Why AREN'T all Atheists murdering, raping and killing everyone?

Question

Christians claim that God is all that stops humans from killing, raping, and robbing eachother blind.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AquqqEhyDzRpyoIB0nA36Z_sy6IX?qid=20070820103930AAR3gr1

With the ever increasing population of Atheists/Non-believers in the world, why isn't the world always in constant Atheistic chaos? Why aren't all Atheists out carving "No God" in the corpses of their victims, then speeding off in their possessions while raping their youth on the way?

If God is necessary for altruism, why is it so abound in (godless) society which denies him?

The point is: THERE ARE MILLIONS OF ATHEISTS/AGNOSTICS. IF WE ALL HAD NO MORALS OR ETHICAL VALUES THE WORLD, MANY AREAS OF THE WORLD WOULD BE IN CHAOS.

Sorry for the overgeneralization of ALL Christians. I realize this is not all of you, but if you share their label, you share the negative associations of the majority as well.

Just because Atheist/Agnostic Serial Killers have existed, doesn't say anything for the whole. They are individuals. There are more religious murderers than non, which makes your argument completely invalid to anyone with even half a brain.

Answer 1

The short answer is: morality is hard-wired into our brains, and predates scripture by millennia.

Answer 2

It would be my understanding that many atheists are actually realists and may already understand the logic of consequences and laws. Many convicts are supposedly rejected their paroles because they claim to believe that God will provide and this isn't seen as a realistic plan or sound commitment. No doubt many who have claimed this have proved this to be a false promise statistically when released. This wishy-washy back sliding can usually prove that this type of faith based salvation is usually out of desperation and not really logic. It has been said biblically that there will be people who are the meek who will inherit the earth. Just who these people actually are is still undetermined. Just because someone claims to be anything credible doesn't mean that they are of sound mind either. An atheist may just be a disgruntled former christian etc.

Answer 3

Well, it seems to me, that - Christians feel that they lack the ability to separate right from wrong, or at least the desire to do right simply for the sake of doing right. God with his heaven and hell (I know - not his place per se) thus function as a supervisory entity, motivational coach and judge.

I must admit I have wondered if this simply means that non-Christian people thus by definition are "better" people, since we do good on a regular basis for no other reason that knowing in our hearts it is the right thing to do, without big brother wathing, without the threat of eternal damnation, and without the carrot of heaven.

By the way - why would atheists ever bothering with carving "No God" anywhere? They might as well be carving "No abominal snowman" - it would just be messier and more work.

I guess this leads to my ultimate conviction that the stereotypical Christian God is if not man-made, at least man-altered many many years ago by European feudal societies, and forced a loving, great God into the image of the petty patriarchy of man.

*climbing down from soap box*

Answer 4

Okay - just because someone does not believe in "God" does not make them into murdering sociopaths.

... we're people just like anyone else and we have morals and (generally) want to contribute to the greater good of humanity.

Some people don't do those things because society says it's "bad" -- and since atheists are also members of society ... we follow the moral / legal dictates of those laws which we've enacted in order to let us live together as human beings.

(Incidently - just because someone is not a Christian - does NOT make them an Atheist. Bhuddists, Pagans, Taoists, Hindus, Jews, Scientologists, Agnostics, and believers in the Great Flying Spaghetti Monster... etc... are NOT ATHEISTS.)

Answer 5

first of anyone who says that atheists have know morals or values is stupid. because a lot of people that are Christians don't have morals. and god isn't the only thing that stops humans from killing, raping, and robbing people, people choose their action so for many god does play a role but or people who don't believe they choose not to do bad thing. and any one who said god is all that stops humans from killing, raping, and robbing each other blind has their head so far up their own a$$ that its a wonder they can even breath.

Answer 6

Wow what type of Christians have you been speaking to?

Some Christians give other Christians a bad name, I personally am friends with several Atheist (and they are just as morally correct if not more then religious) and religion is not one of our topics of discussion because we mutually respect each others beliefs and don't feel the need to discuss or argue about who is right or wrong.

