Isn't it rude for an atheist to ask someone if they still believe in God when something bad happens?

Question

A friend of mine who is Orthodox Jewish recently lost a friend of his to cancer and he called me up telling me that some atheist guy at his job asked him if he still believes in God... He was so offended and I do not blame him, if you want to debate the existence of God then fine, there is a time and place for that, and I want to say shame on you to those of you who have done that before, because when someone is hurting you respect there beliefs even if you do not agree, and I'm sure that happens alot because my friend said he heard atheists say that before but he didnt really care until someone had the nerve to do it right after he lost his friend.

Answer 1

yes thats quite rude. i agree with you theres a time and place for that stuff and its def. not right after a person died.

Answer 2

I agree with you. That atheist person was way out of line and very disrespectful.

Every person that is born will die. We will die young, old, naturally, by our own hand or someone else's, by disease or an accident. We will all die. It's part of life. The living grieve for the lose of loved ones and religious people pray for their souls to be reunited with their Creator.

I think it's very childish for a non-believer to make such a remark to a believer. It sounds like we're back in middle school with the bullies here. The only thing I can suggest for your friend is to be the better person and pray for this lost soul. 'For he does not know what he does.'

God bless!

Answer 3

Yes, that is very rude and uncalled for. But religious folk have also been known many a time to be rude to others who do not share their faith. So I guess both parties commit the crime. But making a statement like that is never ok when dealing with something like that. You're friend was grieving and then was attacked for no reason.

Answer 4

It’s not that they're rude. It is just that they have been mislead by Satan the Devil into believing that
God is responsible for wickedness and suffering, or that he permits it. The scriptures show, God is not responsible for the condition of the world; Satan the Devil is. Satan and his demons have a short time left on this earth and they know it. The battle where Satan and the demons are removed from the earth is called “Armageddon”. It is to take place shortly!

Explaining that God is not responsible for bad things that happen, Wise King Solomon wrote: (Ecclesiastes 9:11) 11 I returned to see under the sun that the swift do not have the race, nor the mighty ones the battle, nor do the wise also have the food, nor do the understanding ones also have the riches, nor do even those having knowledge have the favor; because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all.

(Revelation 12:7-9) 7 And war broke out in heaven: Mi´cha•el and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled 8 but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. 9 So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.

(Revelation 12:12) On this account be glad, YOU heavens and YOU who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to YOU, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”

(Revelation 16:13-14,16) 13 And I saw three unclean inspired expressions [that looked] like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. 16 And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Ma•ged´on. ( English-Armageddon)


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Answer 5

It is certainly an inappropriate response, but no more so than a Christian or someone of any faith asking an atheist on his/her deathbed if they are now ready to believe and ask God's forgiveness. I think both sides should learn more tolerance of the others' point of view.

Answer 6

Well, it certainly makes that atheist look rather immature for posing such a question.

Of course, had the tables been turned, you'd have a fervent religious person (no matter what their creed) using a time of tragedy to attempt conversion on a non-believer as well.

Answer 7

This seems similar to the story of Job, after losing everything his friends acts him how he could still trust in God.
The deceiver will try his best to make people of faith stumble and do anything he can to try to steal people away from their God.
Your friend has the opportunity to praise God in hard knowing that God sees your friends strong and bless him for it.
Peace

Answer 8

That only shows the limit of atheist thought. It is only here and now for them. When something wonderful happens they don't ask if you still believe in God. They can not imagine why when something terrible happens that sometimes your faith in God is actually strengthened.

Answer 9

No, there is a time and place for theological debates and death is not one of them, unless it gives the mourner peace of mind and closure (it does happen...)

But I've heard it both ways, too. My atheist friend was grieving her mother and her Catholic neighbor damn near verbally assaulted her - "How can you not believe in God? How can you believe your mother is just rotting in the ground, with no soul? Blah blah blah..." I couldn't believe what I was hearing - it was absolutely shocking that someone could say those things.

Answer 10

I had a minister ask me the same thing when my dad died. I think he was just curious. I did think it was rather odd of him to ask me that, but I have had Christians tell me that friends who have passed away were in hell because they didn't believe in God. That is rude and hurtful.

Answer 11

athiests an chrsitains are both disrespectful. i had freind killed by a drunk driver an then a pastor come up to me talking about how my freind was a hell bound soul.an how it was his fault for being out an about that late at night .first off he was getting off work an he was going home to his family. what sin did he commit just by going home?.needless to say i was charged with agravated assualt.anyone from any religon or non religon who has the nerve to speak disrespect for the dead deserve to be beating with a stick.