Theists: Atheism is a totally new phenomenon. If it weren't we'd have historical evidence of it!

Me: You mean like Diagoras of Mellos in 5th century BCE, that one Ancient Roman tombstone*, Omar Khayyam in 1100s Iran, Menocchio in 1500s Italy, Giulio Cesare Vanini in 1619, Kazimierz Łyszczyński in 1600s Poland, Thomas Aikenhead in 1600s Scotland, and Percy Shelley in 1817?

Theists: Um...

Me: Moreover, do you know what all but 2 of these 8 examples have in common? They were all persecuted for being atheists. Atheists only show up in large numbers in history recently because before it wasn't safe to come out.

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* "Do not pass my epitaph, traveller

But having stopped, listen and learn, then go your own way

There is no boat in Hades, no ferryman Charon

No caretaker Aiakos, no dog Cerberus

All we who are dead below

Have become bone and ashes but nothing else

I have spoken to you honestly, go on traveller

Least even while dead I seem talkative to you"

Due to everything going on lately, it’s worth once again bringing out the friendly reminder to theists and atheists alike that when someone is grieving and vulnerable it’s NOT the time to bring them to task about their religious beliefs, whatever they may be.

Don’t target people when they’re down, that’s sleazy and crummy.

 Let them grieve in whatever way they have to. Once they’re back to normal THEN you can bring them to task.

There’s plenty of other people you can debate in the meantime.

Religion: What’s the harm?

Reverends killing people at abortion clinics

1994 -  Dr. John Britton and James Barrett, killed outside an abortion clinic by a reverend (Paul Jennings Hill).

Why it’s important that you vote

PugzM

“Atheists Have Nothing to Complain About” (8/?)

Bangladesh, March 30 2015

Oyasiqur Rahman,  a secular blogger is butchered by religious people using meat cleavers.

Note to Islamophobes thinking of using this: Atheist persecution is in no way happening only in Islamic countries.

In the US, for example, the Boy Scouts of America are allowed to ban children from joining if they are atheist (which is a rule they enforced in 1991 against two 10-year-olds).

Meanwhile, in Canada, you can be fired from publically funded Catholic schools for being atheist (or gay, or divorced) as per a Supreme Court decision.

If theists could prove their deity exists even half as well as Darth Vader can prove the existence of the Force there would be no atheists.

Atheism Mythconceptions: ”If you had proof a god exists would you...”

If you ask an atheist “If you had proof that a god exists would you be a *insert religion here*” and they answer “No”, that’s not proof that they’re close-minded. 

“Would you be a ______” and “would you believe a god exists” are 2 very different questions.

Sure, if we had proof a god exists I’d believe they exist. (It’d be illogical not to...)

 Whether I’d WORSHIP them is an entirely different matter.