Why do Christians seem to think Atheists...?

Question

consider their lives pointless. I don't. I consider my life A whole lot more meaningful b/c I do stuff to change the way the known world is and help the future generation not try to 'get by' life to get to a mythological place that has about as much a chance of existing as a Flying Spaghetti Monster that created the earth or any other religion for that matter. What I live is a life with a point b/c I know I will help others, what you Christians live is a life only with meaning b/c you think you will benefit urselves. Is that why you can't understand why Atheists can have meaning to their lives, b/c it doesn't end with a benefit to them? Plz don't answer with 'YOU ARE HELL, U B PUNISHED FOR BBB BURN HELL'. Or ..'You are so ignerent.' but try to destroy the basis of my point with evidence so I might be confused into thinking there are some intelligent Christians who know how to debate a point..Ty.

Any1...feel free to copy and paste this post and use it as much as you like. ;)

Both christians and Atheists made good points so far..I am gonna have difficulty choosing best answer...I guess I was a little too quick to describe Christians as selfish b/c , judging from some of your posts, tht is not true.

Brother Michael..U r propelled by selfishness and fool your own mind into thinking yourself a 'good guy'. None of the points you listed at the first paragraph are true it's just when a christian does something it is publicized more widely in the USA because of the dominately Christian minority. Your second paragraph only shows tht in the end...when you die...you only care about urself. You want me to get real yet you can't quit playing a fairy tale in your mind that, in the ned, benefits you. That's might comforting, huh?

also i found it funny the childish perspective you took on why I don't do thing's wrong b/c their is no sky-daddy to slap my hiney...tht pretty much just proved how ego-centric and self-centered you are...Maybe it's b/c I realize every1 is a person just like me and I don't want to hurt them? I know it's hard for you to grasp.

oh yes 1 more thing...Adolf hitler used christian teachings to get his Nazi's to slaughter the jewish populace...just thought tht might be interesting for you to know...thx for your time Brother Michael...If you've ever studied psychology u will realize u never made it past the second stage of mental development...

u 2 KT. ;)

i honestly hope you get your heaven.

Answer 1

I am a christian and I do not consider any life (christian, athiest, agnostic, jewish, etc) to be pointless. I commend you for what you try and do by helping future generations. That is more than what alot of people do. Christian or not. I do not agree with you though when you compare heaven to a flying spaghetti monster though. But, just like it is my decision to believe in God, and believe in heaven, it is also your decision not to. I do not agree with it, but I accept the fact that it is your decision.
I don't live my life with the purpose of benefiting myself. I have more of a point to my life than the driving force of " what am I gonna get out of it?" I talk to people all the time about salvation. I don't do it because of what I am going to get out of it. I do it, because I do trully care about what will happen to a person when they die. If I was doing it because of how it benefited me, I wouldn't do it at all. Believe me, I do not like being told off, cursed out, having doors slammed in my face, etc.
So, I hope that you will understand that not ALL christians are self serving shallow bible thumpers. I would tell you the same thing that I say to people who tell me they don't care, they don't want to hear it, they don't agree, they don't accept it........ " I'm sorry you don't agree with me, but that is your decision. Thank you for your time and have a good evening."

Answer 2

I'm not your typical "Christian" however I find your question of interest. You say that you do things to change the world for future generations. Do you not realize that the major charities in the world are run by religious organizations? These charities have been changing the material world or trying to for many decades. The Salvation Army, the Mennonite Central Commitee, just to name a couple of small ones. These people should be respected for the work they do because they are helping the here and now. But Christians as a whole are looking beyond this existence to a life promised by God. The Paradise is to be a place so much better than this one and for many people, in this world, that promise is what keeps them going. Just as you hope that the work you are doing will not be wasted and actually benefit the future, they are looking to a time when they believe that not just they but their loved ones will have a life without sickness diease and death. Of course they want to benefit themselves, we all want to be "better" than we are. Whatever the "better" may be, more education, more money, healthy, a golf course membership, whatever! You imply that it's more greed or selfishness than anything else. It sure shouldn't be. What might amuse you is that Satan made this same argument in the Bible book of Job. He says to God in chapter 1 that Job only serves God because it benefits him. Now in a nutshell, Satan asks God for permission to take everything away from Job because he says to God that if Job isn't prosperous he will "curse you to your very face". The first two chapters give you the details, the rest is a difficult read because Job disputes with his three companions while a fifth man stands looking on. It gets very confusing because each man argues from his own point of view whether it's accurate or not. Cases of "I've made up my mind, don't confuse me with the facts", kind of things. Anyway, in the end there is a summation by the Job, the by-stander and then by God. The last chapter is Job coming to an understanding and he is rewarded for his faith and loyalty. I am strengthened by the idea that there will be justice in the end. The thought that all the times I was misunderstood, cheated or robbed of something will be avenged and put right is comforting. I am always at peace that I can turn my concerns, angers, stresses and injustices over to a higher power that, I have faith, will deal with them and I don't have to be concerned with them any more. It might sound childish to you but I know that when I don't have the strength or courage within myself that prayer makes things possible that I couldn't have done on my own. Some Christians might find it hard to believe that any human could manage without the strength they personally get from prayer. However, anyone who swears and yells is someone who is not solid in their belief. Ignore those ones, God is still working on them. =)

