An open letter to religious zealots.
13 years ago
I am not an atheist due to my failure to believe.
I am an atheist due to your failure to convince me to believe.
When you made your attempts, you tried allegory with no proof. When that failed, you
threatened my immortal soul. When that failed, you attempted peer pressure. When that failed,
you attempted social threats and bullying; you would shun me or harm me. Now that these have
all failed, your numerous attempts to barter, confuse, cajole and intimidate me, you shake your
head and still attempt to lay the blame on me. If your argument were more convincing, any of
those approaches might have worked. Since they didn't, you see fit to blame me?
The burden of proof lies on the party that is trying to convince or, in this case convert, the other.
I don't care what, or if, you think or believe, as long as your ignorance or lack of belief
don't directly harm me. I have done nothing wrong. I'm not trying to make you give up your beliefs.
This is not a war. I have bigger concerns than what you do with your weekends.
Learn your craft. Have better arguments. Present something like proof. If all you can bring is
conjecture and aggression, you will fail to convince me. If all you can bring is derision and false
pity, you will fail to convince me. If all you can bring is unsupported data, you will fail to convince
me. I know this because it's what you've brought to this debate and it has never shifted my beliefs.
I am not an atheist due to my failure to believe.
I am an atheist due to your failure to convince me to believe.
I don't want or need your prayers. You should reserve your prayers for yourself.
The failure, here, isn't mine.
I am an atheist due to your failure to convince me to believe.
When you made your attempts, you tried allegory with no proof. When that failed, you
threatened my immortal soul. When that failed, you attempted peer pressure. When that failed,
you attempted social threats and bullying; you would shun me or harm me. Now that these have
all failed, your numerous attempts to barter, confuse, cajole and intimidate me, you shake your
head and still attempt to lay the blame on me. If your argument were more convincing, any of
those approaches might have worked. Since they didn't, you see fit to blame me?
The burden of proof lies on the party that is trying to convince or, in this case convert, the other.
I don't care what, or if, you think or believe, as long as your ignorance or lack of belief
don't directly harm me. I have done nothing wrong. I'm not trying to make you give up your beliefs.
This is not a war. I have bigger concerns than what you do with your weekends.
Learn your craft. Have better arguments. Present something like proof. If all you can bring is
conjecture and aggression, you will fail to convince me. If all you can bring is derision and false
pity, you will fail to convince me. If all you can bring is unsupported data, you will fail to convince
me. I know this because it's what you've brought to this debate and it has never shifted my beliefs.
I am not an atheist due to my failure to believe.
I am an atheist due to your failure to convince me to believe.
I don't want or need your prayers. You should reserve your prayers for yourself.
The failure, here, isn't mine.
Much respect.