Athiests........is this why you are here? Self hatred and guilty consciences?

Question

Most Athiests here are guilt ridden or hate themselves. They are either trying to justify their beliefs and soothe their conscience, or they ask questions that produce insults to rationalize their lack of self worth.

Which one are you? When I was an athiest I hated myself.

I admit my mind is closed, so "educating people" is no good answer. If it isnt from the Bible, we dont want it.

Satan can only enter minds not hearts...I know the truth and shut my mind up since. Jesus said to Judas "open your eyes and your heart....not your mind"

Just fishing.....am I warm or WAY off?? Self hate...or conscience?

I certianly admit..I have been wrong before. If I am wrong, its ok. If not, perhaps I have helped you get honest, and you will seek help!
I hate the sin, but I love the sinner. All religious and non religious are sinners. Hate me if you wish. But I love you and want to help you come to awareness. I am a psych grad BTW. I feel many hurting souls here.

Blessings,
David

The other reason could be due to lack of esteem as well...here to stomp on others beliefs and gain a false sense of superiority.

VOLLEYBALL...yes churches will betray you...they are made of men. Look to G-d alone, He is Faithful!!

BLessings
david

Answer 1

I think you have some valid points, but i think you are generalising way too much.

Just because im aethist doesnt mean i cant feel spiritual, self worth and love for others. Likewise im sure many who hav strong religious beliefs feel hate. In my personal experience some chiristians ive met can be the most un-christian people i have ever met (thankfully this has been a minority clique though)

I think the problem isnt as black and white as you state there - but good thinking all the same and im all for these kind of debates.

Good q.

Answer 2

Hey, I don't hate myself and my self esteem is fine. My IQ is higher than most and I'm not gullible, moronic or brainwashed. In fact, I really don't have any problem with what other people want to believe, that's their choice. I do however, have a conscience and that is something I must answer to, nobody else. And it isn't guilty either, the odd thing I've done that I know is wrong I've more than made up for. Oh, and for the record, I'm not a dope addict or a former one, I'm no criminal nor have I been, in fact, I've led quite a nice life. Modesty prevents me from saying I'm over popular but I do have many friends. And the most important thing, I don't try to push my ideas down other people's throats like a lot of religious zealots seem to love doing. As for the bible, yes, one of the biggest selling novels of all time. Guess that tells us something, doesn't it? It's a popular read! Now, why am I here. Well, I'm a writer so this is as good a place as any to get ideas, also to keep my hand in. And I don't rubbish people but in your case I'll make an exception. Your mind is closed, therefore you'll never learn a thing from hereon. Sad really, you'll just stagnate like the rest of your kind whilst the rest of us will try and enjoy our time on this planet!

Answer 3

Dear Blessing's David,

I am not an Athiest, however, if I were an Athiest, I imagine I would be here for mind-stimulating and sometimes educated conversation with people who either share or disagree with my take on religion. As a Psych grad, you should realize several things:
1) Self-hate and conscience are not the only reasons for discussing religion.
2) Athiests are not the only people who throw up the gloves when religion is the topic--Jesus-lovin' Christians are just as guilty at tossing out insults.
3) Claiming that "educating people" is not a valid argument is hypocritical when a few sentences later, you say you want to help people "come to awareness."
4) And finally, as a Psych grad, you MUST have noticed that your "closed-minded, yet open-hearted", underhanded accusations do not come across nearly as covert as they seem to be intended to.

If you truly want to show people the God you beleive in, only allowing the non-believers two unsavory options of either hating themselves or having guilty consciences will likely only put them on the defensive and resist your message. I hope this helps you accomplish your goals.

Cynically and Analytically,
Meg

Answer 4

Atheist don't usually hate themselves, on the contrary they often think that they are the center of the universe.
People who are without God usually make up there own morals. And if you are making up your own morals what is there to be guilty about?

What is a college grad doing saying if it isn't from the Bible we don't want it any way. Are you saying there is a university that has only one text book and that is the Bible? While the Bible is the best book, I have 60 books within arms reach of me right now and I would hate having to get rid of even one.

