Christians, is what I believe as an atheist and humanist so terrible and evil ?

Question

Many believe atheists are immoral people controlled by satan.

This is roughly what I believe as an atheist and as a humanist.

Is it really so awful ?

We are committed to the application of reason and science, to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems. This must be combined with sensitivity and compassion

We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance to achieve an open and pluralist society

We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life

We are committed to the separation of Church and State

We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be able to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed healthcare and to die with dignity

We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics are amenable to critical, rational guidance

We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species

We attempt to transcend any divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity

We believe in individual happiness; in developing our creative talents to their fullest, and in the realisation of the best that we are capable of as human beings

We are deeply concerned with the moral education of children. We want to nourish reason and compassion

We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences

We are sceptical of untested claims to knowledge, but we are open to new ideas and seek new departures in our thinking

We affirm Humanism as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service of others

Answer 1

It's only awful for you.....

And just to set the record striaght....Atheists are no more or less immoral then christians or anyone else....It's more about redeption than perfection.

As for being controled by Satan... I think mislead is a better word

Answer 2

If I may address these beliefs from my own Christian faith:
"We are committed to the application of reason and science, to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems. This must be combined with sensitivity and compassion" No problems here.
Next:
"We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance to achieve an open and pluralist society" That one's kind of vague. I also would like to see discrimination and intolerance done away with. But I would like to see healthy rules for this "open and pluralist society", as well.
Next:
"We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life" As a Christian, I can say a hearty AMEN to this one!!
Next:
"We are committed to the separation of Church and State" ABSOLUTELY!! The state needs to stay OUT of the Church's business. By the way, did you know that the term "separation of church and state does not appear ANYWHERE, either in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence? (Who is this "Creator" that created all men equal, and endowed them with inalienable rights, anyhow?)
And finally:
"We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be able to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed healthcare and to die with dignity"
Yes, I can respect the right to privacy, and I agree that everyone ought to have access to comprehensive and informed healthcare. However, as a former fetus, I am definitely pro-life. You claim that people have the right to die with dignity, and yet, in the same breath, you deny this right to the unborn? Isn't that a bit...hypocritical??
I've tried to be as honest and fair as I can, within my own Christian beliefs. I hope we can reach an understanding. For all of our sakes....

Answer 3

There are many Christians who would share a significant portion of your views and feel that it is possible to have religious belief while attempting to promote justice, separation of church and state, etc. However since they tend to be less polemical you don't hear their voices as often in these religious debates. It becomes tiresome also that these believers are often critized by those who claim to belong to the same faith tradition but cannot accept differing views and interpretations.

History and experience show that people can do good without being Christians, and people can do evil in the name of any religion or political movement. So how can anyone say that a true believer is the only one who is capable of anything good?

Answer 4

I find my self agreeing with you completely... but ooops this was a question addressed to Christians... i have read through most of their responses and feel appalled that such species continues to exist in the so called developed world!

I think longing for a thing like religion is understandable but to actually take it so seriously and make it inviolate puts a serious question mark on the idea that humans are an intelligent specie.

Answer 5

You are not awful. I just believe your good passions are misdirected onto something else. Controlled by Satan? No. But are you saying that you believe that you are immoral and controlled by satan? Because if that was the case, you would not be an atheist.

Answer 6

How can you be controlled by Satan if you don't believe in Satan?

Let's put it this way, you have the right to your beliefs, and I have the right to mine, neither of us should insult the other person because their beliefs are different. There are many immoral Christians, and many immoral non-christians. "Immoral" is not for only the non-believers.

Answer 7

Some atheists are actually decent people, decent meaning clean, neat, works for living, doesn't beat wife, doesn't cheat, pays taxes, donates to charity. That's not awful, being an atheist means you deny the existence of your Creator, that's not so good though, because He loves you and died to save you. That means because we are supposed to see you through the eyes of Jesus that we are also hurt because you reject Him. We want you in Heaven too, so we risk offending you by trying to "pull you from the fire". We don't think you are awful.

Answer 8

Not at all. But I just feel that a atheist is missing out on the Great feeling of knowing that their is a greater purpose in life and the happiness that comes from that knowledge.

Answer 9

i'm a Christian and I believe I am an immoral person....we all are immoral people. You put two babies in a crib and put one toy in there what are they going to do? FIGHT! do you teach them that? absolutely not..we are just all born selfish and immoral in our own way.

don't get me wrong...i'm not saying we are all axe murderers, or terrorists....but what i am saying is that the awful thing is that anyone would ever think they were any better than anyone else...Christians thinking that they are better than atheists is wrong, just like atheists thinking they are better than Christians is wrong. why don't we find common ground? like the selfishness and immorality that we ALL possess? let's try to figure out the answer to how we are to deal with that, not just the answer to "What is your religious categorization?"

Answer 10

Your sentence stucture is bad.

Based on what you said you too believe that Satan is controlling atheists. You wrote "many believe..... this is...what i believe.

To Christians, and Jews, Muslims, and Hindu and many others living your life soley for youself and saying God is a sham is indeed offensive. You are denying the respect God deserves.