Believers often ask ‘how can you reject god if you’ve never read the Bible?’ It is generally easier to take the teeth (such as they are) out of a believer’s argument against atheism if you can point out contradictions in their “holy” books and point out passages of interest of which most self-professed Christians are unaware. Most believers I’ve met were indoctrinated into their religions as children and tend to shy away from looking at their religion with a critical eye. I try to encourage these folks to take a closer look at their prejudice against the term “atheist” and to scrutinize their own religious beliefs. The trick is to be polite and do not let a friendly discussion degenerate into a heated argument. I never bring up my atheism unless someone else opens a religious discussion with me. I mean, really, what kind of person goes around introducing herself by saying “Hi, I’m an atheist” or “Hi, I’m so-and-so; have you accepted Jesus as your savior” (unless you’re one of those door-to-door folks)?

If believers leave me alone and do not attempt to impose their viewpoints upon me or my children, I will not bother them – I don’t care what they believe. It is only when my civil rights are threatened or when my atheism is ridiculed that I am spurred to action.

I just realized how long this response is. Sorry!

Aye, the crowd chatter was poor enough, even at the front. However, as it happens at nearly all shows, I only draw attention to it when I find it really irksome. Gotta have some variety in my reviews! At the same time, the Vicar Street show (at the risk of banging on about it) was really quite silent, as I remember it.

If John Spillane’s poem gave us a laugh and you guys liked it, then that’s a win-win outcome!