Aren't ATHEISTS equally intolerant (over all) of Theists?

Question

I've met plenty of Atheists how are ARROGANT and RUDE and who put down Theists as well and say we're in a delusion. Most people in history have believed in God. Were they ALL DELUSIONAL TOO?

Answer 1

Excellent question! Very, very true observation. Yet, it's the theists who are most often accused of being "narrow-minded" and "intolerant" by people who exhibit the exact same attitude through their "open-mindedness". It would be hilarious if it wasn't so HYPOCRITICAL!

And no, people in history were not delusional. The simple fact that we can have this conversation is a testimony to the wisdom of believers. This nation (w/all its flaws) is the perfect example of freedom of religion. Let all these atheists go and live in a Muslim country and see what it really means to have religion "shoved down their throats".

Answer 2

I've met plenty of theists who were arrogant and rude, too. What is your point?

The majority of people used to believe the Earth was the centre of the universe (it was only in 1992 that the Catholic Church finally accepted this wasn't true). Are you saying they were right because they were a majority?

Most people in history have not believed in a single god. No one god has ever had the majority of the living population, let alone the dead, as believers.

And yes. If you take the atheistic stance to mean that believers are delusional, then these people were delusional, too.

Answer 3

"Most people in history have believed in God."
Argumentum ad Populum.
Most people in history believed the world was flat.
Yes. It does make them all delusional.
Popular doesn't mean right.

But let's try this question on you.
I've met plenty of Theists how are ARROGANT and RUDE and who put down Atheists as well and say we're in a delusion.

Answer 4

In the basic sense of the word, I'm a Theist. I have not been treated that way by Atheists. I know they have stated that all Theists are delusional... in all honesty, I don't really care what they think about my personal beliefs. Just as I'm sure they don't care what other Theists think of their lack of belief.

You are banging your head against the wall. Most people will react to the way they are treated, just as you are doing right now. You are not going to change other people by getting upset at what they say. You can only change yourself and your approach to the situation. Obviously getting mad doesn't work.... everyone here gets mad and look at this place. =)

Answer 5

I think religion hits a raw nerve with almost everyone that has an opinion of it. There is a lot of name-calling and slandering of people with different beliefs, I have seen just as many Christians badmouth other Theists as I have seen Atheists do the same. The one difference is Atheists can let it go, because they do NOT believe, where as Christians carry the burden of other's disbelief around for their entire lives.

Answer 6

The problem is everyone believes that theirs is the only true belief out there, atheists included. Just because they do not believe in anything other than what we can see, doesn't mean that it is not possible that there could be anything else. We all need a certain amount of faith to believe what we do, even atheists. We just have to remember that we do not know anything for certain and we have to be open to the possiblity that we are wrong.

Answer 7

Atheists may disagree with you. They may even be rude and arrogant. But they do not, as a rule, start holy wars, burn non believers at the stake, hang blasphemers or generally persecute people who disagree with them. I'll take an Atheist any day rather than a Religious nutter!

Answer 8

There are people of all walks of life who are arrogant, rude, and intolerant.

Yes, if there is no God, all of those people were delusional.

Just like how nearly everyone on the planet before Copernicus and even many more until Galileo thought the sun revolved around the earth, but the sheer number of people who believed it didn't make them right.

Answer 9

Athiest seldom attempt to enact laws (or circumvent existing ones) to force their views on others.

I'm not intolerant of your beliefs--I'm intolerant of some of the behaviour that you justify by your belief.

As for the people in history. Most people in history also believed that the best way to treat illness was to beat, burn or bleed the "evil" from the patient. To believe that 500 years ago was wrong, but not delusional--to believe the same thing with today's scientific knowledge would indeed be delusional.

Answer 10

Yes they most certainly were delusional. Do you think that suicide bombers will be rewarded with a bunch of willing virgins when they die? Maybe we should launch another childrens crused to the middle east to unburden the country of all the orphans and foster kids? Individuals and governments use religion to gain power and manipulate the masses. Religion is evil and false. It is the desire of all human beings to want their lives to have meaning in a greater context and to believe that their existence will somehow continue once they pass on. But it is just not so. Just because you want something to be true does not make it any more real than it is truly false. Once the human race gets beyond their intolerant religious beliefs you will see true peace have a chance.

Answer 11

Yes they are. The Atheists do have a belief. They believe that there is no hope or reason for their own existence, so they want to drag everybody else down with them who do have hope and a reason and a purpose for life.