Are atheists less vocal than people of other beliefs?

I guess that because atheism is in the minority, it's harder to form an outspoken alliance. You hear from the Christians because they are numerous and have very well established networks. Atheists don't have that yet. Also, not believing in something probably doesn't make as passionate as believing in something. Obviously, that's not always true, as is the case with the guy who wrote The God Delusion. he is quite passionate and outspoken about his non belief.

Christians are the majority in America so they can make the rules. I've never been bothered by street preachers unless they're really annoying. Okay, there was this one time when I was really tired and this woman gave me this thing about how Jesus helps depressed people. I thought that was a bit presumptuous.

Also, since atheists are a minority, mostly represented by the more militant among them -i.e Richard Dawkins- *and* really trashed in the Bible, anything an atheist does is seen as an attack. According to the Bible, atheists are fools, frauds, can do no good, and so on.

Since atheists are a minority there is also a hesitance to broadcast atheist views. Even if other people are supportive it usually turns in to explaining and defending the atheist's way of life, which then turns in to people not realizing that atheism isn't a belief system and runs the atheist ragged trying to get on to something else. In my experience what usually happens is that everyone gets all shifty, a few people try to convert me, and some people flat out refuse to be near me. All I ever say is, "I don't believe in any gods." One kid says, "I'm Catholic," the next says, "Seventh Day Adventist," I say, "I don't believe in any gods." Yet that makes me something of a pariah.

However what we're dealing with here in terms of the Christians protesting the Golden Compass and stuff like that, is extremism. Most Christians aren't like that.

The only odd thing I've noticed is a tendency for Christian kids -being 15 I haven't exactly had a chance to talk with adults- to act like their beliefs are always being attacked, and that Christianity is a persecuted minority religion. I find that rather irritating.

The real reason atheists don't proselytize is that there's no reason to. Street preachers are trying to save people from eternal hellfire, but atheists don't have something like that. Also, atheists aren't united in the same way that most theists are. Christians all have something major in common, while atheists just don't believe in gods.

Chalking it up to intellectual or moral superiority is plain arrogant, though.

It might be because atheists have nothing to promote but religious people do.

I know I have no great need to promote my own absence of belief in any kind of a god - and if I did feel the urge I doubt anything I said would make the slightest difference to people who do believe in God.

Fundamental to a great many religions, though, is the notion that it's believers should get out there (or in here) and let the world know about what is on offer.

Which is pretty kool, when you think about it reasonably. I mean, all the religious people are doing is offering us something. They're not putting any guns to our heads, bless 'em.

I appreciate their generosity and their kindness even though what they have doesn't work for me.

Religious people are okay :o)

I think for most Atheists Yahoo answers is just a laugh a minute, and outside of this media most don't even mention it or think about it, There is nothing to think about, we have already come to our conclusions, if we haven't we are not Atheists, we are borderline Agnostic.

Atheists have no agenda we have only the truth, proved by science, OK all the facts are not there, but they are coming, We will believe them and you won't, and round and round we will go. with Christians making the most noise as usual.

For Atheists Yahoo Answers is not making a noise, it's a quiet affair in front of a computer screen, having a little giggle to our selves that Christians can get all het up about a fiction.

NB Please be sure that quite a lot of the anti Christian questions and answers are coming from people who are not Atheist or Agnostic, They are just goading christians for the reaction, and react you do.

I personally am an atheist because of the way i grew up. I was born in England at a time when religion wasn't very widespread and it was common not to believe in God. Because of this I grew up not believing also. When I moved to America I found that religion was a very big deal to people here and because I am atheist due to my upbringing mostly and not my own ideas, I don't speak much of being atheist. Just out of respect because I believe my religious views are just the product of my upbringing and are not completely personal.

I think it`s more that they are live and let live people, with no agenda, or axe to grind.

I did see the question about the film, and reading the answers I thought some of our atheists were well out of order. The question was a christian to christian question. I do believe they have a right to communicate to one another without abuse..!!

I agree that we atheists aren't really interested in making a lot of noise (after all, we can't get other atheists to send us money just because we oppose the Chronicles of Narnia), but I would like to earn my 2 points by pointing out that atheism isn't a belief.*

*If you think it is, then you must also believe that NOT collecting stamps is a hobby.

@A.M.D.G, RD didn't attempt to organize a boycott of Chronicles of Narnia.

Atheists don't claim the nonexistence of God. You can't prove a negative.

Atheism is the absence of belief. The absence of belief isn't a belief.

Why aren't atheists trying to gain converts? Most true atheists don't consider it worthy of a crusade.

If this site is anything to go by, no! I have heard complaints about Narnia and Songs of Praise

Nor did they ridicule atheists.

Atheists aren`t trying to preach a religion - most are people who just think (after long thought) `hey-ho, I don`t believe all this.`...and just keep quiet about it. Many religious people seem to need to keep justifying their beliefs.

But then again, their Jesus DID tell them to go on spreading the word. Can`t argue with that.