Atheists who meet in groups have interests much broader than the narrow definition of atheism.

BTW, are you involved in any kind of atheist community?

I’m not sure to which meetings you are referring, but I suspect you are conflating atheism with skepticism. While atheism is a subtopic of skepticism, a skeptic meeting is not by definition an atheist meeting. The presentation of science-related lectures is not intended to attract those who “might be interested in the atheist community.”

Besides religious belief has rarely, and probably only very recently, been considered only a matter of personal belief. It has been mostly a communal thing, both bringing people together and tearing them apart from one another. And it has been a matter of authority in organized religions, such as the Catholic church with its hierarchy and with the Southern Baptist Convention which disfellowships churches that do not toe the doctrinal line, and even the Church of the Nazarene which is my family tradition. If matters of religious belief were only matters of individual belief it should not be such a big deal when a child reveals to her mother that she does not personally believe in the family’s God. And the religious views of candidates for president should not matter either. But it is very clear to me that they do.

So I am not concerned about people’s personal beliefs, but religion involves much more than the private beliefs of individuals. It is the assertions of claims of religions that also impact those of us that do not believe in them that concern me most of all. The things people believe as a matter of religion impact the society that we all must live in, so they can’t be held beyond criticism.

Now, to present those criticisms in a way that is not going to interpreted as arrogant by some people is a very fine line to walk…especially to anyone who thinks that to say “I don’t need God” is the height of arrogance. We are sorta damned if we do, and damned if we don’t ya know.

Harvey’s response:
And there is the presupposition you referred to.

And on the subject of arrogance. There is no definitive evidence proving either the existence of God or the non-existence of God. Both ideas are built on individual belief. Therefore, to insist that your position, whichever you hold, is absolute truth is, in my opinion, arrogance. The fellow in this pod cast was not only arrogant, but completely mistaken about the principals of Christianity,

So, I believe there is a God. You do not believe there is a God. We are both confident that we are correct or we would not hold the belief. But neither of us can be absolutely certain we are correct. So if we make that fact our presupposition we can argue our positions without being arrogant and without offending each other.

I have far more arguments with Christians (fundamentalist) than I do with Atheists. I get a bit upset when people call themselves Christian and then do and say things that are so anti Christian it isn’t funny. Almost every objection I hear about Christians are a direct result of some horribly incorrect actions based on some equally incorrect beliefs by some vocal idiot claiming to represent Christians. Don’t get me started.