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I've seen several questions recently asking atheists why they respond with "hate" to questions posted by Christians. The thing is... I can't tell what constitutes a response of "hate" and what doesn't, so would someone PLEASE explain to me what the criteria for a "hateful" response is?

2007-05-20 15:41:54 · 31 answers · asked by ZER0 C00L ••AM••VT•• 7 in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

Mariah, I want to know... is it just namecalling and a generally rude disposition that is considered "hateful", or is the assertion that "gods don't exist" considered hateful, or is disagreement over the translation and interpretation of scripture considered hateful? C'mon, people... I know you can give me specifics here. Enough with the "figure it out for yourself" responses. If I could figure it out for myself, I wouldn't be asking, would I?

2007-05-20 15:47:28 · update #1

TTC, no, I really really don't. It seems that just about anything an atheist says can be interpreted as "hateful", so I'd like to know what Christians means when they use the word. I mean, I can tell that namecalling and a generally rude disposition might be interpreted as "hateful", but other than that, I'm dumbfounded. Again, don't assume I actually know the answer. I'm genuinely trying to figure this out.

2007-05-20 15:51:00 · update #2

31 answers

I can't speak for all Christians, but when someone calls me retarded, implies that I'm ignorant, or suggests that my voting rights, freedom, etc., be curtailed solely on the basis of my Christianity, then I consider that a hate-filled response.

I don't care if someone disagrees with me on issues of belief. . .that's not a problem. That's just discussing things, and I enjoy a good debate.

But when I am demeaned on a personal level for no other reason than someone hates all Christians, the line between debate and attack has been crossed. That's my definition of a hateful response.

2007-05-20 16:02:23 · answer #1 · answered by Wolfeblayde 7 · 6 1

As you know, I'm an atheist, but there seems to be more than a few hostile atheists on R&S. I've asked questions challenging atheism and gotten death threats. Of course, they're not representatives of R&S atheists, and R&S atheists aren't representatives for all atheists, but these few "extremist" are naturally easier to recall for most believers. Also, there has developed, on this site, an impulsive response to Christians questioning non-Christians. Since so many have been arrogant and/or ignorant, many users automatically assume these things about any Christian posting. Basically, no group has a monopoly on bigotry, but I have seen many from all beliefs truly engage in respectful conversations.

2016-04-01 12:32:52 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Here's why we thank that:

1. "If you don't become an atheist you'll roast in our next campfire."
2. "Become an atheist or you'll be sinning."
3. "Christians - why don't you believe in evolution when we've threatened to eat your babies ?"
4. "There's no such thing as a crocoduck."

And those are direct quotes!

I ♥ Kirk Cameron.

Edit: Robert P. - Stop being such a stupid assortme. No atheist would compare you to the mentally retarded because their brain capacity is far better than yours. You should be so lucky. You are but Faulkner's "sound and fury - singifying nothing". You're also a heck of a liar. I shall call you "Benjy the Idiot". Hey! I used all 'a them words! Without misspellings (well, unless you count "assortme", a nonsense word I borrowed from the author)!

*Hey Ray* Eh, time to brush up on your definition of malapropism. It's "The Rivals" - Sheridan. I have been accused of being 'hateful' for not believing as you believe. I've been deleted for it, in fact. It wasn't confused with any other word beyond the ones our Robert P. mentioned above.

2007-05-20 18:19:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

In my experience, "hate" is probably too strong a word.

However, many times, I've seen Q& A in R&S by self-proclaimed atheists which are scornful, contemptuous, and and serve only to ridicule or mock people who are self-proclaimed Christians.
These are the same people who claim to support "diversity" of belief, yet what they really desire is freedom FROM religion.
If you really have "no idea" what constitutes a hateful response, then all I can say is what is hateful to one person may seem completely harmless to another.

It may be that you could only understand how painful it is, if you were a Christian, and felt the ridicule personally.

One way you might understand it is to imagine the following scenario: You are absolutely in love with your wife, she means the world to you, and you find her beautiful, exciting, incredibly intellectually stimulating and the more you get to know her, the more worthy she proves to be of your adoration.
Then while you're standing around the water cooler at work, some people who have heard of her (but don't know her) start laughing and joking about what a dog she is, she is trashy and a fake, and what kind of a loser would ever care for her?! Now, mind you they don't even know her , got that?....

