<p>Is there a large atheist community at Columbia?</p>
<p>Which kind are you looking for, out of curiosity?</p>
<p>Those that won’t shut up about it, or those that are apathetic to the whole discussion?</p>
<p>more the type that will respectfully defend their ideas and engage in discussion with the religious but in a rational, non-adhominem way</p>
<p>Are you looking for an atheist club or something? I think you joined the wrong school of thought if you wanted that…</p>
<p>Everyone at Columbia will defend their views if you debate with them in a rational way, have no fear of that. There are plenty of people who will argue you into submission on a point they dont even believe in just for the fun of it (the really sadistic ones will then switch sides of the argument and force you to agree with their side again)…so debate is never lacking if you know who to talk to.</p>
<p>I’m not looking for an atheist club, I’ve just been reading up on the new atheist books and I was wondering if it’s a popular topic of discussion on campus. Great though, that’s what I wanted to know</p>
<p>“popular topics of discussion” on campus:</p>
<ul>
<li>Girls</li>
<li>Boys</li>
<li>Sex</li>
<li>Alcohol</li>
<li>Pot</li>
<li>Classes</li>
<li>Professors</li>
<li>Sports</li>
<li>Politics</li>
<li>Bars, parties, etc</li>
<li>Homework / projects</li>
</ul>
<p>Topics less frequently discussed (sample):</p>
<ul>
<li>Skeeball</li>
<li>Nose hair</li>
<li>Atheism</li>
<li>Gerbils</li>
</ul>
<p>I hope that gives you the appropriate answer to your question. The same would be true of any organized system of metaphysical beliefs.</p>
<p>…though on a less snarky note, the philolexian society will often take up ludicrous subjects of debate just to screw around intellectually. and you can find philosophical and theological debates (or, excuse me, “discussions”) easily if you go looking for them.</p>
<p>There’s also the ‘activist’ kind that goes on hunger strike if they feel like they have a very weak verbal defense (or no defense) for a cause, so the whole campus is aware of their wailing. </p>
<p>For the most part, though, intellectual exchanges are mature and respectfully done.</p>
<p>What’s the difference between a hunger strike and a hardcore diet? Both tend to end in a binge session at Red Lobster anyway…</p>
<p>The hunger strikers end up a couple million dollars better off.</p>
<p>good stuff…i really dunno why people feel it’s necessary to give attitude in posts…are you angry that you spend so much time on cc or something? please explain…</p>
<p>and im not referring to the hungers strikes comments</p>