Why are religious people so fearful of atheists, agnostics, or non-theists?

Question

The efforts to suppress these non-believers are astounding.
From the political arena on down, non-believers are judged harshly. These behaviors are fear based, anyone with the most basic understanding of psychological behavior can see this.
What are they so afraid of?

Answer 1

Not all religious people share this fear, Randall, just the extremists. Some of them may have actually read Ayn Rand with enough understanding it "shook their tree" and prompted them to question some of their programmed beliefs. I've also read Madelyn Murray O'Hare's treatises and frankly she did not impress me, but Rand I do respect and the fact that she's an atheist does not disturb me or my faith at all, as faith and intellect are two unrelated species IMHO. The Junior Jihad Jury finds my polytheistic views just as threatening to some of their religions as do the questions from agnostics and/or atheists. It's not just the Christian splinter groups which carry a fear laden donkey with them either. Some Muslim sects, certainly the JW and maybe one or two Mormons raised not to question their faiths just don't have the nerve to ask questions because the answers they get may change their minds. Some religions issue dark glasses upon entry, but there are those few which were just born blind.

Answer 2

"These behaviors are fear based, anyone with the most basic understanding of psychological behavior can see this. "

Um... IF you are such a great fan of reason and science, then you should have real data to back this statement up. Since you don't I can only say you're just making this up.

In reality, I don't know ANYBODY who is "afraid" or "fearful" of atheists, agnostics, or non-theists. I know lots of people who pity them. (I know I do.) I know a lot of people who are annoyed by some of them, but nobody who is AFRAID. That would be like being afraid of the French Army, or a group of unarmed girl scouts, or a paralized mouse that was undergoing a particularly viscious asthma attack.

Get over yourself dude. Atheists and Trolls are a pest, not a terror.

Answer 3

We are not afraid of nor hateful towards Atheists, Agnostics and any non-thesists. I might as well ask why you are so hateful and afraid of us. Just look at the answers you've received. All of them are prejudiced against Christianity.

I'd like to point out that "religious" doesn't mean Christianity. It means anyone of a religion, who follows said religion. That means you are lumping Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Taoists, Shintoists and Wiccans in your assesement. Your jab at religion has only shown how prejudiced people are, taking a delight in showing how quickly they jump down the back of one religion.

Why does it seem like we are fearful and hateful? Because that is what you see and until you learn to accept what others believe, that is all you'll see. I always see more hate on here towards Christianity then any other religion. Even Atheism doesn't have the pure hatered directed at it.

Answer 4

It's not fear, and we're not interested in suppressing you, it's just...we don't want to get into it with you.

As a Christian, I can understand why someone would be an anethiest, agnostic, or non-thiest, and I never try to convert them or "win them over." Nor do I preach at or reject anyone who doesn't share my beliefs.

However, 9 x out of 10, when I meet an anetheist, agnostic, or nontheist, they want to make a project out of shooting down my religion, my faith, and my beliefs, and are practically foaming at the mouth at the prospect of convincing me that everything I believe is a bunch of crap....and I think that is so ******* rude that I can't stand it.

Nobody's trying to suppress you. We just don't want you attacking our beliefs or our faith because it's something we hold very dear and feel very deeply.

Honestly, if you don't believe, most of us couldn't begin to care less.

Answer 5

In this country (u.s.a.) I believe that many people who call themselves Christians are really not true Christians. They just don't think about it and it's easier to follow the crowd. Christianity is more of a tradition. I think the people in power are afraid that if the Atheist message of honesty based on logical thinking, gets out that they will lose control of the masses. The last thing they want is for people to learn how to question authority. Religion is a great way to control people.

Answer 6

"They"

Can't speak for anyone else

I am not afraid of "atheists, agnostics, or non-theists?" unless they would be chasing me in a dark ally at night.....

Judgment comes from God. He is a righteous judge, the only one in fact who shows no partiality and is no respecter of persons. I was just reading this morning that "all the great and the small" will be standing before His throne on Judgement Day and will be judged according to their deeds.

Try a basic understanding of scripture, then get back to me.

Answer 7

Because atheists, when challenged to show rational reasons for their faith, cannot do so. They must refer to their own veracity is questioned within itself, and much greater by the world in which we inhabit. They therefore become offensive, and when they discover that they cannot win by intellect they attempt to win by volume of their voices, vitriol of the language or force of their fists. This is what happened during the the holocaust, and it is happening now in the communities around the world.

Answer 8

I'm not fearful of atheists I do not go around pushing my beliefs on anyone what you believe or not believe is that persons right nor do I preach to people. and yes I am a Christian

Answer 9

atheists are disliked because generally their views are respected more and they tend to make theists think they are inferior to atheists.

no-one fears agnostics.

if you mean "non-theists" as in they're just apathetic or say "everyone is right", then again, they're viewed like agnostics. no one fears them

Answer 10

To accept that anyone can live a moral, ethical and valid life without the beliefs they embrace and hold all-important, threatens those beliefs.