Regarding Atheist vs Theist squabbles...?

Question

why are atheists so flustered with theists when they are branded by the latter as going to hell or something similar? I mean, since they don't believe in hell in the first place, why be so affected when faced with such lines of criticism? It's not like they're actually being physically disadvantaged or what. I thought atheists would be the more cool-headed and laid-back side of the great debates since theists tend to get zealous with their religion and the atheists don't believe they're affected anyway. But more often than not it's the atheists who start the squabble and do the baiting questions.

this was mainly based on my experiences like when I was just minding my own business, an atheist gay acquaintance asked me what my church thinks of homosexuality. Naturally, I answer him with what I know that the church does not approve of it, he gets into a fit and insults me because I apparently have offended him and says I am a hate-monger. I mean, I'm not pushing anything onto him in the first place, he brought the topic up, I answered honestly. he doesn't share my beliefs anyway, and now he insults me?

sorry for accidentally generalizing back there.

Answer 1

If I told you that your mother was a wh*re, would you be insulted even if she's not?

I'm insulted when someone tells me I'm going to hell, even though I know it does not exist.

Answer 2

Well, why don't people like being called pigs ? Calling someone a pig, doesn't make them a pig, right ? You can call a human being a pig all day long, but they will not lose their homo-sapien characteristics, yet people generally do not like being called names.

Same with telling someone to "drop dead". No one can kill you by uttering the phrase "drop dead", yet people generally don't like being told "drop dead".

It's BAD MANNERS !

Personally, I am an agnostic. Although it doesn't thrill me that some fantasize that I am going to hell, that's not what bothers me.

What REALLY bothers me is a small noisy handful of religious right radicals, who want to force their religion down all of our throats, using the strong arm of the law.

Things such as a former president declaring that atheists aren't citizens, the fundamentalist Christian take over of the military (the TEN YEAR battle for Wiccan to be able to have THEIR religious symbol on their graves, while Christians had SEVERAL grave markers to choose from) Federal tax money going to fundamentalist churches for the proseltyzing efforst (disguised as "social services" ) the constant efforts to get Christian prayer in public schools while allowing NO OTHER religious group to express themselves, a divorce judge who told a divorcing Wiccan couple that they could not expose their child to Wicca. (the coupe were BOTH Wiccan, and they did NOT aske the judge to stick his fat nose into their religious business) Christian prayers being used to open Senate meeting, but the SCREAMING & HOWLING from Christians when ONCE, a Hindu was allowed to do the same thing.

So basically, Christians can fantasize all they want that I will be roasting in hell. They can even put it on a billboard, or march down Main Street holding such a sign. It's called the first amendment. It might be bad manners, but I can live with that.

But when a handful of Christian Nationalists try and make their religion the law of the land (some already think it is), then you'll get an argument from me.

Answer 3

Maybe you should understand what everything is all about before making such remarks. The prospect of going to hell cannot fluster an atheist. But saying that he/she will go to hell implies that he/she IS A BAD PERSON and this would rightfully anger anyone, because morality is actually free of conviction. Else, we would have a minority of good people (believing in the controversial RIGHT religion) and a majority of bad people.

I can't imagine anybody being stupid enough to buy THAT.

Answer 4

Can't have a rational debate when there is no intelligence in the room to begin with. Y/A is not an educated, rational nor logical place for such discussions. For only children care to thumb up or down answers and/or to gain points. Imagine if such items were in a classroom today and how it would upset that said classroom.

Both sides just repeat what they hear and are taught and NEVER take the time to actually do the homework themselves. And because of that, the world is now full of lies. Just sit back and read question after question to realize how twisted and manipulated the truth has become.

The truth is there if anyone cares to look for themselves past the lies of both sides.

Answer 5

Personally, I take 'go to Hell' as another way of saying 'go away' and I'm not terribly offended by that comment. I believe that the Bible is taken way too literally by most people, misinterpreted and misunderstood. It contains beautiful metaphores that are taken to be literal statements.

You can say that the Bible is infallible, but the fact of the matter is that you can get three scholars to sit down and interpret the same passage in three different ways.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an atheist.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
William Shakespeare, "Hamlet", Act 1 scene 5

However, be correct in your use of language. Every night I think of the Greek gods who inhabit our world.

Answer 6

Atheists are more concerned with religious people trying to force their beliefs into everyone elses lives. I think it is unfair to say that atheists more often start the problem. Many religious folks have complete disregard and even hate for those who do not believe what they do.

Answer 7

Frankly, I'm no more 'offended' by Christians telling me I'm going to hell than I would be by a child telling me the bogey-man will get me.

What's appalling about it is the abysmal ignorance that underpins such a statement. That's more like a fully-grown ADULT telling you the bogey-man will get you. It's an offence against reason.

CD

Answer 8

"more often than not it's the atheists who start the squabble and do the baiting questions"

Oh? Like this one? Try doing a little research before spouting off with false generalizations.

ADDENDUM

"it gives one a feeling that you're dealing with a bunch of lunatics."

Not so much a feeling as a certainty.

Answer 9

Excellent point.
If you don't believe in God, Heaven and Hell, it shouldn't bother you at all to be told that you are hell bound.
A guess is that they are insulted. Theists do sound holier than thou when they confront and pass judgment.
Personally, I have no idea who is going to end up where. I don't know everything about a person. I could slip, badly, and be sent to hell, regardless of what came before.
C. :)!!

Answer 10

So now it's bad when someone points out the Hypocracy of another? Since when?

I see Christians always saying "well, we're just pointing out sin, not really judging (which is contradictory)" Yet when someone who isn't a Christian does it, they're squabbling? Just how did you come up with this?