Why are atheists closed minded?

Question

Also, why are they so intolerant of other views?

Answer 1

Perhaps the question should be worded, "why are SOME athiests closed minded?" That is a good question, because they generally claim to be very open minded. I guess this would make them hypocrites, thereby showing that hypocrites are not found only among the religious. I'm guessing the reason for this closed mindedness (again, among SOME athiests) is because they do not understand religion and their world view doesn't allow them to accept (even in others) things they don't understand.

Answer 2

I like this question alot. Athieist are not closed minded. They are just with out knowedge. Most athiest run off at the mouth because they really have not even given it a thought. And to them this is not important. They are playing. What Athiest fail to think of is they fact that of all the known knowedge that exist today they could not even begain to understand 1/1000 of a percent of the knowedge known. Which to put it bluntly means they are deprived in there mental ability to actually learn much. For example athiest claim not to have faith but every morning they reach for a light switch having faith it will come on. yeat they claim not to have faith. There is not such thing as a athiest they are agnostic they just do not know. And that is because they do not seek out the truth. The truth is easy to come by but it takes a little research. You know in the bible there are actually 10 kinds of people who can't be saved. These are one of the types. Those who have made there wisdom above God wisdom. The wisdom of man is foolishness. God even declares in his word a fool has said in his heart there is no God. The problem we have with athiest is they just will not hear any truth period. You can lead them to the red sea crossing and show them the gold wheels to the chariots that God destroyed when he destroyed the army of Egypt and they will say that is not proof. You can take them to egypt and the people of egypt will tell you all about these events and the athiest will say but what do they know. Athiest are not educated. They have a perverted logic in which every one else is always wrong and they alone are the God of there own reason. For this reason on judgement day God will not spare them. Living in total blindness is a choice as sin is. God has given every person a chance to be saved thru the attoinment of Christ. Waste that gift and pay the price weather you believe in God or not. God will judge the whole earth soon. I am not worried a bit because were i am going there will be athiest all around me for a few minets then the judgement and they will be going to a different reward.

Answer 3

SOME Christians and SOME Atheists are closed minded. Not all.

Can't it be argued that Christians that outright reject Darwin's theory are just as closed minded as Atheists that reject the possibility that a higher being may exist?

On the bright side, there are both Christians and Atheists that practice their beliefs with tolerance and respectfulness toward those that do not necessarily share the same views. Those are the ones I applaud.

I'm a creationist that would rather have an engaging conversation with an atheist that shows mutual respect, than with someone who militantly agrees with my views and shows disrespect to those that disagree.

Answer 4

I have no doubt it's lack of education - in the sense that they don't really thoroughly understand the things they are talking about - which is evidenced by what they write on this site! So. . . a lot of it is ignorance. (Notice that someone here is under the mistaken impression that pagan and aetheist are the same thing. It's not, People.)

And also, I think it's fear. Fear that God isn't real, and if they dared to believe they'd be a fool.

Sometimes I am amazed by the level of anger they display. Like on this site - deliberately baiting Christians. It's just black-hearted behavior. It baffles me too. I mean, if you are so sure and comfortable being aetheist, why keep on the attack? Why are you so desperate to prove everyone else wrong?

Also, something else that amazes me is how they assume they are so brilliant. They keep talking about people of faith like they are people who just blindly accepted what they were told growing up. I think for myself and MOST of the Christians I know, we all moved away and questioned it once or twice or many times. But we came back after thought, education and consideration.

Mostly, they seem not to know that throughout history, people with far greater minds than theirs, with far more education in theology and history of religion, came to the conclusion that God exists. It seems pretty arrogant to think you're smarter than those people. :/ (Very few of us, for example, have the quality of mind that Thomas Aquinas, who wrote a treatise proving the existence of God, had.)

So as a whole, I have to admit that near everyone I've ever met who call themselves an 'aetheist' showed themselves eventually to be lacking in education and information (except what they handpicked to prove some point), and they are very arrogant. Just my experience.

Someone here said, "Closed minded implies an unwillingness to look at the evidence". No, "closed-minded" means an unwillingness to consider other possibilities and points of view, whether scientific or not. One more thing - it cracks me up how they are always saying "prove this" or "prove that". They miss the whole point of FAITH. Scientific proof is a very earth-limited concept. There are things beyond proof. And they are still very real. People who don't understand what I'm saying, need to read Plato's "Allegory of the Cave".

