Lost Coercion: The Center of Christianity's Current Decline

[Dan_Eastwood]

I keep wanting to add to this thread, but maybe it’s better to point you to something I already wrote.

Breaking the Vicious Cycle

There is real harm being done. In the atheism community I moderate it is common to hear stories from people who are essentially “refugees from religion”, having been shunned by their friends and families for daring to think a little differently. If I were cynical I would just say, “That’s great, more atheists!”, but it’s not that simple. The decision to give up religious beliefs is often a deeply personal one, and being force into this by abuse is a bad way to come to atheism (IMO). And the abuse - there is no justification for it - and I wouldn’t wish that kind of treatment on anyone. I’m not in a position to see the harm on the other side, but I am aware that many YECs complain about being called names, and feeling like they cannot express their views (even those who do not fit #2 in the cycle).