Now you might not consider that hateful, and others may not consider that hateful, but many others would.

2007-05-20 15:55:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4 1

I wouldn't so much say hateful as I would say ignorant.
Allow me to clarify - about the only answers I would ever consider ignorant are the ones that say "you are stupid" or "Christians are murderers" or the like. Once I had a responder announce to everyone: "ramjet - you have to be the most pathetic excuse for a human".... is that hateful? This person doesn't even know me.
Ignorance is the problem. It leads to intolerance, pride and arrogance. People on all sides get way to caught up in their own agendas, and therefore ignore the feelings of others.


blessings Zero - good question :)

2007-05-20 16:19:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 5 0

For those who are shocked that someone would possibly have a different set of beliefs than they do, the response is often to try to tell the unbeleiver how wrong the are.

If the response holds a leading statement that "picks on" their faith - for example, it starts with "since we all know that ...." then one runs the risk of being labelled intolerant of hateful.

It's all in the phrasing.

Even then, there will be those who see any opposing view to their faith as hatred.

Final thought - some use a logical thought process that goes like this - christians love, therefore - nonchristians hate.

2007-05-20 16:21:47 · answer #6 · answered by awayforabit 5 · 4 0

let me try to illustrate the difference - and it is NOT only the atheists.

I have had conversations with atheists about evolution, their disbelief in God, etc- though I felt at the end of the conversation I got nowhere as far as the other really understanding my viewpoint- I would look forward to talking to them again because they expressed their disbelief without personal attacks. Telling me what you believe and why you believe it is not at all offensive or hateful. On the other hand, I have answered questions then get an email response from someonce alling themselves and atheist and this response was nothing more than a hateful personal attack- insulting intelligence, stereotyping, name calling, etc are hateful. I have been called brainless, told I never read a book besides the Bible, I am gullible and only follow blindly what my parents taught me and frankly the opposite of all of those is true. How can one say such things without really knowing a person- they are hateful statements only meant to insult and demean.

On the other hand, I have to say that I have seen MANY so called Christians behave in the same manner , and yes there are many Christians that would take offense at anyone that expressed an opposite belief - but offense is not what we are called to, one should not even get offended when the statement is meant to offend, but we are all human and prone to sinful behavior, hateful remarks, offense and unforgiveness - and that is something that atheists and Christians have in common. My advice would be to both parties, clean up oyur own backyard before trying to tell someone how to clean up theirs- or as Jesus Himself put it, get the plank out of your own eye (speaking to the believers!) before tring to get the splinter out of your brother's eye

2007-05-20 15:54:48 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 6 0

The few that have had the decency to respond with a real answer have given really useful feedback. Kudos to them. Some of us do care about avoiding answers that are insulting.

I would agree that assuming all Christians are fanatics, uneducated, gullible, and ignorant is unfair, untrue, and unkind. And questions like "Why do you worship a zombie?" serve no purpose but to ridicule. I think many of us are getting sick and tired of questions that obviously have no other purpose than to provoke the other side.

2007-05-20 16:23:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4 0

Calling christians idiots,stupid,retards,assortment of *****.
asking if all christians should be "put an end to".Christians getting reported for asking bible questions and asking about prayer (in R&S).Christians being "removed" for asking christian type questions and some of the most vile "christian haters" are still around.Many "christian haters" dont ask or answer any questions that prove their veiws (anti-God and evolution).They need to explain any proof of no "God" or evolution.The R&S section especially is suppose to be the "Religion and Spirituality" section.Not the childish mocking,*****,and giving answers that have nothing to do with the question section.
If the non- christian is an adult they need to ask and answer questions as an adult and expect the same.

2007-05-20 16:36:08 · answer #9 · answered by robert p 7 · 1 1

Hate? when we ask a question that is not answered but mocked.

I don't even mind when someone disagrees with me, as long as they aren't insulting in the process.

I am sure that people that aren't Christian get tired of the same ignorant and degrogatory responses...

I esp. dislike "hate email" from someone that doesn't accept mail back.
If your going to take the time to tell me that I am stupid, or lack the ability to reason, at least have email that I may respond to.

2007-05-20 15:50:27 · answer #10 · answered by 2ndchhapteracts 5 · 9 1

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