Why go around in circles?? (Atheists, why are you here really?)?

Question

Everyone who frequents Yahoo Answers' R&S section know what I am talking about. We can have the same discussions repeatedly until either Jesus comes back, the universe implodes, or whatever you want to believe is gonna happen happens but I just don't understand why people keep asking, pointless questions which are either unanswerable, or can be interpreted in so many ways. People go to the Fishing channel to discuss their common interest, and to ask legitimate questions; it is the same for the math channel, where people seek help on their homework, and etc...

So why would you come into a Religion channel only to try to make people not be religious, or argue with them about their beliefs. Why would you ask stupid questions like "what if God farted..." just to be irritating? Why are you criticizing people who do believe in something, just because you don't? Yes, you all have a right to be here, and unfortunately, you all have the right to be jerks, not that all of you are.

That doesn't meant that you should, or that doing so makes you a free thinker, or open minded. It just means either you are legitimately curious, even if you wont admit it, or you are just arrogant. I love speaking with fellow people of faith, and I would like to do so without some jerkoff calling me ignorant or stupid just because he does not agree with me...

That doesn't meant that you should, or that doing so makes you a free thinker, or open minded. It just means either you are legitimately curious, even if you wont admit it, or you are just arrogant. I love speaking with fellow people of faith, and I would like to do so without some jerkoff calling me ignorant or stupid just because he does not agree with me...

Zero Cool: great, by your own admission you are here to learn, and you don't name call. Now maybe you could rub off on some of your associates...

Answer 1

Yeah I'd prefer questions that were more curious, less threatening as well. People who are curious about beliefs of a religion or questions on a particular aspect for their own practice. Unfortunately, a Christian asks "How do we convince the atheist he will burn in hell" and the atheist retaliate with "God farted" and it circles. I'd like to say as an entire group atheist would just read the abuse and ignore all the questions about "Why don't you realize you are wrong?" and just not even click on it. But even though many wish we were on the high moral ground and completely above petty bickering, alas atheists are people too and they get offended and post questions just to piss off others. I've asked several questions where I tried to find answers, and the bashing took over my entire question and I ended up with about 18 horrible answers. Yeah I'd like R&S to break into categories so that the religious bashing could have it's own section and you would be able to find questions by people who are actually trying to learn a bit about religion and spirtuality.

However, this question won't help. You titled it "why are you here" which many will find offensive and start yelling at you and your question will have the religious right in here using it to spew hate with "yeah burn in hell and off my R&S board". It's an endless circle which is all that can possibly accure anytime you have a group of Christians who just want to piss off people and a group of people who feel the need to comment on how much ignorance is displayed by those who clearly don't understand that Atheist means they don't believe in heaven or hell.

You just have to accept that it will never end. Eventually this board will be replaced b/c it will have no real value to anyone. The good questions are completely lost in a swarm of a hundred hatred filled questions.

Answer 2

OK, really, this is not the Religion section. It's Religion and Spirituality. Many Atheists and Agnostics have spirituality without believing in any religion or any god. They have just as much right to be here as the 'religious' folks.

Those who do not share your religion are free to ask questions and discuss their own common interests. If it's not your thing, just skip over those posts.

As far as "jerk offs" asking stupid questions and arguing beliefs, I'm afraid that dog runs both ways. There are a pretty much equal number of those questions/replies from the religious and the non religious.

Answer 3

I've been an atheist for 51 years and have suffered an enormous amount of abuse at the hands of "good Christians." Here in the R&S forum I'm protected by my anonymity and I am safe (for the first time in my life) to say what I truly think about religious matters without the constant fear that some "good" Christian is going to split my skull with an axe handle. I know that the Christians here are not the same Christians who have previously made my life a living hell. Nevertheless, the Christians who are here share the same narrow-minded world view as all other Christians and continue to fill the world with their hate and superstition. The R&S forum gives me the oppurtunity express my spiritual views (or lack thereof) and know that I won't end up cut to pieces and stuffed in a drum of diesel oil. Christians have beat me up, intellectually, emotionally, and physically for most of my life. Now that I'm free to speak my mind, I will never again cower in fearful silence while some Christian bigot spews his evil filth.

Answer 4

You forget to point out that many athiests who answer questions here have a far greater knowledge of the Bible than many or those who rely on it as their Holy Book.

Would you really want a forum where the only people who asked and answered believed exactly the same thing you do? I mean really, what would be the point of that.

ALL of the different points of view here have caused me to think, ponder and grow. Some have also caused me to scoff, be sarcastic and roll my eyes but you've got to learn to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Personally I like to read the "X-people Only" questions because I tend to find both questions and answers interesting. Most of the time I don't answer them.

Even though I'm not Atheist I just had to put my .02 on this one.

