Christians: Do you take atheists' beliefs seriously, or do you think they/we are lost and/or confused?

Question

A moment ago I posted a question asking "When a young person claims to be atheist, do you take them seriously or brush them off?" I was under the impression that young atheists (myself being 20 years old for example) aren't taken seriously because of our age. Many Christians seem to think that young people who claim to be atheist are going through a phase or will 'find their way back to God.'

What I noticed with a lot of my answers is that it seems atheists in general, regardless of age, don't seem to be taken very seriously. It seems many Christians believe that atheists are confused or 'lost' or otherwise think we will one day 'see the light'.

I understand that the Christian belief that God exists as the Creator of all things would cause them to believe that atheists are incorrect in our belief, but this does not seem to be a valid reason to dismiss our beliefs.

A link to the question I referred to:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AphCXQhFJKCTNOwCFrAq21vsy6IX?qid=20070822093528AAMM8w9

Answer 1

I think they say you're lost or confused because they are unable to accept the alternative -- that THEY are confused (or misled). It is very difficult for most people to reject what they have grown up believing, and what the people around them believe.

A different religious perspective might be grasped, because it still has certain commonalities, such as the belief in an ultimate God. This is pretty easy to understand without having to change your own fundamental beliefs.

It is more difficult to accept the atheist perspective, because it rejects the idea of God that Christians are raised with. Those who believe in God cannot conceive of this as a possibility, because it conflicts so fundamentally with their sense of reality.

Inasmuch as they encounter people who ARE atheists, they must come up with some way to understand these people. The only possibility is to dismiss their belief, and assume they'll "find their way back." Anything else would require them to accept the possibility that there is no God.

Answer 2

When I look at the planet, I see beauty and majesty, but I just don't see design. There are some really beautiful things on this planet but that doesn't mean they were made that way by a supreme intelligence. So that kind of argument never convinced me. I don't know... I question myself all the time. I think it's important to do that. But have I ever read anything that seriously made me suspect that I might be wrong? Not really. I'm totally open to the idea, but at the same time, I've read countless arguments that try to prove theism, and it seems like all of them can either be easily refuted or just aren't convincing enough. I haven't read anything that really stands out.

Answer 3

A lot of what you asked about really depends on the kind of christian you're asking. I am a christian but I do not belong to any church or denomination. I think, personally, that organized religion is the downfall of christianity.

Dismissing the views of other people as insignificant or misdirected is common and should probably not be taken to heart. Is it really any different to tell a person who doesn't like basketball "you just don't like it because you don't understand it." Or to say "You would like (insert favorite musical group or movie or book or whatever title here) if you just gave it a chance." If it is important to us we wonder why it can't be important to others.

But religion, or the lack thereof, is a deeply personal point of view. We tend to take ourselves too seriously and we tend to put our own spin on it.

If you are an atheist, that's just fine with me. Don't expect me to try and convert you. Your way in life is yours to choose and, sometimes, I feel sorry for anyone who feels otherwise.

Edit:
I started this when there was only one answer but had to get back to work. I have to say that for anyone to dismiss christianity as a chemical reaction or a search for something that doesn't exist has entirely missed the point of the topic. If your beliefs are beyond scrutiny then shouldn't everyone else's beliefs be beyond scrutiny as well?

Answer 4

Being a younger (18) "Christian" (I'm still unsure as of yet) I can sympathize with how you're being treated. I believe that in every type of religion or belief, the younger people are looked on as forever changing, which is true. Adults think that we don't really know what we're talking about.

Maybe the reason we're not taken seriously is because people are always changing, especially the age we are. People between 18-25 tend to change with their peers or the trend.

I don't dismiss atheists at all. Rather, I could see valid points in their argument. However, when it all comes down to it, atheism is also a belief in and of itself, so I don't understand why everyone is always fighting over who is right. Whatever floats your boat, you know?

Good luck!

