Why are atheists so annoying and tiring to argue with?

Question

Socrates once said "As for me, all I know is that I know nothing." He understood that his perspective was so limited. He was humble, and very wise.

This is the opposite of many atheists. They think that they have everything figured out. This is the height of arrogance. How can someone who in the grand scheme of things knows so little think that they have the answer for one of the biggest questions ever.

By the way - this could also apply to fundamentalist religious believers in addition to atheists.

Answer 1

I think you're thinking of atheists who are activists--
such as people who're members of groups like
"Atheists United," who literally protest Christianity.
But, it isn't something you can generalize about.
Atheists aren't believers in God, but a large majority
of them do believe in living their own lives.
What makes the every day/non-activist atheist so
annoyed is when Christians insist on forcing their
views, and telling them how to live. That's crossing
the line; it's not their place--just as you would say
the same if any atheist tried to force their views on
you.
And, whereas many will just walk away from a
Christian who does that, "Atheist United" is going
to "cry foul" about that sort of thing!

Answer 2

I don't see that the atheists here or elsewhere "think that they have everything figured out". I'm an atheist: I freely admit (fairly often right on this forum) that there are things that I do not know.

I think that the reason that believers think that atheists are arrogant is that on the one main point of contention - the existence of god - the atheists HAVE figured things out while most of the believers ARE ignorant. But surely on that point, it is the believers who have the arrogance problem, as they insist on their wrong answer.

Have you noticed that when you ask atheists and believers if they're absolutely 100% certain about their position re. the existence of God, a far higher percentage of believers than of atheists say that they are?

To answer your question, the reason that atheists are so annoying and tiring to argue with is that the people who argue with us are wrong, but too arrogant to even consider that they might be.

Answer 3

Atheists will be the first to admit that not everything is figured out yet, and most likely never will be, at least not during our lives. Admitting that you do not know everything, is something different than assuming some creator/god/whatever they call it, and substituting your lack of knowledge with this god. Atheists try to find new knowledge to close those gaps. In that respect they are much more humble that theists, because they admit there's still a lot to learn (what else is science about?), while theists think they've got it all figured out already with their imaginary friend.

Answer 4

I think you might find atheists and religious people all annoying and argumentive, since most try to prove thier point. It's true to what Socrates stated. No one has the answers. As it came to me once, thinking, " What really matters in this reality? Truth is, this moment. This precise moment in time is the one thing we know is real and happenning. And we should strive to make the most of it, because it's real and now...not yesturday, it's gone, not tomorrow, it might or might not come, but NOw is here, we are here. But Remember, no one knows the truth not even me. We can all just live to what we enjoy.

Answer 5

Atheists don't claim to have everything figured out. They just sound more confident in the assertations than believers do, because they have no problem saying, "I don't know the answer to this, but that doesn't mean I'm going to assume that a magical being did it." Believers will tend to, when they don't know the answer to something, resort to "Goddidit", and then be very insistant that that's the answer to everything. It's the opposite of what you suggested: atheists do NOT think that they have the answer to one of the biggest questions ever. It's believers that claim that they have the answer. But their "answer" doesn't make sense to atheists, and it has no evidence to back it up, so atheists will say, "I don't believe that", and then continue looking for an answer.

Answer 6

It doesn't take all-knowledge to disprove the possibility of a theistic god.

In fact, it takes only a few tidbits.

In the grand scheme of things, I know so little as to agree with Socrates that I know nothing. But within that one miniscule speck of dust... is all the facts I need to know it for a fact.

Answer 7

Well, cheers for that last line (if nothing else).

And as a personal opinion no, there are some things that neither I nor any other human is close to figuring out. Least of all you, mate.

Answer 8

No it is not arrogance: they have it figured out as far as it affects them, no one else matters. Christians are the same way.
Believe what I say or your an idiot! One can never fine the truth with that kind of attitude to start out with: even the POPE is guilty of this with his own people and church. That is why there are so many different Church's in the world to day!

Answer 9

You are sadly mistaken. It is precisely because we are not afraid to admit that we do not know everything that we are atheists. We do not feel the need to invent a sky pixie to account for that which we do not know. The unknown is open for discovery rather than a fearsome void to be explained at all costs.

Answer 10

My question to this is why ARGUE? Just listen and mosey on down the road, there is no purpose in arguing with anyone in regards to their religious beliefs. Just accept that others will have a difference of opinion, and leave it at that!