Do atheists really come to this site because they are seraching for something but afraid to admit it?

Question

Why else would they come here and argue about religion all day? I don't understand what appeal this website has for the atheists.

Answer 1

they are Bullies...
they think religious people are easy targets...it makes them feel better...cant you just feel them seething as they read this?
its like some sort of demented therapy for them...or maybe training.

edit:
hey Gandolf!
Keep your Govt and Public school out of Religion!

edit2:
notice the thumbs down...point made....bullies!

Answer 2

Nope, I've admitted it and will state it again: I would love to have a loving heavenly father and if enough evidence is presented to make that a 50/50 chance of actually being true, I'll convert. However, a Deity that would have done the meticulous amount of design work for this universe would have to show the same in his book and dealings with humanity.

There are other "appeals" as well. The concept that legislating your form of morality on the whole of society is totally unacceptable and this needs to be understood by all. The idea that myths should be presented as science or that it's OK to deprive children of an education based on religious beliefs is also unacceptable.

Then there is the obvious explanation: all R&S questions are listed in the main "society and culture" area - not just in the R&S subsection!!

Answer 3

Do all so-called believers come to this site because they are searching for something, but afraid to admit it?
Why else would they come here and start arguments with people who don't hold the same ideas? I can understand the appeal these sorts of sites hold to people like this. There are a lot of well-informed, intelligent atheists out there ready to educate and guide doubting believers to see the truth.
You have the strength to break free from the shackles of religious oppression.

Answer 4

No.

Do theists really come to this site because they are seraching for something but afraid to admit it? Why else would they come here and argue about religion all day?

Religion is a curse upon the world; the less people believe in it the better off the world is. I'm just trying to do my part and help people who were raised as theists to see sense.

Answer 5

A couple of points, if I may:

If you look at the name of the board, you will notice that it says "Religion and Spirituality," and not just "Religion." Spirituality is a very broad concept and extends beyond religion.

Another point to consider is that part of the appeal of sites such as this is the opportunity to engage in the game of "one-upmanship" with others. We humans, tribal and clannish as we are, tending as we do to gather into groups of like-minded individuals, reinforce our beliefs by pointing outside the group at what we perceive as flaws in the beliefs of others.

There are many unanswerable questions that we encounter in our lives. Unanswerable questions tend to generate anxiety and the mind tries to resolve the questions so as to reduce the anxiety. Since we cannot know the answer, and we are narrative sorts of animals, we tell ourselves stories to create a resolution. The stories might be about gods or universal mind or science or aliens or myriad other things. The point is that we must invent a way to reduce the anxiety generated by the incomprehensible.

The difficulty arises when we persuade ourselves that our particular story is more true or more valid than any other story. Then we launch Inquisitions, Reformations and Jihads in order to impose our stories upon people with other stories.

Answer 6

I come here because religion fascinates me. I like talking Buddhism, but usually, the conversation turns to atheist vs. Christian, so you go with what you get.

Plus, if I can talk sense into one deluded person, or even just make them think differently about something, even if for just a split second, I feel like I've done something worthwhile.

Would you really be happy if atheists *didn't* show up here? What would *you* talk about all day?

Answer 7

Though i've read some intelligent and sincere comments from the religious, I honestly come here for a few laughs and to sometimes update myself on the perspectives of theists. My convictions could never be swayed by chat rooms and online forums, and I'm sure most religious feel the same.

Answer 8

I'm an American atheist and I come to R&S because I'm convinced organized religion is the greatest evil ever to plague humanity. My goal is to help believers realize that their irrational commitment to the ancient superstitions of the past amounts to denying their own humanity. Those who traffic in bigotry and are eager for calamity to befall our civilization are no better than traitors to their own species. I'm here doing my bit, trying to educate the ignorant.

I'm certain you disagree, but the above is my own honest response to your question.

Answer 9

There are a few different reasons in my opinion.

Some Atheists think most believers (christian mostly) are uneducated brain washed idiots who mostly live in the south. Which is a stereotype and completely wrong.

Some think it's actually fun to poke fun at believers which just shows lack of compassion and insecurity.

Some are mad at believers and think religion is the cause of ALL wars and want to wipe out all and any religions.

And there is one group that I find most interesting. The Atheists who get mad mostly at Christians. This may be from not true Atheists but agnostics. They can tolerate other religions but not Christianity because of Jesus saying he is the only way to salvation.

I don't think many are searching BUT some do find some interesting truths even though they don't want to!

My agenda is to the ones that think Jesus is a myth. There is historical non christian evidence showing he was here, had a following called Christians and claimed to be Christ. I want them to know this and to come to an educated decision. Was he a liar, a nut or who he claimed to be?

IMHO
†

Answer 10

Well... why don't you try thinking of it as a public service?

In case you haven't noticed, there is a 'cultural war' in progress. On one side, we have sanity, rationality and critical thinking. In the opposing corner, we have gullibility, irrationality, willful ignorance, self-delusion, intellectual dishonesty, drooling stupidity and hypocrisy (religion). This happens to be a battlegound in that war... essentially, a war of ideas.

We're not seeking to 'convert' anyone... that is futile. The systematic religious indoctrination (brainwashing) that has been inflicted upon the 'other side' conveys a demonstrable immunity to things like reason, logic, evidence and critical thinking.

It is our ethical duty and moral responsibility as sane, rational human beings to intervene, in the hope of protecting vulnerable, questioning young minds from being infected by the dangerous and harmful religious 'meme' (viral idea)... protecting them from droolingly stupid nonsense like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xKDKq_PPbk&mode=related&search=

“Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions." ~ Thomas Jefferson
.

Answer 11

Nope. I come here to try help others. I try to have every christian out there question their faith, serious questioning not the easy stuff. If they seriously question and get the answers that to them proves that god exists, fine, you need to believe. You need what your church tells you. On the other hand, if you seriously question and get the answers that I did, then maybe you don't really believe and are just following blindly because you were taught to. I don't need god to live my life, I live my life for me and my family.