Why is it scary to find that there are people who don't believe in God/Jesus/higher power?

Question

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20060713081201AAW8R47&r=w&pa=FZptHWf.BGRX3OFMhDZdUNIYWizn.Ut.btjl0b8SBX6TG5ACTA--#NbUvWjq.WTmARt3aiKDL

Just a comment this person made toward the end of the question. Not trying to be mean, just curious.

Why is Don H. giving me the atheist lecture? =0)

Answer 1

for some people the realization that not everyone believes as they do is a scary thing. it causes them to question their own beliefs even if only for a split second. when that happens it causes their whole world to crumble. and i'm still waiting for my apple pie

Answer 2

It's not scary for me, since I'm a Quaker. I believe that God is forgiving and understanding - he's not going to cast all the atheists into hell just because they didn't believe in Him.

What I find scary about some atheists (including a close friend of mine) is ignorance. I asked my friend why she was an atheist and her exact words were "My parents don't like talking about God." My parents were atheist for most of my young life and since I had no experience of any religion, I was an ignorant atheist.

However (I know this is corny) one day I got lost in the woods. I wasn't lost for more than an hour, but I was young, and frightened out of my mind. I had found a road, but didn't know where to go. So I got down on my knees and prayed. Lo and behold, a good Samaritan stopped his car and helped me find my way back.

After that, it's not like I snapped my fingers and became a nun or something - it just put a thought in the back of my mind that maybe it wasn't coincidence. Gradually, I began studying religion, and found the one that was right for me. And although some people may view God as as foolish as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny - I will try to respect that and not let that cloud my judgment of them as a person.

Answer 3

Because if someone does not believe in God or a higher power they may be more likely to do whatever they want regardless of the effects on others , if they feel they will not get caught and dont have any fear of after life judgement. Also the idea that there isn't someone higher up in charge of all of us is a bit scarey. The idea that everything is just random.
Finally it is scarey for the nonbeliever because a day will come when you reach the end and that is it for you. If you don't believe you are moving on then how scarey will that be to realize that you will just cease to exist....or if you are losing a loved one , how hard to deal with that loss when instead of thinking you will see them again and they are happy in a better place , you have to think they are just no more.

Answer 4

It is not scary. It may be scary to you but many see this as a good thing. It shows that some people are actually thinking about the subject rather than just believing in something because they are told they will go to hell if they don't.

This is not faith it is a form of extortion.

All an Atheist is someone who has not yet found his or her truth. You need to be loving and accepting of this search for their truth. Not judgmental, judging only makes you frightened and defensive.

The question you should ask yourself is why does this bother you?

If your own faith in what you believe in were strong these things would be irrelevant to you. There is something about your belief system that you are uncertain about or the questions these atheists pose would not be troubling to you.

Think about this. It is the real key to finding the peace you seek on this issue. The insecurities we have do not originate external to the mind that believes in them. Remember this and it will help you.

Love and blessings to you.

Answer 5

I don't think it is scary just sad that people don't believe in God/Jesus because they are not experiencing the joys of life. Look at the person that don't believe and see how they live the life it is probably really stressful.
_______________________________________________

No, it is not stressful, its quite beautibul and recomforting

_______________________________________________

All goodness comes from God alone and if someone doesn't believe in God it begs to think that they might be operating on the fumes of morality and goodness. What hope is there outside of God - not evolution for sure. A get to understand that a hopeless man can be a dangerous man too. Not saying all this is true but it sure happens this way at times.
________________________________________________

Nope, not at all, on the contrary, one has the hope of everything, since there is nothing governing; and i dont know why do you say this happens at times, i have never yet met an atheist that was hopeless, or dangerous for other people

yet I have maet many dangerous christian people, just look at any of the famous serial killers and you will see how they are mostly christian and the others are heavily spiritual too
______________________________________________

Because if someone does not believe in God or a higher power they may be more likely to do whatever they want regardless of the effects on others ,

_____________________________________________

not true, on the contrary, an atheist chooses to respect others by his own conviction, not because someone is going to punish him/her

