Why are atheists so often labeled as anarchists?

Question

It seems to me that believers would be more anarchist in nature, and that for many, their belief in God is the thin string that separates them from acting on those impulses.

If it were proven today, beyond the shadow of a doubt to anyone, that there is and always has been a supreme being, I could see Christians gloating and being quite smug, while my fellow atheists graciously accept defeat. Evidence is all most of us require to believe (not worship - believe).

However, if it were proven today, beyond the shadow of a doubt to anyone, that there was, never has been, and never will be a supreme being, I could see my fellow atheists, while probably being quite smug, accepting the fact that they already believe to be true.

Believers, on the other hand, I could see wigging out. Bad. I'm talking about Watts, Reginald Denny, etc. I don't think many Christians could handle the very thought, let alone the reality of there being no god. The result? Anarchy.

Thoughts?

Answer 1

Although I could never picture our world without the Lord.....I sort of agree with you.

I know this may come across as arrogant but it needs to be said:

God is real. The notion that He may not be is impossible to me.

Answer 2

Curiously enough I was just thinking about the possibility that many who are atheist are in part anarchist.
Anarchism, in part is a resisitance to any form of government, in particular to a form of government which is viewed as coercive or oppressive.
What I have seen stated by a few, not all, is that if this is the kind of God there is then I want nothing to do with His ways.
Which is at the heart of anarchy. So while God may be proven to an atheist and they may grudgingly accept His existance, there are some who would continue to resist His rule.
I am a Christian, and an anarchist with regard to the rule of sin in my life. I chose to throw off that rule and accept and love God being the governing rule in my life. It is absolutely inconcievable to me that God does not exist.
I do not come to the same conclusion as you though.

Answer 3

You raise an excellent point that I see at least one Christian here agrees with. That is why I think that many Christians treat their relationship with God as a hope for reward and a security blanket, like a psychological compensation for being afraid of being alone in the world, of dying alone, etc. God becomes a coping mechanism and a dependency, rather than a healthy relationship. It would be like a child losing a parent, a drunk being denied another bottle, a shopaholic running out of money and the like. The pattern of thought seems similar in the most vehement of believers, the ones who are the most vocal about it.

Your question does seem to reinforce the idea that those who lean on God and depend upon His influence to run their lives are merely using a surrogate to shield them from life and death, and most important, from being alone.

Atheists, on the other hand, I cannot see accepting a revealed God AS God but rather as a highly evolved being worthy of study. I can see them treating a revealed God as an intelligent life form from another planet, but that life form had better produce some pretty good evidence that he/she/it was responsible for Earth and all the life on it!

Answer 4

This is true, I have seen so-calls believers to bahave like unbelievers. Equally true, I have witness believers who were being mocked and treated badly simply becuase of what they believe, by the unbelievers.

Before you read further on, you may disagree with me. So for unbelievers, I am a Christian and I therefore speak from the Bilbical perspective. In other words, this is what the Bible taught. But I am just giving you the reason of your unpleasant experiences.

Many claim to be a Christian are in fact not a Christian. They just know their God intellectually but their nature are not converted. Christianity is about conversion (of one's nature and therefore their life), not just intellectual belief. When you argue with them and interfere with what they believe, they will, sometimes, naturely, flare up. This is becuase, like others, their nature is not converted and is no difference than any other two persons who argue because of differences of opinions. Consequently, that has caused a lot of stumbling blocks to the people.

Strip away a person's mental concept of believing (or not believing God), you have the same human nature. Yes, no one is superior than the other. In Bible, this nature is sinful and need to be converted (salvation).

Christian is not a label tag that you can wear but unfortunately many do so. Christianity is about the Life of God in the person - and not just a religion or ritual.

And becuase is no longer one's life, but rather God's life in the person, therefore I don't believe forceful conversion and there is no point of argument with other people who don't believe.

Again, I emphasise that I speak from the Biblical perspective.

Answer 5

I think the label "anarchist" was given by the dominant religious community, to outcast people of another or no belief. and I agree that only religion brings forth anarchy. all orthodox suicide bombers prove that.

as for myself, I love the philosophic saying "Gods love believers and atheists. Only the agnostics are a problem to them!"
If you're interested in its background read terry Pratchett's Small Gods.

Answer 6

you're rejecting the perspectives of Christianity, it really is tremendous, yet atheism isn't in basic terms non-Christian, or anti-Christian. Atheism is the stance that no deities exist. in any respect. that isn't any longer that the deities of the human religions do not exist, that is that the very idea of a deity itself isn't actual. properly, who says if a deity exists that it would want to have created the universe for the great thing about human beings? Who says if a deity exists that it would want to have created human beings, or also be attentive to human beings in any respect? Who says if a deity exists that it would want to respond to prayer, or perhaps listen it? Who says if a deity exists that an afterlife might want to even ought to exist? The atheist stance *is* boastful, because it proclaims something that one won't be able to likely comprehend, nor instruct. and intensely frequently, their record for outlining a "deity" comes promptly from one or more suitable human religions. no longer something says that if a deity exists that it ought to fall in accordance to how human beings have chosen to interpret it. So no longer in basic terms is the atheist stance boastful, even though it also highlights in basic terms how slender the fellow's idea procedure should be.

Answer 7

multisyllabic words confuse people. And both start with "a." You guys are just askin' for it.

In all seriousness, though, we all (atheists and other rejecters of dogma) constantly assert that religion was invented to controll the masses. Maybe it actually is needed for that purpose? I mean, if all the people who truly believe that a belief in God is necessary to keep them from raping and killing etc., maybe there really is a very big need for religion.

Answer 8

Probably because those said Christians, like most people, are ignorant of the real meaning of the word "anarchy", but I'll let that slide for now ;-)

Christians apparently have "God's Law" to guide them, and see the moral views of atheists to be created by man and therefore inferior.
I personally think that the Humanist ethics that most atheists follow are vastly superior to the laws of Christianity, as they have been shaped by hundreds of years of development and debate, rather than being followed blindly.

Answer 9

As a teenager and through my 20's, I was very much an Anarchist. But I am all better now. Kind of.

Atheist.

Answer 10

Hello Deke.. :)

It is ones actions, not ones thoughts..that makes one an anarchist..(It does matter the persons thoughts or beliefs, whether they be Christian, Atheist..etc..)..

If they put those thoughts into action, that hurts another person..or promotes hate and anger..than they are considered an anarchist..

My Lord says we are to ~Love~ one another..as I have ~Loved~ you..Do not repay evil for evil..but rather give place to wrath..Repay with ~Love~


In Jesus Most Precious Name..
With ~Love~ your "Friend" In Christ.. :)

Answer 11

I know. I'm an atheist and I'm a libertarian. We're not quite anarchists.