Is there too much hate between atheists and Christians?

Question

There seems to be a lot of mud slinging between these two groups on this sight. Is this just to get a reaction or are people really serious?

Answer 1

The problem isn't hate between the two religions as a whole, it's certain people not accepting others beliefs. These people just aggravate the issue. I'm an atheist, and I've never had any issue with people of other religions, though a few have had issues with me.

I hate it when I see people blaming just one side, or one religion. It's a major issue, as is hate between almost all religions, but because atheism isn't generally considered a "religion" per se, the tension is right at the surface.

No matter what theistic religion you are, your beliefs are basically the same; that there is a God, and an afterlife, or some sort of driving source of the universe. Because Atheism doesn't follow thsi idea, people see it as easier to openly attack.

We all need to learn to accept each other for what we are. We can't possibly change someone elses religious belief through sheer force of will, no matter how hard we try. We're all different, and we're all perfect that way.

Answer 2

I don't hate Christians, they just piss me off a lot. I feel that, living in America, I see so many ways that Christians and Christianity have a strong influence on my life even though it is not my religion. For instance: when I was small kids didn't want to play with me because I did not believe Jesus was the son of God (this was in the second grade, Christians start to be intolerant and hateful from a pretty young age). Or, I live in Massachusetts, and I have gay friends who are married or want to get married, and there are people working now to break up their families or deny them the right to start a family. These people may have a myriad of secular-sounding political reasons to oppose gay marriage, but the fact is they are Christian and they want everyone to live by their rules. Now they are grown-up and intolerant and hateful. Or, I am on birth control, and I know that if I go to certain pharmacies I can legally be turned away and not have my prescription filled. The people denying me my prescription would be Christians, again wanting everyone to live their rules. Or, I can't buy alcohol at a liquor store on Sunday, because Christians want everyone to live by their rules.

The point is, I think there would be a lot less friction between atheists and Christians if Christians would just let everyone live by their own religious rules or beliefs and stop trying to force everyone to live by the rules of the Christian religion. I know not all Christians are this way but it makes me angry to think that a religion I don't agree with has such legal control over my life, and that it continues to influence laws being made in a supposedly non-religion-endorsing country.

Answer 3

There is definately a lot of animosity between the two groups because of the extreme differences in worldview. However in the US, the Christians outnumber the atheists many times over and try to use their power to re-shape the country to their religious beliefs. It can be very frustrating and can provoke a lot of anger.

An example is if an athiest wants to send their young child to school and have her not be exposed as an athiest. Many christians will not stand for that. The will insist that christian prayers be recited in the public school and that an athiest child must make the choice between excluding themselves and exposing themselves as athiest to their peers and teachers, or engage in religious worship that their parents find objectionable.

Atheists can't understand why the dominant christians want to put our children through this, except to isolate and expose them, and to get the government and schools to promote their majority religion. Issues like that anger atheists and make them feel threatened as a minority. Many of us use the opportunity to speak out publically and forcefully because we still have free speech.

Answer 4

Then Vice President George H.W. Bush (bozo's daddy):

"No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God."

No title, Free Inquiry 8(4), Fall 1988, p. 16 [2], quoting August 27, 1987, press-conference exchange with Robert Sherman at O'Hare Airport in Chicago

Why would an atheist who is an honorably discharged veteran of the US Army take offense at that statement?

Daddy & Bozo are "born again Christians" who are personal friends with Billy Graham.

I love Christians, especially those in high offices who use their religion and high office as an excuse to spew vile, slanderous & hateful remarks against people who do not share their delusions.

Answer 5

Little of both. A lot of it comes from the fact that both groups strongly disagree with each other. Most atheists (myself included) come from strong Christian families and that helped turn us away from Christianity. Having that religion forced on us as children, and then having it forced on is in society, makes many of us strongly despise the religion. Similarly, the Christians feel we are strongly misguided and it is their duty to lead us into the right direction. So a lot of it us just both groups trying to piss each other off because we have some dislike for the others' belief. But much of it also comes from strong belief, because our beliefs are so different, we tend to have a lot of disagreement which leads to some dislike, not necessarily hate, but definite dislike.

Answer 6

there is alot of mud slinging, and it's ded serious
unfortunately christianity and athiesm are two sides of the same coin
the unending argument between the faithful and the faithless.if this were 500 years ago, christians would be waging a holy war, preaching "convert or die"

Answer 7

They are being ridiculed for their blasphemous pagan ideology that a man 2000 years ago was their GOD! Jesus did not teach that, he was a mighty prophet and taught us to worship The creator Not pray to Jesus the man. So If you ask me The atheists are thinking individuals they are intelligent
the statement "there is no God" is part of a two part phrase which makes one a Muslim "there is no God........Except! The One true Creator" stop teaching paganism and maybe they'll listen

Answer 8

There is to much hate period.
The other problem is there are to many people that claim a religion and then never bother to learn about it in order to conduct a serious conversation.
Those are the ones that are always telling each other to go to ----.

Answer 9

Basically, hate comes from atheists, rather that from Christians

Answer 10

A true Christian shouldn't hate anyone.
If you love only those that love you, what thank have ye?
I don't believe that Atheists necessarily hate Christians, they just dissagree with their beliefs.