What is the hardest part of Christianity to understand or believe for atheists?

Question

Are there specific stumbling blocks or do you just discount the very idea that Christ’s life, death & resurrection has relevance in your life?

Answer 1

For me, most of the stories of Christ's resurrection sound more like Elvis sightings today. It's all a bunch of heresay and odd happenings that don't jibe with what he did before the 'resurrection', and he didn't even appear to his closest followers. That sounds odd.

But more importantly, I find Christ's teaching to 'treat others as you would have them treat you' to be the most important lesson he taught. Following that message doesn't require Christ to be divine. It doesn't require a leap of faith. It's a philosophy that, if everyone were to follow it, would simply lead to a mucher nicer world for all of us.

What happens if and when I reach the 'next world' doesn't matter to me. I don't care if I'm 'saved' or not. I'll deal with that if and when I get there.

But I do care about this world, here, now, where I live and keep all my stuff.

I've seen no reason to believe in some supernatural force that watches over me, controlling my life, or caring which team wins the Superbowl. I have seen plenty of reasons why it would be a really, really good idea if we were actually nice to each other for a change.

The hardest part I have with Christianity is that many of them seem to ignore that central precept, and instead focus on Salvation, or Praising the Lord instead of focussing on making this world a better place for everyone.

Even worse, some 'Christians' instead focus on demanding that every word in their book is literally true, and making life miserable (or worse) for anyone who disagrees with them. They don't seem to be able to grasp that simple 'love thy neighbour' thing, and instead spend their time screwing up the education system or trying to make sure them gays can't get married.

So the biggest stumbling block in belief in a supernatural being for me is the fact that I don't see any evidence for one.

The hardest part of understanding Christianity specifically, is that most Christians don't seem to be able to get that 'love thy neighbour' is a pretty darned good idea regardless of the divinity of the guy who espoused it.

Answer 2

The best way to understand why somebody doesn't practice Christianity is to ask yourself why *you* don't practice non-Christian religions. For instance, what follows is the Greek creation myth; it's neither more nor less inherently reasonable than the Christian creation myth--but you don't believe it for precisely the same reasons that non-Christians don't believe the Book of Genesis:
"In the beginning, there was darkness, filled only with the black bird Nyx. Nyx laid an egg, and the wind fertilized it. After many ages, the egg hatched, and from it sprung Eros, the god of love. Half the egg rose up and became the sky. The other half became the Earth." Now why not believe that? It's not inherently less reasonable than anything in the Book of Genesis.
It's the same thing with all facets of religion. You don't believe, for instance, that Zeus has "relevance in your life." In fact, you probably don't believe in Zeus at all. Your non-belief in Zeus and my non-belief in the Christian God stem from the same source.

Answer 3

OK start at the beginning of the OT and move to the end of the NT. That and anything else to do with Christianity I have a hard time with. Actually it could be the Christians that I have a hard time with, since you can point out glaring errors in their beliefs, but the always make something up like God willed it. Come on, if it does not logically make sense, you just look like a fool for trying to make up childish stuff to cover up the error. Admit the error is there, don't say that God magically farted and it all was corrected.

Answer 4

~~~Bird ,,,,To answer both your questions,,, Christianity's savior is no different than any of the other Saviors of The World throughout Human History and Christianity's tenets are hardly unique as the Entire Christian Motif is a plagiarism of The Ancient Egyptian "Osiris & Isis" Religion, Zoroastrianism and Mithraism. This is knowledge that the clergy does not want to become popular. Check it out for yourself with an open mind. Zoroastrianism's savior named Saoshyant is practically a prototype for Jesus.

Answer 5

As a non Christian believer (usually lumped in with Atheist) I'd have to say the stumbling block is wanting anything to do with a cruel, vindictive, violent God.

Answer 6

Christ's life and death (he wasn't resurrected, he died and that was it) has no relevance to my life.

Do you discount that the life and teachings of Mohammed has any relevance to your life? Your question is a bit like that.

Answer 7

Really, its just the complete and total lack of evidence combined with the irratiionality of it all... why would an all knowing being send a son down for punishment when he could just wipe the whole business away in the first place... he is all powerful isnt he?

Just a bunch of combined mythologies from ancient religions... seriously, research ancient religion and tell me you don't see where the roots of this stuff came from.

Answer 8

I think it's all just based on ancient astrology/astronomy, like all the pre-Christian religions.

No relevance at all to modern humanity, in fact it may lead, along with the other Abrahamic religions, to the destruction of civilization.

Answer 9

You can't argue with an atheist. They nicely skip over the fact that they would have to investigate everything throughout time and space, in order to come to the conclusion that God doesn't exist. Christians are the crazy, closed-minded ones?

Answer 10

There is way too much accumulated data and knowledge, both through science, history and the bible itself to even begin it.

In fact I should write a book on it. :p

The main thing is this: You are an atheist to Thor, Attis, Odin, Osiris, Mithra, Vishnu, Zeus, Allah, etc... ask yourself why you don't believe in any of those religions and you'll have an idea why I don't believe yours. We are both atheists, I just believe in one less fairytale.