So you are new to atheism, huh? You have this knowledge that you think no one else has. You feel that you have to liberate all who believe in God. You are becoming a crusader.
This is not your job.
Your job, at least at first, is to obtain information. You need to become at least somewhat educated on who people believe in, what people believe in, when and where it all started, and how belief in god(s) are imbedded in the minds of people. Of course, there are many more areas you could delve into, but this is a good start.
My suggestion is to read the works of various atheists – Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Charles Darwin, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, and Carl Sagan…..to start with. Each explain various aspects of atheism, and I guarantee you will learn a lot from them. What’s nice is that what they write are things you have probably thought about in your head. This is very comforting because it’s not just you who have asked these questions. Their answers are very eye-opening and much more eloquently put than I could ever write.
Also, you should read The Bible. Yes, the bible. And no, I’m not crazy. Realistically, you have to know both sides of the story. You have to know what you are talking about. Some questions you could ask are: What has God done? What did Jesus do? What promises were made? What miracles were performed? Does the bible actually prove itself? Where’s the disconnect? What part of the bible is story and what part is literal? Again, there are so many more questions you could ask it would be best to write them down.
Now, one day someone will drill you on what you know and try to prove to you that God is real. This is called a debate. You have your side of atheism and they have their side of theism. You will go back and forth, and it’s always nice to have more information than they do. You will be surprised at how many people who are “religious” have never read the bible.
Other ways to obtaining information is by: finding various blogs and websites about atheism, joining various atheist Facebook pages, and finding an atheist community within your city or town. All can provide a wealth of information.
I’m not saying that you can’t or shouldn’t debate at all, because debates do help you. It gives you the ability to gather information from various people. It can also make you look like an idiot because it can seem you do not know what you are talking about. Don’t fret. You will be bad at it in the beginning, but the more you debate the stronger you convictions will be, the more knowledge you will obtain, and the more confidence you will acquire.
Having the insight of atheism is a wonderful thing, but there’s no need to throw it in people’s faces…especially if you are new to it and aren’t properly prepared to back up your claims. Take a step back, learn what you need to know, have respect towards other people, and remember – there is a time and a place to debate someone. Use your best judgement. You do not want to lose friends and family over this just because you have something new to play with.
Now, have fun, learn something new, and do not feel afraid to ask me any questions.
The Beginning Atheist's Blog 