_____________________________________________

if they feel they will not get caught and dont have any fear of after life judgement. Also the idea that there isn't someone higher up in charge of all of us is a bit scarey. The idea that everything is just random.
______________________________________________

but dont worry, once you "cross the gate" its not scary anomre
______________________________________________
Finally it is scarey for the nonbeliever because a day will come when you reach the end and that is it for you. If you don't believe you are moving on then how scarey will that be to realize that you will just cease to exist....or if you are losing a loved one , how hard to deal with that loss when instead of thinking you will see them again and they are happy in a better place , you have to think they are just no more.
________________________________________________

Its not that terrible, belive me, its just sad for a moment but thats how it its, you move on and continue to be happy

________________________________________________

I think people who don't believe in a higher power/God, have a different point of view of the world. I would say that some people think that they don't have any boundaries and can do whatever they want without consequences. I think when we believe that they is a higher power that we govern ourselves accordingly. I think people who don't believe their is a higher power also think that they can do whatever they want to people and never have to pay for whatever bad thing they do.I believe there is a higher power and I treat people the way I want to be treated. This is my opinion.
________________________________________________

why not treat everyone as you would like to be treated just because they feel the same as you? you dont need a god for that

its pure science, all living things feel, why would you want to harm anyone if that's so?

Atheists tend to be even more compassionate than christians, at least im my own experience

well, here are you answers, i just had to comment on them

Answer 6

I can speak from the viewpoint of a former christian. It was scary for me because I was always doubting my faith and felt that it would rub off on me. Seriously. There is so much negative stereotyping against atheism that I truly thought that they were people without a moral center. My first push into my deconversion happened when my favorite professor told our class he was atheist. He said that many people ask him why, if he doesn't believe in god, he doesn't live an immoral life. I knew this guy, and he was really nice and helpful, and I realized how completely ridiculous this question was. It gave me the courage to actually inspect my faith and beliefs, because I admired this professor so much. I realized that atheist does not equal a bad person. Indoctrinated crap was revealed to me as just that, crap.

It's difficult for a christian to know that there are people out there that completely discount their own world view. It's much easier to be a christian surrounded by christians, never being questioned about your faith. It can be rather scary (especially being taught that atheists are puppy-sacrificing immoral rapists) to have your view of the world completely debunked by an entire group of people.

Answer 7

If enough people don't believe what you do some people will become insecure about their own beliefs.

When a religious person sees how many people have dismissed his/her beliefs as being myths or lies when all they have known are people of the same faith as them, they may feel challenged.

The questioner may have been raised in the bible belt and always assumed that Atheists were as rare as bears in the city.

I would be a little afraid if I discovered that my perspective was skewed too, and suddenly I realized that all my neighbors were fish.

Answer 8

The person who wrote may have not meant scary but amazed or curious. To believe in God, Jesus or any higher power is to have faith of the unknown. I choose the two term above because it is how I would feel. Amazed they don't believe in some God and curious to know what they do in times of sorrow, hard times, pull your hair out times. I myself say a little prayer thanking God for Jesus and my life.

Answer 9

I think it goes to show the condition of our world and where it is heading and that should scare us. All goodness comes from God alone and if someone doesn't believe in God it begs to think that they might be operating on the fumes of morality and goodness. What hope is there outside of God - not evolution for sure. A get to understand that a hopeless man can be a dangerous man too. Not saying all this is true but it sure happens this way at times.

Answer 10

I think people who don't believe in a higher power/God, have a different point of view of the world. I would say that some people think that they don't have any boundaries and can do whatever they want without consequences. I think when we believe that they is a higher power that we govern ourselves accordingly. I think people who don't believe their is a higher power also think that they can do whatever they want to people and never have to pay for whatever bad thing they do.I believe there is a higher power and I treat people the way I want to be treated. This is my opinion.

Answer 11

I don't think it is scary just sad that people don't believe in God/Jesus because they are not experiencing the joys of life. Look at the person that don't believe and see how they live the life it is probably really stressful.