Why do some people hate Atheists?

Question

I'm an Atheist, and it seems whoever finds out ends up calling me names, harrassing me, physically hurting me, or/and hating my guts. Why? Did I do anything wrong? Why all the hostility towards those who are different than you?

I hope everyone has a nice day! ♥♥

"Damn It Joey." -- I am a positive person. I'm nice and kind to those who meet me. Are you enplying I'm negative? Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. =( .. But, I don't care that you think I'm negative, b/c I know I'm not. =)

implying* I can't spell... LoL! Oh well!

Answer 1

I'll admit that this is a copy-and-pasted answer that I posted to a previous question... but I think it fits here, too:

"My own feelings, as a former Christian myself, is that religion fills an emotional need--and emotion? She's one powerful creature! The thought of death being the end of one's existence is pretty disturbing, is it not? I mean, who would not choose to live forever? Since we can't deny death (it's all around us) what we CAN deny is what death is. After all, you don't see any dead people attempting to contradict us, now do you? So if we can't deny that everything living eventually dies... what if we create a fairy tale around that death? Sure! It'll go like this:

An invisible force exists within us all--and when our body dies, that force drifts into (fill in name of place here according to whatever faith you hold). And from there (fill in event that will happen, again in accordance to one's faith).

What we've done is created a fantasy world and ongoing story, utterly denying that the story actually ended miles back. There not only is no proof for our story--none's required: It's all taken on faith. Any time someone reminds you of that, the tremendous discomfort you felt when embracing the lie comes flooding back. Time to get defensive! And hence, the behavior you've noted.

They know they're lying to themselves. That's where it all comes from."

Whenever you state that you're an Atheist, you remind them that life without religious delusion is possible. I've noticed that the more insecure their faith, the more aggressive they are to those outside of that faith.

Answer 2

Because people want to think they and their believes are the right and only way. I am not an atheist but i hold nothing against them because of their believes. I am not gay but i have a good friend who I found out is and like i told him do not come on to me because i am not nor ever will be and we are still good friends and party. To each his own i say. I have my beliefs but i do not say mine are best or hate because another does not share the same beliefs.
Have a nice day

Answer 3

I am sorry some people have called you names. harassed you physically hurt you........ They did the same thing to Jesus.
He was beat, spit on, mocked and hung on a cross.
The religious Pharisees of the day hated him because he was different.Believe me he would understand that one.
The religious crowd at that time booed and mocked him for hanging with the outcasts......remember the story about Mary washing the feet of Jesus with her hair;tears and costly ointment. They were being mean to Jesus. They didn't even offer a bowl of water to wash his feet as the custom of the day.
I am a hospice nurse.I have seen stuff that would astonish you.If you would had been at the bedside of some of the people I have cared for; you wouldn't be a atheist long!lol

We can respectfully agree to disagree and still love one another.You love people into the Kingdom of God.
You don't beat them up;drag them or berate them
one thing I have learned in life; love begats love and hate begats hate;
I am a christian and I ask the same question of some not all atheist. why the hostility to those who are diffrent from them
Like john lennon said give peace a chance!
Have a beautiful day my friend!
I have never been mean or ugly to anyone over religion.
(I have a ex husband who might disagree with that; but ooh well that is another story)(He thought he was God and I didn't)
I do get mean over my animals kids or someone being mean to elderly people

Answer 4

I myself don't hate them. I don't agree with them, but I do respect their right to believe what they choose. One reason I believe there is a lot of negative feelings toward atheists is that there was a very vocal, very negative, very hateful atheist here in my own back yard in Austin, Texas, from the 1960's through half of the 1990's named Madalyn Murray O'Hair. She was one of the most hated people in the country when she was alive. I know it's not right to judge a whole group of people by the actions of one, but it happens.

Answer 5

It is always the other way around for me. I am a Catholic, and I would never pick on someone because of their Religion (or lack thereof). At work, however, I am outnumbered by Athiests who pick at me all the time for being a "Jesus Freak."

My advice: don't fight back. It only causes more problems. Just smile and walk away calmly from the situation, and you'll be happy. Good Day to you, too! ♥

Answer 6

It's just because atheists' views are very different from everyone elses'. Everybody wants to go to heaven, or a good place, after they die, and (sorry if I'm being ignorant, but I don't know a lot about atheism) atheists want the opposite. Ever heard that human beings fear difference? That's how it is. Actually, I thought that atheists were a little strange for wanting the opposite of Paradise, but I guess not all of them are stereopicically depressed or emo or something. Have a great day to you too! xoxo T.T

Answer 7

The people being mean are the same ones that call them Christians and I guess overlooked the part about "loving thy neighbor". It's out of ignorance and a lack of understanding. No one wants to believe they are wrong and do not want their conservative values to be threatened by logic. They think just because you don't believe in an outdated idea that you can't believe in anything. Maybe if people read a real book once in a while they'd know you can have morals from other places than what's force fed to you through the church. When people say "you don't believe in anything" I laugh. You can believe in yourself, in justice, in education, in being a good person, in treating people with RESPECT, etc.

Stay strong in your beliefs and don't let ignorance influence you.

Answer 8

I don't look down on anyone's religious beliefs or lack thereof. As long as the person is nice and not hurtful to others, they are fine with me.

Answer 9

The reason is: many people are ignorant, narrow-minded, intolerant or all of the above.

Don't let the ignorance/intolerance in the world get you down, it only shows you how much better you have it over them because you aren't so limited in your thought/ understanding/ comprehension. I pity these people more than anything because when you get right down to it, they are just pathetic and it is sort of sad that there are people like this who exist.

Keep your head up and remember that there are billions! of people in the world, and many of them are sad pathetic cases...I mean, for crying out loud, some people wish Hitler was still alive and in power! Some people believe that they have magical powers... There are always some who believe something, no matter how absurd or ridiculous, so just keep that in mind.

good luck! you did NOTHING wrong except having a functioning and independent mind.

Answer 10

As long as there are people on this planet, there will be stupid people. And as long as there are stupid people, you will have people who hate you for whatever reason they come up with.

People hate other people because of the color of their skin, or nationality, or religion, or the WRONG VERSION of their religion. The point is, if someone is that ignorant, let them be, and find people who don't hate you. People hated Jesus, too, so no one's immune to being hated.

If you're comfortable with your religious belief, even if that means NO religious belief, why do you care what other people think?