A Q for atheists...........?

Question

this is not intended to be offensive or rude--I am trying to LEARN something here...so please, if you take offense--don't respond. I've asked a few Q (you can check my profile) about atheists and many of you state how Christians are constantly telling "you" that you will burn in hell, trying to force their beliefs on you etc (which I don't find very Christian either) so--are these strangers? I highly doubt a complete stranger would start such a thing--but I could be wrong.
Or are they people you know and the same people whom YOU 'constantly tell them they're crazy and believe in a myth'?
I know when I meet someone, I don't even think about their religion or lack of belief. How does the subject come up? Why does it? How often are you really accousted by Christians?

LOL Amanda--Christians get that from 'other Christians' all the time too. As if THEIR particular brand is the only one. It really isn't worth the anger is it? There are nuts everywhere...........

zzzz6-how does that differ from forcing the boy scouts (Christian organization) to take gay scout masters? tit-for-tat.....right?

Answer 1

Well lets see I get at least three emails a week here. I have had as many as eight in a single day. I had two today.

Then there is the guys who knock on my door. The JWs used to do it almost weekly until I chased them off with a gun, but the Baptists still show up once in a while, maybe every other month.

Then there is the random nut on the street corner when you go downtown. They are easy to avoid, but still...

Answer 2

My family and friends very rarely ever say anything about religion one way or the other to me. Occasionally they do. Its strangers that are the ones that make me want to strangle them with their antics.

I get off the bus and the JW's or Mormons are waiting to hand out their pamphlets. They also knock on my door and follow me down the street preaching even when I politely say a simple "Sorry guys, not interested".

On the internet, on this site alone, I've been told I'm going to hell no less than 17 times. In real life, I've been told that twice.

I don't mention religion to my friends or family because I think its an extremely personal thing and should remain private the way sex should remain private. If anyone brings it up, its them.

I don't know how the subject comes up, it just does sometimes. I also don't know why. Its like Christians can't resist talking about it. They don't think its a private thing.

Want some examples of whats happened to me?

I live in the bible belt of Canada. Now, my country is very stringent about keeping religion and politics separate. There is no prayer in schools (unless its in private), we don't have god on our money, etc. The only exception is that the national anthem has a line that says "God keep our land" which I don't like but there's nothing I can do to change it. In Canada abortion and gay marriage are LEGAL. Why? Because the gvt felt that its the right thing to do to give everyone the same rights as everyone else.

However, the bible belt sometimes makes me want to pull my hair out.

About 10 or 15 years ago a bunch of kids killed themselves in my city. They had made a suicide pact. The parents found books about Wicca and witchcraft in their rooms. They also found roleplaying books for the Vampire: The Masquerade game and a bunch of goth records.

So the parents freaked out and started picketing the only Pagan store in town and harassing everyone that went into the store or came out of it by handing out pamphlets. Eventually people stopped going to the store and they had to close down all because the parents decided to be bastards.

There is a store that sells witchcraft and Wicca paraphenalia but they have to hide it and you have to know what you're looking for just to find where it is so that the parents won't lose their minds.

And then there's this....

We have a local park downtown right outside the main mall in my city. In this park, they often decorate for Christmas. Children make handmade decorations in the schools to hang on the HUGE pine trees, etc.

The Wiccans wanted to hold a Yule ritual there one year. It would have consisted of dancing, singing, music, good food, etc. But the Christians freaked out. The Wiccans were denied because it would "cause trouble" but the Christians were allowed to hold their Nativity there with no problems.

Oh, but I'm not done yet....

My local college.... I love that college. What a great experience it was. Excellent teachers, great students, etc. I'm actually working for them temp for the summer in their residence office.

But when I was going to school there, the Wiccans wanted to hold a Yule Ritual in the Atrium (the main entrance into the college). They were denied because "it would be a disruption to school activities" but the Christians were allowed to hold an hour long Christmas prayer in the Atrium. See.. the reason why this is important is because thats the main entrance that everyone has to pass through to go through the college.

Wiccans have to hold their rituals in private or outside of town but the Christians are able to do whatever they want because the Christians say so.

So what has been done to me? Quite alot. And I've only scratched the surface.

The Christians are the most intolerant bunch on the planet.

Answer 3

I'm constantly surprised at the contexts in which religion comes up. Like you, I never much noticed it when I was a believer.

