Who is more afraid, the believer or the atheist?

Question

Many atheists say believers are so afraid of not continuing on after death, and so afraid of admitting that deceased loved ones are really gone, that they cling to their religion to give them hope. Atheists, then, tend to think Christians are weaker than them.

Many Christians, and other believers, on the other hand, argue that atheists are too arrogant to be governed by a "supreme being" and too cowardly to face up to being judged for their sin. They'll say aliens, for instance, are likely, even though we don't have evidence, but then again, aliens won't be determining our eternal fates or judging us.

How wrong do you think these two groups' perceptions of each other are??

Do we all form what we think based on what we wouldn't want to ever have to face up to?

Answer 1

I think they are both right about certain people. The extremist. Doesn't mean they all (of either group) is like that.

Answer 2

How fearful a person is is a function of their personality.

There are fearful believers -- some who fear any little thing will have them burning forever, or who expect The End any moment.

But that doesn't mean they wouldn't be fearful if they didn't believe. Perhaps, but not necessarily.

And, of course, not all believers are fearful.

As I say, I think it's a personality thing, more than a question of stance on religion.

Uh, whoever told you all atheists believe we've been visited by aliens was misinformed. I know very few atheists who think this; I know more believers who do, in fact.

I don't think that I won't be judged by a supreme being, not because I'm afraid to be, but because the idea makes no sense to me (that there's a supreme being, or that we "live" forever).

This is the misapprehension I keep seeing from believers. That my lack of belief is due to what I WANT to believe.

Many believers just can't grasp the idea that some people believe based on reason and evidence, not wishful thinking.

I have heard a LOT of believers say that they think that if they didn't believe, they'd never get out of bed, or would be miserable, or terrified of death.

They then assume that that's how atheists feel.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Or they think that they are only good because of god (whether out of love or fear), and if they didn't believe they'd commit every crime and atrocity there is.

Thus, they assume all atheists are horrible people.

Also closeness-challenged with respect to truth.

And, a lot of believers just hate us for our lack of belief, and cackle gleefully at the thought we'll be burning forever.

Although there are some atheists who have silly ideas about believers, most atheists were once believers themselves (though this may be changing over time, as more people are born of atheists).

They know more about what believers think and feel.

AND we get to hear about what believers think and feel because so many believers go on and on about it at every opportunity.

I think there is much variety among both groups -- with respect to fear, and to how they view the other side, and about a lot of things.

My sense is that, on the whole, there's more misconception from believers about atheists than misconceptions from atheists about believers.

This is more a function of the prevalence of believers, and relative rarity of atheists.

BTW, I once read a thing by a hospice worker who said that people who were most certain in their view -- whether in a supreme being and afterlife, or just this life -- were least afraid of death.

The ones most fearing or in turmoil about their impending deaths were those with doubts either way.

I found that kinda interesting.

Answer 3

A Christian is more like to be afraid of the consequences of sins. An atheist doesn't feel there is a higher power to answer to so they don't fear consequences of their actions/deeds.
Christians understand that their actions and deeds have repurcussions and therefore they guide themselves accordingly for "fear" of the consequences of these deeds or actions when judgment day comes. Christians also tend to believe that the way they conduct themselves every day brings shame or respect to God and conduct themselves accordingly. Although I personally do not know anyone who is an atheist I know plenty of Christians and I believe that the way you are raised has a big impact on your believes and morals as an adult. As a Christian I have no fear of "not continuing on after death" I know that my life on earth will be over but I believe that a spiritual life with God awaits me and that I cannot comprehend it's wonders while a human being. I also have no problem believing that my loved ones are gone, but I believe that they have reached their spiritual lives with God and envy them for that.
Since I have a great difficult with the concept of the "Big Bang" theory of how the earth was formed and that we all evolved from apes (if this is the case can someone tell me why ALL apes are humans by now and why we no longer see this evolution in progress?) I do not understand how atheists can deny a higher being. But that is because I am a simple Christian. Good luck and God Bless.

Answer 4

*Shrug* I don't think the atheist is afraid of judgment. We don't believe in God, so the idea of sitting there and getting the smack down is mildly amusing at best. Besides, the believers that preach brimstone are really just sad. It's hard to feel afraid of their pompous, jealous and whiny deity. A perfect being wouldn't be such a simple reflection of THEIR (believers) desires.

And the Christian probably isn't all that afraid of death. Even if they contemplate no afterlife, most of them only seem to feel a certain amount of sadness that they didn't get to do more in life. That's pretty common, I'd say.

So both groups misjudge each other. But that's hardly uncommon.

Answer 5

aethists must think every once in a while "what if there is a God and a heaven"if they do, they must be afraid if they are wrong, then what will happen to them?

Christians on the other hand may have doubts, but if they are true Christians they will believe that they can trust God and Jesus to always be with them. They do not worry about the end of the world while aeuthists may be scared. But us Christians know that the end of the world will happen and the true Christians will live in peace finally after the world is destroyed and renewed.

They have two different perceptions of each other, because that's the way each other are. They don't believe anything except what they believe. That's the way it will be, unless one convinces the other that the other is wrong.

Answer 6

Well your perception of atheists is pretty off-beam for starters. Aliens don't really figure in my calculations about anything, and Carl Sagan described himself as agnostic about aliens (though atheistic about gods). This is because there is a strong possibility that life exists elsewhere in this massive universe, because it happened here. But it is possible we're the only ones. We don't and won't know.

As for your question, few atheists are fearful of being judged for what they do because they live in society in which keeping the law is important. So that's that out. And we're not afraid of not existing after death. My (biased) opinion is on theists being more afraid as the basis for all religions seems to be fear. But I'm happy to hear the alternative argument (and hope that theists will be as open minded).

Answer 7

It's easy for a believer to say an atheist and an atheist to say a believer but there is really no facts for this question. maybe some pretty convincing opinions, but if we just respected eachothers beliefs, this wouldn't even be an issue..but I do see exactly where you are coming from on both sides. I am a Christian and some "christian" are judgemental but not all are and some atheist are as well, again not all though...

Answer 8

Being an atheist has nothing to do with being too arrogant to be governed by a "supreme being" and too cowardly to face up to being judged for their sin. We just don't belief in this supreme being. Then how can we be afraid of something that we don't believe in?

Answer 9

No, atheism isn't based on fear, quite the opposite. Too arrogant to be governed by a being they invented, that one I'll grant you, but their own religion claims we'll be judged regardless, so how is that cowardly?

Atheist have courage to stand for themselves. Believers cower for imaginary beings. BTW, most atheists are former believers; few believers were atheists (unless you count the reality that we are all born atheist, then indoctrinated into a religion.)

Answer 10

I think one of the only reasons a lot of people cling to religion is because they're afraid of what will happen to them after death. Look at how many people come here to Y!A having apparently adopted Christianity as a form of fire insurance.

Throw off the superstitions, and life becomes a lot less scary.

Answer 11

I think they are both wrong and both right. Except on here are mostly arrogant athiests... But not everyone is the same. Most Christians are happy with where they are and, even though they fear God, most aren't so scared about going to heaven. And athiests don't really seem to care that they are going to burn. The way I see it though, I would rather live a life of fear in God and go to heaven and be happy there than to be happy on earth and be in pain for eternaty...