why are the majority of American Christians convinced atheists are immoral?

Question

the 1996 American Heritage Dictionary definition of atheism is as follows:

Atheism
Noun.

Disbelief in or denial of the existence of God or gods.
The doctrine that there is no God or gods.
Godlessness; IMMORALITY (emphasis mine)

why does America still think this? this is an 18th century definition, folks. so, why does America think this, and why do most Christians, especially american ones think this?

and before you start, yes, i'm actually a Christian. the idiocy of this just blows my mind though.

Answer 1

It is one interpretation of some of the writings of Paul, where he says that there is no good in us apart from the grace of God. Strictly interpreted, many believers take this to mean that no one can do anything at all that is good if they are not Christian. I believe it is possible to understand this in a more open way, that God has by his grace made all humans capable of understanding and doing good. Experience and history make it obvious that Christians are not the only good people in the world! And that evil has been done in the name of Christianity as well as other religious and political movements.

Answer 2

Misinformation, lack of education, and mostly propaganda.

My assumption would be that this definition was first used around the end of WWII (any dictionary collector care to check it out?) when atheism and Communism both became synonymous with immorality, simply by being doctrines of "the enemy."

I would like to see what North-Korean or Iranian dictionaries have to say about Christianity.

Answer 3

Not only do most Christians think that atheists are immoral, but they also assume that we're ignorant as well. I am an atheist married to a Christian. She says that based on morality, knowledge of the Bible, and self conduct, I am the best Christian she knows. We have come to have a mutual respect for each other's belief system.

Answer 4

I don't know...but thanks for being one of the Christians who does not share that view.

edit: I guess I do know why...I was raised to view atheist as immoral...got over that belief by meeting moral atheists. Not really sure how that idea got started, but probably something to do with morality coming from belief in god and those who aren't with us are against us sort of mentality. I hope in the future more can also grow out of those old beliefs.

Answer 5

Ignorance, unwillingness to accept new ideas or scientific proof.
People these days walk around with blinders on so they don't have to deal with reality. I believe if an atheist was shown proof of god they would believe too. I think god is there. So is it immoral for a blind person to not believe that there is such thing as color just because they cant see it, no because simply it doesn't exist to them.

Answer 6

Dig it, dude...the dictionary thinks morals are the realm of God or gods. In this context, "immoral" does not have a negative connotation. It just does everywhere else. I think we are capable and allowed to construct our own morals based on whatever we want, since the multitude of other religions base their morals on random arbitrary stuff like talking lizards and imaginary wooha.

Answer 7

Morals aren't based on religion. Should we be immoral by a Muslim's view because we don't believe the same thing they believe in? Having morals means knowing right from wrong, not following the guidelines of a book you don't believe in.

Answer 8

We are all immoral when we are not listening to God. We can not earn our way into Heaven. Christian or atheist, we all fall short of the Glory of God so yes an atheist is immoral.

Answer 9

i personally know many atheists who are very good and "morally" decent people.
But morailty can't save you from the destruction that's coming.
Even atheist scientists know that the End of this World is right around the corner.
Jesus told the religious leaders of His Day, that they had morality (obedience of the written Law), but they were blinded to God's true plan.
He also said it would be, in these Last Days, as it was in the Days of Noah.
Most people haven't a clue what He meant.

Answer 10

What you can call immoral you can then call illegal, and finally criminal. It's easier to rationalize violence and hate against those whose rights were taken away than against those whose rights you violate. That's what all extremists regimes have done, from the crusades to the inquisition to Nazism to Stalinism to fundamentalism (christian and muslim).

Faith is how you treat "god". Morality is how you treat people.

The two are unrelated.