I don't believe it so much negativity as it is disinformation, religious induced propaganda and such. We athiest should empower people with the truth. And give that truth in a manner you would like to receive. With respect an descency first above all. I to have been guilty of using a condescending tone when addressing christians. I no longer do that as I feel it makes on look ignorant. We must no be brought down to the level of the ignorant, we should raise them up with knowledge.

I have a tattoo on my right shoulder that I showed to everyone at a church quilting ministry (I quilt). One older lady mentioned the satanic image of a snake in the tattoo. I told her, "The Bible has given snakes a bad rap!" I think the accusations of pornography, crime, immorality, are the religious' way of putting themselves above others. They are the insecure. Approach them in a compassionate manner and when you see that they are not willing to listen, understand that they are also afraid of the world beyond their noses, and remind them that just because they think it, that doesn't mean it's reality.

Hi DUCHESSA,

In my experience, mutual respect and courtesy are the surest foundation for making a good impression. We don’t have to agree with each other on everything, or even anything at all, but common courtesy costs nothing and, more often than not, leaves the other party feeling positive about the exchange.

Just an observation, but my problem with the term "Atheist" is that it tells you what someone is not; they are not a theist. I think it would be more useful if we had a term that tells you what someone is - a positive word, such as "enlightened" or whatever

The simple reason that atheists are seen as those things is because churches vilify non-believers. They have to vilify atheists because they need more people paying money to their churches/temples/mosques and scaring people is the best tool for them. It would be difficult for you to show evidence of the opposite because they've been indoctrinated. They could perceive you as a threat because of this indoctrination and will definitely doubt your motives. Go ahead and show them charts and data but it will not change their minds. That is not the sort of evidence that superstitious people believe.

The only thing that you can do is be the example of an atheist that they know. When they think of an atheist and they will start to think of you they will have a better opinion of atheists.

If these are people that you see on a regular basis, you can help them see through the false stereotype about atheists by simply being a good ethical person.

Show them how good someone can be without god(s).

Is there atheist pornography? Really? I'm just not picturing that. I mean, Evil and Sacrilege apply to atheism by definition, and crime and ignorance are ubiquitous. But porn?

But w/r/t getting a better image, you might need a slogan.

"Feel free to hang out with us. We won't kill you if you don't believe what we say!"

Maybe you hang around the wrong neighbourhood. Most scientist are Atheist and they are not necessarily associated with pornography , nor crime HOWEVER CATHOLICS PRIESTS are famous for child fucking!
That's a fact!

It is interesting that pornography does its best business, at least on a per capita basis, in the "Bible Belt". The highest pay per view of porn is in Utah (Mormon country).

Sacrilege, I think would only really count if a person believed in the religion. If you have no religion, its impossible to commit it.

Crime statistics show that in a per capita basis in population, atheists re represented in prisons by less than half of what they are int he general population. It woudl seem then that religious peopel commit more acts of evil. I attribute this mostly to the way most religiosu peopel practice religion. They commit sin, but as long as they confess, then they can feel good about themselves again, and so they are actually more apt to do wrong, because resolution to feelign good about themselves is so easily acquired. For atheists, they simply have to always do right to feel they are a good person and feel good about themselves, so they do right more often, because they don't have the easy out of confession and instant forgiveness.

Ignorance? Seriously? The peopel who reject scientific findings, and try to restrict knowledge acuse atheists of beign ignorant? To be ignorant, you have to be closed minded... like many/most religious people are.

The plain truth is that you can't change the minds of most religious persons, simply because their minds reject logic and reason. The primary needs filled by religion for most is not spiritual, but rather a sense of belonging and a sense of community. Those needs are hard wired into us, as humans are social animals and as we evolved, beign parts of groups helped insure survival long ago in our evolutionary past. So even if a person has doubts about their religion, and most do, the sense of community and belonging is something they don't want to and even fear giving up.

I like to refer to the breakdown of the prison population versus the general population.

[patheos.com]

If someone is so afraid of death, or so invested in a way of life supported by religion that they refuse to acknowledge that 'God', 'Heaven', 'Sin', and 'Hell' are all words with multiple meanings and are highly symbolic attempts to understand our personal, mental landscape, and that 'Jesus' or 'Mohammed' or whoever are not real things they can have a relationship with. There is really no point in talking to them about it.
I like Eddie Griffin's quote about it, 'Who cares who the messenger was, did you get the message?"

You can't change everybody's mind as far as religion goes some will be willing to research most want they were raised that way the parents were raised that way they accepted as tradition they don't want to change they can accept the truth that they have no proof other than dumb Blind Faith

One of the biggest issues I have with other nonbelievers is the tendency toward "talking down" to believers. I've been guilty of it myself, but I've come to realize that you'll get absolutely nowhere if you spend all your interactions with believers belittling their faith-based viewpoint and badgering them with facts. I've just taken to saying "if that works for you, more power to you" and moving the conversation away from the topic when I run in to faith based ignorance (willful or otherwise) of the facts.

I've had a lot of believers tell me they always end up feeling defensive when they meet nonbelievers because they've encountered a lot of arrogance and the like. We'll get absolutely nowhere if we keep talking down to, or worse talking AT people.