Can I be a theist and also be accepting of atheists?

Question

I constantly struggle with this concept, because I can't tell whether or not it is paradoxical. To me, acceptance is a level above tolerance -- tolerance is the willingness to let another opinion/belief exist without necessarily approving of it or liking it. But acceptance is more difficult to define. Can acceptance exist in a theist toward an atheist? Or vice versa?

I have many friends who are atheists, and I would never want to try to change their beliefs -- let them do that of their own accord, *if* they want to.

Are you a non-atheist who accepts (not "tolerates") atheists? If so, how?

If you are an atheist, are you accepting of theists? How?

Answer 1

Yes- God does. We (the devotees of Lord Krishna) understand that everyone is an eternal servant of God even if he is just serving someone in the material word because there are only two things God and Gods energy. So we see that they are either serving God or Gods energy. Even if they don't know that no one is separate from God. This is the way to see like the pure saints see. So yes we accept them but not their philosophy. They are servants of God as are all living entities.(Dogs cats, trees, bugs.) We give respect to everyone But that doesn't mean we hug a tiger. We just understand their soul hasn't evolved yet. Not the Darwin's type of evolve but the soul evolves. for info go to harekrishnatemple.com read Bhagavad Gita as it is By Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada- tells how to love everyone. and go to world relief network For Universal Truths Read E-book World Peace- Seeing The Unity Between Us All. Quite enlivening.

Answer 2

People with less extreme belief systems do that all the time. Most Buddhist are accepting of atheists. (well, most Buddhists are themselves atheists).
Many Hindi accept atheists.
Many pagans accept atheists.
I'm a pagan and I accept their right to be atheistic. I respect their logic. The human spirit either exists or it doesn't. It can't only exist for one faith. That's illogical. I choose to believe it exists and the different faiths are ways of trying to figure it out. They choose to not believe in it. They make more logical sense to me than some other belief systems. And they seem to have a sense of humor about things, though whether that is simply pouring derision upon something I'm not sure, but I'd rather laugh at an irreverant joke than take myself too seriously. I used to take myself too seriously. That's no fun and didn't do anything to advance myself spiritualy.

Answer 3

The definition of accept is: to agree, approve, regard as true or sound, regard as normal or suitable. (www.dictionary.com)

You cannot accept the BELIEFS of an atheist if you are a theist because if you do, then you become an atheist.

You can tolerate their beliefs which means that you respect and acknowledge what they believe but do NOT make it part of your own belief system.

I think what you really are asking is that can a theist and an atheist be friends or even friendly.

I guess the answer to that is yes, to a degree. But probably not best friends. After all, if you believe in God and are having troubles, you would probably want your best friend to pray for you or with you. If your "best friend" was an atheist, they would not do that for you. They could not be there for you in your time of need in the way YOU needed them to be. And vice versa.

I believe in God. I am a Christian. My faith teaches me that we are to love one another the way God loves us. God loves us REGARDLESS of who we are, what we do and what we believe. I try and treat all people with the love and respect that God commands, without condition. But I do not accept (that is, I don't believe as truth) other beliefs that contradict my own. I tolerate them but I do not make them part of my own belief system. I would never persecute or make fun of or mistreat somene with beliefs different from my own. But that doesn not mean I have to think that what they believe is true.

Answer 4

I'm an atheist and I definitely accept theist of all sorts into my life. I've family and friends that are devout Christians. I even have 1 friend who's a devout Muslim. I love and respect them dearly and never question their faith. The reason: they give me the same respect.

It's the overbearing religious zealots that preach hellfire & brimstone that set me off. It's those that feel justified in pushing their beliefs on all others that make me madder than hell (puny I know).

I think folks of all views (religious or lack of) can get along in grand fashion provided they afford those outside their dogmatic views the same respect they expect.

Didn't Jesus say something about that?

Answer 5

I think you can accept the person - just not their belief. (or in the case of an atheist - disbelief.)
To accept their beliefs is to say they could be right, that would make you agnostic.

I have a close friend that is an atheist - I do accept him, he is a great person and fun to be around - but I do not accept his belief system.
You can disagree on almost anything with someone and still care for that person.

Answer 6

The conflict of words is by using the fact the theists opt to pull the atheists all the way down to their point. in certainty what all of it comes all the way down to is that there is an unbalanced burden of evidence with people who declare a god exists being to blame for proving it mutually as people who only lack a perception in god get their place assumed till shown otherwise. Now if the theists had actual evidence that a god existed they'd not have any undertaking with this yet they do no longer so as that they attempt rather to opposite the load of evidence and insist that atheists tutor there is not any god. it particularly is as absurd as demanding somebody accused of a criminal offense to tutor that they are harmless. As for the thank you to settle the conflict of words, the theists would desire to learn how to settle for that atheism is assumed till shown otherwise.

Answer 7

it is a natural progression for a truth seeking theist as I was .
Now after twenty years of debate I was shocked into the simple revelation that i was wrong .I've been a rational upstanding citizen and atheist ever since some thirty years or so ago.Free thinking requires courage and determination but epiphany sometimes requires an upheaval as in the death of a beloved brother or some other provoking jarring incident.

Answer 8

It sounds like you already are, dear. If you are allowing them their freedom while still honoring your own, I really don't see a struggle. None of your Atheist friends--if they really are friends--will mind you speaking your views on faith, especially if you are tolerant of theirs'. I sincerely wish that many more had your issue! But it is possible to co-exist. My best friend of many, many, years is Christian, while I am Atheist. Religion has rarely stood in the way of our friendship.

Answer 9

I'm accepting unless they're not tolerant of me. I tend to stray away from the topic of religion with most people because I don't want to argue, but sometimes I'm faced with psychos who try to force their beliefs on me.

Answer 10

Faith is up to God and the individual. All of the atheist I know are well educated and aware of the possibility of God's existence, and history of God's revalation.

We can exchange information, and ideas and have great friendships with those who are different if we give and receive respect.

I respect anyone who has searched for God and purpose independently of their upbringing and come to their own conclusions about God and purpose.