Atheism is not a club desperate for members... like Christianity is.
2007-10-14 01:46:52 · 28 answers · asked by I'm an Atheist 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
A 'before' always makes your 'after' look more impressive.
2007-10-14 01:49:54 · answer #1 · answered by Tunips 4 · 8⤊ 3⤋
LOL, Christianity is NOT a "club desperate for members."
How do you know that these people were never atheists?
I think some of the people here do it just to be "funny."
2007-10-14 09:04:41 · answer #2 · answered by batgirl2good 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because they are trying to make you identify with them, to feel some commonality with them. It can be a useful tactic in some cases, but not usually in matters of conversation. In fact, its often extremely laughable in such a case.
Everyone starts off with no beliefs, as they grow up they form their beliefs based on what they are taught and the environment they grew up in. Normally people who are atheists, in the USA at least, are so because they've given it a lot of thought and used to be religious. (This isn't so in other parts of the world as I have learned. But we Americans tend to take for granted that everyone is like us, which isn't so.) A lot of people are religious "by default", its almost automatic here because of the culture in the USA. You would be hard pressed to find an American that was raised as an atheist.
You do however have people that weren't raised overly religious and therefore when they get religious later in life call themselves ex-atheists because as children they never thought much about god or religion. Its not that these "ex-atheists" are lying per se, I think they actually believe that they are.
2007-10-14 09:04:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't agree with your thinking. Any time a person refuses to recognize the existence of God they become an atheist just like when you believe in the Bible you become a Christian. I do agree Atheism is not a club nor is Christianity. Neither belief is desperate for believers. Christians are taught to understand that they are go out into all the world and preach the gospel of God to everyone in an effort to bring them over to Christianity. This is done because God loves us and want us to love others. With our love for others we want to tell them about God's love and what they can do to show acceptance of His love and love others. We Christians are not desperate to make someone a believer of our religion and if you think that way you will have problems with getting others to listen to you. God gives us the power of choice. You in turn should let non- believers have the power of choice and tell them what you know about your God and hope that they decide to accept your faith and embrace it as you may have.
2007-10-14 09:01:57 · answer #4 · answered by ejohnjr34 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Christianity isn't a club desperate for members, just a belief system based in love. Christians may be clumsy in their efforts, but often they bother because they actually care.
Edit: Sno-Nuff sounds a bit like the Christians who say a Christian who turned atheist never was a 'true Christian'. I think the truth is that both Christians and atheists go through periods of doubt in their own belief systems. It's good to have an open mind and keep questioning. And debate between atheists and Christians should go on and not lead to hatred.
2007-10-14 08:51:08 · answer #5 · answered by Amelie 6 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Wow, do you realize you are using the same arguments Christians use, just in reverse: You can't be a former Christian, because if you had truly excepted Jesus into your heart, you could have never left Christianity.
I was atheist, but now I'm Pagan. How do I know? Because I used to not believe in a deity and now I do. It is just as plausible as a Christian becoming an atheist.
2007-10-14 09:09:06 · answer #6 · answered by Tea 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I am not going to even answer that ridiculous question, but I would like to address your stupid comment below the question. Christianity is not a club for desperate members, how dare you assume that? You must have some nerve to go around saying that. What, are you so uncomfortable with your own spirituality that you have to go around putting down others who are happy and comfortable with their spirituality.
How dare you.
2007-10-14 09:00:40 · answer #7 · answered by Curious Georgia 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
This is funny to me. I did not know either atheism or Christianity were "clubs" Why should it matter to you what a person was or claims he was? People define themselves by words and actions. No need for anyone else to challenge it.
2007-10-14 08:52:55 · answer #8 · answered by Bay 3 · 6⤊ 0⤋
The difference is perspective.
From your viewpoint, they never were atheist. From their point of view, they were not believers and now they are.
BTW - christianity is not the only alternative to atheism.
2007-10-14 09:44:03 · answer #9 · answered by Squirrley Temple 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is a group that consists of members from all walks of life. Many atheists are atheists by default, some become atheists as a result of bad treatment from religious people, others from discrediting their own religion but not other religions. Other atheists become atheists after much study and have discredited all of the deities they know of.
I believe that many "ex-atheists" who become religious were never really atheists. They choose the first, and usually only, religion they study and make it their own and preach their conversion from atheism. That is not a trait of an atheist.
For example I will use PAULO.
you couldn't explain where life came from Paulo. So which of the infinite number of gods that you studied explained it best? Or did you just go with the Christian one because it was convenient?
2007-10-14 08:52:16 · answer #10 · answered by NONAME 4 · 3⤊ 4⤋
How can we know what's in the heart of people? We must assume they were atheists.
What indicates to you that Christianity is a club, or is desperate for members?
2007-10-14 08:58:48 · answer #11 · answered by zeal4him 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