Why do many atheists think that Christians are stupid, retarded, brainwashed, etc?

Question

Just because you have no use for God and religion doesn't mean you have to judge and label all believers as stupid.

Answer 1

It takes a big paintbrush to cover 2.1 billion people with one swoop, but some manage! In a group that size there are bound to be some bad apples.

David

Answer 2

"Just because you have no use for God and religion doesn't mean you have to judge and label all believers as stupid."

For the record, I am not a Christian.

This is very true, and I'm sorry that you have been judged by atheists. Many atheists may have this opinion because Christianity is not only a religion, it is a faith, and atheists do not have the faith to make the jump. They read scriptures from a purely logical standpoint and so when you get to the part in a conversation where the faith would come in to play, they don't relate to that and just assume that you have been brainwashed into believing something that logically, may or may not make sense.

Also, and you can look around on this site, sometimes when questions are asked, many Christians respond with the equivalent of "Because God said so." or "Because Jesus is the truth." which is probably true for them, but isn't going to work when the other party doesn't believe in that and is coming from a logic-only standpoint. Does that make sense?

Typing is a very non-human form of communication and I want you to know that I am in no way belittling Christians or Christianity or their/your faith. So please don't read it and imagine a defensive tone. Quite the contrary.

Believe what you believe, and try to remember how much you don't like being judged by atheists, so as not to return the favor!!

Peace!

Answer 3

I can only speak for myself. I don't think believers are stupid, some believers can be extremely intelligent. Its just that most of us non believers see it as a kind of magic, and logic tells us that magic does not exist. We used to believe in witches just a few hundred years ago and we would burn people on a mountain of fire. We believed in witches and now we all know that they don't really exist and never did exist. It's just a mater of time before the population comes to the realization that religion as well is a false belief. That being said, I think and hope that most people keep believing so as to keep the world in a better state. If everybody knew there was no heaven or hell there would be many more serious crimes. So, please keep believing.

Answer 4

There is this false belief that just because someone is Christian that they are inherently good. So, we have to just not argue with them and their faith if they choose to stick their nose into scientific factual and empirical data and then say uninformed statements that make them look like all the things you've listed.

If they would just stop comparing mythology with evolution then there wouldn't be any conflict at all, because if you truly understand the answers as to why we are here scientifically, then the Bible gives it poetry. It's as though it's in tandem with science on that level.

In other words, if they take what is written literally without knowing the history behind the writers and the rulers that created the book they currently use to define their religion... then, to scholars who understand the history of religion and culture see them as ignorant.

In conclusion, you do not have to give up religious doctrine or abandon your beliefs entirely because you except change. It just means you have to re define your beliefs to fit in with those changes. You do what serves you, but just don't argue science by ignoring empirical facts if you don't want to appear to be stupid to the educated.

For example,

First person "The earth is flat because the Bible says so."

Second person "No, it's not, because we have discovered relativity and it's measurable in the world of physics."

First person "I admit I don't know anything about physics or relativity, all I know is that your answers are hollow arguments that are full of theories."

Second person "But, here are the impirical facts, the astronauts landed on the moon, why are you not getting this?"

First person "That's the devils work. I have a highly respected Christian scholar on my web site who wrote an article exposing your holes. You are the devil talking to me and testing me now. I go only by God's rules."

Second person "Read this information outside of your Christian sources. This is by scientists who are Nobel Prize winning laureates, it's real."

First person "I will pray for you and God bless you."

Second person "Wow, this person's retarded."

Answer 5

I honestly believe that religious beliefs keeps people from reaching a more mature level of morality.--You can be a moral and ethical human being without having to be bribed or punished.
We all know the rules.--They are very simple, and people agreed about them even before the Ten Commandments.
I would like to hear Christians talk about dealing with others in a fair and honest way,and less about how they intend to save their own butt, and trying to fill me with their same fear.
They sound like those oversimplified T.V. commercials; --saying " all you have to do is BELIEVE" and you'll go to "HEAVEN".
It's all so childish.They really need to grow up,and get their mind off themselves.
I will respect them when they want to be good people and not just spiritual opportunists.

Answer 6

I don't think all atheists do. I have some who respect me for who I am and my religion. but I also respect there right to not believe I figure not my right to judge God will work this out in the end. We just don't discuss religion.

Answer 7

What is not to dislike about them? They believe they have a monopoly on truth based on a book written long ago by men who thought the world was flat and disease is caused by demons. Not only that, they believe it is a violation of their rights if they are denied the opportunity to use the coercive power of the state to shove their superstitious beliefs down every ones throat. We just have to marginalize them, which may mean an all out war against institutionalized stupidity.

Answer 8

I've never called a christian retarded or stupid. Ignorant and brainwashed, yes. Most are infected by the meme. Born and bred to belong to the christian cult. Few dare to look or think outside the box. It's hard to take anybody serious that believes in demons, devils, angels, and god.
It's impossible to trust anybody that believes they can be forgiven any wrong that they do.
People should be responsible and held accountable for their actions right here, right now.

Answer 9

My experience is that Christians haven't the slightest clue about the science that they are arguing against.

My main evidence is that I have to tell people here at least twice a day that:
1- We didn't evolve from monkeys (this one really gets me)
2- There is still debate about the mechanism of evolution, but not the substantive idea.
3- If you accept that Hubble sees things billions of light years away that means the light you are seeing has traveled for billions of years=the universe is at least that old.
4- ANY valid theory HAS to match the fossil record.
5- Theory means a very different thing to scientists. Gravity is still a theory by that definition. Both evolution and gravity are widely accepted facts and the theory is only about how they work
.
I could go on.

I find it to be unbelievable that there is such an obvious lack of knowledge. An eighth grade education would have at least covered the basics so how could you ask such uninformed and stupid questions over and over?

Answer 10

Because they made a concious decision to blaspheme the holy spirit and now are blinded by ignorance and intolerance. They reason only with thier heads and not thier hearts where God has written his laws. All they need to do is look at the perfect order of the universe through such things as science for a great example as they are just proving what is aready there. The scriptures say "A fool says in his heart (There is no God!)".

Answer 11

I know it's strange, it seems like all they do is judge people for believing a certain way, some even throw mindless insults and claim that their beliefs are 100% true...wait a minute, isn't that what they accuse Christians of doing?

Lets take a look at all the questions and answers on the board tonight and count the number of nasty, insults given by Athiests...some are in denial.