Blessings (or not),
Zimmi

Answer 5

do you recognize what a sphere is? that is not a circle. There are a limiteless type of super Circles on any given sphere. yet a sphere isn't a circle itself. The earth being a circle is consistent with the two a disc or around earth. there is not any indicator of no count number if it potential sphere or disc. sure, the authors might have meant sphere, yet so what?! Haha, they might have meant disc to boot. Why do you get to declare that they've been given it suited, and that God might desire to have for this reason given them the certainty? you recognize that different passages communicate with reference to the earth being table sure and status on pillars? Oh, those are metaphorical, suited? yet this one is fairly literal? you recognize, whilst Jesus is tempted via devil, he's taken as much as a extreme mountain, and he can see the finished earth at as quickly as. that would desire to easily be attainable on a flat earth, or in the event that they have been on a paranormal mountain with magical spatial geometries that have merely approximately countless curvature like a black hollow. look at maps of a flat earth. they are ALL circles. So the Bible does not say that is around right here even, merely that it particularly is a circle, which will mean flat or around. specific pleading one hundred and one lots?

Answer 6

I agree with you and will share an experience with you:
They have chat forums on ebay, one of which I used to frequent. Good place for idle conversation, news from other places and just getting to talk to people. There was one person whose "name" I no longer recall that was a flag carrying, parade marching athiest. Fine. I enjoyed talking to one of the Buddhist members just to learn more of her views. This goes for other religions as well. But this other person shot down any mention of Christianity, any of its sects. When I said I was Anglican, she went on a rant about Henry VIII. I corrected her that although he broke with Rome it was his daughter Elizabeth I who formed the Church of England. I must have sited at least 10 referances! She would not acknowledge her error; she would only go on about how weak Christians are, that we don't listen to our church laws, blah, blah, blah. Then she had the audacity to quote scripture to me. Luckily, my husband is a Seminarian and I shot back. I got tired of her making fun of my beliefs and blaming Christians for any problems when she wrote about anything else. I left the forum.

Athiests do this because they feel they can do a little victory dance when somebody leaves as I did or they are able to make fun of what is so important to you. I don't think she won at all - I know that Christ is always on the other side of the door waiting for her to open it. Nothing I said could have convinced her to do so. So I go elsewhere where the person who needs my help may be waiting.
In the end, I think they are angry because we have something that helps us get through the most awful times in life, like the recent death of my mother. I feel I can pray and she will still hear my words even though we are parted. Athiests do not have that. What they call a crutch I call faith.

EDIT: to thewhiz:
I don't know what happened to you in the past but I am sorry for it. There are things that happen in each life that form their beliefs and for some even one incident can ruin any chance at faith. I have epilepsy and a guy who reads too much into the Bible told me I had the devil in me. I was hard pressed about Christianity about that but other events happened to change my mind. Bottom line, Christ said if didn't believe him then believe in the work he did. In other words, even if you don't pray and attend church but basically follow a moral and law abiding life, you are already half way there. You may never choose to actually turn to Christ but then again how many Christians have broken the law, committed adultry (my dad), etc? You are still the better person in the long run just by being a good person. Cheers.

Answer 7

I devoted the first 35 years of my life to the practice and study of religion. It's one of the few subjects that I'm highly qualified to discuss in depth and detail.

Now imagine trying to find this many intelligent, articulate, witty, well-informed and considered atheists who want to talk about religions. I learn something new from them every time I come into the forum.

As I've said before, Christians have church. Atheists have R&S.

Answer 8

*drink*
I'd love to come to a place where I could share my beliefs without ridicule as well. I'd love to be able to answer a question about reading tarot, witchcraft, paganism, et al and not have some fundamentalist christian calling me a satan worshipper and telling me all about how I'm going to bust hell wide open. I'd love to have a legitimate question asked instead of christians posting things like "non-believers, are you going to be laughing when you're burning in hell????"

That's just not going to happen. It's an open forum where all are welcome.
Some of the "Troll' questions are funny.. they lighten things up a bit when it gets heavy in here. That's a good thing.
The truth is, this is THE most asked question in this category, and it's old already.

Answer 9

I suppose the only way to answer your question is to present you with another question:

How are you ever going to learn if you don't expose yourself to other viewpoints?

I understand that you become frustrated when people talk trash about your religious convictions, and I appreciate that you recognize that not all atheists are jerks. But at the same time, you have to take into consideration, as difficult as it may be, that atheists have legitimate reasons for their beliefs that make as much sense to them as your reasons do you. Additionally, atheists must face societal persecution for their beliefs (or lack thereof) just as often, if not more often, than people of faith. Many Christians harass atheists and agnostics and basically anyone whose ideas do not conform to theirs. All parties can be found guilty of intolerance, not just one. Oftentimes, in fact, you'll find that atheists are not here to be rude to you, but rather to inform. Science is a powerful tool that religious individuals have a tendency to write off when it denies one of their beliefs. Both theists and atheists have the potential to be incredibly intelligent, compassionate, and well-rounded. Atheists tend to be so more often than theists simply because they have to be in order to defend their beliefs. Religion is based on miracles and truths that can't be, respectively, reproduced or definitely proven. Atheists are here because many of them found themselves in their state of conviction after a long journey through religion and spirituality, so they have some level of experience with it. To prevent ignorance, to inform others, to answer questions, or simply for the love of a good debate, they're here. Even you stated that they have every right to be, so let's try to learn from each other, shall we?

Answer 10

Why do Christians ask the same things? Why do the same questions come up about Muslims?

It's real simple, you know. People are curious about the same things, basically, and here is a place where everyone can discuss it and, if they allow themselves, learn. You can learn from the atheists, too.