Don't they understand what atheism is?
2007-05-30 05:43:02 · 41 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
(((Laptop!)))
2007-05-30 05:48:39 · update #1
Mikid: Where did I say anything about christians hating people? Either read the question or don't answer.
2007-05-30 05:57:24 · update #2
A lack of understanding is what defines a religious person. I've come to realize that from visiting here. It's not just that they don't understand atheists... They don't understand anything about religion, including the religion that they claim to believe in.
It really boils down to that. A person who follows one of these popular Abrahamic religions, is by definition, uneducated about religion. It is to be expected that they don't understand atheists, either.
2007-05-30 05:55:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Sweety, though I know better and realize that atheists simply do not believe in the Christian God, it is a combination of both Christians not understanding atheism and people coming on this forum who say they are atheists and call themselves "satan something" or "son of the devil" and espouse to be satanists and atheists and yes...as ridiculous as it seems to "hate God" (how does one hate God if they do not believe in him, lol).
That leaves you with a two sided problem, some people not understanding the concept and others substantiating the misconception.
I feel much the same when I hear that Christians do not believe in science, are all unintelligent, only believe something if its said in the Bible, etc. Though this may be true of the few very fundamental Christians here, most of us believe nothing of the sort.
What should be happening on this forum is that we learn to understand each other and to be tolerant and open minded about what others believe or do not believe. Unfortunately, that is not what happens here very often. Read the answers to your own question...these people understand very little as well.
The Ol' Hippie Jesus Freak
Grace, Peace and Love in Christ
Peg
2007-05-30 05:59:58 · answer #2 · answered by Dust in the Wind 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In my experience, there are many atheists who are extremely hostile to the notion of God, and who become easily agitated at the mention of the term.
Perhaps there is confusion as to the terms. I do think that there are many atheists who are hostile to the notion that the statement "God exists" expresses a propositional truth.
Also, from the atheist's perspective, if you start with the assumption that there is no God, then the issue of distinction between God and the notion of God is more important.
However, if you start from the theistic perspective, where God is assumed to exist, there is no significant distinction from the reality of God and the notion of God.
I must add that Gandalf is an interesting choice of avatars... Gandalf, in Tolkien's theological system, was one of the "angelic"-like beings from the West. He was sent over to Middle Earth by "God" and the "arch-angel" figures, which that would be like picking the angel Gabriel as the avatar for an atheist...
Soli Deo Gloria
2007-05-30 06:09:16 · answer #3 · answered by doc in dallas 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No they don't understand what atheism is--but they take it to heart that someone can possible be a disbeliever. So they immediately think it is the work of the devil. Whatever you believe or not believe is your buisness. Sometimes "religious" people think it is their duty to save everyone. I guess that for Christians especially, if someone is a non-believer it means the devil has wonover another "lost soul".
By the way I am a believer, and I see where you are coming from. But whatever you choose to believe is up to you. I don't think it is the job of ever any religious person...whatever they are to change someone. For some reason though I think atheists are just people who disagree with every/any religion. Religion is created by man. You get your morals from living life. Thats how I did it. I still pray and ask for guidance, but I know that I can't sit around and way for stuff to happen without doing anything about it.
2007-05-30 05:47:53 · answer #4 · answered by chrisamethyst 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I would think that many Christians would lean on the verse : ' he who is not for me, is against me.'
But what I cannot do is what many Atheists expect me to do: Figure that the definition of Atheism is the beginning and end of what an Atheist is.
It's simply not the truth. Because there are a plethora of ideologies that spur off of the Atheist mindset that make them claim other things too. And you will find those things here on this site at any given time. So the more the Atheist uses their stance on 'there being no God' as a basis for deciding other things, they will put themselves on the block of rationality by those who disagree with them.
Otherwise, they would have no interest in being here. The more the Atheist kicks at others who believe in a God, the more religious they become. And that's a fact.
2007-05-30 05:51:26 · answer #5 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Most of the people that consider themselves as "religious" people usually stated that "atheist" are worshipping satan or hate God's presence.
This is because of the dogmatize things that every people believe. If we have a religion, our belief must be based on the religion's knowledge, not the dogma.
My religion said that atheist are wrong, but they also said that we must not hate them. We must respect them as human too. As long they not meddling with us, we cannot hate them.
2007-05-30 05:51:26 · answer #6 · answered by bayu p 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think that many religious people have such a hard time conceiving of others who think differently, that they assume those who think different from them must simply be opposite of them.
No, they don't understand atheism and likely they do not care too. Sorry.
Peace!
2007-05-30 08:41:24 · answer #7 · answered by carole 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have found that atheists do not believe in God, which is not the same as hating Him. It is usually a rejection of His existence. Many people take the Words of Christ, "He that is not against us is for us, and He that is not for us is against us," and twist them to mean that if you do not believe that God exists then you are not for Him and are therefore against Him. There is a subtle difference inherent in that sentence.
They usually do not go a step further to connect that thought with, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Rom 10:14
You see, mere unbelief does not necessarily equate with hating God. If after having heard they begin to fight and to attempt to overthrow or pervert the Gospel, then they have become those that hate God, or at least hate the CONCEPT of God since they do not believe in the reality of God.
2007-05-30 05:54:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Gandalf, you know that middle earth is widely populated with Hobbitts and other creatures of great courage and limited intellect. And, of course, a great way for them to bolster their own belief is to surround it with superstition that condemns the beliefs of others -- whether such condemnation is based on fact or ignorance is irrelevant in the heat of battle; the heat of battle obfuscates fact and thwarts critical thinking.
2007-05-30 05:52:08 · answer #9 · answered by buddhamonkeyboy 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Plainly they do not. Belief in an invisible sky fairy is such a strong and promenent part of tyheir lives that the notion that someone might not believe in it is alien to them. One of the tenets of their own faith is that you are either a Christian or an anti-christ. No other catagory exists for them.
2007-05-30 05:50:38 · answer #10 · answered by Scott M 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