How do you feel about atheists?

Question

Can you trust them? Are they moral? Would you marry one? Vote for one? Respect your child's decision were they to become one? How do you feel about atheistic views being taught in public schools? Anything else, feel free to contribute.

Recognizing that I am an atheist, this is meant not as an insult to anyone. I read that Americans, according to a poll, are very distrustful of atheists, and would vote for a homosexual before voting for an atheist. I wondered if people were really willing to show such hate and bigotry on a public board.

Answer 1

Consider this. It's incredibly easy in our society to announce yourself a "christian." It's expected, encouraged, rewarded. To say you're an atheist, however, requires REAL moral courage. You're automatically distrusted, suspected, demonized.

Speaking of "morality," I have a lot more respect for people who take responsibility for their own values, and base them on their own inherent sense and decency, than people who need the "God" crutch and the system of supernatural threats and rewards to keep themselves in line, and suppose that everybody else must be equally abject.

All this said, I'm not an atheist myself. I'm certainly not a "christian" or a member of any other organized religion, though, because I'm not quite completely ignorant of honest history and science.

Answer 2

Atheism has it's place just like any other beliefs. I never thought of marrying an atheist but I know of an atheist and Christian couple who have been happily married for over 15 years.

Morality is not a religious thing; there are many folks who are religious and very immoral while some atheists can be kings of morality.

You can't respect your children's decisions until they are old enough to make their own. A good parent will guide his child through all the good things he learn in life,,,this may include religion, evolution, or both; then when he is old enough, he should be allowed to choose his own path.

As a teacher, it is very difficult to teach atheism to young children who see the wonders of creation every day ...they will ask questions. It's easier for children to grasp the theory of creation than that of evolution.

If I had my way, I would leave creation and Evolution out of Early childhood education and let parents control that end; however, again, children will ask questions and the poor teacher would be mistrusted if she has no answer.
I think the problem can be solved if there's a special cirriculum in teaching creation with all the elements of evolution mixed in. Well, it won't be easy...but you can go another way. You can do away with public schools and make them into denominational schools where parents will choose for the children....but there again you have another problem since the truly educated child is one who is exposed to all experiences.

Don't worry; children will learn the truth besides the negative influences forced into their poor little minds.

Answer 3

To answer all of the above, yes.

Atheists can be trusted. Sure, there are untrustworthy people that are atheists, but no more or less than there are in Christianity or among other religions.

As an atheist, yeah, fair to say I'd marry one. Same for voting for one. Maybe something would really get done in goverment for once.

If I had kids, yup, I'd be happy if they were atheistic, but if they weren't, long as they were respectful and grown up, their decision. Wouldn't bother me any.

As far as your second comment goes, the reason Christians would vote for a homosexual before an atheist is the age-old belief that you need the Bible to be moral. No Bible, no morals in their eyes. To them, some gays are believers, so gays could have a step up on atheists in their eyes for being believers, even if they're sinners. To the believing crowd, atheists are beyond hope. Not only are they sinners, but they don't believe, so they're pretty much doomed.

Lovely little world we live in, isn't it?

Answer 4

Many of the atheists I know are very moral and giving people. I trust the ones I know. I did marry one. I think skepticism and rational thinking processes are important skills to have so I do believe those should be taught in school. I would respect my child's decision to be an atheist if that's what she chose for herself. Atheist does not = evil, immoral, etc... And yes - I'd also vote for an atheist if I thought (s)he was a good candidate for the job.

Answer 5

I have nothing against them. Some of them r rude, some of them r very pleasant. The same can be said of Christians, or any religion for that matter. If my child were to become one, I would respect that. Would I vote for one? If I agreed with their platform, of course I would. How do atheists feel about Christian views being taught in school? Someone is always going to be offended. There is no way around it.

Answer 6

I am not sure I have ever met a true atheist (one who doesn't believe in any higher power). I do, however, have an exchange student living with me who doesn't believe in Jesus or God. I take her to church and show her my religion and let her talk about hers. I trust her (as much as any teenager!) She is extremely moral. I decide who to trust based on their performance in that dept. Trust is earned, not freely given. I don't know about marriage or voting, that is always a case by case situation, and depends on the person. I am not thrilled with atheistic views being taught in school, but then again, the Scopes Monkey Trial started this whole thing, followed closely by the persuasive (and rich) Madeline Murray O'Hare. I sure wouldn't vote for any of those Tennessee politicians who wanted to get tourism up (you do know that is why they staged that, right?), nor Ms. O'Hare.

Answer 7

Trust is something that does not belong solely to the religious. The same goes for morality. Would I marry one? Probably not because I think a couple should be equally yoked when it comes to faith but I have many who are good friends. If my child chooses to be atheist, I will be sad for him/her but I cannot force my belief on anyone. The Christian values I want my children to hold and carry I give them at home. I do not expect a school to do that for me. How would a school be able to teach each child their religion and still do school work. It is up to you as a parent to give your child the foundation of faith that they can build upon and you can only hope what you give them will be enough to get them through whatever comes along and use their faith to pull them through safely.

Answer 8

I think people should not judge others based on their beliefs! I am too an athiest, but I would vote for someone who had the same views on the issues as me, not the same religion.
I think it is so stupid for someone to say the'd rather vote for a homesexual than an athiest! To me that is discrimination, (on both parts) and those people shouldn't be allowed to vote!
But it does go to show what kind of people there are out there. It should scare everyone to know these people get a say in who runs our countries!

Answer 9

He made them! He gave them free will. That means he allows them to NOT love Him!

Think about it this way. Jesus says love everyone. Even those who hate you.

Atheists may challenge us. But there are no more hateful Atheists than there are hateful Christians.

Did you ever think God gave us the Atheists to see if we were REALLY paying attention to His word???

You can't say you love God, then thumb your nose at His rules!

Trust, marriage, voting all of that depends on the individual. One CAN have morals without religion. JESUS tells us that. JESUS says to the religious leaders of his day that sinners and prostitutes will get to heaven before them. JESUS says that there are people out there who naturally follow God's law. I'm sure he had a vew Atheists in mind when he said that.

Answer 10

I love them, yes I would marry one; ok, I *am* one... And I'm married to an agnostic. I don't think we're more or less moral than anyone else; religion does not define morality. I don't really have a vision of how I want my children to be; the spiritual path they walk will be their own, they don't have to follow me. I *would* like them to be critical thinkers, and be familiar with the rules of logic; but that's about it. I don't think atheistic views should be "taught" in schools; ideally, schoolchildren would be made aware of different ways to look at the same subject, and taught to think for themselves.