Answer 3

Both Atheists and Believers have points and it is never true that one's life is pointless. Both beliefs are like parallel lines going towards a direction. Their ends will never meet and it is our limited concepts that makes it look like their is entanglement.
Should we give ourselves the right to exist freely with respect to one another. And maybe we will be able to find that this opposing poles are useful for human existence. Believers could look forward to himself as a rightteous person and Atheists may look forward to making this world a safer place to live in. Religions may really have contributed to some confusions and so are the the disbelievers. Hell or heaven must not be the issue, let us give importance to what better thing to make this world a peaceful world by respecting each other's right and each other's belief.

Answer 4

Whoever tells you that your life is pointless, whether he claims to be a christian or not, is an idiot... If someone who claims to be a christian tells you that you're life is pointless, well... let's just say that he's not living up to his claims. I'm sorry that there are so many bad hypocritical christians in this world. Sad but true... Just don't let them get to you.
True Christians are not meant to condemn anyway, but only to help others in many ways... Everybody has their purpose.

Answer 5

I wont try to "destroy your point", I think this is a choice. If you have been talked to about Christ and don't choose to accept him, that's up to you. But, I do wonder, what is it that makes you angry about this? I don't seem to be mad at you because your an atheist.Truly if I were anything, I would want to be nicer to you, because I would hope that you saw Christ differently because of the way I treat you. I think there are plenty of people who are Christians who may not have meaning in their life, as well as other religions. Not because of their religion, but because of their character. So, live your life, hopefully happy & with meaning, as I will do the same.

Answer 6

Well I don't have alot of big fancy words for you as I am just a simple gal, but I know I would much rather go on in life believing in God and living by faith then not I mean what do you have to loose in life if there wasn't a God? You would have done good works not just for nothing, and there is a God so as a christian I have faith that I will go to heaven, and if there isnt which I know for a fact there is because he has done wonders in my life, and I have seen the works of his hands, then it really wouldn't matter to me cause I've got nothin to loose in believing!

Answer 7

I believe my life is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but not pointless. I will be forgotten only a few decades after my death, and I will cease to have ever been important. However, my experiences, views, personality, and life have great meaning to me and those who live around me. It is enough, and I don't have to delude myself with ideas of self-importance. I am no ones chosen people, nor will I live forever though my immortal soul.

Answer 8

Many people of faith (not all, but many) are afraid to even consider a world without divine intervention. It's like a security blanket, and when we atheists talk about a world in which that blanked doesn't exist, it frightens them. They think no god= no diving purpose= no meaning which is empty and scary to a lot of people. While the concept of my conscious ceasing to exist one day comforts me, many find that thought nearly impossible to bear.

Answer 9

I think you misunderstand what people are saying. It's not that Christians think your life is "pointless" per se. They just think it's "pointless" from their perspective of life/eternity. Personally, I know a lot of atheists that are "good people"...I just think they are missing out on the big picture. This life is a mere blip on the radar screen....we ALL have to make the most of each day.

I don't follow Christ for some sake of "personal benefit"...I follow Him because I am convicted of the truth in what He says. I agree that you have "meaning in your life". For the Christian, that meaning becomes ultimately deeper via Jesus Christ. From the Christian perspective, life outside of the Christian faith is just a shallow existence. That isn't intended to sound arrogant...its just a matter of perspective...

Answer 10

It is interesting that in the effort to elevate your own world view, you find it necessary to denigrate another world view falsely. Who started and runs most of the hospitals in the world? Christians. Who started and runs most of the homeless shelters, food banks and women's shelters? Christians. Who are the ones going to remote parts of the world, starting hospitals and schools, providing for the needs they find? Christians. Benefiting themselves?? Come on, join the real world.
In your world view, why bother doing anything for anyone? It doesn't really matter in the end, does it? Since you believe, according to your world view, that you are an accident and not here for any intrinsic purpose, and that there is no over arching moral code, nor anyone you are accountable to, why not live to please yourself? Why not break laws to please yourself? If you don't get caught, what difference does it make? You say you do things to change the world, really? Do you really think whatever you do is going to change anything? According to your world view, life goes on as it always has. Get over yourself, in your world view, one little person on their own, would barely make a scratch on the way the world is. What difference will it make 100 years from now whether you were an Adolf Hitler or Mother Theresa? None.
Your world view is self-serving and inconsistent. Please do not pass judgment on a faith you know nothing about or people you do not know.