Myth:
A real atheist wouldn't try to convert others â€" you're just trying to convince yourself.
Response:
This isn't an uncommon perception which people have about atheism. More than a few people imagine that "real" atheism must be passive and indifferent towards theism and religion. There is nothing about either the broad definition of atheism used by atheists or the narrow definition used by many theists that would justify this belief. It seems to be based on the desire that atheists stop criticizing religion and pointing out the many flaws in both theistic and religious beliefs.
There are a couple of misconceptions at work in this myth about atheists. First, it assumes that atheists are engaged in some sort of large-scale conversion effort. In fact, that isn't really true. This site, for example, is not designed solely or even primarily with the conversion of theists in mind. Instead, it exists to provide information about agnosticism, atheism and skepticism to everyone â€" atheists and theists, the religious and the non-religious.
Hopefully, this site will inform and cause theists to think more skeptically and critically about the beliefs they have long accepted on faith. Encouraging doubt and questioning is not the same as trying to convert people â€" if someone remains a theist but is a lot more skeptical and critical than they were before, then that is something to be proud of. A more skeptical and critical theist is not only better than a gullible and uncritical theist, they are also better than a gullible and uncritical atheist.
It also isn't true that atheists go to atheism forums or chat rooms in order to convert theists. For the most part, they are primarily interested in discussing matters relating to religion, politics, family, art and life in general with other atheists, skeptics, and freethinkers. There is also some interest in debating religious questions with believers, but that is very much tied up with the fact that many atheists simply like discussing such topics.
Atheists also get together because of their agreement on some specific issues. For example, atheists are generally very supportive of the separation of church and state. It is because of this that they may join or even start organizations which work to protect and even expand separation. Another common cause is not simply to educate people about atheism, but also to fight anti-atheist bigotry and work for civil rights for atheists.
None of this means, however, that there aren't some atheists who really do want to convert theists. What everyone must remember is that this does not indicate that such atheists are just trying to convince themselves. There are many Christian evangelists who spread all over the world to convert people to Christianity, but are they all trying to convince themselves as well? I doubt many Christians would accept such a conclusion, but if so then they shouldn’t claim that it's true about atheists.
In fact, some atheists think that theism, or at least religion, causes a great deal of harm in society, so they try to get people to change their minds. This isn't much different from someone having strong political convictions and trying to get others to change their minds and agree with them. An advocate for laws against abortion or gun control isn't trying to simply "convince themselves" â€" they are, instead, trying to improve society by promoting particular ideas and/or arguing against others. An evangelical atheist who argues against theism and/or religion is doing much the same.
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