Do Atheists like to hang out in R&S because the average Christian on here tends to be younger, less educated?

Question

I would really like to know how many Atheists/Agnostics have ever looked beyond Fundamentalism? I've noticed that most Atheist challenges on here have to do with literal views of the Bible, and archaic notions of God. It's easy to reduce things to their simplest forms and then dismiss and ridicule them.

Ok, so most Christians on here tend to fundamentalism. My point remains that fundamentalism is really not representative of most Christians.

oh, yeah, and young or old fundamentalist, isn't it still basically arguing with the Kindergarten class of faith?

Answer 1

I don't think the assumption that these Christians are younger is necessarily true, I see questions and answers from all groups that look like they were written by 13 year olds. I usually assume them to be young, but it sometimes scares me to think some of these people are probably adults.

I think you do have a point about the challenges atheists sometimes bring up. They take them in the simplest and most literal contexts, which is often a poor representation of what is truly being said. They question this, and sadly sometimes Christians are unable to go any deeper and don't know how to defend their belief in an educated manner.

I have noticed though (I noticed this after CS Lewis brought up this point in Mere Christianity) that when a Christian DOES have a firm grasp of what they are talking about, atheists will often criticize the fact that they are making things "too complicated" and that religion is supposed to be simple. When the Christian actually begins getting deeper and making more complex, logical arguments, they are accused of trying too hard and criticized because they are complicating things and deviating from the basic assumption that if God existed, He would've made things simple.

Nothing is ever as simple as it looks, even the most basic stuff. They ask for an explanation and then complain that the explanation is not simple enough. Some things cannot be understood well on a "simple" level.

But still, the majority of Christians don't even know where to begin. The Bible is all a Christian needs, but if they want to argue with an atheist "The Bible says so" isn't gonna cut it. They don't believe the Bible to be true, I never use scripture to try and convince anyone, only to explain mine own beliefs. I see Christians make that mistake all the time. Well, not that it's a mistake, but no atheist is gonna be impressed by "cuz God said so"

Answer 2

As an knowledgeable Christian, i think of that is by way of fact A) there are not as many knowledgeable human beings interior the international whilst in comparison with those that are no longer. B) Uneducated human beings have a tendency to flock to very vocal evangelical church homes, at the same time with fundamentalist Baptist and Pentecostal, who're all approximately hell hearth and brimstone and eternal damnation and in any different case stressful the different, civil-minded Christians who're obtainable, yet some distance much less vocal and C) the greater civil minded human beings have a tendency to bypass to church homes that are some distance much less condemning and much less vocal, yet far greater charitable (Methodist, Episcopalian, Lutheran and Presbyterian) and liberal. for instance, whilst is the final time you heard of a Pentecostal wellbeing center? Oh, optimistic, the Baptists have a wellbeing center right here and there (Baylor scientific centers are extremely universal in my domicile state), yet, the Methodists, Epi's, Lutherans and Presby's are everywhere in the charity wellbeing center project. And, that is in basic terms the tip of the theological iceberg. assessment and evaluate charitable businesses and who's working them and you will see my element. additionally, customarily, that is been my remark that the greater a denomination drifts proleward, the greater you will hear approximately hellfire and brimstone. Heavens Gates and HELLS FLAMES and that style of nonsense. The greater knowledgeable the congregation, the greater liberal and charitable we've a tendency to be. So, to elongate an already long answer, we're not as vocal and our ranks are fewer by way of fact there are not as many knowledgeable human beings interior the international as uneducated. And, after examining a number of those solutions, i come across that's the ATHEISTS who're a lot greater open minded and accepting. My adventure ... that is been the so-mentioned as Bible-thumping evangelicals who're continuously on the attack, mean lively and in any different case closed minded and smug.

