Why do people think that athiests hate God?

Question

I have seen so many posts on this board talking about how athiests are angry with God. I personally do not believe he exists, so how could I be angry with something that does not exist for me? I don't sit around hating God and that is not the reason I do not believe in him. Why do people assume this?

**Please do not try to persuade me to believe in God or yell at me or anything. I do not need lectures, I am just curious.

My apologies for the mis spelling of the word!! Lol i forgot to spell check. I just looked up the dictionary definition of the word, and it says

One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.

Also to Kewl kat

I didn't say I was angry with anyone? I am not angry at all. I'm not angry that people do this, again I AM JUST CURIOUS. To one of the others, I call him God because that is what you call him. I don't go around screaming in Christians faces the facts disproving it. I just like believing what I believe, and I wish people would stop feeling sorry for me because I have not been "saved" or whatever you call it. I am tired of being told that you will pray for me. In fact, before Yahoo answers, I never really thought about religion much. But I have had so much religious talk shoved in my face, I can't help but think about it.

My last details sounded a little harsh, I am sorry. Thank you for all of your opinions they are very interesting!

Answer 1

Some atheists are hateful. They are scornful of people who do believe, as I do, in a higher power.

They are angry at religion and angry at the source of religion. Some are as you say you are, simply disbelievers who have no anger or hate.

What DO you believe in? Are you ethical? Do you consider yourself a person of integrity? Do you have standards? Much of what we call ethics, or integrity or standards are things that are codified in religious tenets. If you are these things you have a lot in common with sincere religious people like me.

You seem to me to be a good person, and one I would probably like and would enjoy discussing things with. I would probably try to convince you that there is a God and that He loves you, and you might well try to convince me that I am wrong and no such thing exists.

We could do that without anger, and without hating each other. If we are both totally honest with each other we might even teach each other a few things.

With luck both of us would come away with a better understanding of how and why many people are religious and how and why some are not.

I think we could come away liking each other and respecting each other and that would help make the discussion valuable to both of us.

Incidentally, I don't think Jesus would be angry or hateful toward you either. That's just an opinion.

Answer 2

The opposite of love is indifference, which is where you stand as an atheist. Because most atheist see it as their purpose here on yahoo answers to persuade Christians to not believe in god (much like Christians persuade atheists to believe in him), there has arose a little war. God side, and not Gods side. Because you are not on God's side, you are seen as a hater. Again, most people here are not as polite about atheism as you are. Many people you find here who claim to be atheist are mean about it, and actually hate those who do love God. I don't hate you for not believing in God, and I hope the feeling is same. And I also think that Atheist don't hate God, because there is nothing to hate, right? Sorry hunny, I tried to be nice and polite about it, but it just isn't working. I know that there is a God, and He saves more souls a day than your "non-god" does. I have personally met Jesus Christ and KNOW that he is real. If you would like help meeting Him too, drop me an email. And even if you don't want to meet Him, i am always up for a theological discussion!

Answer 3

THE REASON PEOPLE MAY THINK ATHEIST HATE GOD IS BECAUSE, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT A PERSON THAT DOESN'T BELIEVE IN GOD WOULDN'T APPEAR TO BE A LOVING PERSON. IF YOU GOT REALLY SICK OR WERE IN A LOT OF PAIN, WHAT COULD YOU HOPE TO HAPPEN. ONE WOULD THINK THAT WITHOUT THE BELIEF IN GOD YOU WOULD BE FILLED WITH HATE.

NOW ON ANOTHER NOTE I BELIEVE IN GOD! NOW I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE YOU, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THIS. I KNOW FOR A FACT GOD EXISTS AND I PROMISE YOU IF YOU SIMPLY SAY OUT LOUD OR IN MIND "GOD SHOW ME THAT YOU ARE REAL". HE WILL. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT GOES AGAINST WHAT YOU BELIEVE OR WHAT. I KNOW IT SEEM SIMPLE BUT I'M FOR REAL. GOD GIVES YOU A FREE WILL AND HE WON'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS YOU ASK. SO ASK! I DON'T GO TO CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY AND I'M NOT WHAT CHRISTIANS CALL SAVED. HOWEVER I CAN TELL YOU I HAVE TRIED GOD JUST LIKE I AM TELLING YOU TO DO. I AM NOT TRYING TO PREACH!!!!

Answer 4

I think it's because of the nasty things that some atheists say. Take some of the lyrics of some metal bands (I recall something like "your God drowned in his own hypocrisy" from Nine Inch Nails).

