What do atheists mean, when they attack religious people by saying, "They are scared to think for themselves"

Answer 1

they actually mean:
"why can't you let me do your thinking for you?"

Answer 2

Atheists don't attack religious people. It's usually the other way around. I think what they mean by "think for themselves" is that most religions discourage "free thought". Most christians are taught never to question god or the scripture. They are so consumed with their religious beliefs that they won't even entertain the idea that their belief system could be flawed.
For example: the bible tells us that there was a talking snake and the physically IMPOSSIBLE story of Noah's Ark etc. However, If you try to show a christian the flawed logic in these stories, they won't even LISTEN. They just stick to there beliefs despite all logic and rationality.

Please keep in mind that atheists simply don't believe in a god. The reason they hold this belief is because there isn't one shred of evidence to support otherwise. Their belief system is based on evidence and they would gladly become a christian, muslim, buhhdist ect...if they were given ANY evidence to convice them.

Christians, muslims etc aren't willing to change their belief system NO MATTER WHAT because these religions FORBID them from THINKING FOR THEMSELVES.

Answer 3

What we mean is that if you objectively look at the facts, there is no evidence to support any religion being true. Many atheists believe that this is due to people feeling more comfortable just trusting others to think about issues for them. The buck keeps getting passed around, and in the mean time people just go for whatever helps them feel the most comfortable. Really only a refusal to think critically could lead someone to be religious.

Answer 4

The Atheist is probably saying that religious people are not relying on reason and the Atheist is.

Reasoning depends on the observable and/or what can be derived from the observable (ie cause and effect)

But, here the Atheist himself\herself commited a form of intellectual suicide.
Why?
Sience (which is based on logic derived from facts ) canot be used to prove or disprove the existance of God (by God's attributes God can do anything, implying, even defy logic and reason, and God cannot be observed). The Atheist has chosen not to beleve in God which is equally valid over the other option based on this reasoning. The intellectual suicide occures when he\she has stopped considering the possibility of the other option, and started making conclutions based on that choice (Ofcorse the Athiest can use the same argument against the other option).

So, what we are left to consider what may be the results of these two choices.

If God exists and you beleve in him and do good then you will go to Heaven.
If God does not exist and you beleve in him and do good then you have helped others and people will like you for it and nothing will happen to you afer you Die.

If God exists and you do not beleve in God then you will go to Hell.
If God does not exist and you do not believe in him then nothing will happen to you.

Clearly it is safer to believe in God.


I believe in God without any proof or reason.
Why?
The only thing proof proves is that there was dought.

Answer 5

My experience is that theists are generally willing to accept the claim that the Bible is the "holy word of God". If you believe that without any skepticism, then if you read anything in the Bible that doesn't make sense to you, your assumption will be that the problem is in you, and not in the Bible. You'll be "afraid" to trust your own judgement that the Bible might be wrong.

This is pretty insidious, because if you were raised by a family and community that all believe the Bible is the word of God, then this belief will become deeply embedded in your brain's model of the world before your mind even reaches a level of sophistication that it can start to think critically. By the time you can think critically, your subconscious mind is largely committed to maintaining that world view. Any attempt to change that world view will seem horribly wrong to you. You'll fall back on the claim that anyone who tries to change your mind is under the influence of the devil.

Rather that resorting to belief in the devil, we prefer to just say that you are afraid to think it through rationally. You are afraid to think "What if the Bible is just myth? What would be the consequences of thinking that? Does it lead to more contradictions, or does it lead to less contradictions?"

Answer 6

It's a way of diminishing and attacking the belief system.

Since atheists affirmatively reject the existence of the supernatural, many of them think that anyone who doesn't come to the same conclusion as they do must have been brainwashed.

What many atheists don't understand is that some people choose to believe in God based upon their own personal direct experience, and not because of what others told them to believe.

Answer 7

Atheists like to think they corner the market on intelligence simply because they refuse to believe that which cannot be seen. Christians therefore are seen as mindless sheep following the masses and whatever their particular shepherd has told them. I, who am a Christian, Have had my doubts over the years but I have come to believe and it has nothing to do with any shepherd other than Jesus. I have read many theories and have also studied many religions and I have concluded that much of what we call religion today is basically indoctrination. However, I found my faith outside of the church with no one telling me what or how to believe. So in that aspect, I feel like I am ever bit as intelligent as these atheists are. I know that you cannot see natural gas but it exists. I know that you cannot see gravity but it exists. So how can I say God does not exist just because I cannot see him? I feel him in my heart and I see his goodness in the eyes of my children. I see his grace anytime someone helps a stranger for nothing more than human compassion. All else is irrelevant to me.

Answer 8

A lot of atheists feel that religious people believe what they believe because they have been told by parents, preachers, etc. to accept it. They also feel that they do not think to question the beliefs, or even consider the logic behind them. They also believe that religion is fueled by fear.

Then again, a lot of atheists probably believe what they do because of atheistic parents, teachers, etc. A lot probably don't, but a lot probably do.

Answer 9

Well, generally it would probably mean that the religious people are using God's existence as an excuse for not finding more realistic explanations for things. Someone who doesn't want to bother thinking about something can just say 'Oh, God did it.' and then turn his attention elsewhere. Atheists don't have that easy, all-purpose, illogical explanation, so we actually have to look at evidence and come to logical conclusions.

Answer 10

most religious ppl belive in the bibel and thats it thay never question it but atheists are all ways question. thay arent afraid of whats going to happen cause noone knows what happens when u did. knows ever came back and said theirs a heven or when u dide u come back as someone or something eles. their for by not question that are leting the bible do all the thinking for them.

Answer 11

because there are many people, NOT all, who were raised in the faith of their parents and simply never thought to actually consider it. it was just a habit for them to go to church every sunday, say their prayers everyday, etc. i know 3 of my friends who are like that. they have been very sheltered their whole lives, and when it comes to doing ANYTHING that is outside the box, unusual or different, they become wary and uncertain. same thing when it comes to religion for them. they wont even look at other religions.
i think its generalizing. and generalizing= bad