Just want to say - there are obnoxious Christians too. But many are not. And Christians are taught that meanness is wrong, at least, and know the difference between mean behavior and kindness. I'm sorry, but people I've met without that background. . . just treat people differently. They are more self-involved, self-important, self-centered. I'm glad I was raised Christian. I didn't feel that way when I was younger, but now I do, because over and over again it proves to be true. :(

Answer 5

I am an atheist and an ex-Christian. That is my preface.

I am not close-minded about anyone else's views. Rather, to their disliking, as an atheist I am too open-minded about them. There is this belief in our society that religion is somehow immune to rational scrutiny and exempt from questions- how come Genesis 1 and 2 give different creation stories? How could the stars possibly fall to Earth as Revelation says they will? That is not close-mindedness. That is open-mindedness.

Whenever I am in a group of people and it comes up that I am an atheist, the question barrage starts: "how can you be a good person without God? How could the universe exist without God? You're going to hell! God will punish you! I'll pray for you..." and so on. That all stems from the inherent fear of atheism in religion, because as an atheist, I ask questions.

For another example of my open-mindedness, let me let you know that I have read the Bible cover-to-cover, as well as the Koran. I have explored these traditions and found them to be objectively unbelievable. Likewise, I am the first to admit that atheism can be wrong. If we find a billion-year old human skeleton or a five thousand-year old dinosaur, then evolution is simply false and Creationism is true. Also, I have no idea where the universe comes from. However, simply saying "God" as an answer is close-minded; it's the ultimate cop-out to just say "God did it." If we used that answer for everything that we didn't YET understand, then science would never have progressed beyond flat-earth geocentrism.

Open-mindedness means asking questions. If you ask questions in a church or a mosque, you will shouted down so loudly you may go deaf. If you ask questions in a science classroom, you will get discussion and real answers. That is how science works: it thrives on questions and the unknown. Religion thrives on closing your mind to the point where the entire universe and every ethical and moral idea is narrowed down to just the pages of the Bible, or the Bhagavad Ghita, or what have you.

If you show me a religion that is objectively believable, then I will convert and that is that. But please, don't call me close-minded for having found atheism to be the only, objectively true, intellectually satisfying religious preference.

Answer 6

we're not. most of us would like to accept some other people's beliefs, but cannot because we've already considered the religious standpoint on things and have rejected it as false. Our minds are not closed, but we won't just submit to some deity because we were told to do so by human authority and upbringing. Think about it! All of the evidence supporting religion is written. If I handed you a copy of life magazine and told you it was the word of god, would YOU believe me? What if more people told you that? How many people would it take before you conform and worship the almighty tom cruise? What I think people are failing to realize is that popular thought is not necessarily true because a majority thinks it is... Popular thought once stated the world was flat, and the moon was made of green cheese. Knowing what you know now, would you believe it just because it was in a book?

Your god's refusal to show himself and reiterate (just once) could just be construed has "testing faith..." I think if your all-loving creator existed, he would want us to be sure of his presence, and let it be known 100% what he wants from us... instead of letting everyone kill eachother over their separate interpretations of what is said to be his word.

Answer 7

Talk about intolerance, what do you think you do. Atheists are usually more versed in the bible and other religions then followers of that religion. A true, honest atheists has look at the evidence and concluded what they will out of it. They are just construed as closed minded because like most believers they stand by what they believe.

Answer 8

that just seems like the opposite side of the same coin. i could just as easily ask why are christian's so closed minded.

honestly the same could be said for practically any religion or belief. there are always going to be people who are intolerant of others.

Answer 9

Why are Christians closed minded?Why is the U.S runned by Christians? Why is Christianity behind Imperialism? Why does Christianity promote wars? What was the purpose of the crusades? Why did imperialist dogmatically believe they were humanizing supposed barbarians?The list goes on!

Answer 10

Why are Christians?

Here's the deal... you Christians stop trying to force your religious views to be lived by secular peoples through the law, and Atheists will shut up. Until then....