Why do some have this superiority complex to think they must be far smarter to not believe? Question after question seems arrogant, and superior. I know some Christians give off the same, but I'll politely debate anyone, just don't be so naive to think we take our belief in God on some whim, or as a replacement for having no better answer. Can you at least admit you have no better solution for the orgin of all things, therefore there is, at least, a possiblity of God? That admission doesn't mean you have to change from being atheist, it just means you agree that there are things science doesn't explain, therefore God is as sane an answer as any other possibility. Interested in your thoughts, appreciate well thought out answers only please...
2007-10-25 07:52:26 · 54 answers · asked by Scott B 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Labgirl: don't base a belief on the people, but on who we believe in. Generalize much?
2007-10-25 07:58:59 · update #1
Robin: Good point, I'll email you.
2007-10-25 08:00:02 · update #2
ZC: That's a lot of big talk and some nickel terms, but you still have no answer for the orgin of things. We cannot comprehend a beginning... ie... what cause the "big bang"? Who created abiogenesis? In other words how does something start out of nothing. There must be something there we can't comprehend, you can't make a logic argument out of it no matter how much you flaunt your intellegence. We still end up at the same place.
2007-10-25 08:03:04 · update #3
Chippy: That is the whole ever-lovin' point. It goes both ways.
2007-10-25 08:04:13 · update #4
Geisha: I believe it's spelled tolerant, are you sure you want to wage that argument, I am appealing to your intellect (or those of the atheisit) I'm not ridiculing it.
2007-10-25 08:05:25 · update #5
dr. shmitty: it seems the religious or non-religious can answer these questions. Which, again is my point.
2007-10-25 08:07:15 · update #6
Low Rain: Exactly, so you agree being atheist isn't really logical.
2007-10-25 08:08:22 · update #7
You are absolutely correct. Whether a person believes or doesn't believe in God is not an accurate litmus test to determine one's intelligence. Not at all. I have read dumb answers from believers and I've read idiotic answers from atheists as well.
2007-10-25 07:57:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
I don't understand either. As a Christian, it hurts when so many aethiets write me off as a religous twit that don't know nothin'. And they make such generalizations, at least the ones I've seen. And they say that we've proved hypotheses right, when you can't do that. (You can only prove them wrong, according to the 'rules' of science.) And the Christians I know anyway, some believe that God used evolution, some believe he didn't, and I don't think it matters. In my opinion, I think the big bang theory is ridiculous, that all of sudden, everything blew up and magically formed a perfect world for us to live on after a few billion years. That isn't logical, but scientists refuse to admit that they have no real idea. But, hey, I'll be the first to say that not all Aethiests are rude. My best friend doesn't share my belief in God, but she completely respects that I do, and will listen if I need to bounce a biblical idea off of her. Maybe if some of these 'uber-tolerant' people would practice what they preach, Christians wouldn't be so hounded. =)
2007-10-25 08:14:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I, too, enjoy a polite debate and have had some with a few atheists on this site (ZC VT& Leviathan are a couple) Others do get angry and start the name calling. I don't know if they do that because they get frustrated, or because they feel superior. I do know that name calling never makes anyone look superior or intelligent. It makes you look like you have run out of arguments or points to support your case. We (everyone on this site) also need remember that when we read an answer, we can sometimes put a tone to it that the writer never intended. I can read "Because God doesn't exist and I don't believe in pink unicorns either." as a statement or as an insult to my God. Just like they can read "Because Jesus is the only way to heaven." as a statement of belief or as a condemnation to all that don't believe.
2007-10-25 08:08:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's a fair question.
I guess many of the answers we provide seem arrogant because they point to a requirement of evidence for belief?
The admission that there could be a God, DOES mean that I would have to give up on Atheism, and adopt Agnosticism. That's just a definition thing.
I believe we all agree that there are some things that Science hasn't answered yet. However, we also point to the results of scientific study vs. religious reliance as proof that scientific study is more beneficial for mankind.
2007-10-25 07:58:53 · answer #4 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scott.... The unfortunate fact is that people in high exposure jobs whom are Christians have a hard time hanging onto their Faith because they need to conform to the New Age idea's of their business associates....either that or leave for something else, which is viewed as "defeat" by their peers.
Those whom are of average job positions, due so out of similar social situations and with near responses.
What people need to consider a bit more than they do, is that, it often takes more strength to walk away then to remain.
It is rather funny to hear how Christians are mindless lemmings following an unknown deity....
However, to be fair, there are many people whom call themselves Christians that have conformed too.... for many of the same reasons that non-believers have.
I have actually met very few True Believers whom had what society deems a low intelligence....the strongest seems to be those whom have questioned everything and explored many avenues of thought, research, study, and experiences, before a total commitment was made. :)
***There's a fine line between love and hate...and belief and non-belief.... People expect a God to be MORE than what they have heard and read that our God is......but, "something" stops them from discovering what True Believers have found to be truth for fear of being "sucked into mindless oblivion" and losing THEMSELVES.... the ONLY thing that can NOT be disputed.....
Personally, that is understandable....very much so....but does not make their stand look very courageous or solid to those of us whom HAVE ventured into the unknown.... just sadness.