Answer 3

Do Atheists like to hang out in R&S because the average Christian on here tends to be younger, less educated? Shouldn't we try to educate the young and uneducated? Are you claiming that this is the basis for their belief in religion? I think, not knowing better is a terrible reason to follow any religion. It only makes it that much easier for the church to take advantage of them. Statistics have shown that religious people, on the average, are less intelligent or less educated. This is a fact and I am not stating it as a put down. The reason this has been shown to be true, is that people who are either of a higher intelligence or well educated tend to be critical thinkers and they tend to look at subjects more logically. When one is a critical thinker and logically examines religion, it tends to lead to a disbelief in it, due to the contradictions and fallacies prevalent in holy texts. Please do not take this the wrong way, as I am by no means bashing anyone that chooses to believe in religion. I am only stating what has been shown to be true. And why should we not reduce religion to it's most simple form when debating it. You do not take a complex subject with many issues and then try to disprove it with one broad sweeping statement. There is no way that you would be able to address all the issues that needed to be covered. If religion has been disproved in it's most simple forms, you cannot then go on to claim that if we look at it in it's most complex form somehow it miraculously becomes true. Do you understand what I am saying? Complexity only muddies the water, so to speak, making it harder for the average person to understand what is being debated. Is this the reason that you do not like atheist to break religion down into it's most simple form? I would venture to say that a lot of atheist come to the R&S section of yahoo answers to debate religion, because they really care about the future of humanity. Atheist are working towards a better hear and now and not some everlasting life that most likely doesn't even exist. I hope this has answered your question.
EDIT: to History_Schmistory
The burden of proof is on the person making the claim. Christians make the claim that their is a god, therefore they are required to provide the proof. Atheism is nothing more than the lack of a belief in a god. It is as simple as that. Atheist are not making the claim there is no god. We are only saying that we have not seen sufficient evidence of a god to convince us that he exist. Therefore you are not absolutely correct, but just another delusional religious nut, with a claim he cannot prove.

Answer 4

Well I'm 17 and probably less educated than the average person of any faith on here, and I hang out here. I don't think that your claim that the avaerage Christian on here is younger and less educated has any foundation in fact.

I have looked past the Fundamentalism. I've looked at religious moderacy and found it to be oxymoronic. If you truly believe that the Bible is the word of God, you follow it to the letter. All the religious moderates do is to open the door to Fundamentalists.

Answer 5

The literal views of the bible are the only ones worth arguing with, as they are the basis of true Christianity. The "interpreted" view of the bible is just illogical, as it allows people to pick and choose which parts of the bible are supposed to be taken literally and which are just "metaphors". If you can do that, then how do you know any of it is true in the first place?
Isn't the reason why people choose to interpret the bible because the "simplest forms" of Christianity are the ones that show just how embarrassingly ridiculous it is?

Answer 6

I can only speak for myself (since at our last atheist convention I was not nominated to speak for the whole group). I do not come here because the average Christian tends to be younger and less educated. I don't know the vast majority of peoples' ages and education levels. It does not concern me.

You are right in that it is easy to reduce fundamentalist views to their simplest forms and then dismiss them. I think that is mostly what happens - those views are dismissed. Then we can move on to more rational discussions/debates.

Answer 7

I personally think that the pick-and-choose approach to what is literal and what is not is just another weakness in Christianity, as is all the infighting - you know, like Christians who refer to Christianity that is unlike their own as "the simplest forms", "archaic notions of God," and what have you.

But yes, I have experienced several different forms of Christianity - I was a Christian for 20 years. I've had experience with Catholicism, Mormonism, Seventh Day Adventists, Baptists, Penecostals, Lutherans, Methodists, Apostolics, Charismatics, fundamentalists, nominal Christianity, liberal Christianity, etc., etc, etc.

I come here because 1. The issue of religion's impact on the world is important to me, 2. It's fun.

Answer 8

See you are in a catch 22 with the literal interpretation thing.

If you do, then we can hammer at all the ridiculous things like the Noah story that absolutely could not have happened.

If you don't, then you are admitting that some things are wrong in it. That makes it JUST a book written by Bronze Age goat herders and not the work of God. So why follow it?

Either way, it is a great argument for us. The fundies are just the ones that hang around here because they don't see it.

Answer 9

Perhaps stronger moderate Christian voices speaking against fundamentalism would reduce the work load for atheists?

Kerri, who do you think you have more in common with, someone like me, Run James Run, or the typical R&S fundamentalist?

Answer 10

There are plenty of older Christians on here, and they tend to be the more fundamental and less accepting of the theory of evolution.

I make fun of liberal Christians, for cherry picking which verses in the Bible to follow, but fundie bashing is a good ol' time!