How many GPs and doctors specialising in sexual health and related areas are there in the US? What’s the prevalence of herpes (I believe in NZ it’s shockingly close to 50% of the adult population… don’t know what the rate for sheep is)? It could well turn out that herpes is actually more popular than Cheney.

Which is lower on the Schiavenza Popularity Scale: Cheney or herpes?

I, like Glen, have no problem with atheists despite my fairly non-committal theism. And I completely agree that preachy is preachy regardless of from whom it’s coming. At least when I deal with Muslims who tell me I’m not conservative enough I can quote the Qur’an to tell them to back off.

But I think that atheists in those places could probably learn a thing or two from atheists in China. Just leave people be (on an individual level that is) and do your own thing.

I’ve often thought that of those with faith as well. I know one Chinese guy who’s hardcore Evangelical Buddhist, but his family (with whom I’m friends and how I barely know him) have pretty much dumped him over this. In my experience Chinese don’t give a crap if you’re this or that. Mostly they’re just surprised to find out you’re not Christian, but then this is right along with the surprise over my eyes being brown, not blue, so I don’t think too much about it.

And I do understand that most atheist “movements” are centred in Europe and North America. But I think that atheists in those places could probably learn a thing or two from atheists in China. Just leave people be (on an individual level that is) and do your own thing. Posting ads that say that there is no God is not really the “live and let live” that so many atheists claim to want.

I think though if atheist group do want to do a little bit of PR, then they should use the religious texts as a vehicle. I mean, if atheists started telling Christians to “Do onto the least of my brothers as thou do onto me” (which is what should be the building block for all Chrisitianity) then that could be a very effective, and rational, argument to have people just leave them the heck alone.

Though I personally am opposed to religious faith in all forms I think the emphasis atheists place on Christianity has to do with the fact that in the Americas and Europe it remains the predominant religion.

And I think given the generally low public opinion of atheists in the US a little public relations doesn’t hurt. My problem with the ‘bibles for porn’ campaign is that it reinforces rather than repudiates negative stereotypes of atheists.

But I do wonder about any of these pro-atheist campaigns. Now correct me if I’m wrong (I do believe in God, but I find a lot of the church dogma to be outdated and missing the key points of Christianity), but isn’t one of the big reasons that people are turned off of any belief is because of how in your face and preachy it is? Wouldn’t any atheist get offended if an add on a bus said “Jesus Loves You”? Wouldn’t any atheist shake their head if someone offered Bibles for Porn?

If that’s so, then why is it ok the other way around? I mean, if you want people to choose for themselves, then why ram atheism down peoples throats with bus adds or any sort of campaigns? I mean, if church and state should be seperate (which they are not in England, but that’s a whole other story) then shouldn’t state and not-church be seperate too?

Even though I do believe in God, I have no problem with atheism, I used to be one myself after all. But what I do find annoying is when atheists get preachy. Just like I find it annoying when Christians, Mulsims, Jews, or anyone else gets preachy.

And I actually enjoyed Matthew Stinsons comment about Qu’arans for porn. I know that you were joking, but it is a serious question that I have. Why are atheists so obsessed with the Bible and Christianity? Isn’t Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and every other religion just as irrational as the other? It’s a touch irrational and close minded to only accept Bibles for porn and not the Vedas or Daodejing.