Why do atheists feel the need to "convert" Christians to being non-believers?

Question

I can understand why Christians want to convert atheists, because we believe that without accepting Jesus as your savior, you will not have everlasting life.

But what is the reason for atheists to try and convert the opposite way? What is their driving force?

If Christians believe and we're wrong, we've lost nothing, but if atheists refuse to believe and they're wrong...

Answer 1

As a former atheist, I recall how deluded I thought Christians were. I, like so many of them, believed that "religion" was the primary cause of all the problems in the world.

I also thought that they were like what Michael Weiskopf (of the Washington Post), said: that they were "poor, uneducated, and easy to command."

I felt it was my duty to bring those poor deluded souls into reality. What I didn't realize was that God is not easily mocked. He took all that I was proud of, and made me lose much of it. Only after I took stock in the things that I said and did against Him and His people, did I finally see the depths of my soul.

Then He made me see the light of His Truth. But I had to be completely broken first.

Answer 2

We're just trying to return you to the natural born state, before you were all screwed up by lying religions.

>If Christians believe and we're wrong, we've lost nothing, but if atheists refuse to believe and they're wrong...

What if you believe in the WRONG religion and you're wrong? Then you take as much of a risk as any atheist. Perhaps more, since most religions consider believing in gods other than their own a severe transgression. Odin would be very mad if he found out you were following Christ.

Belief in no gods is therefore the safest.

Answer 3

I'm not going to "convert" a believer, and I wouldn't waste time trying. I believe you have the right to your belief.

However I have that same right, and I will respond without hesitation to any attempt to impress your beliefs on me.

The tone of your question sums it up perfectly--Christians have a good reason to want to convert, but atheists don't. A Christian who tries to convert is doing a good thing, an atheist trying to "convert" is doing a bad thing. Why is it so surprising that people find such an attitude annoying?

Answer 4

The declare that there are much less atheists in penal complex by way of fact there are much less atheists interior the international is specious. the actuality of the undertaking is that the information stated in liks above point out no longer that there much less atheists, yet that Christians are statistically over-represented interior the correctional device, and atheists are statistically below-represented in assessment to the known inhabitants. this suggests that US jails and prisons are no longer a random or representative sampling of the U. S. inhabitants. EDIT--i became a correctional officer for 7 years. The inmates are overwhelmingly Christian. they're overwhelmingly non secular...enormously while they choose favors from the administration. My anecdotal evidence is in basic terms as valid is the anecdotal evidence of somebody who says that somebody else became a minister who says that 80% have not got any faith. further, the information isn't completed with the help of polling. States are required with the help of federal regulation to document their penal complex inhabitants and demographic documents to the federal government. it is the place the information factors come from. Inmates are required to furnish all that information upon intake. they have not got the marvelous to refuse.

Answer 5

I am not a devout atheist (I mean I wouldn't do anything like attack employees of an abortion clinic or anything)...oh wait! That's the Christians. I personally do not try to recruit or attempt to convert anyone to my way of thinking, I believe that each person is entitled to their own beliefs and people that think they have to knock on doors and convert people are zealots. Don't you think that your need to convert non-believers is just a tad egotistical on your part? While I do not subscribe to converting people (for any reason), I do believe in having an open mind and discussing different ideas.

Answer 6

Pascal Wager?

If Christians belief is wrong and it is Zeus belief that is correct ..... you are in deep S*** .... If Christian belief is wrong and one the rest of 2k odd beliefs are right .... you are still in deep s***.

Atheists don't convert, they rebut. However, in the course of rebutting, some if not most christian will that it as converting, because they put their own values into it. When was the last time you heard an atheists comes up to you and say, "Do you NOT believe in god, if you BELIEVED in god, you will go to hell".

You think JC is true, we think it is false, so let it be, why try to convert us then?

If you think there is a fairy land on top your imaginary master's imaginary son whom you imagined died for you had made for you, so you may suck up him everyday for the rest of your eternal life, so be it. But if you want me to believe that, then proof it, you can't. Just because you think so does not make it truth.

Answer 7

But the thing is, I know it would push me further from a religion if it was constantly forced on me. Let Atheist believe what they want. I am a christian because I chose to be. I have never had an atheist trying to convince me to do something else.

Answer 8

If we're wrong, at least we didn't live our lives looking over our shoulders and feeling guilty for everything we do, say, or think. Any God that would throw me into Hell for using the brain that He gave me doens't deserve my worship.

Why do I feel the need to "convert?" Actually, I think of it as "opening eyes." The following rant, by the way, applies to all religions. It upsets me everytime a religious group interveins on the law making process, and I wind up living under laws I find ridiculas. It upsets me when other people tell me what's acceptable or obscene. I'm tired of hearing other people tell me that I'm doomed and going to hell for not believing in their imaginary friend. I don't want my kids learning baseless assertion (Creationism) in school--I want them learning how to think based off of principles, reason, and logic. I don't want religious material left on my doorstep anymore--or in my mailbox, or in my email, or under my windshield wiper. I don't want another brain-dead zealot knocking on my door and interupting my family time so that they can try to recruit us. It's insulting and annoying. Especially coming from a group of people whose arguments, collectively, have killed more people than cancer.

No, I'm not trying to convert. I'm trying to make people think about what they "believe" in. I'm trying to dispell myths. And I'm trying to allow other people to understand that Atheism isn't evil--a lot of people have some pretty strange views of Atheists. I really don't care if they become Atheist or not.

Answer 9

"If Christians believe and we're wrong, we've lost nothing, but if atheists refuse to believe and they're wrong..."


*Drink* Pascal's Wager again!

Nah, you haven't lost anything...except your life. You will have wasted your life doing religious rituals in hopes of getting into a heaven that doesn't exist. You have the most to loose. And how do you know you've got the right god? Shouldn't you be hedging your bets and become a polytheist?

Answer 10

Christians have proven themselves time and again to be a threat to the safety of everyone else. Christians cannot make such a claim about atheists. You are dangerous. You probably think that you are benign. That makes you more dangerous than those christians who at least recognize how evil they are. Your last paragraph is not only ludicrous, it is what makes you so dangerous. You have no ability to see the world outside of your dreams.

Answer 11

Dang, a Pascal's Wager and me with nothing but black coffee. Oh, well, *glug* *aaahhh*

Refuting nonsense is _not_ a conversion attempt, dear. It's impossible to convert anyone with the words "I don't believe in any god" or even "There's no such thing as a god."

It's like saying "There's no such thing as ghosts" -- because those who insist on believing will continue to believe and those who know better, well, they already know better.

When nonbelievers argue and ask for evidence, all they're doing is pointing out that reality is real, no matter what fantasies you may choose to impose upon it.