Why do some christians think we atheists hate them?

Question

Don't they understand that it's their beliefs that bother us, not them as individuals?

I recieved an email from a christian asking why I hate tthem so much, which to be honest, left me surprised.

To "hate" is a very extreme feeling that I have always found difficult to sustain.

There are some people on here who's behaviour I find appalling, but it ceertainly doesn't mean that I "hate".

There are some beliefs that I feel should be ridiculed, especially when people start presenting their case for creationism. In return, I'm constantly being told that I'm going to burn in a place that doesn't even exist. I couldn't be bothered hating people for that. I encounter people doing worse than that to me when I go to the supermarket.

Answer 1

Persecution complex

Answer 2

Maybe it's the way you say things. You denounce what they believe because you don't, you say it's not true at all as if it's fact. You do not know for a fact either way, you simply choose to think one or the other. If I showed you things in the bible and then pointed them out to the life and times you live in NOW, would you believe them? You would be skeptical or deny them, even if I brought to you at least a dozen things that are to happen in THIS GENERATION ALONE.

Why should some beliefs be ridiculed? Because you don't agree with it? Doesn't that mean it's okay to ridicule YOUR beliefs as well? No? Double standard? If they want to believe in creationism, let them, there is no harm in it. Nobody said YOU had to believe it. I am of the personal opinion that if you are going to teach how the world was created, you bring all possible options to the table since nobody can be 100% sure. Let the student themself determine which they think is the correct one, and quiz them on ALL of them, as you would do in history on ancient civilizations, or in english about different authors.

Many christians think you hate us mostly because of all the sarcastic and stupid questions seen in this section of yahoo answers. One example is "Jesus was gay! I have proof!" and such things. Just as some christians are not the prime example by which to judge the rest of us, so too are some non believers a bad example of the rest of you. It's nothing personal, but the sad fact is, a few bad apples spoil the bunch in the eyes of many people.

Answer 3

Perhaps you don't fall into this category, but a great deal of the posts here toward Christians are hateful and filled with uninformed cliche's.

The idea that you feel some beliefs should be ridiculed is, at the very least, disrespectful. Who are you to make this decision? Are you truly that arrogant?

Sure, you do no worse than the worst of the Religious people here, but is that where you want to be, among the worst? Your posts read like someone of reasonable and above average intelligence. Perhaps to some, the way you use it comes across as a form of bullying.

And, where do you shop? You might want to consider changing supermarkets.

Answer 4

To be honest with you, I'm surprised to hear that atheists don't hate us. It sure sounds like it from all the Christian bashing on here. I suppose it's the same with us. Christians don't hate atheists either, though we find the behavior of some appalling. I honestly don't hate anyone, and I try not to ridicule anyone's beliefs on here. I do share what I believe and I know it offends many. But my intent is not to offend--it is only to share the gospel. I think it is sometimes hard to tell who is who on here. Christian? atheist? troll? Every belief group has it's imitators--some trolls are obvious, some are not.

Answer 5

How does that saying go? It just takes one bad egg to spoil the bunch? Something like that....

All you can really do, as an individual, is to be respectful. Be bigger then the morons who can't accept anyone who believes differently.

Truth be told, I see many many atheists making fun of Christians and their God. On the other hand I see many many Christians claiming that those who don't believe are bad people.

I can see why people on each side would feel "hated". You have to just look past the judgmental idiots.

Answer 6

Most people don't understand the a negative reaction does not equal hate. That dislike is not hate. That even irritation and frustration are not hate. Acting out against something does not mean you hate it.

I tend to look at the positive side of emotions - I don't hate what I'm acting out against, I just greatly value what I'm promoting instead. I haven't seen a lot of Christians look at the positive side of things.

Answer 7

It's not that we hate each other... The truth to the matter is that when ever we bring fourth the topic of religious belief and none belief we tend to feel being attract by the views of the other person. So, as much as one side feels hated so does the other and we leave thinking that I was hated for my beliefs... capisca?

Answer 8

Its because the atheists on this site can't help winding them up and get annoyed by their questions and answers. A lot of the Christians on here express a very narrow minded view, are fiercly uncompromising on their views, and can be extremely judgmental. Which is what atheists stand against. And being told you will be prayed for when you dont believe is aaarrrghhhh!!!

Answer 9

Well, it's kind of like this
This might an view that atheists will find unrepresentative, but, if you are going to ask, I would like to give you an honest answer.
Many atheist responses on this forum tend to give a response like "Christians are stupid, brain dead individuals, and we are evolutionary superiour to them". Now, this may not be exactly what is intended by many responses, but that is really how it comes across to many individuals who have a faith. And, I recognize that there are atheists who avoid these responses, but in general, that is not frequent.
Now, if you take something so emotional and personal as faith, and tell someone they are stupid about it, that is a very hurtful slam. It's attacking a person at the deepest level. Honestly, I would even go as far to parallel that to some racist comments from our sad US history ("blacks are inferior to whites, and are underdeveloped in the brain", this is not my opinion, but a very real assertation of many racists from the early 1900's). Again, this is not the response of every atheist, but there are a lot out there.
So think of it this way, if I were to slam atheists the same way some of the atheists tend to slam Christians, you would feel hated as well.
So, there is some insight that I can share with you

Answer 10

Hmm ... I do not see why we, Christians should think of you, atheists hating us. I am a Christian and specifically-a Catholic. So in place of that person who sent you that email, I'll apologize to you myself. Sorry about that.

Maybe it's not about your not-believing in a God, maybe there's a conflict between you and the one one who sent you the email. How are you related to him/her? Try to figure out what you could have possibly done wrong to him/her before looking at the religious/spiritual side.

We Christians, especially Catholics do not hate atheists. Some may misunderstand them but we do not hate you. And I hope that you won't hate us too.

Answer 11

Actually hon' we are not worried about you hating us as aperson, NO! I am aChristian and I believe that there is a God Now I don't Condemn someone who doesn't believe same... we are all free to make our own life Choices but some people take there Christianity too far by pressuring others... I will offer the word but only if you want it.
You have aright to your Views.