I read a study on opinions of religions. Even below paganism was atheism. People actually dislike atheism more than Satanism. I was shocked to find this out. Atheism was ranked as the worst religion in American's minds.
Here's my question, why do people hate atheists so much? I don't understand why not believing in God is such a threat.
2007-10-09 05:43:52 · 37 answers · asked by Colonel Obvious AM 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well first of all, I don't consider atheism a religion. In fact, it doesn't make sense to me to classify it as one. But okay; I suppose mainstream Christianity sees it as a threat even moreso than paganism because atheism is non-belief. And whereas belief in something is at least understood; belief in nothing is completely foreign.
Personally I welcome atheists. They keep the debate where it should be. If the existance of a Christian (or pagan, or Islamic) god goes unchallenged, then truly learning and understanding the god you (we) proclaim belief in becomes semantic. By forcing our hand to defence, we learn just how important a thing is to us. If a Christian truly understands their religion and the why they worship the Christian God; then their defence of it is simple--and the atheist attack becomes nothing more than a bit of an exercise. However, if they don't really know the *why* behind their religious beliefs, then yes it is a threat.
2007-10-09 06:06:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
I DON'T hate Atheists, actually. My girlfriend is an Atheist, and I love her more than anything, regardless of her religion or lack thereof. Being a Satanist, I'm surprised any religion rated lower than ours with all the crap we still get for what we believe. I've read on the Joy of Satan Yahoo! Group that there's been a recent upsurge in Atheism, but the people posting on that topic all had positive things to say. Heh, I guess as long as it's not Catholicism or Christianity, they're happy. I think the reason there's so much hatred towards Atheists is because the followers of Yaweh/Jehovah and most of the other followers of the Right Hand Path have always taken it incredibly personally when someone defects from their faith. Seeing as Christianity and Catholicism are two of the most popular religions these days, chances are if anyone's defecting, it's from one of those two religions, or maybe Judaism. That's my Satanic two-cents on the matter...
-Valkyri
2007-10-09 06:34:24 · answer #2 · answered by Valkyri 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree with your argument! Christians always say that you're allowed to believe what you like, even though they try to brainwash kids so much. Anyway, they say you can, so they can't exactly try to stop you from not believing in God. I'm not an Atheist personally...I'm sort of Agnostic. But I accept Atheists as equal to anyone, not lower. They chose what they wanted to believe! Also, aren't Christians meant to be forgiving and kind? Ranking people lower than yourself just because they don't believe the same thing isn't exactly nice.
2007-10-10 08:11:40 · answer #3 · answered by Little Miss FreakShow 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not completely sure. My perception of Atheism in America is that it is considered base to not believe in anything- I believe that Americans think that identity and religion go hand in hand, and I guess, being an atheist there is like having no identity at all.
This is the way I interpret it at least.
2007-10-09 08:05:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm a Christian. I don't hate atheists. Never have, and never will. If I hated atheists, then I'd be hating a lot of my close friends. I believe in God, but many people choose not to. It's a big world out there, and there's room for more than one way of looking at things. I support people's rights to believe (or not believe) whatever they wish. However, there are some believers out there who can't stand any viewpoint that goes against their own, and yes, those people might indeed be threatened by atheism (or anything else that doesn't exactly match their worldview). Just understand that they don't speak for all believers.
2007-10-09 05:50:48 · answer #5 · answered by solarius 7 · 8⤊ 1⤋
No i do no longer hate them. on the tip of the day.. people who've a faith have the comparable physique of strategies as people who're 'proud' atheists. In a manner i can understand those 'proud' atheists.. with the aid of fact those are often the persons who faith has harm. My ex boyfriend's sister, to illustrate, became passionate relating to the Bible.. and it blew her strategies plenty.. that now she is a manic depressive and tries to commit suicide each so often. subsequently i can understand my ex boyfriend and his kin being proud atheists.
2016-10-08 21:46:57 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a very interesting discussion of atheism, my point is not of actual hate of atheists, but of course on what grounds their religion exists.
atheism, as i have read is of non belief. to mark atheists a link to paganism, brings the word belief into non existence, someone once said that witchcraft and pagan people in general are all atheists, and if they have no belief in anything ,what and how could they class themselves a standing?
2007-10-10 00:40:02 · answer #7 · answered by robbie b 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Your question doesn't make sense. First you ask why do I hate atheists. Then you correct yourself and state that Atheism is hated. This leads me to believe these are two separate issues.
I personally don't hate you. I have never met you, and if I did meet you, I would't hate you. I am a Christian, this is my beliefs, not my religion. I feel bad for people who are Atheists because they don't understand the love and commitment of Jesus Christ. I am not threatened in the least by Atheism.
I am sorry that you feel like I hate you. Please believe me when I say that I do not in any way, shape, or form hate you. Jesus loved everybody, and for a Christian to state that he/she hates somebody would go against everything Jesus Christ stood for.
The Bible does not teach us to hate. If a person claims the Bible taught them to hate, then that person should re-read his/her Bible
God Bless
2007-10-09 05:58:11 · answer #8 · answered by Nobody Special 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
isn't it sad, hate,hate and more hate. that's what everyone seems to do. thought the bible is meant to bring good out of people but as you have read has done the opposite. atheists seek answers and look for more then what writing in books and parchments have to offer my only guess is this scares religious people i guess that if the bible was found to be a hoax or of a kind what do you think it would do to a lot f people.makes you think doesn't it.
2007-10-09 05:56:17 · answer #9 · answered by dragontears 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
People hate atheists because their good book tell them to, and let us not forget the jealousy part, we don't have to worry about going to hell all the time!
But..atheism is not a religion.
2007-10-09 05:56:06 · answer #10 · answered by krishnokoli 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