Militant Atheism at Biscuitville

[BecauseHeLives]

Ok... I took my 9-year old daughter to Biscuitville this morning (mainly because it was the only place I knew of that conveniently served breakfat after 10:30 in the morning) and had a terrible experience with an atheist. I certainly hope it's not one of you guys here in the forums because this guy was exceptionally insensitive to those around him and had a pretty horrible potty mouth.

My daughter and I were sitting in one of those 2-person booths which was seperated by a amall glass privacy partition from the other 2-person booth on the other side. In that other booth were a couple of older gentlemen (likely in their early 60's or late 50's) and they were just chatting away about various mundane topics initially. I might point out that being so close to each other (less than a foot or two away) you really just can't help but hear some of their conversation no matter how hard you try not to listen. Now I'm trying to have a nice breakfast with my 9-year old little girl and then all of a sudden the guy has an outburst saying just about all of the choice 4-letter words and saying GD this and GD that. Then he goes into a tirade about how he is an atheist and he doesn't believe in this or that and how all of the fundy religious right can go to _ _ _ _ and was constantly putting down my Lord. All this time he is not making any attempt to keep his voice down and in fact seemed to be making sure that all adjoining booths could hear him. My girl is acting like she can't hear all of this but I know that she could. I wanted to reach over and pull the guy over the privacy glass with my fist and give him a lecture on manners, but alas, I'd be no better than him and that would have been a terrible witness to my daughter. It was tough to bite my lips and not say anything and in hindsight maybe I really should have. Perhaps the guy doesn't realize how inconsiderate he is to other people. But then again perhaps he does and doesn't care.

Intersting enough the guy only started on his rave after seeing my daughter and I say a quiet prayer of thanks before we ate. Intoloerance maybe? Perhaps I should have asked him.

[A Person]

Boorish perhaps, but militant?

Did you encounter any suggestion of violence? (other than your own desire to " reach over and pull the guy over the privacy glass with my fist")

But if you give us his barcode (imprinted on his right palm) we'll send someone round and re-educate him. Because the WWCOA (world wide conspiracy of atheists) does not condone that kind of behaviour, until we seize power.

[BecauseHeLives]

Boorish perhaps, but militant?

Did you encounter any suggestion of violence? (other than your own desire to " reach over and pull the guy over the privacy glass with my fist")

But if you give us his barcode (imprinted on his right palm) we'll send someone round and re-educate him. Because the WWCOA (world wide conspiracy of atheists) does not condone that kind of behaviour, until we seize power.

Perhaps a better word may have been evangelical atheist. Miltant doesn't infer "violence" but rather the inability to tolerate those of the Christian faith. Only his motives can tell whether he is militant or evangelical (or both).

[A Person]

I rather suspect from your post that he wasn't a True Atheist, simply an unbeliever. Just calling himself an atheist doesn't make him one you know. From the sound of it he was obviously insecure in his unbelief and having doubts about his doubts.

The Christian thing to do would be to have prayed loudly, quoted from Leviticus and refused a blood transfusion for your child. Maybe even a bit of glossolalia and snake handling wouldn't have gone amiss. A simple act like this would have turned him back to the wide and easy path to Hell.

[BecauseHeLives]

I rather suspect from your post that he wasn't a True Atheist, simply an unbeliever. Just calling himself an atheist doesn't make him one you know. From the sound of it he was obviously insecure in his unbelief and having doubts about his doubts.

The Christian thing to do would be to have prayed loudly, quoted from Leviticus and refused a blood transfusion for your child. Maybe even a bit of glossolalia and snake handling wouldn't have gone amiss. A simple act like this would have turned him back to the wide and easy path to Hell.

I expected you to defend him AP.

I suspect there really isn't any such thing as a true atheist anyway so you may be correct. He's likely just an egotistical agnostic like you.

[A Person]

I expected you to defend him AP.

sorry to disappoint you.

I was in a Swiss Chalet the other day, and in the booth next to me were four yahoos 'discussing' football. The language was pretty ripe, and they were loud and obnoxious. Sometimes it happens. Get over it.

I suspect there really isn't any such thing as a true atheist anyway so you may be correct. He's likely just an egotistical agnostic like you.

