...are immoral, suffering, unhappy people? Quite the contrary, I am happy and content. I've gone to school, graduated, served in the U.S. military in Viet Nam. Gotten married and raised two fine children. Am a Grandfather. Pay my taxes. Donate to charity (even some Christian ones if the situation warrants it). Go to work everyday. Enjoy music and movies. Love my wife (and been faithful from day one). Play sports. Enjoy things automotive. I've never raped a woman, robbed a bank, gotten drunk (hate the taste), or suffered any remorse because I sleep in on Sunday morning. In short, I'm not unlike many faithful Christians in my pursuit of life. Life's been good to me. So why do they think I am suffering, or worse yet some creature lower than a snake's belly?
2007-02-11 00:34:17 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
Firstly, because of the commitment they put into their faith, they are compelled to view it as the reason for all of their happiness and success. If you spent all of your life doing one thing, and just one thing, you would be reluctant to admit that you were wrong, and that your life was wasted. Therefore, in their eyes, anybody who does not share their dogma cannot know what true happiness is. On the one hand, they are looking down on you; on the other, they pity you, and want to 'elevate' you to their level. Then, and only then, as far as they are concerned, can you know what it is to be truly happy. As members of a 'loving religion' they have a duty to their 'god' to convert you to the righteous path.
Secondly, you are not part of their group. As an outsider, you will always be perceived with caution. If you were a different religion, at least you would accept the central theme of a 'god', and they might view you in a less harsh light, but try to convert you. As an atheist, however, you call into question the entire crux of their belief system, and are therefore a threat to the group. By demonising you in advance, they deter the more impressionable members of the group from being swayed by your views if they converse with you. Also, religions have a standard set of get-out clauses that can be used against any questions you should ask in such a conversation. For instance, their god is and always has been, and he can do whatever he wants. After all, God works in mysterious ways. If you ask scientific questions, they might venture that their god is using science (dinosaur bones?) to test your faith.
The power of a person's beliefs is so strong and personal an issue that words alone will not change them, no matter how factual they may be. Although many religious people cannot explain why there is a god, or offer any tangable evidence, they simply 'know' in themselves that there is. Much the same can be said about non-religious people - I do not believe in a god, and words quoted from The Bible alone would not convince me that there is one. In order for me to believe, it would take some totally life-changing event (for instance, a near-death experience, in which I met actually met God, and was certain that I was not imagining it). The same is true in converting people who believe in religion. To argue with religious people is a futile task.
2007-02-11 01:28:04 · answer #1 · answered by mrobbo887 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Most Christians don't think you are lower than a snakes belly. If you think that, you've been on this Internet too long and believed these teenie boppers. All we do is wish and pray that you will be enlightened to God's word. That you will open your heart to the truth and realize you didn't evolve from a monkey. Your ancestors as far back as they go were born man and woman, they didn't crawl out of some primeval soup. People who don't understand think Christianity teaches the world is only 6000 years old. That's silly. They don't understand what the Bible teaches. There are 3 earth ages explained in the Bible. How long is a day in eternity? We can't even imagine eternity because everything we know and touch has a beginning and an end. We know what a day is in earth time, but what is a day in eternity? It could be millions of years. Our day is based on how long it takes the earth to go around the sun. Before the earth was created, how long was a day? There are so very many false thinking's out there. I will pray for you. You may not like it but I will do it anyway.
2007-02-11 00:49:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is what we are taught by our elders and many of us obey blindly. If there is no reward for going and giving money to the church why would most people continue. The reward of course being some one better than others. Personally I believe Jesus died for "all mankind's sins"....any of your or my sins were forgiven long before we were born. You and I will be the same place when we move on from this stage of our lives.
2007-02-11 00:44:48 · answer #3 · answered by Mike M. 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Did someone say something bad to you ? You must live in the South .
There are those radical atheists out there that are trying to strip any vestige of Christianity from the public square
2007-02-11 00:45:26 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm an Atheist and I'm just like you;) I believe that some Christians (bigots actually) call us immoral, suffering and unhappy, just because they wish they were in our shoes;))))) seriously, they're full of complexes, and frustations, so casting all their frustrations on us, simply makes them feel better: they NEED to believe we are doomed, hellbound, so that their miserable lives will somehow taste sweeter;)
2007-02-11 00:41:21 · answer #5 · answered by Love_my_Cornish_Knight❤️ 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Imagine somone your age without a wife and kids who lives alone, you ask how could he be happy he must be lonely, but the man wants to live like that and is very happy, you just don't understand how he can be happy without someone in his life because thats what has made you happy, christians get their happness from God and don't understand how someone could be happy without God.
2007-02-11 00:41:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
They're taught to fear atheists by Christian leaders, because the Christian leaders don't want them talking to atheists. They're told that atheists have no morals, that they "hate" God, or that they "decide" not to believe in God because they don't want to "responsibility" of obeying God's laws.
(Former Christian)
2007-02-11 00:42:58 · answer #7 · answered by Jess H 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Coz they can't be perfect like you mate! Lol...
2007-02-11 03:35:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I just feel sorry for them, that's all.
2007-02-11 00:41:50 · answer #9 · answered by elliebear 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