What is your favorite misconception that others have about your beliefs?

Question

Thanks! =0)

Answer 1

I wouldn't call it "favorite", but the one I find most ironic is their claim that atheists are amoral. In reality, religion causes people to be morally lazy by spoon-feeding them what they should consider right and wrong while discouraging any real dialog about it other than "God said so". Atheists, on the other hand, tend to really talk about and consider what really is or isn't good for humanity. They might not agree on an issue, but at least they are actually working towards consensus and burning some brain cells over it. That's much more moral than just accepting a list from an old book.

Answer 2

As an atheist I can't really say that I have beliefs, however the misconception I get the biggest kick out of is that I'm immoral.

I'm a vegetarian, give to charity, give blood, I financially support two people who are not my family members, I want to adopt a child, I drive the speed limit... basically I do whatever I can to be ethical. While the same people who tell me how unethical I am have no problem breaking the law, hurting the people around them, etc...

Edit: Most of the answers I'm seeing from believers sound like very twisted versions of things I've said. I think they tend to twist what we actually think into something easier to dislike.

Answer 3

That their belief is more valid than mine because they have a single book that tells them so. This line of thinking is the single most perplexing argument I've ever encountered. Not because it's defendable, but because you can literally see the shades go down over a person's reasoning capacity when you tell them that their one book does not stand up to the scrutiny of all the rest of human knowledge. At that point, all you get is stuff about their book being the only true book, yadda yadda yadda... eventually they get angry and tell you you're going to hell. Then I remind them what Jesus said about judging people in Matthew 7:1, just so they know they'll be going there with me.

Answer 4

I have a lot of favorite misconceptions... 1) I'm of the devil 2) I eat deep fried homeless babies 3) the great rite somehow proves we're sexually perverted rapists, especially considering that 99% of the time it's the symbolic great rite... and so on.

Answer 5

Lots of misconceptions about Catholicism. My favorite is Protestants who say that Christianity is the world's most popular religion and then turn around and say that Catholics are not Christian.

Answer 6

Favorite? Oh, it's so hard to choose. It would be from these:
1. That we force women into slavery.
2. That we run around in our temples in the nude.
3. That when you're married in the temple, you consummate the marriage in front of everyone.
4. That we worship Joseph Smith.
5. That we see Jesus as just another prophet.
6. That we don't believe in the same God as everyone else (we believe in God the father of Jesus Christ. Which one does everyone else believe in?).
7. That we practice polygamy.
8. That we don't believe in dancing.

Eight is probably enough. Thanks for asking.

Answer 7

That I can scientifically explain, in precise detail, how the Universe came into being.

Beats me! The only thing I know for certain is that God does not exist. Everything else falls into the job description of the scientist, not the atheist. My educational background is in Philosophy and Theology.

Answer 8

The most irksome is that I don't believe in their particular deity because I "don't like having to follow rules"; i.e., I'm a nontheist because I want to do "whatever I want to do," as though being part of a family, company, and society doesn't come with its own sets of rules. Nontheists have to obey the traffic laws, wait our turn in line at the bank, and pay taxes just like everyone else, and I'm glad to do my part.

Answer 9

Eazy-peazy lemon squeezy !

I didn't have to think for two seconds about this, although I have never thought about it before, my answer is two fold :

1. Religious people tend to assume that I am an 'Atheist'.

2. Atheists tend to assume that I am some kind of super-weird religious 'fundy'.

The truth is as per the well-known Buddhist wisdom quote :

I am not an 'Atheist', but unfortunately I am not a 'religionist' either. :-)))

{{{{{{{{{{{{{Cosmic Love}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Answer 10

Its quite amusing when people claim i worship satan, when i believe in the egyptian pantheon.. I have even had someone of christian belief tell me that Jesus was there before the stories of Osiris, Isis and so on ever emerged.... lol..

But in truth, i don't care what others belief, i dont feel the need to prove myself to anyone. If i don't think something is right, i don't need another to tell me its wrong, so why should i if i feel something is good?

Just my beliefs :)