Why is atheism so misunderstood?

Question

Why is atheism so misunderstood? Is it that people don't care to understand it, or are people too lazy to read up on the things they don't know much about?

People like jonathan x are exactly who I'm talking about... dude.

Answer 1

I think that religious people have succumbed to the temptation to define atheists in a way that gives them a strawman argument to play with.

In reality, an atheist is someone who is "not a theist"; i.e., an atheist lacks the belief that any god exists. What defines an atheist is the lack of theistic belief, not the possession of a contrary, anti-theistic counterbelief.

The religious want to burden atheism with as an epistemological obligation that is at least equal to their own. So they assert, contrary to fact, that an atheist is someone who "denies the existence of God." Notice that they usually name their own god rather than referring more generally to the concept of gods, which is a way of sneaking an endorsement of their particular theism past the guardian reason of the unwary listener.

If they get away with their bogus definition of atheism, then they will have fabricated a burden that these "atheists" prove that they are correct in their "assertion" that no gods exist, and then the "atheist" is presumed to be obligated to prove a negative.

However, the alert atheist can catch this epistemological trickery early and cast large heaps of shame upon his religious debate opponent for attempting a dishonest rhetorical gambit.

Answer 2

You are correct that atheism is misunderstood. Unfortunately, forums like this only make for more misunderstanding. The questions, accusations, rudeness, nasty comments, etc. only reinforce SOME Christians beliefs that atheists are satanists.

As a Christian, I encourage you to understand that most atheists are NOT like what you see represented here. They are good people who care about others and have good morals.

GOD BLESS YOU

Answer 3

Most people only know that an atheist doesn't believe in god. Your average christian will view that in the context of his own set of beliefs and conclude the atheist is evil or simply hasn't bothered to read the bible. (why else would one 'choose' not to believe in god?) What they don't bother to apprise themselves of is the fact that atheists don't 'choose' to be anything. As a rule they are highly intelligent, highly educated people with a well rounded knowledge of science and have a much greater understanding of christianity and the bible from an unbiased historical perspective than the average christian. Many atheists grew up as christians. The non existence of god eventually becomes an undeniable, obvious truth to any bright open mind.

Answer 4

Just because people believe in God does not mean they don't understand what atheists see. How are they misunderstood? Just because i don't agree with atheism does not mean I'm not educated on the theories or am blinded by religion. The two are a choice, i have mine atheists have there's. Simple as that.

Answer 5

Theism has been cast so strongly in the culture, atheism is perceived as challenging the very roots of society. It is not easily perceived that most people function very will without reference to God. Even if they say grace with every meal, attend church weekly, sing in the choir and tithe 10% of their income, they spend time at work, the grocery store, getting the car fixed, gossiping with neighbors, etc. This is exactly what atheists do, without the extracurricular religious chores. Atheists are in the community choirs, chambers of commerce, Lions Club, VFW, arts councils, etc. We are just as much a part of society as Christians (and other religious groups), and it's high time we announced ourselves as such in the world.

Answer 6

Atheism isn't misunderstood by the concepts (the Big Bang, evolution, etc.). It's just the people that practice in atheism change people's views by their actions. Every religion is viewed by the people who practice it rather than the actual concepts of their religion.

Answer 7

People who choose not to believe in God fear that if they were to believe then the sins they are involved in would be wrong and they would need to quit them, so they reason in their mind that all that is around them JUST HAPPENED. Think about it. If atheist really didnt believe in God then why do they spend soooo muuuccch time trying to get others to Believe in something that the say does not exist. I think they are waisting a lot of time that they believe was not created. WOW that was good

Answer 8

When people truly believe in something, the last thing they want to hear is someone else trying to disproof them.

Since there are no scientific answers for religion, religious people can't argue with "non-believers." For religious people to acknowlege atheist ideas they would have to agree that God might not actually exist.

Answer 9

Atheist is a word created by the religious. Its original usage was as a derogatory term, insulting anyone who didn't conform to the church. As with any derogatory term, it has been associated with all manner of negative stereotypes and unwarranted criticisms.

And to this day, most people actually DO think that an atheist simply "hates" god. The concept of someone not believing in the existence of their god is totally foreign to them, and they cannot comprehend it. This has been ingrained in them, and in our culture, for centuries.

Answer 10

People mistake a lack of belief in a god with nilism or worse. They associate atheism with communism or whatever their pet version of "evil" is, presuming that non-belief in a god is somehow equal to being armoral or malicious.