Fellow Christians need to stop making it so damn easy to be hated and ridiculed. . .

Jesus left behind a perfect example of how we should carry ourselves and being judgmental, pointing fingers and acting like we are saved or better then anyone else is just not the way.

I can think of a handful of very famous Christians that have done some awful things from Priests to Ministers and we as Christians can't point a finger at them or Atheists and judge them, or generalize. Not all Priests, Ministers, Atheist and Christians are bad.

As Christians if we really believe in God then we need to leave that all up to him. Though I would be a hypocrite if I said I've never judged someone. But one thing I won't do is generalize, that would just be plain ignorant.

Answer 7

I am christian and I know for a fact that there is no scripture wutsoever explaining god as the only one keeping everything in check in fact he stresses free will quite often, and setting this aside have you actually done the math, murder and sex crimes have dramatically increased with the fall of christian society and this is mentioned many times in the Bible usually concluding with a tragic event claiming countless lives. All of this is slightly irrelevent in the broad scope of things, bad people are bad people and good people are good people and until christians can stop contradicting themselves by judging those who they have no right to judge, questions like this will continue to poke up.

Answer 8

Have you really looked at the world lately?... I would say it IS in "constant Atheistic chaos"....

>>>"Why aren't all Atheists out carving "No God" in the corpses of their victims, then speeding off in their possessions while raping their youth on the way?"<<<

happens every day someplace in the world.

that said... I personaly know atheists who are fine upstanding citizens and very moral and good individuals.... I do not lump all atheists in the same pile...

Answer 9

because they still have Moral Law in their heart...some call it conciousness...the drive to do the right thing

As for constant atheistic chaos....might not be happening today, but when the moral compass is removed, the ship is going to go where ever the winds of fancy take it.

Look at all the laws that keep getting overturned and rejected. Listen to the argument of "no absolute morality".

Well...if there is no absolute morality, then who is to decide what's right and wrong? the state? seems to me that's been done before - with horrible consequences...(remember Gernmany?)

As for your silly little scenario....maybe it's not so silly....lets look at states that officially outlawed God and were good little atheist utopias...

nazi Germany...Communist Russia (gulags were such a blast weren't they?), Communist Hungary (boy..there's a country that went through chaos), Communist Cambodia (ever see the movie Killing Field?).... want more?

Answer 10

Well, those particular "Christians" claimed that. Not all do.

I don't remember signing anything that gave them the right to speak for me.

I myself know lots of atheists whose actions are much MUCH more moral and ethical and godly than a lot of people who call themselves Christians.

So maybe you meant "Some Christians claim that God is all that stops humans from killing, raping, and robbing..."

Or do you think that all Christians are as mindless and immature as those are? If they are painting atheists with a broad brush, you're doing the same to believers.

Answer 11

because you're making the assumption the Bible is wholly and completely the word of God. it has been changed by countless people, many not who you would call "true christians" (like king james, who wanted to divorce his wives or kill them). anyone who is aware of Jesus' teachings, if they were to place them side to side with old testament teachings, they'd see the inconsistencies. Jesus preaches love and tolerance, the old testament the exact opposite. also the one who claimed that the Bible is the word of God are those who wrote it, not God himself. back then, religion was often used to control/manipulate the people, we can't be sure that's how some of the people who wrote the Bible used it.

also, back in Biblical times and Jesus' times, metaphors/parables/allegories/etc. were a common form of communication. Jesus himself preaches to the people in parables, a form of metaphor. so how can we be sure that not all of God's true teachings (whether they be in the Bible, or elsewhere) are metaphorical?

i'll use your post as an example:
"all atheists should be commiting crime, because God is what stops people from doing so, and they don't believe in him"

metaphorical interpretation:
"not believing in God can be detrimental to your life. one who believes in God also believes in true morals, including not stealing and not killing."

the metaphorical interpretation doesn't imply that atheists don't have those morals too, but rather, a true christian definitely would.