Atheists & agnostics, why?

Question

I'm not pagan, but I don't put the Earth down. I'm not Buddhist, but I don't slam Budda. I'm not Seventh Day Adventist, but I don't hate Ellen G. White.
Why is there such antagonism towards G-d by the Unbelieving population here? This IS the religion section. If you are atheist or agnostic; why even bother posting such critical comments here? I don't understand the hatred & bitterness that drives your reasoning.

Answer 1

Speaking as a former Atheist, there is a great deal of bitterness engendered by the treatment they receive from christian churches. My parents became atheists because of the rampant hypocrisy in the churches in which they were raised, and I, having realized the hypocrisy and chosen atheist at a young age, innocently professed it at school, where I was taunted, kicked, beaten, and generally mistreated by teachers and students alike. I learned to hate Christianity and Christians and have only recently come to terms with the fact that Jesus had some good points, it's just his followers that are a problem.

This is just my experience, but perhaps it will answer your question.

Answer 2

Although you don't critisize those of other religions, a lot of the so-called "Christians" enjoy it. They like to say we're all going to hell, belittle the gods or lack of gods in other religions, and try to forcefully shove their religion down our throats. There's only so long you can take that until you develop some bitterness towards those people.

I however, don't hate the ones that actually recognize that I have a right to believe in what I want and they shouldn't in a "matter of fact" way tell me that what I believe is wrong and i'm going to suffer for eternity in hell for it.

Honestly, i'm generally a nice person. I volunteer, i'd give someone the shirt off of my back if they needed it, I try to understand where other people are coming from and I respect their right to believe what they choose, I try to help people as much as I can. In no way am I perfect and I do make mistakes, but everyone does that. Then people find out that i'm agnostic and they give me a bad look, tell me i'm going to hell, denounce my beliefs, and are entirely relentless about it.

It's ridiculous.

I don't go up to them then tell them that their god sucks, they're wrong, they're brainwashed, blah blah blah. That's just rude and is incredibly intolerable and close-minded.

So, the point is... there are some secular people who take it too far and are just full of hate towards Christians and other religions, but there are nuts people in every religion. A lot of people who are hostile towards the Christian population have just had numerous bad experiences with them and as a result, developed a bitterness towards the members of that specific religion.

It should stop on both sides. People should all learn that everyone is entitled to believe what they want. It was their personal choice and it's incredibly rude and intolerable to judge them like that and tell them all of those horrible things just because they don't believe what you do. On the other side, people should learn that not all people of a group are the same and you shouldn't condemn everyone for something a small portion of them did.

FURTHERMORE: It is people like dizynman and bstil that answered this question that just add to the hatred and give Christians a bad rap. Frankly, people like them just piss me off.

Answer 3

Not only tired of having Christians force it down my throat, they have, at least since the 1950's, been highly organized in institutionalizing it into our culture. Examples are their invasion and take over of the Republican party as well as George Bush as President.
I have no problem with Christianity...it is their insistence as forcing it upon our culture that is the problem and yes I know not all of them do this. But it is a reality and there is much evidence backing it up how the ultra right wing ones have taken over after decades of organized actions.
So let me ask you this. How do like our country being controlled and being forced to live a vanilla life style according to their ideas? Wouldn't it better to allow the true freedom of our nation ring through instead of this Nazi live control to continue? Diversity is beautiful. Let's all learn to be more tolerant. By encouraging this, we will all be better off because all ideas will be allowed to come to the plate. And things never considered before may be just what is needed to bring peace and happiness to all.

Answer 4

I resent the fact that I wasted the first three-and-a-half decades of my one-and-only life either believing or trying to believe this vicious nonsense. And if that's not enough, there's also:

The Crusades.
The Spanish Inquisition.
The conquest of the Americas.
Witch hunts.
The Holocaust.
Galileo spending his final years under house arrest.
Pedophile priests and the bishops who spent decades covering up for them.
Pious nitwits who only want to make life difficult for gays who want to get married and women desperate to end an unplanned pregnancy, and who smugly claim this is what their god expects of them.
The same pious nitwits making it impossible for children to get either a useful sex education or contraceptives, thus contributing to the appallingly high rate of unplanned pregnancies, which in turn creates a permanent underclass of impoverished, ignorant women and children.

