Um Atheist,my observation of a lot of your answers when you're asked...?

Question

a question to the effect of "Why do you care what theist believe,if you dont believe in God?"

is the overiding answer generally is becuase theist beliefs have an affect on you when we try to put them into the legal system.

Question:Does it occur to you that when you force atheistic type laws into the legal system,that has an effect on theist lives as well? My guess is your response is something like "no,my beliefs are my beliefs and your beliefs your beliefs;and we dont affect each other".
If that is your response,then you would be flat wrong.The fact that you dont like theistic beliefs in the legal system and in your lives,shows at least in part that you agree with the answer to Cain's question to God "Am I my brother's keeper?" The answer is yes;becuase what one does can affect many and what many do can affect one.
In short,dont be deceived in thinking atheistic beliefs have no affect on theist and other people;cause they do very much so.

If atheist really cared about resolving the dispute in beliefs;then it would be wise if you listened to theist and get understanding about spiritual things that you dont understand.
Many theist know God's real cuase we honestly experience Him.Atheist cant really know God through theist becuase the "evidence for God is personal.You need to have a relationship with God to really understand.

Answer 1

Though you use the term "Theist," you are clearly asking this from a Christian perspective. Perhaps you do not see the Humanism in your notion of "a relationship with God." Jesus did not speak of it.

You perhaps would cite John 14:6,

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

But Jesus also said,

"If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love Him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (John 14:23)

So it is not Jesus or even God that the faithful are to have a relationship with, but the Holy Spirit.

As for the evidence of God being "personal," Jesus said,

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." (John 14:11)

Your construct seems downright new-age by comparison.

I won't comment on your legal theories as they relate theology, since your theology is itself so shaky.

Answer 2

It's nice that you try to figure out what atheists would answer to your questions. A lot of people don't try to understand what the other side is thinking. The problem is that you haven't actually gotten what atheists believe right. So let me help you out here.

I oppose theistic laws that tend to make the country a theocracy. I also oppose atheistic laws even though I'm an agnostic/atheist. How can this be? because an atheistic law would be a law banning the belief in, or expression of belief in, a god or gods by a private citizen. So if there were laws outlawing churches or synagogues, say, that might be called an atheistic law and I'd oppose it. If there were laws banning Christianity or Islam or Wicca or Hinduism, etc. then I would oppose them- whether they were motivated by theistic or atheistic intent.

The error you've fallen into is mistaking secularism with atheism. Atheism is the lack of belief in any gods. Secularism is the view that religion and government should not be intertwined. Most of the supporters of secularism are actually theists, not atheists. Atheists support secularism, too, of course.

So when our founding fathers put into the very first amendment in the Bill of Rights that government should not make laws establishing religion they did so not only to protect citizens and government, they did so to protect religion. The government should leave religion up to the individual. The government should not interfere in personal belief, nor should it be deciding which religious ideas are true or not.

No doubt you would like to see the government become religious, but we are being our brother's keeper without the government dictating or even favoring religious views.

Answer 3

The only beleif that Atheist have is that there is no beleif at all. The lack of beleif is how this country was meant to be run. The Founding Fathers wanted the legal system and religion to be completely sperate.

The simple fact that there are many religions in the States means that no one should ever be part of the legal system. Before anyone says it, don't call Atheism a religion, it isn't, its the lack of religion. As Don Hirschberg put it: "Calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color."

And as far as I know a lack of belief has no effect at all on believers unless it perhaps inspires doubt, which then is your own lack of belief in your religion then not our fault.

Answer 4

Atheists don't try to put atheistic laws into our government. There are no atheistic laws. All we want is for no one belief system to be favored above another. That's it. Keep mandatory prayer out of schools, but you can pray on your own if you wish. Take "In God We Trust" off of our legal government currency. (Taking that off will NOT affect believers in any way, shape, or form.) Things like that. We do not demand anything that would hurt a believers right to worship. We only demand that everyone not be forced to live their lives according to one belief.

Answer 5

What atheistic laws?

America's school prayer ruling prohibits school or teacher-led prayers. However, it does *not* prevent students from praying privately.

Evolution is taught because that is where the evidence points. Evolution does *not* aver that there is no god; it just doesn't include a god. Is it biologists' fault that no god has turned up in their petri dishes?

Allowing gay marriage does not force you to enter a gay marriage. Allowing contraception does not force you to use it. Abortion is a more complex issue, but suffice it to say that allowing abortion doesn't force your wife or girlfiend to have one.

