Why do most Atheists know more about the bible and religion than most Christians?

Question

If us Atheists have more knowledge about religion, How could we be so wrong?

Answer 1

Because most of us used to be Christian, and most of us have had to defend our beliefs against Christians. Even those who were raised atheist have had to defend themselves in arguments with Christians.

Most born-again Christians can tell you the day and time that they were "saved" in a wave of emotion.

Atheists tend to study their beliefs, other's beliefs, and the nature of belief in general. They also tend to be more versed in science and how the world actually works. That's why their deconversion, if they used to be religious, takes a long time. They actually think about it rationally instead of just converting for emotional reasons.

Answer 2

Most athiests have read their way out of xtianity. SO they obvioulsy know more about the bible than the typical xtian, who hasnt ever read thier bible all the way through even once, let alone the ten times or so I have.

Plus, most athiests are more likely to be better educated and be of higher intelligence than xtians.

Hell, most xtians beleive a zombie is going to come to earth in the next 50 years and be ruler of the whole planet. Not exactly hard to be smarter than someone like that is it?

Answer 3

I think that is a pretty sweeping generalization, but if you are making it, you must have run into a lot of ignorant Christians. Perhaps when you argue with them they can't point to book and verse and you can, and that makes them seem ignorant. For many Christians, it is a matter of FAITH, not pure reason and logic and citations of fact, aka Bible verses. So they can't counter point for point because they feel what they feel in their hearts not in their intellect. I hope you don't take what I say and run with it hollering "I knew it, Christians are ignorant, blind and stupid." Faith is something that defies definition. It is something that doesn't lend itself well to cold analysis. For myself, I know many extremely well-educated Christians whose knowledge of not only the Bible, but other works such as the Koran, the Buddhist bible, the Morman bible, the Torah, etc. rivals that of a brain surgeon's knowledge of the brain. These Christians are not only intelligent and highly educated, but they are devout, and deeply spiritual. They have lives which are fulfilled and out of which they give much to others in the community and the world.

I am sorry there is so much furor and uproar between the atheists on here and the Christians. It is my personal belief that God (I know you don't believe in Him, but that doesn't make Him less real to me) loves his creation and would want all his children to be saved. But beating each other up for our beliefs is not going to accomplish anything positive.

In my opinion, you are entitled to yours. I assume that I am entitled to mine. If you are a good, decent person, and you sound like you are, though I can't really know, as I do not know you personally, then you must realize that people feel fear and disappointment and insecurity throughout their lives and faith in God can heal those wounds for many people. If you don't need healing, then you should be glad and try compassion, don't be the stereotypical "unbeliever" proving the pudding by your attacks.

Live and let live, is a good life theme.

Answer 4

Smile, anyone can boast. Look at all the American Idol contestants who believe they can sing. As for your claim to fame,
that's a good one. Even if that were true that you know the Bible more than Christians, how in the world does that validate atheism? Doesn't make sense.

Answer 5

Being Athiest doesnt mean one doesnt read.
All Christian-Politicians will try to make everyone belive
that Athiests wont read the bible, but if Christian-Politicians admitted that more Athiests read than Christians, they would be chastized beyond belief. The Bible was written. Thats a fact. The contents are questionable. Thats Atheism. Remeber, there is NO commandment that says "thy shall not lie in general"

Answer 6

The bible is meant as a historical teaching and was written by man. For people to take every word literally is really stupid. I think people have to read between the lines and try to figure out what the original intent was. Once you read the bible as a whole, it is a foundation. From thereon you need to decide for yourself what God is and what His purpose for you is.

To disregard God's existence I think is a sin to yourself. You are the one who suffers the most, nobody else. I think people who interpret all their teachings literally...in any religion...are in for serious trouble. You know that is true by how Muslims interpret literally what is in black and white.

I believe God is each of us. We are a small piece of him. He made us in His image and left the rest to us to figure out. I believe God's intent was for us to go by sheer faith and then compassion for one another, as we really are all the same, and in fact a part of one another...all connected. You can argue that all you want but it's true.

If you're an atheist and don't buy that as proof, then watch something based on quantum physics...pure science..."What the Bleep do We Know"...I'm sure you can rent it at Blockusters, get it on Ebay and they even have a website: www.whatthebleep.com but I think they've gone overboard on their site and try to push even science to the extreme there. The concept behind the movie is thought provoking enough without going off in all kinds of off-beat directions as all the add ons seem to do.

It's all the same destination no matter how you arrive there. Everything we do, every thought we have affects everything and everyone around us, plain and simple. God just wants us to be perfect in his image. Even if you dont believe in God you should try to be perfect and in harmony with life around you.

Answer 7

Well, that's not me, really. As a near atheist, I have never bothered to read the bible. But I think that in general, there are too many believers do instead of actually reading the bible, have it read for them by a priest, who will tell them how to interpret. An atheist who reads the bible has no intermediaries, and they interpret it according to their own capacity.

Answer 8

Because, contrary to what the religious people want to believe, most Atheist came to their conclusions after reading the bible. Most atheists just want to know the truth, so they read. Religious people aren't interested in the truth, they want security, so they'll just blindly trumpet whatever their pastor/preacher tells them. And when they do read the bible, they don't actual interpret the words, they just mindlessly read the words without contemplating what they mean.

Answer 9

We don't believe because the facts that its all made up are overwhelming.
Yeah we actually take time to research our beliefs instead of allowing someone in a church or anywhere else to tell us what to believe

Answer 10

That's how they became atheists, by studying the Bible. They were looking for proof and found none, so they stopped believing (of course, it's the kind of people whose motto is "I'll believe it when I see it").