Christians: Do you actually KNOW any atheists? Personally?

Question

I keep hearing about how atheists have no morals, and are hedonistic, etc...

Do you know any personally that have given you this impression? Do you know any that haven't? ARE YOU SURE?

I am your friend, your neighbor, your Girl Scout leader. I'm that person who stopped by the side of the road to help you fix your tire. I'm your sister, your co-worker, a fellow member of the PTA. Your children are friends with my children. Unless you bring up god, you will never know I'm an atheist.
I support Habitat for Humanity, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, am an organ donor, and a bone marrow donor.

Who exactly gave you the impression that I'm amoral and a bad person?

Answer 1

I'm not a Christian, but I saw your post and I just couldn't resist. I used to be bothered by the same kind of thing. Here's what I found out:

Look up, in a psychology book, the three levils of consciousness. From bottom to top: 1) Elemental Consciousness; 2) Group Think; 3) Cosmic Consciousness.

See, when a person is on a groupthink levil, they will do anything to please the group they identify with. That includes seeing others (outside the in-group) as being evil and treating them as such. It doesn't mean they are evil themself. They just haven't matured beyond that emotionally.

Be the adult and forgive the kids.

Answer 2

A lot of times, when a Christian thinks that an atheist doesn't have morals, they are comparing their own specific convictions with the world. Most people are quite self absorbed. So, a Christian, who is required to be selfless in all aspects of their lives, may get the idea that because one isn't following their same path and choice that they aren't consciously striving to reach this goal, therefore, they must not have any morals. Of course this is a flawed thinking. All humans have a sense of right and wrong, from a secular view, it probably came from survival instinct, and social adaptation. People just have different levels of what is ok, or how far is too far. It has nothing to do with what belief a person has in regards to a higher power, it has to do with the bio-psychosocial make up of the individual.

Answer 3

Two, but both became Christians a few years ago and are now really nice people to be around. They were always characters but were kind of self-righteous and violent.

I am only 21, taken an Evolution class, am half way through a secular college, have taken secular classes on the philosophy of religion, have learned Koine Greek to see if the New Testament was translated wrong, hope to learn Hebrew soon. I have a Qur'an and read it from time to time. I like it when I see a Muslim praying in public. I consider myself a friend of everyone until they give me a reason not to.

Who exactly gave you the impression that we hate education and are intolerant?

Answer 4

I think this is an extremely vague question. Some people just hate others for the mere fact of doing something. I don't think atheist just hate christians, or even the other way around.... I think that when religious topics may come up, that christians may act as a scapegoat to atheist, because everyone always wants a finger to point at (and again, this can go both ways.) And of course, I think it is only human nature to think that we as humans are always right....

Answer 5

I don't know anyone (other than here) that claims to be athiest. But then, I don't really ask everyone I know what they believe. I just want to give some support and say that I am one of the christians that doesn't look down on others with different (or nonexistent) beliefs. I would have no problem with you teaching my child or leading her in girl scouts, as long as you don't have a problem with her bowing her head in prayer before lunch. You don't have to pray with her, but she should be able to say grace to herself without a problem. To be honest, I think that's where the whole prayer in schools, etc is a problem. You may not want your child (if you have any) to be forced to pray so you don't think it should be mandatory. I can understand and agree with that. At the same time, I feel like it's gotten to such an extreme that a child can't even pray quietly to him/herself or in a small group without it being taken the wrong way. It's just such a sensitive subject. People lose tempers and that's where wrong impressions come from. You sound like a great person though! :)

Answer 6

My husband is best described as atheistic/zen buddhist. He is as hedonistic as anyone else I suppose, but he doesn't beat himself up about it! He is a very type A personality, and achiever, unbelieveably loyal and dedicated. He is very conscious of other people's feelings, and while not necessarily compassionate in all matters, he is definitely not immoral or even amoral.

A common misconception I've found is that "you can't have morals without religion." This is not true . . . there is a sense of social morality. I would have to say that this is the morality he predominately possesses.

I on the other hand, am a theo-philosopher. I am very "service-to-other" oriented as opposed to "service-to-self." Although I often have trouble explaining to my husband Why I'm this way, he is a very understanding person and we love eachother very much.

Answer 7

I don't know who told you that you're amoral or a bad person, but as a Christian, I don't think that at all. Do I think your a sinner? Well, yes, not because I want to , but because I believe everyone is, even Mother Teresa and Billy Graham and the pope; AS AM I. I believe we all have some sense of morality, a sense of right and wrong. The question is not whether atheists have morals or not. They clearly do. My question is, from an evolutionary perspective, why are morals necessary at all--to protect the survival of the social community, and therefore the individual secondarily? Humans actually do things sometimes that have absolutely no ultimate function for self-preservation. Why is this? I don't believe evolutionary reasons explain this adequately. I believe it stems from a Creator.

Answer 8

Well.
The most angry, radical atheist i know is pretty amoral and a bad person.
Still i avoid generalization at all costs and i do not think the same of any atheist here on R&S because i don't know any of you people. And yes i've met some atheist that were nice people.
I dont think atheist are bad people, on the contrary, most them are far better persons that many so called religious people.

There are nice people and there are idiots everywhere independent of religions, color, nacionality etc...

Answer 9

Well, I actually knew someone for a couple of weeks who was an atheist. He was a great guy, and we got on really well.
And who gave you the impression that all Christians see Atheists as immoral and hedonistic? Cos' that is not my view at all. I do not judge those people who I have never met.

Answer 10

I am a Christian..And I am proud of it..but yes I do know some atheist who are very kind and funny people to hang around...I have convinced one of the atheist to follow Jesus...and He has been saved ever since (that was 2 years ago) But the other ones don't believe in God..and the don't really want to either..but there is nothing I can do about that..I do respect there believes and don't mention it to them anymore..