That depends on definitions, which were never your strong point. I am an atheist and an agnostic. They are not mutually exclusive. It is quite possible to be a Christian and an agnostic.

[C. Alice]

I rather suspect from your post that he wasn't a True Atheist, simply an unbeliever. Just calling himself an atheist doesn't make him one you know. From the sound of it he was obviously insecure in his unbelief and having doubts about his doubts.

The Christian thing to do would be to have prayed loudly, quoted from Leviticus and refused a blood transfusion for your child. Maybe even a bit of glossolalia and snake handling wouldn't have gone amiss. A simple act like this would have turned him back to the wide and easy path to Hell.

[Liv]

As someone who cusses alot..... I must admit sometimes I do it just to watch people squirm... that and same sex kissing in Food Lion....

but they should have been courteous to the child... IMO.. on the language...

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

But if you give us his barcode (imprinted on his right palm) we'll send someone round and re-educate him. Because the WWCOA (world wide conspiracy of atheists) does not condone that kind of behaviour, until we seize power.

Obviously, you aren't a current member of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy. This has been corrected. Not that it exists...

[A Person]

Hah- the Evil Atheist Conspiracy are a bunch of splitters. Wankers

The only people we hate more than the Christians are the fucking Evil Atheist Conspiracy Popular Front.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

Hey... At least we're not talking about the Conspiracy of Evil Atheists.

[Sanjuro]

Hah- the Evil Atheist Conspiracy are a bunch of spitters. Wankers

The only people we hate more than the Christians are the (expletive) Evil Atheist Conspiracy Popular Front.

Life of Brian FTW.

[Davew]

"It was tough to bite my lips and not say anything and in hindsight maybe I really should have. Perhaps the guy doesn't realize how inconsiderate he is to other people. But then again perhaps he does and doesn't care."

From your description of what occurred, this guy wasn't proselytizing, he was just ranting. It sounds like he was angry about something and just spouting off. Regardless of his religious views, raising your voice in anger and cursing in public are simply rude, inconsiderate behavior. And cursing just get a "rise" out of people is childish. Some people are insecure and need to make others feel uncomfortable so as to make themselves feel more powerful. Just like making fun of someone else's religious beliefs just because you disagree with them. Cheap thrills, obtained at the expense of their own reputation.

The best response to a person like this is never to confront them, you have no hope of changing their views and may only provoke a physical response. Go directly to the manager and explain that if he/she will not take care of this person you will be forced to shop/eat somewhere else and recommend to your friends and family that they do also.

Money talks louder than religion.

[BecauseHeLives]

"It was tough to bite my lips and not say anything and in hindsight maybe I really should have. Perhaps the guy doesn't realize how inconsiderate he is to other people. But then again perhaps he does and doesn't care."

From your description of what occurred, this guy wasn't proselytizing, he was just ranting. It sounds like he was angry about something and just spouting off. Regardless of his religious views, raising your voice in anger and cursing in public are simply rude, inconsiderate behavior. And cursing just get a "rise" out of people is childish. Some people are insecure and need to make others feel uncomfortable so as to make themselves feel more powerful. Just like making fun of someone else's religious beliefs just because you disagree with them. Cheap thrills, obtained at the expense of their own reputation.

The best response to a person like this is never to confront them, you have no hope of changing their views and may only provoke a physical response. Go directly to the manager and explain that if he/she will not take care of this person you will be forced to shop/eat somewhere else and recommend to your friends and family that they do also.

Money talks louder than religion.

You are certainly correct.

[Sanjuro]

I tell ya BHL, I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. How bout you man up next time and simply ask him to keep it down because you have a kid present?

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

I tell ya BHL, I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Hey, if a molehill is all you have for building a mountain, what are your options? For BHL, mountains MUST be built, it seems.

[BecauseHeLives]

Exibit 1a and 1b your honor.

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

I tell ya BHL, I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. How bout you man up next time and simply ask him to keep it down because you have a kid present?

He shouldn't have to. It seems to me that the man might have raised his voice to spite him if he had asked. I've had it happen to me before, no specifically with atheists, but with buttheads in general. I find it easier to just ignore them, but when I do confront them, it becomes an interrogation.

