Is it immoral for atheists to expect people in third world countries to give up their religion for the truth?

Question

Is it immoral for atheists to expect people in third world countries to give up their religion for the truth?

Answer 1

I'm really not expecting them to. However, for some cultures that deny medical treatments in favor of religious ceremonies and so forth it would do them a great favor if they got a good look at reality. Or an even worse example - the child witch trials in Nigeria thanks to the Evangelicals... if parents pushed aside their religion and superstitions they would realize that the Evangelicals are just trying to get their money.



Was it immoral for Christians to sweep into other countries, kill/persecute the natives, and force Christianity onto it's inhabitants?

Answer 2

I live in the so-called third world.

I'm an atheist, which probably has nothing at all to do with whatever you call "the truth".

If you had given whatever was on your mind some serious thought before posting your question, you might have seen that atheism is simply a belief, just like religions are. No more, no less.

I find your question meaningless, or at least very badly worded.



And I wonder if it's immoral on my part to expect sensible questions here at Y!A, from people of any "world".



EDITED to add:

Atheism IS a belief: it is the belief that no gods exist. And it is indeed a belief (as opposed to a certainty). Believers can't prove there is a god (or gods); atheists can't prove there aren't any. So both views are beliefs, not truths or things of which there is concrete and undeniable evidence.

Many atheists say they "deny" the existence of a god. Well, I'm an atheist, but I'm not stupid, ignorant or fanatic. I don't believe there is a god, but I don't deny anything. I don't know (no one knows) if a god exists. No one can tell for sure, neither believers nor atheists. I thought that was clear enough to everyone, regardless of their beliefs.



I don't know where you all people live, but in my neck of the woods here in the poor, terrible, awful and sad third world, there are still many people who are in the habit of thinking before speaking (or typing!). Who would have said, huh? ;)



Cheers!





C.

Answer 3

In many countries God and religion are life. There is no secular world or a separation between God and daily activities. To change that would mean changing the whole society from bottom up - sort of a "reeducation." I hope nobody supports that. If someone supports that he's basically saying "demolish their way of life" which is the mentality I thought most of us despised in America.

Answer 4

Atheism is not a belief at all it is the rejection of all beliefs/theism or the argument that no god(s) exists and to call a question meaningless is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Probably took it a little to personal, she didn't coin that term you know.



I think it's hard to expect people who devote their whole life to something in a world where there may already be very little hope to give up their faith. It indeed may well be what sustains them. Also an argument can be made that such frail societies may still need a system like this in place for several reasons. However I don't think anyone can be made immoral for trying to educate people instead of keeping them down, that's what the church is for.

Answer 5

No. Especially when you look at the way foreign religions have integrated into their societies. A look at Islam and Christianity on the African continent shows you the negative effects: Fundamentalist Christians burning children and young girls as witches, Catholics being told by their clergy that it's okay to have sex with your spouse when you have AIDS, Islamic extremists trying to commit genocide...



The dogma that comes with these religious beliefs causes far more harm than any good they provide.

Answer 6

It's immoral for anyone to expect anyone to do anything that they don't want. It's immoral for another human being to try and control someone else, or so I believe. Being atheist has nothing to do with immorality.



Live and let live, do your own thing. And all will be well.

Answer 7

Is it immoral for Christians to expect people in third world countries to give up their religion for any reason ?

Answer 8

Why do you think atheists want people to give up their religion? Just because I don't believe in god doesn't mean I want you to stop believing too.



All I *really* want you to do is stop trying to make *me* get religion.



Anyway, even if atheists did "expect" people to give up their religion, that's not immoral. Expecting something is not a problem - it's only a problem when you make people do it because you expect it.

Answer 9

ROFLMAO!



I don't live there, what they do or believe in their own business.



But how hypocritical... you know, given the religious missionary stuff for so long in many parts of the world in the attempt to make everyone love Jesus.

Answer 10

Yes. None of us really know the truth.



It would be the same if people who claim God spoke to them forced atheists to convert.

Answer 11

The truth is different for every person. So you can't expect anybody to give up their religion for "the truth".

But... you can try to change their beliefs if they believe completely wrong things that involve (moral) slavery, violence, ...

Answer 12

As far as I know, the Atheists don't expect people to give up their faith. They are tolerant of all religions, and they believe in your freedom to choose faith or no faith at all.

Answer 13

Nope.

Answer 14

no one expects that. how did you come to this conclusion?