People can not really KNOW one another completely just by reading what they say or what people say about them.... Neither can God be known that way. To "know" is to have one or the other become humble enough to let people SEE what they are really like...God and Jesus let US see in the Bible what they and their followers were like....good and bad... the Bible doesn't state that all of God's "children" have never done wrong.... even Peter denied Jesus 3 times though He was committed to, and loved, Jesus and God. The Bible is our INTRODUCTION to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.... the rest is something we have to do ourselves... letting go of our fear of losing SELF is one HUGE step! We do not deny that. It is something that can NOT be denied... and neither does the Bible deny that. Look closely in the OT and NT....
True Believers do not "fear" science..... and believe me, we all had expected our God to be MORE too.... However, we have lost the fear and found the God we expected, and MORE! :)
2007-10-25 08:30:08 · answer #5 · answered by ForeverSet 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Although Im an athiest, i live in an insanely religious community, and many people around here think that they own the world just because they believe in God. I gave a presentation about global warming as a class project one time, and this guy comes up and says were not supposed to do anything about it because in a way it will bring the apocalypse and, in a way, closer to God.
Of course I couldnt say much because I would be considered an heritic by our wonderful community. Of course this is the kind of crap i have to put up with daily, and its the whole reason i became an athiest in the first place.
2007-10-25 08:05:36 · answer #6 · answered by geetar 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The main problem I have here, is that you say Christians typically tolerate us Atheists, when this (at least in this place) seems to be very inaccurate - I see question after question just telling me I'm going to Hell, many saying (in not so eloquent terms) that I'm a subhuman monster just because I don't believe in God. I try my damned best not to come of as superior, in fact, much of my family and many of my friends are very religious - They know I disagree with them (and likewise, I am open to polite debate with anyone who can be just that, polite) and I won't mix words when saying so - we can agree to disagree, and have a "fun" debate even from time to time. And as an Atheist, yes I have, and will yet again affirm, there are things Science does not explain..Yet, I have confidence that they will, in relatively recent times we've gone from not comprehending gravity -- A simple concept, to being able to use DNA to prove innocence or guilt in a murder trial - Science advances a lot over time, whereas I religion doesn't seem to as much, even when confronted with facts countering a belief, this scenario has played itself out time after time throughout history.
I value sincere questions about my beliefs, but I get sick of "fire and brimstone" all the time.
2007-10-25 08:04:58 · answer #7 · answered by Ethernaut 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As an atheist, I must admit I believe I have better judgement than those who choose to follow some ancient texts based on even ancient myths, and blindly accept religious teachings. I do understand it is a social and mental issue, the need to fit in and the need to have a sense of belonging and fervently believe in something. But after a very religous upbringing and being a devout christian I finally, in my own words, woke up and realized it was all a big myth and waste of the precious time we do have while we are alive. Unfortunately if that makes me arrogant, can't help it. I believe what I believe, you believe what you choose. Everyone is entitled to his opinion. I usually do not respond to religious questions on Answers except when there are negative comments, such as yours, towards atheists. I do agree with you to some point, that some are overly arrogant and rude and crude, but that is the few, not the many. The rest of us are fine with religious people having their "faith" no matter what deity they worship- catholic, christian, jew, muslim, buddhist, whatever as long as our own rights to make up our own minds are not infringed, or we are not persecuted for not believing as someone thinks we should.
2007-10-25 08:03:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
no one is saying they are smarter for being an atheist, at least I'm not. Some might, but just cause the question might have been stupid or ridiculous or they just want to goad people.
"Can you at least admit you have no better solution for the orgin of all things, therefore there is, at least, a possiblity of God? That admission doesn't mean you have to change from being atheist, it just means you agree that there are things science doesn't explain, therefore God is as sane an answer as any other possibility."
And no, that would make you an agnostic.
exactly what? I don't see how being an atheist is anymore logical than being a christian.
2007-10-25 07:57:37 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
You're going to get a lot of answers that still smack of a "holier-than-thou" (pardon the pun) attitude. It's like a person who speaks Russian trying to have a conversation with someone who speaks Mandarin...It's not going to work and you're not going to get a polite or receptive answer from anyone. They're going to talk about how most Christians are stupid and cite examples or pose you with a challenge to explain this or that via God when God isn't really an explanation of how but and explanation of why.
The best we can do is be honest and polite and open to new ideas, even if many others (both Christians and atheists) aren't.
2007-10-25 08:03:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Science has several theories that do not require a God. So I don't have to admit that there's no better answer. As a skeptic, I'm more willing to take science at its word than religion. Is science always right? No, but eventually if it is wrong, it is discredited. When anything in a religion is proved wrong, many believers don't adjust their beliefs accordingly, they just stick their heads in the sand and pretend it doesn't exist.
Is there a possibility that there is a God? Sure. What I don't believe is that, if said God exists, He/She/It didn't set up some kind of morality system for us to live by, because most of the morals we're supposed to be following kind of set God up to be cruel, not kind. If there is a God, I expect that we're not even worth His/Her/Its notice. Cheers!
2007-10-25 08:00:35 · answer #11 · answered by average person Violated 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