Shall I go on, or are you getting the idea?

Answer 5

Whatever reasons the atheists had given in here is just rationalizing their hatred to answer their guilt for living a life full of sin and crap. People do not get pregnant out of the blue, we are not amoeba or something, you would have had to live a promiscuous lifestyle to get pregnant!

Answer 6

I realize that no one reads this when I just link to it, so here is my response to a previous version of this question:

I believe that I have been nothing but courteous to the people of faith here. I openly deny their belief-system. They openly deny mine. That's fine. We have, however, engaged in some very respectful debate, much to the benefit (I hope) of both sides. I know that my beliefs have not changed, but my preconceptions about young-Earth Christians have been shattered by some of the people I have found here. I think that they are wrong, but I am thrilled to have the opportunity to debate with them without resorting to name-calling or rudeness.

Granted, this requires an openness on both our parts. I think that their faith is "wrong." They think that my lack of faith is "wrong." This is where most people get hung up and debate can go no further. If someone disagreeing with you is "offensive," you're stuck. Once you accept this disagreement, you are quite free to exchange ideas. This is what I have found here (for the most part.)

As for why I spend so much time in the religion and spirituality forum, I see faith as playing a huge role in the lives of everyone in the world, be they moderate Muslims, fundamentalist Christians, Pagans, or Atheists like myself.

In my supposedly free country I see gays discriminated against due to faith. People who would never think of using the N-word openly hate and criticize homosexuals for what they are, not who they are.

I see medical advances that could help millions of people stymied by arguments that have their basis in faith. Stem cell research could potentially ease the suffering of billions around the globe, but people of faith stand in the way.

We are currently involved in what may or may not be a holy war. This is an issue of faith.

Our current government supports "faith-based initiatives" in what may be a breach of The Constitution itself.

I know that faith helps people sleep at night. This doesn't undo the tremendous amount of suffering it has inflicted at every turn of history.

I see faith as a problem, and would like to encourage people to put aside their myths and embrace reason. However, I realize that this is futile. As Jonathan Swift said, "It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into."

That said, I think that Yahoo Answers provides a wonderful opportunity to try to see where other people are coming from. I disagree with the Christians (and Muslims and Pagans...), but I think it is very important for me to try to understand them. I would hope that they will try to understand me. Once we find some common ground and some mutual respect, we can truly start to talk about things.

I hate the name-calling. The largest problem I have with religion is that it is divisive. I feel that this is the most important aspect of faith that needs to be removed from the equation. Name-calling is also divisive and does not fit into my attempts to act reasonably.

I feel that I deny, but do not scoff. I embrace and enjoy open debate. I think that the things discussed here are important. I'd like to think that some of the things I have to say are pertinent.

If you want a place for only Christians (for example) to exchange ideas, there are plenty of places on the web for that. However, I think that this exclusion of other mindsets and worldviews does a disservice to those who would seek such a closed system.

That's why, as an atheist, I show up on the religion thread.

Answer 7

Because xians are trying everyday to have their agenda pushed down my throat. To ban abortion, morning-after pills, HPV vaccinations, gay rights, etc... So they have lost their immunity from criticism and ridicule (if they ever had one which the crusades and inquisition and even hanging of jesus n the cross would preclude).

And it p**** me off when they tell some woman in the pregnancy section who asks if abortion is an option that god gave her that baby. It ENRAGES me to read that shite. What about the women who can't get pregnant? What about those who need expensive and extensive medical intervention to get pregnant? That is highly insulting, condescending, and idiotic. SO I vent my spleen at them, yes.

Answer 8

dear,
i think every religion teaches only good things not to hate each other.
at last if you don't want to believe why can't be a good person?
after all the best religion is the one which is been practised in ones own life and been seen by others that they too beleive see tha tis a child of god.

Answer 9

Because they are afraid of their own destiny after life here ends. They refuse to give up their sinful life and try to make themselves believe that there is no God to make themselves feel better about the choices they have made and try to recruit like opinions to boost their confidence in that theory.

If you live like there is no God, you better be right, eternity is a long time to wrong.

Answer 10

show me one response that shows hatred towards your god.

Most are rational well thought out explanations.

I agree, this is a place to answer questions regarding religions. Many of the questions posted ask if one has faith in god)s).