Am I an atheist too?

Question

People automatically assume an atheist to be a hardened cynic who has some vendetta against religion and/or all things good and moral. This question is rhetorical and designed to at least rid religious readers of these prejudices..

Religion is a learned behavior. Consider a young child who has not yet been taught of religion. Going by the real definition of atheist, (a- meaning without, theism meaning belief in a god or gods) would this child not be a defined atheist?

Consider a generous and perfect man who had never heard of religion before. This man is an atheist too, correct?

The choice is yours...condemn these people as evil and wicked like you do with other atheists or rid yourself of your prejudices.

Answer 1

i don't believe atheists are in their truest sense evil, wicked, or vendetta ridden, maybe cynical, but that's mostly from self defense.....

yes, the child would be an "a-theist"
correct about the man, though he would not be perfect.

atheists are just faithless
faithlessness implies that there's something lacking from their spirituality. empty in a way that people of faith can't understand.

it is said that empty hearts and idle hands do evil works.

humans are three dimensional beings and in that we have three planes of existence, the physical, the mental (IE emotional and intellectual) and the spiritual. ignore any one of these and the other two are bound to become corrupted by the absence of the third. we can only function properly if all three facets of us are fed and maintained

Answer 2

I disagree that the majority of people hold some personal vendetta against those who do not wish to believe in God, or a God (their own version). That is a person choices and their prerogative.

If someone has been brought up without religion, that does not mean that they do not have their own views and beliefs about a creator. If they don't, that is because of circumstance and cannot be labelled an atheist-for they themselves haven't questioned or made a choice to not believe.

Atheism is a choice made up by how a person views the world. It is a choice and you are not really born one.

I do not condemn those who choose this path but I think having a belief adds a sense of purpose to ones reason being on this earth. I think religion gives a sense to know that you are here for a greater purpose, and you can't hold that against people.

I doubt God will condemn a person if they have had no contact to find faith due to being born in a deserted island. He is all knowing and powerful so don't assume he would be silly and cruel when asking your question.

It would seem that you are more prejudice to people who have found God and are trying to find some validity to your choice of not believing?

Each to their own.

Answer 3

You base your question on a the premise that people, presumably Christians, view atheists with being hardened cynics who have vendetta against religion and all things good and moral, condemning them as evil and wicked. I think this is a common view held by those who oppose Christianity...or at least disagree with it. None of the Christians I know feel this way, and I am truly an old dude, and been around a long time. Perhaps this is more about how you feel, rather than something you have personally experienced? But I dunno...anyone can call themselves a Christian...there's no law against it. So where does that leave us?

Answer 4

I think an atheist is a person who has heard of God but chooses not to believe. Some sort of question is in us, sort of hard wired I think to make us look for God. That is why every group of people all over the world have some form of religion, and always have. The people who have not heard could not be considered atheists until they have rejected religion.

Answer 5

Atheists are not wicked, they just don't know who God is. They are lost. We as believers would be the ones acting wicked if we didn't share what we know with you guys. Although I'm not a fan of threatening people about Hell and cramming my beliefs down peoples throats, I'm more than willing to share my knowledge of God to those who will listen.

It is my wish that everyone would desire a relationship to the Lord but I realize I can't make that decision for someone else, only they can.

Answer 6

I am atheist, and far from being a hard-core or hard-liner cynic. I am also spiritual too. I _try_ to practice my morals and ethics every day----at work, in public, here, with friends. Spirituality is mostly based on morals and ethics. So in turn, I try hard to practice my spirituality every day. :-)

I do agree that some people need to lose the prejudices against atheists as "evil and immoral".

Answer 7

I am a atheist and I dont care what anyone thinks or says. I am who I am and if I am accepted by others then fine if not then i dont care either. I dont go about trying to convert folks of other religion into Atheist and neither do I want anyone trying to convert me into their. I know the so called god fearing, church (anykind or religion and or churches) people who do nastly stuff (take the priests for example) What makes anyone else better then others is just in peoples minds..................Peace.

Answer 8

Religion may be a learned behaviour but becoming a Child of God is not. No one condemns anyone but themselves. Man has a freewill to accept or reject God. No one else can make that decision for them.

http://www.chick.com/information/general/salvation.asp

Answer 9

No prejudice here. I am sure I know the truth though. I know God and Jesus is my Savior! I don't think atheist are evil or whatever. God will convict your heart that he is real if he wills it. I know an atheist is someone who doesn't believe in a God or Gods, not someone who is Satanic.

Answer 10

religion and Christianity (to which your referring I guess) is not the same thing. and an atheist does not believe in a God, not that he/she does not believe in religion. those whom have not the ability to know god (ie. young children) are not judged for this. Are they an atheist? No..because they have to choose to not believe to be an atheist. As for one who has not heard of God at an age to be able to make a decision its the same. He has to choose to be an atheist. I guess your next question would be will these types of people go to hell? That is not for me to decide or judge, but if someone consciously chooses to not believe in God or to be more specific his son Jesus in Divinity, the outlook is doubtful unfortunately.