Atheists insist that the government not endorse religion. However very few atheists propose suppressing religion. Atheists do not want the 10 Commandments in government buildings, but nearly all will support your right to post them on your front lawn. No atheist has suggested changing the Pledge to "one nation without God." No atheist has proposed stamping "We do not trust God" on coins. The only neutral stance is no comment, which is all that we atheists are asking.

Theists often complain about eliminating religion from the "public square," while equivocating what that means. When AA sued to keep the Cross of Steel out of the 9/11 memorial, Christians complained about the "militant atheists" removing religion from the "public view," but none of them seemed to notice AA's real complaint: that the memorial was publicly funded. Meanwhile, amidst these accusations, they don't seem to consider that we're not trying to eliminate churches, mosques, or temples from "public view."

> In short,dont be deceived in thinking atheistic beliefs have no
> affect on theist and other people;cause they do very much so.

How? Exactly how have we prevented you from practicing your religion--unless your religion entails impinging the religious rights of others?

P.S. Do you realize that you're setting up a dilemma? If our beliefs truly do interfere, then why should your beliefs take precidence over mine? I don't know what country you're from, but in mine, majority rule does not extend to trampling the rights of minorities.

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P.P.S. Many of us used to be theists, so don't ASSume that we don't understand you. I for one will not be so arrogant as to deny your experiences of God. I'll disagree with you on the source or interpretation of those experiences, but i won't deny you them.

Answer 6

Most atheist understand the power of the human mind and it's ability to trick itself. We're in control of ourselves and you're not. I don't want make you believe anything, I don't have the answers for you. The only answer I do have is that yours is having a negative affect on our society because instead of trying to figure out why there are problem in this world you put faith in God to solve them. This never works. Consequently the world is worse off than it really needs to be.

Answer 7

Your idea of "forcing atheistic type laws" into the legal system is simply the legal system saying you can't force your religion down everyone elses throat.

So now that the constitution prevents you from placing people in stockades for not going to church as had previously been commonplace, you interpret that as forcing "atheistic laws" on you. Maybe you should just go to Iran and live under the ayatollahs for a while.

Answer 8

No because the laws atheist push are not based on some dogmatic practice.

Atheist can form an argument why there law should be passed as opposed to religious types who's argument is I think its wrong because the bible says so.

Atheistic laws would be what again? Tho shalt not be stupid?

Atheist are more tolerant of religious freedom then any religious person.

Answer 9

im assuming this is about abrotion and such. laws...

did you know that putting abortion into law as a CHOICE, keeps it a choice for EVERYONE, and those who do disagree with it, still have the CHOICE to not have an abortion. The opposite is not true. simply because you beleive abortion is wrong, does not mean others who feel differently should be forced to not have one...

the same goes for homosexuals marrying... i personally cant think of any other laws that one might lable 'atheist.' But the general idea is freedom of religion and freedom of choice. Christians trying to push laws through go against this ideal.

isnt it striking that most laws that come from a christian angle of society are about banning something. Abortion, Euthenasia, Gay Marriage etc it seems like youre forcing your ideal on everyone, while laws that come from liberal angles are all about alowing people to have the choicefor themselves in each individual case....

i see a distinct difference here... and i hope you do to.

Answer 10

Please tell me you don't vote.

Kid, you don't understand anything at all about religion, law, politics, atheism, or Christianity. I've never heard anyone try to "force atheistic type laws into the legal system", and neither have you. You're simply wrong on all counts.

Examples: Have you ever heard anyone argue that we should change the Pledge of Allegiance to say "One nation that doesn't believe in Gods"? Nope. Ever heard anyone argue that schools should teach children that gods don't exist? Nope. Ever heard anyone argue that our currency should say "We don't trust in gods"? Nope. Ever heard anyone argue that our courthouses should have signs on the walls that read "There are no gods"? Nope.

Athiests don't have a history of forcing their beliefs on others. We have a history of defending our right to our own beliefs in the fact of Christians who attack American freedoms. If you don't like it, you're welcome to leave. America is too good for people like you.
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"Many theist know God's real cuase we honestly experience Him."

That's simply a lie, as are the two posts immediately above mine. Doesn't the fact that you people have to lie so much to defend your beliefs tell you something about the quality of those beliefs? It should. The fact that I have to post that point at least a couple of times a day sure tells me something about Christians, and it's not pretty.