Answer 5

I don't dismiss a belief solely because the weaker proponents of that belief don't do a good job of explaining it. After all, there are people who do a bad job of explaining everything from dentistry to Christianity.

Instead I dismiss a belief when the strongest proponents of a system of enquiry cannot explain it. I think, for instance, of St. Augustine who was told to wait for the Manichean bishop Faustus, before dismissing Manicheism. It was when Faustus was unable to explain their philosophy that Augustine left their sect.

Ultimately it was this lack of ability to explain a world view which caused me to leave my agnostic viewpoint behind.

Betrand Russell, Jean Paul Sartre - each tried to reconstruct a moral man without God's image, a moral framework that did not resort to a supernatural being but instead relied on.... well, what exactly was never clear.

Russell in particular, though a brilliant philosopher and mathematician constructed a nearly incomprehensible framework for morality - arguing that morality was objective.... and then it was not.

I contrast this with the simple and coherent moral narrative of Jesus, who in three short chapters of Matthew (the sermon on the Mount) constructed an entirely coherent and consistent moral framework.

His simple ability to connect the dots, and demonstrate the essentially divine nature of morality is convincing to me not simply of its own merits, but also by virtue of the complete incoherence and inability of atheist philosophers to match it.

Even in recent attempts, such as Robert Buckman's "Can We Be Good without God?", the struggle for a coherent moral narrative seems to just completely elude most atheist writers and thinkers.

It didn't for Jesus.

And that is why I believe.

Answer 6

Speaking for myself......It is not our belief that your are confused, it is our hope. (huge difference) yes we hope that someday you will find the truth.
I know that personally I feel it's very serious that you belive there is no God and I fear the time when anyone one finds out how wrong they are.
If I am wrong, and there is no God, when I die I just cease to exist, and I won't care.
But if you are wrong, and there is a God, well. then what will you do to answer for a lifetime of disbelief?


I don't dismiss your beliefs, i just feel that it's more like a lack of beliefs. And I don't think age has anything to do with it. I don't see how anyone, young or old can look at the marvels of the world around us and deny the existance of God and say that all things happen by chance of accident.

Answer 7

Dismiss what beliefs? As an atheist, you believe in nothing. I don't know how to take "nothing" seriously. If you believe there is no God, then fine. But how do you expect people to take your beliefs seriously when you don't believe in anything spiritually?
And you think that atheists take our beliefs seriously? Most only offer blaspheming questions to try to get under our skin, like one about Jesus beating puppies. Does that sound respectful to you?
One thing I do take seriously is your right to believe whatever you wish. And the same goes for everyone.

**Grim Jack, you need to look up the definition of Atheist on Wikepedia- you can not be a satanist and and atheist.

Answer 8

Well I am agnostic and we aren't treated fairly either and neither are any other types of religions. I have met a few christians who are cool and accepting. But most are not. This is partly because of the fact that the bible calls us fools and says that we are going to hell, this probably makes christians subconsciously shun us b/c we are non believers. Also a lot of christians today think they have the right to judge others b/c of their beliefs as if they have a divine right to do so b/c the bible says this will happen. Well if I were you I wouldn't bother paying attention b/c they will preach and quote scripture to you. You just stay true to your beliefs and don't worry what others think b/c you have every right to your belief. Hope this helped.

Answer 9

I believe Atheists are very serious. I do believe that Atheists are lost, as in they haven't found God, and maybe they never will. But that is how I believe. I don't think age should be an issue. I also believe everyone has a right to & should believe (or not believe) how ever they choose.

Answer 10

It's really just the fact that atheists belive in no higher existance at all. Every other religion believes in a God,whether it be a pagan God or worshiping the devil. They all believe in something otherworldly. Now atheists believe in no otherworldly thing whatsoever and it just baffles us to think that atheists don't believe in anything or have any understanding as to how we came to be on the earth and how the world was created. Well if they go by science all I can say is that in order to make a chemical reaction (Humans and the earth), An element must react with another Element. (God and His Word).