Fellow atheists : a question about our Christian counterparts...?

Question

Are we holding them to a standard higher than that which we hold ourselves to, or are we holding them to the standard for which their religion professes to set forth for all who claim it?

Answer 1

Atheists are exactly the same as christians.

Christians have faith and believe god exists.

Atheists have faith and believe god doesn't exist.

Not that different.

Answer 2

well when I encounter one it really depends on how much of a church goer they are if they are the ones that sit there with there copy and paste answers and tell you how the religion they believe in is superior these people need to be as you say "a standard higher than that which we hold ourselves to" because they are throwing down the gauntlet.

As for the casual ones where religion isn't the biggest thing in their life I hold them as equals, just because they are more pleasant.

sorry to make it sound so cruel but it is true.

Answer 3

I am not an atheists. But I respect your question. How admirable. I think our "side" does some of the same thing.

I was not invited to answer this question so I beg your pardon.
I just wish there was a neutral respected area where we could discuss issues with one another. And your question seems to show you have a respectful approach to others opinions.
I have many questions I would like to ask on a neutral ground. I wish I understood for example: How or why an atheist would care what a Christian believes. I believe a life without Christ is miserable I do not want any human to be lost. I needed Him in my life. How do you NEED Atheism?
I can see and admire someone needing peace, love, food, comfort, and all the other common human needs. All of these revolve around my belief system. I believe there exist wonderful people who live without belief systems but I lack understanding of that concept. I know I lack understanding of some basic issues of atheism. But I lack a peaceful, respectful forum to discuss the issues. (And no, I am not trying to trap anyone into a discussion... I am simply explaining I want to understand my neighbors in this world.

Answer 4

I'm not sure I fully understand the question, but if I'm interpreting it correctly, i'd say the first one, b/c my b/f is Catholic, and I know that he is always telling me why I SHOULD believe in God, but I tell him all the time that even if there is a God, he'll be going to hell b/c I don't feel he lives his life in a Catholic manner even though he claims to. So with his as well as others, I always get more on their case and hold them to the standards of the religion they claim to feel so strongly about, just to show them my points and to point out thing which I feel are hypocritical.

Hope This is what you were looking for! : )

Answer 5

I think we're holding them to the basic standards of integrity, honesty and empathy professed by their religion, and would like them to adhere to the standards of reason and rationality — who does enjoy seeing these poor souls buy lunar real estate, enrich greedy / phony televangelists or get "medical treatment" by charlatans?
.

Answer 6

I, as an atheist, don't hold anyone to any standard.

I have little respect for people who say they are religious, but then cherry pick the parts of the religion they like.

But I have the up most respect for anyone who can demonstrate such blind faith - I haven't got it in me, which is why I am an atheist....

Answer 7

Geeze, Deke. You know how it makes my head hurt when you ask me to think! What are the choices? Oh, yeah...

Do we hold Christians to a higher standard than our own standard? I don't think so. All I expect is that Christians obey the same civil laws that apply to all citizens. Most do, but a few on the lunatic fringe rationalize acts of violence against others because they imagine they are doing "God's work." Such people drown their own babies, or roast them in a microwave oven. Such people form vigilante gangs and prowl the halls of America's high schools and shopping malls, looking for atheists they can assualt in Jesus' name. Such people bomb women's health clinics and murder medical doctors who perform perfectly legal abortions. Such people usually call themselves, "Christians."

{Before you Christians start whining about how not all Christians do such things, why do you so universally fail to denounce those of your own who are out of control? Your obvious silence amounts to tacit assent.}

Do we atheists hold Christians to the standards their own religion sets forth for Christians? No way! Christianity holds Christians to the moral and ethical standards of our ancient bronze age ancestors. Sorry, but that's just not good enough. The obsolete laws of the past are irrelevant in modern civilization. Humanity has known for four-hundred years that Aristotle got it wrong. Subjective experience is not real and the physical realm is real. Pretending otherwise is the basis of Christian "faith" but does not excuse violating the civil rights of others. Despite the scriptures to the contrary, slavery remains illegal. Despite scriptures to the contrary, parents do not "own" their children. Despite scriptures to the contrary, husbands do not have the right to beat their wives. The paternalistic bigotry of the Bible is generally illegal in most of the civilized world. Humanity has finally managed to expunge tyrannical monarchies from most of the Earth and, as an atheist, I'll be damned before I'll sit back and passively allow a bunch of uneducated true believers to establish another one. The God who made men kings is dead -- good riddance!

Answer 8

No, I hold myself to a much higher standard than I hold anyone else to.

Answer 9

I pick the second point. Also....

I'm holding them to the same standards they tell me to live by but based on my experience with a lot of them, they can't even hold themselves to the same standards they preach to everyone else...which makes me wonder, who really has the problem here?

Answer 10

We as atheists should hold all who believe in God or spirit or any religion whatsoever to a much higher standard than we hold ourselves. And I think we are succeeding.

Answer 11

i don't hold them to a higher standard. i hold them at the standard i hold everyone who believe's in god or has a religion. they're part of an organized group, no matter what their point is they're still just a group of people.