The attached question is just really weird
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070711053003AAwGWzS&r=w&pa=FZptHWf.BGRX3OFMiTBUVSP4W817lZiW5tOh2EBvn3k_kE2HNg--&paid=answered#FbZaLkG5GW5q.2Q3uPo7
Isn't it fair to say, that if someone prays, they're not an atheist?
Why can't people like the one who asked this question get it into their heads that we really, truly, don't believe in a god in any way, shape or form?
Isn't this trying to suggest that atheists are taking up Pascal's wager?
Isn't that just a tad insulting?
2007-07-11 01:51:37 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because the bible worshipers are in denial, plain & simple: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/denial... Rather than doubt their own beliefs, it's easier to believe we doubt ours.
"Denial is a defense mechanism in which a person is faced with a fact that is too painful to accept and rejects it instead, insisting that it is not true despite what may be overwhelming evidence. The subject may deny the reality of the unpleasant fact altogether (simple denial), admit the fact but deny its seriousness (minimisation) or admit both the fact and seriousness but deny responsibility (transference). The concept of denial is particularly important to the study of addiction. Denial is a mechanism of the immature mind, because it conflicts with the ability to learn from and cope with reality. Where denial occurs in mature minds, it is most often associated with death, dying and rape."
Other terms for what you describe are all listed at the end of this fine quote...
"Their belief in Jesus gives them an indefatigably sympathetic confidant, assuages their fear of death and bereavement, wards off existential angst, assures cosmic purpose, and aligns them with the good guys. So handsome are the psychological pay-offs of belief that many, perhaps most, devout orthodox Christians are impervious to all countervailing logic and evidence. Their will to believe vanquishes every disquieting fact, every contrary line of reasoning, no matter how compelling to an impartial eye. Psychologists have a frightening arsenal of terms for the mental habits designed to preserve cherished beliefs: dissociation, absolutist thinking, dichotomization, object permanence, nominal realism, phenomenalistic causality and worse."
— Gary Sloan
2007-07-11 11:20:07 · answer #1 · answered by HawaiianBrian 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It IS frustrating. Just yesterday I had a 'cousin' post some idiotic slur that read 'Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing it's idiot' and the 'O' in idiot was that design that is used to represent Obama. So I responded with a video of Palin in a prayer ceremony, by a Kenyan preacher, to protect her from witches. She replies that 'by my posts' she knew I didn't like people who prayed. ONE.,Most of my Facebook contacts are some form of Christian so I never post ANYTHING about religion. TWO. (and I told her this part), I don't care if a person wants/prays for protection but from WITCHES?! My point being, the fundamentalist type Christians do not think. Something is wrong with their brain. I don't know that they can understand.
2016-05-19 05:42:29 · answer #2 · answered by kathleen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's very insulting. I've never met a siingle atheist who believes that Pascal's Wager is anything more than an intelligent joke, but religious followers often treat it like it makes perfect sense. I believe that christian's can't get their heads around the idea that people have come to a different conclusion than they have.
2007-07-11 01:58:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When they read about science and find out that not all brains are the same and that there is a neurologic condition that allows some people to believe in God...
2007-07-11 02:05:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe most Christians know atheists don't believe but there are always in all groups wackos. Christians just seem to have a few extra Wackos then most groups.
2007-07-11 02:05:52 · answer #5 · answered by Quantrill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, but you are wrong. I'm an atheist and I pray.
Sometimes you'll hear me pray during a crucial moment in my life:
"Come on! Lucky seven, lucky seven, lucky seven"
"Yeah Baby! Thats the ticket."
But God seldom answers. Well, no more frequently than the odds predict.
2007-07-11 02:02:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
They can't even imagine what it is like to hold this belief, because, since birth, they have been taught that existence without God is horrific.
2007-07-11 02:11:23 · answer #7 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is exactly how I answered it.
It is the only thing that lets some of them sleep at night. They need constant support for their delusion. So they hide that fact that others that don't share it from themselves.
2007-07-11 02:00:05 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
christians tend to think god is an as certain truth to life as 1+1 is 2
2007-07-11 01:55:16 · answer #9 · answered by mrzwink 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Eh, it's just another fool half-handedly saying that there's no such thing as atheists in foxholes. I ignored that stupid question.
2007-07-11 01:57:47 · answer #10 · answered by RealRachel 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