Is this a safe assumption? Christians and Atheists?

Question

Most, but not all, Atheists at some point were part of the Christian religion. Some, but not most, Christians at some point were Atheist.

Is it safe to assume that an Atheist generally has a better understanding of a Christian mind than a Christian has of an Atheist mind, having more likely experienced both?

This is a question, not an insult. Agree or disagree, feel free to state why.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Everyone is born an atheist. Religion is a product of programming, not genetic memory.
I believe anyone can understand anyone else's thinking at least a little. You just have to want to set aside your pre-conceptions long enough to think objectively.

Answer 2

No...Some have an understanding of a Christian mind..but a majority have a misconception that we are either bullied, brainwashed or weak (not all keyword Some)...I was raised in the Church, I left when I was 18, I mentally had checked out at 16 but I went because I obeyed and it was a rule....I stopped believing in God totally because it made no sense. Then 9 almost 10 years later, I started to re investigate Christianity and started attending church again..just for kicks..since my life was a mess and I couldn't figure out any answers to the meaning WHY? on my own..

Now I see why, I see how...and the more I read information on how and why there could be no God or Jesus, it only makes more sense on Why there is and How there is... People over think Christianity, and people fall away because people do not want to be held accountable for their actions...people want to feel like whatever they decide is ok and that it is not wrong...So that works for some and that is fine...it just didn't work for me.

Answer 3

I was a Christian for many years. I think I do have a full understanding of the Christian mind. From the questions that atheists have been asked in here, I don't the Christians have a clue about the atheists mind. They cannot even comprehend it. Therefore they fear it, jeer it, hate it, lie about it, insult it and laugh at it.

atheist

Answer 4

I'm not sure. It might be half and half. I was an atheist-turned-christian, so i don't know the viewpoint of born-christians.

But, from (some) atheists i've seen, they don't understand much of a christian mind. Just today i answered a question on here that an atheist asked. He said that it would be much better if christians were good because they should be, and not because we want to go to heaven (he assumed we're only good because we want to go to heaven). And that's not the first misunderstanding i've seen.

So truthfully, i think it's half and half.

God bless.

Answer 5

I think it is an accurate assumption that is likely to be attacked.

Atheists, in general, are able to place Christianity along side other religions and compare them without bias. For obvious reasons, Christians cannot do the same.

Answer 6

In most cases I find that the ones who say that they were Christian, who are now Atheist didn't know jack about the basis for faith in Christianity. I think this way because when I ask them basic, basic questions about God and Christianity, they fail to tell me what the correct answer is.

They MIGHT know a few things, but eventually they reveal their ignorance about the basis for faith.

It is for that reason that I tend to think that they got lazy, like they really didn't care about what they believed while being Christian. Oh, they might have even preached while being Christian, but it only told me that they had their mouth open when it should have been shut, and the ears should have been open instead!

So they were Christian, but they were so full of themselves that they pissed it away with their ignorant thoughts and open mouths.

So no, I don't think that it's a safe assumption in the sense that they didn't know what they were doing while they were Christian.

Answer 7

That resonates with my experience.

Most atheists that used to be Christians got there by being too open minded. Thus they tend to have a wider more all encompassing knowledge base and worldview.

However to STAY a Christian you merely need to be the type of person that accepts what you are told.

I've never met a Christian that used to be a thoroughly informed and educated atheist ever. I am skeptical that it could happen.

Answer 8

This sounds like a well thought out question. This does seem to be what I have experianced. However, I think that part of this also has to do with one group having a lack of beliefs (in god) and one group with a very strong belief system in place. An athiest may also be more open to hearing what someone has to say than someone who only wants to hear the words of their god, and that may be one of the reasons why we experiance what you are disgussing in your question as well.

When it comes to touchy topics like this, I like to believe that we are all born Atheist, and we learn what our parents teach us about god and embrace what we believe in or dont believe in. When we are born we are a blank page and who is to say what is right and what is wrong, when there are so many religions. I would hate to think that only one group has the right idea.

Good luck, and I hope I have not offended anyone with my statement. :)

Answer 9

I agree, and I think that is a very great question. I'm not an Atheist, nor am I a christian, rather, I am what you'd call "Anti-Christian". However, at one point, I was considered to be a very devout christian, and I had a spectacularly bad experience involving my church.

: )

Answer 10

Actually, no.
It takes one to know one always applies,
even for the "used to be" - it does not work.

If you have really ever been close to the Lord
(not just Christian in name only),
you would probably not ever become an atheist.
Even if you had been close to the Lord once,
then, really, you have forgotten to a fantastic extent
and only live to serve yourself!

Also, you are talking first about individuals,
then talking collectively, that is inconsistent.

Interesting question, in a way, though!