Atheists why are you always trying to convince us that God doesn't exist?

Question

Okay you don't believe in God I get it and I completely respect your right to think that way. So respect mine to believe and leave me alone.

Answer 1

Because of all the harm caused by religion. If all theists left everybody else (and each other) alone I wouldn't have any trouble with any religion.

Read Letter to a Christian Nation - email or IM me if you don't have a copy handy.

In the meantime, consider this:


The Crusades.
The Inquisition.
Witch trials in Europe and America.
The Divine right of Kings (valid until killed by another Divinely-appointed King).
Missionaries destroying/converting smaller, "heathen" religions and cultures.
Missionaries such as Mother Teresa.
The demonization of other religions, e.g. Christianity demonizing Pagans ("They're devil-worshippers!"), the Romans demonizing Christians ("They're atheists and cannibals!").
Persecution of Heretics - e.g. Galileo for daring to suggest that the Earth orbits the Sun.
Children dying because their parents refused them medical treatment on religious grounds; relying instead on faith-healers and prayer.
Slavery, supposedly supported by scripture ("Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, just as you would obey Christ.", St.Paul, Ephesians 6:5)
Holy wars - followers of different faiths (or even the same faith) killing each other in the name of their (benevolent, loving and merciful) gods.
The destruction of great works of art considered to be pornographic/blasphemous, and the persecution of the artists.
Censorship (often destructive) of speech, art, books, music, films, poetry, songs and, if possible, thought.
Persecution/punishment of blasphemers (Salman Rushdie still has a death sentence on him), and blasphemy laws in general.
The requirement of theism in order to stand for public office or to testify in court.
Serial killers believing they are doing the work of Satan (or sometimes Jesus).
Often-fatal exorcisms by priests believing they are destroying the work of Satan.
People suffering dreadful injury or death in the belief that their faith has made them invulnerable (e.g. people climbing into lion enclosures at zoos, with a Bible as protection).
Whole societies divided by minor differences in belief or doctrine, often resulting in violence.
Mass suicides of cult-members following a charismatic leader who believes the world is about to End
The attempted genocide of followers of a particular faith (e.g. the Jewish Holocaust, "ethnic cleansing" in former Yugoslavia).
Blood sacrifices to appease the Gods, or to ensure a good harvest. (The Aztecs made daily human sacrifices to ensure that the Sun would rise. Or did they? )
The practice of "female circumcision" (more accurately termed genital mutilation).
The discouragement of rational, critical thought (resulting in young-earth creationists, for example).
Uncontrolled population growth caused (or at least helped) by churches prohibiting birth-control and abortion. (You can also add : unwanted pregnancies, ill-fated forced marriages, and pregnant teenagers condemned to a life in mental institutions to avoid embarrassing their families.)
The spread of sexually transmitted diseases (e.g. AIDS) due to churches prohibiting the use of condoms.
Believers whipping, impaling, poisoning or crucifying themselves during religious festivals as a demonstration of their faith and piety.
Suicide bombers taught to believe that martyrs go straight to Paradise.
The indoctrination of children into the religion of their parents, giving them an arbitrary, life-long belief that is almost entirely dependent on their place of birth.
Women treated as second-class citizens or even slaves
Pentecostal snake-handlers
Persecution of homosexuals
Abuse of power, authority and trust by religious leaders (for financial gain or sexual abuse of followers and even children).
Minor religions ("cults") stockpiling weapons to defend themselves from the Armies Of Satan (i.e. the police and the government).

Answer 2

See, I think you have it backwards. I live right in the buckle of the bible belt. I have religion forced down my throat all the time. When people find out that I do not believe in any form of organized religion, I am treated like a leper. I have endured this since I was 8 years old and started asking inconvenient questions about the Bible during Sunday school.

Oops. I probably shouldn't say any of this since I am pursuing my teaching degree. I wouldn't be hired any where around here if it got around I didn't believe in Christianity. See, there you go. I am the one who could be unemployed due to my beliefs. Are you? No. So what are you complaining about?

Answer 3

i don't try to do that. i will offer up my p.o.v. when asked or when an assumption about it is pointedly wrong. but some may be doing it because they feel pressured by the christians who are doing the same thing to them. a person will get defensive when their beliefs are touted as utterly wrong, and they will defend them. when christians say that they have "The Truth" and yet their beleifs are nearly perpendicular to the person they're trying to convince it feels a bit condescending. not to mention that there are a lot of self-proclaimed 'christians' who are quite vile and judgemental, which tends to rile people up. i think some innocent people are getting caught in the cross fire.

Answer 4

If Christians in general could keep their faith out of government, I would fuss so much.

So far, no such luck.

Besides, asking why an atheist in America focuses so much on Christianity is kind of like asking a drowning person why they're so preoccupied with water.

Answer 5

because your always trying to convince us god exists if u would stop shoving it down our throats then we'd leave you alone. plus who doesnt like a good debate.

Answer 6

is someone forcing you to read the answers of atheists?

i don't believe that you have the right to have your beliefs go unchallenged, sorry. i do try not to be tedious or hostile about it though.

Answer 7

are we really

or do we just point out the inconsistencies when you try to desperately assert that your god does exist

Answer 8

thats why your asking us questions
cuz u want us to leave you alone
right??
just another example of religious hypocrisy
thx

Answer 9

Dreamstuff entity you might want to add Westboro Baptist Church to that list.

Answer 10

Who are you?