Before I asked: why do atheists in America feel most hostile towards Christianity?

Question

I wanted to know if the fact that they were raised around it, and have therefore been overall more exposed to it, in all different varieties, would effect their reason.
From the answers I got, I want to know more.

How many of you who answered before, have lived in a country/society that was not majority Christian / secular?

Sorry, my source was comments on Yahoo answers. That observation is what I was using as a base.

I should have been more specific

Jeeze bret...sorry, don't have a heart attack.


------------------
I'm not even a christian

I said "christian / secular"

I will rephrase the question:

On R&S I find that most aithists who are hostile, focus more hostility on christianity.

-------------------
I think most of these people, grew up in a mostly christian enviornment, and that contributes to it.
These people also tend to talk as if, the US oppresses people who are not christian.
Rather than debate if they are right or wrong on any point I'm just doing a demographic
-------------------------------------------

I am looking for ones, who feel more hostility towards christianity (if you are never more hostile, never mind the question) .

Of those I want to know if they have ever lived in a society that was not predomanitly christian or secular.

I am looking to see how much that contributes to it.

This is one part of a larger question, so don't use it as a vent post.
------------------

Answer 1

I'm hostile towards all religions because of the harm they do to societies. I'm hostile to all religions because I see how they tend to push repressive legislation, promote intolerance, spur wars, and are generally divisive.

I grew up in the US, so most of the people I know are Christian. However, half of my family is Jewish. My fiancee is Muslim.

I have never lived outside of the US.

Answer 2

There's a lot of hostility on both sides. People on both sides with an ax to grind will take advantage of a question as an opportunity to grind their axe. The thing to do is to look past it. If you ask a serious question, you should get a serious answer. Just ignore the other ones. They are not really talking to you anyway, they're just talking. Maybe you don't notice it but oftentimes questions from Christians seem to deliberately want to be provocative to atheists. Like 'So, atheists, what are you gonna do when you go to Hell, huh?' Something like that. That's not a serious question. But if you ask: "Atheists, what do you think about . . . ?", then you should get some serious answers.

Answer 3

Ok...I am atheist, I am Australian, raised Christian and NOT hostile to Christians.
As an R&S regular, I have come to a few conclusions...and some people are NOT going to like them...
There are some very angry, fanatical and rude Christians in America (else where too, but most of the ones I have come across are American). They try to justify their attitude with their religion, which is silly - the Bible says the meek will inherit God's kingdom not the arrogant rude people!
So some Christian children get raised in an environment of hatred and bigottry. When they grow older they choose to become atheist and reject religion. What they forget to reject, is the hatred and bigottry...they keep those traits and direct their rudeness at Christians.
Not all Christians are arrogant and rude, but the ones who are seems to make a bigger impression, just as not all atheists are bigotts but they make such a spectacle of themselves that you remember them and not the calmer ones like me.
Plus America seems to be becoming more angry and extremist by the minute, so it comes down to a cultural thing I guess. Sadly, Australia is following suit...lets all (NICE PEOPLE ONLY!!!) move to the North Pole!!

Regards and much peace,
The peaceful atheist.

Answer 4

I'm a Christian and even I can be "hostile" toward other Christians.

Some of them are so overbearing and opinionated it drives me crazy. Sometimes it even makes me embarrassed for them and for the religion. They've lost sight of what the religion is about and turn into the hateful, judgmental, forceful people they preach against.

Plus, skipping, dancing, frolicking and parading around talking in tongues is weird (think Borat), and that whole denomination of Christianity is just weird.

But from my experience, as I was raised in a Christian home and around the faith, even I have issues with it at times. Not the religion but the people who become so overbearing and forceful it only drives people away. I know it's not their intention but they really need to re-evaluate their stance and self positioned roles in evangelism and "recruiting".

Answer 5

Christians try and impose their standards upon everyone else and in doing so erode the overall intelligence and liberty that this country has to offer. Evolutionism and Gay marriage are just two examples, but i think that Christians are not uniquely dangerous in this respect, I think any dominant group of theists are capable of much the same, look at the Taliban. At times it is amazing how much in this country the christian right resembles the taliban.

Also, the whole, "succumb to our indoctrination or you will be horribly tortured for all eternity" ultimatum is kind of the philosophical equivalent of a violent mugging.

Answer 6

CITE for your UGLY ASSERTION, PLEASE! ... Stats!
( I'm not 'most hostile' to Xianity and I'm not even hostile to Xianity...but I am an athiest. )
You sure do COMPLAIN with ZERO Evidence, it seems...

TKD540: Why do atheists attack the bible....?
Emiliano M: Why do you Athiests hate Christians?
CACRV5: Why is athiests think they is better then Christian?
bible_belt_realty: Is there anything Christian that Atheists don't hate?
Christian Bad Boy: Why do atheists bash and insult christians, but no other religion?
Banjoman: Why do so many atheist attempt to antagonize Christians on Yahoo Answers?

BUT YOU NEVER SUBSTANTIATE YOUR UGLY CLAIMS!

[Edit]: Hey... No heart attack, here. ... But ZERO Evidence there, I see. * sigh * ... And YOU are INCITING HATRED by asserting atheists feel 'most hostile' (or hostile *at all*) towards Christianity (and no evidence). I contend that you are simply wrong - I know *no atheist* hostile to *theists*.

My main problem is that this happens time and time again where - with NO backup at all - all ~582,943,764 of us are accused of hating Xians. What would you expect a Xian to feel after hearing continually this except more hatred towards us - certainly NOT more love?

Answer 7

The many branches of Christianity are what the majority of Americans practice. That, and this is the religion that forces itself into our laws, schools, mailboxes, doorsteps, email, currency, Pledge of Alliegence, airways, televisions, and politics.

It's not that we're hostile. We just aren't submissive to obvious invasion. There's a difference.

Answer 8

Yes, they be witnessing to us about a guy who said "Except ye eat my flsesh" and then less than two weeks later he rises into the sky and becomes a god.

I'm not hostile towards Christianity necessarily, but I do believe it is nonsense, and I'm sad people are teaching it to their children.

Sure there are worse religions. So?

Answer 9

I have lived in several countries, where christianity was not the majority belief.

I find that I am most impolite to anyone who does not respect me, by trying to convert me to their beliefs. It's strange that so far, 95% of these people happen to claim some form of christianity.

Answer 10

Because of the religious right trying to mix religion with politix and impose their ways on the rest of us
good reason to be hostile :)