[A Person]

It shouldn't happen, but it does. We've all sat near boorish people in public areas.

In this case I really wonder what the offence was. BHL notes that it is impossible not to overhear what is said in adjacent booths. So he overheard something he didn't like. Was it the swearing he objected to, or the subject matter? BHL is a bit coy about what was actually said, but he hints at 'God damned' and 'going to Hell' (both rather strange things for an atheist who believes in neither to say) but if that's the worst of it then molehill is a bit of an exaggeration. Or was it the 'putting down my Lord'? In which case if God is prepared to spare the lightning and turn the other cheek, BHL will have to as well.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

I tell ya BHL, I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. How bout you man up next time and simply ask him to keep it down because you have a kid present?

He shouldn't have to.

That's so true. I hate running across rude people in public places, who seem to feel it's their duty to be obnoxious. When I had that happen when my son was small, I simply moved the two of us away, rather than bother with confronting strangers. I've never tried to educate jerks on etiquette.

[Sanjuro]

I tell ya BHL, I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. How bout you man up next time and simply ask him to keep it down because you have a kid present?

He shouldn't have to.

That's so true. I hate running across rude people in public places, who seem to feel it's their duty to be obnoxious. When I had that happen when my son was small, I simply moved the two of us away, rather than bother with confronting strangers. I've never tried to educate jerks on etiquette.

The problem with this train of thought is you never know what will offend someone... I've been to places where talking loudly or even cursing would be considered normal. The truth is probably the guy had no idea he was as loud as he was.

If BHL had grown a pair, walked over, and simply introduced himself and asked in a nice way for the gentleman to lower his volume, it shouldn't have been an issue. I've done this in the past and had no problems. Most people don't mind at all and are quite apologetic. Personally I have found 99% of how you're treated is in your own approach.

As BHL mentioned there was a privacy glass. I bet dollars to donuts the guy didn't know his voice was traveling.

Moral of the story: BHL... don't be vagina.

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

The problem with this train of thought is you never know what will offend someone... I've been to places where talking loudly or even cursing would be considered normal. The truth is probably the guy had no idea he was as loud as he was.

If BHL had grown a pair, walked over, and simply introduced himself and asked in a nice way for the gentleman to lower his volume, it shouldn't have been an issue. I've done this in the past and had no problems. Most people don't mind at all and are quite apologetic. Personally I have found 99% of how you're treated is in your own approach.

As BHL mentioned there was a privacy glass. I bet dollars to donuts the guy didn't know his voice was traveling.

Moral of the story: BHL... don't be vagina.

Maybe a little too much Sanjuro. :\

True, you never know what will offend someone. But one should have the presence of mind to not drop F bombs in public, let alone around women and children (yeah, I believe in that classy stuff. So sue me. ).
Sounds like the guy knew exactly what he was saying, and I've found that when profanity is used, its usually used in high volumes.

Privacy glass doesn't mean sound proof glass.

[Sanjuro]

Maybe a little too much Sanjuro. :\

True, you never know what will offend someone. But one should have the presence of mind to not drop F bombs in public, let alone around women and children (yeah, I believe in that classy stuff. So sue me. ).
Sounds like the guy knew exactly what he was saying, and I've found that when profanity is used, its usually used in high volumes.

Privacy glass doesn't mean sound proof glass.

Lets just say my experiences and travels don't agree with this assessment.

[joelgillespie]

Dave is right I think. Sounds like a troubled person. There could be any of a hundred reasons for such a rant.

The management should have taken care of the problem.

If the management does not stop this sort of thing, and if someone does "man up," which is all too easy to do, well, even if the manning up is done politely there is the possibility of a fight, which would endanger everyone present, including the child.

Were the management not to step up I would just leave, and I'd call the management later and tell them I woluld not be coming back.

[royaldiadem]

It was tough to bite my lips and not say anything and in hindsight maybe I really should have.

BHL: Try this next time: "You have a wonderful command of the english language. Would you mind refraining from profanity, my nine year old daughter deserves protection and I will do so."

Sterling