Do atheists reject all religions as a whole, or do they just hate Christianity?

Question

I don't often hear athiests criticize Islam or Judaism, but it seems they have lots to say about Christianity.

Answer 1

Only Christians are so disrespectful as to try to destroy others' beliefs and to push theirs onto people who aren't interested. Muslims, Jews, and other non-Christians don't generally make themselves a nuisance - they tend to mind their own spiritual business.

Answer 2

You haven't read many prominent atheist then, you will find no exemption for Islam or Judaism in the books written by Christopher Hutchins, Sam Harris or Richard Dawkins, three of the most prominent atheist authors.

I don't really feel that I hate Christianity or any Religion so long as people keep it to themselves

--A great example of this is gay marriage, if you don't believe gay marriage is a moral thing to do--then don't get a gay marriage! If you are right and non-believers are wrong you'll be rewarded and the heathens will be punished, it doesn't really require your butting your nose in at all.

But when Christians or Muslims say that we should pass laws to deny equal rights to certain members of society they are initiating an agressive form of opression and are acting to dehumanize some of their fellow men and women. It is that kind of agression and bigotry I think that provokes an angry reaction from me and I think many other atheists.

I really disagree with Way that atheism is relatively new, there have been smart, critical thinking people who have refused to be hoodwinked throughout history.

Answer 3

Most Atheists at this point in time, were born in Christian-dominated countries, most Athiests peers are christians, their main exposure is too christianity. When I hear that the Iranians stone their women for Adultery, i think 'those bastards' but it doesn't reflect on me. I have no tolerance for it, but I do not identify a kinship with them, i recognise that i live a world away from them. If i was born in Iran, I would very likely feel differently, but an Iranian atheist would have a life expectancy very close to a mosquito.

Atheism is still pretty new, and we can only exist in tolerant environments, religion has not traditionally made tolerant environments, this is why we exist in tolerant democracys founded on french-enlightenment values- where we are allowed to learn without every book we were trying to read getting burnt out from under us.

I don't have to criticise Islam too you, do I? you already know what's wrong with it, you just aren't matching up the same logic when you look at your own faith. You have had the same access to education as I have, you have had every opportunity to look at the same book i did, and read it independently and work it that it's largely outmoded, hateful, illogical crap that breeds intolerance and a lack of empathy. That is why i am criticising you first, not them.

Answer 4

Atheists don't believe in god, it has nothing to do with religion. The Atheist protest comes from the behavior of religious followers.

The Christians spend their lives making others miserable because they think everyone should worship as they do and they will (and have in the past) do anything to make that happen.

The Muslims and Jewish don't do that (though the Muslims are only slightly better in their behavior than the Christians) so most Atheists don't have a problem with them.

Its not the religion thats the problem, its the followers. The religion is just a thing and can't do anything on its own. The followers sometimes make you want to smack them with their blindness and purposeful stupidity.

Answer 5

Oh, no no, sorry if you got that impression. I find all religions to be equally silly. Some in just different ways. Just Christianity is the one that's in my face the most. If a Muslim were to say something stupid as a Christian usually does, I'll tell them they're an idiot too. I think a lot of my disdain for Christianity also has a lot to do with the willful knowledge of being ignorant. I mean, it's really 1st class, educated Christians that piss me off. I mean, you should really know better.

Answer 6

Atheists reject religion, as they do not believe in a deity. I don't think most HATE anyone, but they are critical of those who try to push their religion on others.

Fundamentalist Christians happen to be the worst offenders in this area.
Jews never prosetelyze, and Muslims rarely.

Answer 7

Notice that "No Gods" is plural.

The reason you do not see them going after other religions is that Christianity is the biggest religion around. almost 1/3 of the population of the planet is Christian. There are more Catholics alone than there are Muslims.
The Christians in the USA and other backward countries are trying to make their religion into the law of the land again.
Christians have there itchy apocalyptic trigger fingers on the worlds largest arsenals of nuclear weapons as well as control off the strongest conventional military forces.

Answer 8

I don't think all atheists hate Christianity. I have heard them criticize Islam on some occasions and one or two with Judaism.

Answer 9

This atheist rejects all beliefs in gods. I do not hate any belief. But, for me, personally, I don't believe in any.

I do not often criticize Judiasm or Islam because they never proselytize / witness / preach at me to convert. From my experience, only Christians do that. They tell me that I am going to hell if I don't believe as they do. I think they have earned the place they have in my criticism list.

Answer 10

Religions that postulate an afterlife, heaven and hell or whatever, are particularly dangerous because such beliefs fundamentally devalue life.

It's not just homicide bombers and their families who believe that the murderer-suicides will spend eternity in paradise, or inquisitors who believed that torturing and killing suspected heretics is OK in the name of saving souls; it's anyone who tolerates suffering and injustice because everything will be better in the next life, in the Secret Magical Place that no one has ever come back from to verify. (What a wonderful fairytale with which to keep the masses in line!)

Besides that, belief systems are NOT all equally wise or foolish, or violent or pacifistic. Sam Harris points out that we don't hear about Tibetan Buddhist suicide bombers, despite Tibet having endured decades of brutal occupation.

Answer 11

You just hear the ones who became atheists from christianity. I am one who is from Islam and I assure you I criticize all religions equally.