Athiests and Christians: What's your best impression of the other side?

Question

Seriously. Try and accurately portray the other side of the story. I don't want blatent misrepresentations (though something truly unique and funny is always good), I want the athiests to think like a Christian, and the Christians to think like an athiest. As an agnostic, I'm perfect to judge. Other agnostics, feel free to give your midgame commentary. And.... GO!

Jonathan L, I accidentally thumbs downed your question when I meant to thumbs up: I'm trying to remain pretty neutral here, and that response (while accurate some of the time) was a bit on the fence, but largely it seemed like a real attempt. Sorry for the thumbs down there.

eduarodi : For all intents and purposes, I use Ignosticism as a slightly more athiest toned version of agnosticism; I know that you probably don't like to be associated with the "weesy queesy" undecided peoplez, much like you'd think that satanists should change their name from satanists if they don't want to be considered devil worshippers, but ... wait was there a point to this comment? Ahh well. Moar! I must have MOAR!!!

Athiests and agnostics are not the same thing, though a lot of people classify agnosticism as a subgroup of athiesm (much like I classified ignosticism as a subgroup of agnosticism). Agnosticism is the lack of belief in a god, and the lack of DISbelief in god in general. Ignosticism is more along the lines of "I can't come to a conclusion because the term hasn't been defined and there's no test to use to prove or disprove it" (which is in some sense what I am). A lot of people use athiesm as "A lack of a belief in god" which is what the word would mean simply by the latin roots, but traditionally athiesm is specifically the disbelief in god entirely.

Answer 1

I am a deeply committed Christian. And if I had to believe in the God of some of the wack job fundamentalist, "the Bible is always right," and the rest of the world is going to hell, so called Christians out there, I would be an atheist too.

There are more open options in Christianity than Oral Roberts, Ron Hague, or other wack-jobs. Oh and by the way, you don't have to be Christian to believe in God.

Answer 2

Well I can't accurately portray either side since I'm neither.

Although personally have witnessed many more Christians sinning and wronging others cheating, stealing, being judgmental, hateful. But I've never has someone openly tell me their an Atheist.

I used to just say I'm a Christian since I believe in a God (not the one everyone has pictures of on their walls, remember that is Jesus or am I wrong?) and mainly because it is the most widely accepted thing here and there is nothing you really have to do to be a Christian you're supposedly to follow the rules/bible but so many don't but still yet call themselves Christian, so of course its very easy to be like them, a Christan.

Answer 3

It's an interesting idea/question you posted, though it's a fallible one. As much bickering goes on on this site because people are not able to see the other side, no one can accurately portray the other.

In particular, the main thing I see that happened is that lots of prejudiced people came and spewed their warped belief of who non believers are. Ohh we're "all mad at god", or depressed and think the deity deserted us, that we don't want any higher power over us and want to be rebellious, that all atheists believe in evolution, we're "arrogant" just because we don't submit to believing your beliefs, and so on.

It's pure bull. As someone of the smaller percentage that was born and raised a non believer I think I have full right to express that those opinions are pure bull. People don't talk to us and hear from us about who we are, instead they just believe what they are told to think and try to tell US who we are. Almost all that said such things were and are only able to go by a believers perspective (i.e. there is no "mad at god" or believe it deserted us if we don't believe in this entity), they can't comprehend that it's possible for someone not to believe in their god. Being born and raised who I am, I never believed, I did not 'turn away from', so it is ridiculous to think that I'd be "angry" at something that does not exist to me. Like trying to be mad at your little sister's invisible friend, it's a stupid concept.

The only non believers that might be "angry" are maybe those that WERE believers and felt their church, belief, something did them wrong and they turned away and are bitter about it. But most people are not "angry", all just because you can't comprehend how someone can't believe in it. The only thing that makes me mad is when people post the prejudiced crap that they did HERE that does not even come from our own words. That is the only stuff that gets me mad about it, and I'm sure some others are no different.

Answer 4

I believe each atheist is different, as with all humans. Some atheists may have had a traumatic experience with a church that turned them off from religion their whole life. Some hate the idea of Someone intruding in their life, so they convince themselves He doesn't exist. Some may have their whole careers and financial stability riding on their beliefs, so they don't want to consider them being wrong (like certain evolutionary scientists). Others might have been shown troubling passages in the Bible and have come to the conclusion that God can't exist. Others just take several philosophers' word for it because they're lazy.

Answer 5

To diverse to make a generalization. I personally hold the view that man made all religion and all gods and that believing in any is slightly delusional. But that's what I think about the belief not the people.

It seems like the majority of them are good intentioned while the more ignorant ones seem to forget their underlying message of love. Normally good people, just mislead. It seems like a belief in God stems from irrational hope and unexplained things in nature, and the more we explain the less their God does. I think that it is just owning up to the realistic to be atheist. But that's me.

By the way, to Nikki, I don't even acknowledge God as a real possibility, how can I be mad at it?

Answer 6

I guess I'm Agnostic because although I don't think there is a God, I'm waiting for proof.

The only thing I wish about Christians is that they would stop assuming that their way is the only way. And I'm not talking about every single Christian on the planet so please, nobody get your panties in a wad.

I just am sick of being told that the country was build on Christian beliefs, blah blah blah... Excuse me, but this country was stolen from the Native Americans so we could be free of religious oppression. Free to believe (or not believe) in whatever we choose. Not JUST Christianity.

So lighten up folks.

Answer 7

I'm an ignostic (with an "I") who doesn't think OR care whether there is a god. So, I feel closer to atheists than to believers. My vision of "the other side" as you put it, is that I think they are people who need to believe in something to give their lives a meaning. I, on the other hand, give it a meaning through a variety of other things, like art, emotions, intellectual pleasure, love and feelings in general, and so on, and on, and on. But if they need a superior being to feel comfortable, it's their business.

And I also think that some believers claim they are so, because they are afraid of the terrible lies that organised religions have told them, about there being a hell for those who don't believe. Fear of the unknown is a very powerful force.

Answer 8

I am christian (i Guess), so I will take a shot at this.
I can totally understand why someone would be an atheist. It is a reasonable response to say there is nothing else. However, I would have to add that I believe I have met few true atheists. Most "atheists" I have met seem to simply be angry at God. Their venom, frustration, and antagonism clearly states to me that they are hurt rather than unbelieving. I do not believe in Zeus, so therefore I have no emotion on the subject of his stories. I meet few "atheists" who are able to speak with such detachment.

Answer 9

There is no one type of christian. Some can be kind and tolerant and some are more self-righteous. Each end of that spectrum has the right to be where they want.. that is their choice. I may not agree with the theology but I respect each christians right to practice their belief system; I just wish at times I got the same courtesy in return and not have my belief system knocked.

Answer 10

Answering as a Christian. I have some very good friends that are atheists, and some that are Wiccans for that matter. We have some long talks about it. While I do hope my friends find the light of Christ, we still respect each others differences.