Atheist don't believe in the Bible so if you want to engage Atheist in productive conversation you will need more than the Bible.

1 Peter 3:5 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you

Since you can't use the Bible to prove the Bible if someone refuses to even look at tit, your reasons for the hope sometimes have to come from outside the The Bible. Learn apologetics so you can engage people's minds rather then telling them to turn off their mind. Most non-Christians think we are drooling morons because of talk like that. I accepted Christ because I was at a point in my life where my MIND would not let me do anything else.
Since that point 13 years ago I have relished learning, not just about the Bible but Apologetics, Philosophy, Physics, History....
and I credit God with my love of learning.

Please cite your verse about not opening your mind, My computer Bible has nine translations in it and could not find the verse you were referring to.

To centrilius If we are supposed to live and let live why don't you practice what you preach and let us live the way our religion tells us to live.

Answer 5

Oh look, ANOTHER Christian projecting his/her own way of seeing the world unto everybody else.

I've answered questions like these countless times. I've lost track of how many times there's been a nullifying response that includes the words "I just can't imagine" as if a Christian's lack of imagination precludes my 39 year history of religious practice and study.

You are so far off you may as well be on the moon.

It was when I was Christian that I was guilt-ridden and hated myself. The Church taught me to do that and to judge other people as well and find them lacking.

I participate in this forum because I continue to be interested in religions and how they function. I have practiced a few and studied several more, which means I'm able to give solid answers to many of the questions. I like the community of people here who have realised that there is nothing they choose to define as 'god' and who are knowledgeable and experienced enough to talk intelligently about that.

And meeting people like you, even in passing, has been quite an education.

Answer 6

So if I can be bothered to learn about other people's beliefs/religion in order to get along with people who are different from me and understand them better I'm full of self hate and guilt? Do I lack self worth for correcting other people's misconceptions about MY beliefs?

Do you know what's funny? Here you are talking about how we insult others to rationalize our lack of self worth. Read your question again and tell me, exactly what are YOU doing? You are producing quite a lot of insults yourself. How is your self worth? Feeling guilty? Justifying something? Or just felt like being an ignorant hypocrite today?

Answer 7

Just because you were immoral when you were an atheist, that does not give you the right to describe the rest of us this way.
I heard a Christian here yesterday saying that he wanted to kill Muslims. I am not stupid enough to ask if all Christians want to kill Muslims because I know this isn't the case....maybe you just think that everyone thinks and feels as you do.... o that's right, you are Christian so you DO expect everyone to think as you do!

We are here for 2 reasons:
1)To laugh at the hilarious things religious people say (entertainment, same as you)
2)To point out the mistakes that people make in their ASSUMPTIONS about atheists.....like yours

Answer 8

I went with a psychoanalist and I found out that I dont hate myself however I am very rational and I think god exist or the great architect of the universe. But many people misunderstand the real meaning of god and hide themselves in religions

Answer 9

Self esteem comes from faith in one's self. Not from a god.
Loosing faith in yourself creates self hatred.
Don't mistake a fantasy or falsehood for lack of self respect lack or sadness of conscience.
The fact that you hated yourself as Atheist does not predispose others to that same feeling.
Don't ever mistake faith for religion or spirituality for religion. Faith begins and ends inside of man. Each of us gives that faith to ourselves, others and gods or goddesses. Not the other way around. You might find you have faith in Jesus or whoever or what ever. But it comes from you. How you chose to use it is up to you.
Atheists don't require the same. They don't need a god to protect them from themselves.
They can live without some god and have faith and be spiritual.
In short. You are wrong in your assumptions,

Answer 10

It's neither. Your assumption that atheists are looking for answers or that we are self-loathing is completely untrue. And even if some of us have low self-esteem or self-hatred, it isn't because we don't believe in god.

What about atheists-turned-born again? Are they so unsure of themselves and scared of life that they must turn to a fictional character to lean upon to give them any meaning to their life? And then fool themselves into continued belief?