Much of the time, when religion comes up in a conversation, it's with the simple assumption that you believe the same things the person you're speaking with believes. Expressions like "have a blessed day" come to mind. Sometimes it's used to justify a political position someone wants to express.

I'm not "constantly" told that I'm going to hell, but I'd be lying if I said that I'd never heard it. One particular former co-worker leaps to mind.

All in all, I think that I notice people pressing their religion on me in a way I didn't when I was a believer. I suspect that I also notice sexist behavior more than a man might be inclined to notice it. I probably also notice racism less than a member of a minority race might notice it. In all of these contexts, I think that what you notice depends a fair bit on whether or not you share the prevailing opinion.

Answer 4

Each of us has a personal belief system. That is human nature. Any person that does not believe in something is dead. Personally i believe in the Wiccan faith, but I attend Mass. Contradiction? No. Personal faith. My heritage predates Christ, so why must make a choice when they are both so accurate in my life? Sometimes I look at the perfect symmetry that the Church is built on and get heartsore. That is not the way of nature. But then, man strives to be in perfect alignment with his "GOD" I also do not accost others with my belief. That is a basic tennet in my belief. Hope this makes sense. lol

Answer 5

Apparently you've never been to the Bible belt. Try southwest Missouri, some of the most hateful religious people of any kind on the planet.

I do a lot of charity and volunteer work, as almost everyone around here is Christian, I get invited to events and those who occasionally show up along side me often start conversations on the topic. Needless to say, it does not take them long to start the fire and brimstone talk.

Answer 6

I'm not gay, but today I got irritated when I heard on the news that Wal-Mart said they would stop donating to gay rights organizations, because the Christian right threatened to boycott them if they didn't. I haven't personally been told I would burn in hell, but a lot of Christians do push their beliefs on other people.

Answer 7

i don't reject one faith's concept of God especially. this is the thought there is a ideally suited being that I certainly have a difficulty with. maximum religions are very old, and while they began they have been the final motives for why we are here that have been available on the time. on the grounds that then, we've arise with what I and maximum different atheists think of is a extra suitable one, this is technological know-how. technological know-how explains issues in a fashion that i discover a lot extra convincing than faith; it additionally leaves room for issues that it won't be able to clarify yet, which religions tend to not do; i discover that they have got an inclination to think of that they have got each and each of the solutions. Scientists are very straightforward approximately what they don't be attentive to. And the extra I learn technological know-how, the extra marvelous the worldwide seems. faith merely consistently finally ends up directing me returned to the holy e book, or in spite of; it reduces each thing to believing. i don't pick to have confidence in something i don't locate convincing, and that i don't think of the thought there is a ideally suited being is convincing. I additionally do not purely like the thought somebody else might desire to tell me what to do because of the fact he's familiar with what the ideally suited being needs me to do, yet this may well be a quarrel with organised faith, not with faith. i think of that faith has given us marvelous music and artwork and poetry over the centuries, and that i admire those issues dearly. inspite of the undeniable fact that this is non secular faith as such that I certainly have a difficulty with, not anybody faith especially. desire that grow to be powerful!

Answer 8

Can you seriously sit in a crowded place, a restaurant for example, and believe your perspective is the only one, and the other people are simply part of your own perception? That all that noise they are making is all in agreement with you?

Well it aint! You can be attacked for even the simplest statement!

I was once attacked in a small southern diner, in the bible belt, by the entire clientele,(not the management), and was backed into a corner wherein i had to convince them all at once how much i was going to enjoy "stomping" them int the floor! ("I love self defense")!

Answer 9

In person, twice by a total stranger, at my door no less!. Other a few other times by an acquaintance.

On line quite a few times. I would consider them a stranger, since we have never met.

Do you wonder why we are not real happy with the "witnessing" as some of you call it.

Answer 10

Most are strangers who knock at the door, pamphlets in their hands, and smiles on their faces. Some are anonymous, like the ones who influence our lawmakers, schools, libraries, and sometimes news media. Others have only usernames, like the ones who routinely email me with conversion attempts and hate mail.

Some are family members. I have an aunt and uncle who are Jehovah's Witnesses, and turn every single family get-together into one massive conversion attempt: I don't even think they see us as family--it's too hard to see that when their imaginary friend is standing in the way. I won't even go into their actions at funerals, except to say that apparently respect for the grieving apparently doesn't extend to respecting one's ability to grieve one's own way.

I speak my mind when confronted by either side. I try to be respectful otherwise, and truly believe that your faith is your business until it tracks mud on my carpet.