born again fundie, he'll be doing it either because
a - he's afraid of going to hell, or
b - his parents told him to.
Both of these are easy to shoot down. Afraid of going to hell - no proof except that tht threatens him with hel;l in the first place. Parents told him to - what are you some kind of mommas boy? Or to be a bit more, shall we say intelligent about it, accuse him of being a sheep, incapable of independednt thought, etc. etc.
He'kll put up a few feeble defences - batter them down with logic. Using the various problems and in the bible against him is good, especially if you're capable of Quoting chapter numbers and the like at him. It'll make him realize that not only are you smater than him, but you probably know more about the bible too (presumeably something he considers himself pretty knowledgeable on.
Eventually he will ive up as he crumbles before your obviously superior intellect. He may go off and study for a bit and try to come back to your arguements later, but if you studied well enough in the first place, you'll be ready for him. Eventually he'll concede defeat (probably masked in some sort of "You're a hopeless case" gambit or whatever. Ignore those). If that doesn;t work, go complain to his priest/pastor/Dark Lord/whatever. That'll shut him up.
And, as a last resort, puch the shit out of him. It's extreme, yes, but it'll get rid of him (and, as an added bonus, assuming you live in the US, you can claim that you were defending one of your consitutional rights, which, if memory serves, is freedom of religion. Teachers hate getting caught up in something so blatantly political, so your punishment should be light.
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Assuming you've already given him an answer... turning the tables on him may work if you don't mind listening to his take on Life, the Universe and Everything... once. Tell him no amount of the same questions over and over will change your mind. Become less good-natured about it, just walk away or continue what you're doing. Maybe throw in a one-liner or two from the answers here. "Giving up religion for Lent" is particularly nice.
Aside from that, it depends on how civilized a part of the world you live in and how inistent he is. Grin and bear it, and wait for him to get bored or attract attention for harassing you (if it's that serious). If your teacher can't deal with you being an atheist (doubling your annoying question rate), then it's time to talk to your parents (if they're sympathetic to your atheism) or to a sympathetic adult you trust, they may be able to go to bat for you.
If all else fails, wait a few years, then move to Canada. Atheism is giving the Beatles and Jesus a run for their money here, at least in Quebec.
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ignore him. i know other people have said this, but it works. i have the most annoying brother on the planet (and we're twins, and so we're in all the same classes. ack!), and usually the whole reason people annoy others is to get a reaction out of you. pretened he doesn't exist when he talks to you. if he realsises you don't care or that you're not listeneing, he'll realise that there's no point in him talking.
if this doesn't work, just remember: there are exceptions to every rule. i personally wouldn't report him, because i find this provokes people to do whatever they're doing more, bu after 5 years, maybe it's getting to a point where you need to do that. good luck!!
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Honestly I've found the best way to deal with that type of person is to just ignore them. Yes, they're very irritating, but with time they should stop if they realize that they can't possibly do any good (not that it stops them all).
Ultimately the world is filled with assholes who feel they have to push their religion on people and sadly most of the time there isn't much you can do to make them stop.
At least he hasn't told you you're going to hell for being an atheist, I've gotten that more times than I can count and I've never understood why someone would say something so stupid. I guess they never stop to think that it's about as menacing a threat as telling someone who doesn't believe in dragons that they'll be eaten by one for not believing.
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I hate that stuff. Tell him that you arent bothering him and you arent trying to convert him, so STOP GOING ON A *****ing CRUSADE
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God is a personal thing. God can exist for one person and not another. There is, in my opinion, no such thing as a universal god.
The universe only exists because you're here to observe it. God is existential. If you believe in god, god exists. If you don't believe in god, it doesn't but what one believes about god doesn't detract from another person's beliefs.
The best approach I find, is to reason it with him from his perspective - starting with the premise that god exists.
Try telling him that god gave man the power to choose.. You can choose to acknowledge god or ignore it. If god wanted an army of unquestioning drones.. why bestow us with the power of free will?
Follow it up with the fact that they're are many different religions across the planet. Assuming a god want's to be worshiped.. how do you know to choose the right one? Is Jesus or mohammed right? What about the other religous faiths?
If god's had a purpose for the universe was the creation of a subserviant men then why make it 14-15 billion light years across? Is life really the <i>purpose</i> of the universe?
I'm an athiest too.. I say on the balance of probabilities.. god does not exist. I have no evidence firm evidence on which to support this claim but i'm not alone in that no-one does.
Simon.
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I would just be very blunt, and when he says things like that say, "I understand your opinions on this subject, and I would prefer not to talk about this subject." If he continues to press you, simply say "I said I wasn't going to talk about this" and walk away when he starts to ask you questions. Hopefully that will work.
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Well, try this line: "I'm not pushing my beliefs on you, so why are you trying to convert me?" None of his attempts so far have obviously worked, but he's making it his personal mission to "save" you. Think of a tactful way of telling him that you've made up your mind on what you believe, at least for right now, and you'd appreciate it if he let it go.
I'm a Christian, and I hate it when other people try and push their religions (or anti-religions) on me, so I know how you feel, but from an opposite viewpoint. :) Good luck!
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5 years! I would report him to the administration at this point. You shouldn't have to fight him alone. You have the right to believe what you want and not be harassed; and it is their responsibility to insure that.
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Well, being myself Agnostic I think I can relate to you a bit. Let him have it! Not bodily harm or anything, start just telling him the answers her want and I mean GO OFF! If you need to research Atheism, decide what you don't like about religion to help you be educated as your giving him all your reasoning, answer his questions and then some, I can pretty much guarantee he'll be shocked, impressed, and sick of hearing it by the time your done, betcha he won't ask again. Time to start, at least with him challenging his beliefs, its the only way for you to get him to stop, just don't do it to other people. While its best not to judge and criticize some times it can't be avoided...
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make up something, like, "I gave up religion for Lent" or start telling him about the Norse pantheon in excruciating detail.
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Have you tried to accept or respect his beliefs? If yes, then there's hardly anything else you can do, if no you could actually research about what it is he believes in and talk to him about why you don't. Who knows, you may actually be able to converse with him about religion while still retaining your own athiestic beliefs.
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