Some (most?) atheists adjust to disbelief and are fine. Others actually want to believe and are angry because they think God wasn't there for something, or because they resent the over-moralizing of their parents or community.

Rabbi Harold S. Kushner wrote in his book "Who Needs God" (or was it "When Bad Things Happen to Good People"?)that he has seen people become very angry with God when they suddenly stop believing He exists because of tragedy. As unreasonable as that sounds, I think it's probably true. Such people are understandably disappointed.

Answer 5

Because of the Abusive, Condemning, Direspectful, Rude, Mockery, And Insulting Questions & Answers atheists post on this religious/spiritual forum To Believers Daily!......and yes, many atheists "HATE" the fact that believers Love & Serve GOD!....

Answer 6

Christians want everyone to be Christians. Why? Well, because we are content with our beliefs.....they cannot be disproven....and so on and so on. I think we just get all bent out of shape when someone doesn't have the faith that we have in the Lord, and we try really hard to convince them that He exists. I think sometimes that some of us do this in a poor way, which in turn causes you, an atheist, to feel like we are saying you hate God. I agree....you don't believe that God exists....how can you hate Him? I just wish you did believe in Him, and that you loved Him. Maybe someday you'll change your mind.

Answer 7

Living in the Bible belt there is almost no one here who was not raised in church. When they leave for many of them it's not so much that they quit believing, it's that they decided they didn't like God or the concept of God. and if you're a theist and you do believe that everyone has differing levels of awareness of God, then to a theist turning your back on that seems like a rejection of God Himself, and not idealogical rationale. I generally believe this is the case, at least within this region of the country. However I have met some atheists who seem to genuinelly just not believe and it doesn't concern them in the least. And this is an old arguement and i've heard many of the responses but I don't believe in unicorns, so I don't spend all my time refuting unicorns. Spending time on chat rooms discussing the pros and cons of unicorn belief. I don't think about it at all by and large because I don't care, because I don't believe. And of course a standard response to this is that though you (and by you I mean atheists in general as represented by those on this site ( I do not presume to know what you specifically think)) do not believe in God you do believe that the belief in God is ruining this society and feel a humanitarian calling to better the world by squashing this false belief (and realistically if you guys are right and were wrong, this is exactly what you should do, and for those doing it for that reason, not just to be a bastard, i do thank you for following your conscience, even though I strongly disagree.)
But the thing thats interesting is, it's speculative wether or not Christianity is really ruining the world. I know there's a lot of terrible things done under the banner of God, but theres also tremendousally wonderful things as well. The church where my son has daycare just recently raised the money to dig a well for a village in Africa. So you get rid of religion you get rid of some tremendously bad things, but you also do away with a lot of tremendously good things. All for something both parties are just making there most educated guess. If either side says they're 100% sure they're right they're just being intellecually dishonest.
I know i'm taking forever to make my point I apologize. But my point to the standard objection raised is this. Why spend all your time devoted to refuting something you can't be absolutely sure your correct on, that you can't even prove is destroying America,(at least more than it helps it) and totally ignore subjects we can know is evil, (or whatever the atheistic equivalent to that word is) and that we can know is harmful. Howmany of you guys spend your time on NAMBLA websites, how many of you spend your time on KKK websites, how many of you spend your time on things of this nature. As Christians we believe that you and your eternity are infinately valuable, it makes sense for us to talk on these chatrooms (not that we shouldn't be as concerned as you about these other areas) becuase though child molestation, and rasicm is horrible, it's not eternal.
I'm sorry if this constitutes as a lecture. I guess it just seems to me that a lot of your time is spent on something that shouldn't be that important to you, but your actions indicate is.

Answer 8

You cannot hate what you don’t believe in so they must not be "practicing atheists” if they actually have hate for something that they don’t believe in

Since I believe and actually Love God… and don’t hate atheists I suppose that what is really happening is that those that don’t know are perhaps unhappy because they do not understand – such is the cause of many of the worlds current issues.. a lack of knowledge can bring on a lack of understanding and hence a lack of respect for our fellow man.

Answer 9

I haven't seen anyone accuse any atheists of being mad at God. From what I've seen, everyone pretty much knows that atheists don't believe in God. I must be reading the wrong questions. Sorry, guess I wasn't much help. Your question just took me by surprise.

Answer 10

It's often the case. Maybe not in your case, but I've known Atheists who have an obsessive hatred for God. It doesn't make sense to me that one would hate a being in which one doesn't believe, but some people do! People are just irrational. (Actually, I hate Sponge Bob, and he's not real... maybe I'm kind of a hypocrite here.)