HARDCORE ATHEISTS: Does it make your heart sing when you hear about a church being burned or destroyed?

Question

This question is for the most militant atheists. I mean after all, it would be one less "godly" influence in the world and you believe God doesn't exist anyways, right?

Answer 1

I'm not atheist or Christian, but it does bother me to hear about things like that. It's puzzling how somebody could be so cruel and disrespectful as to do that.

But honestly, I would laugh if Westboro Baptist Church burned down with Fred Phelps and his inbred congregation in it. That's the only exception, though.

Answer 2

Your premise is nonsense, and here's why: the building could well have been used for other worthwhile purposes by the community. In Peterboro, New York, and old church (built over a hundred sixty years ago) is now being used not only as a community center in this small rural village, it houses the newly-instituted Abolition Hall of Fame. The village board meets there and the village clerk has her offices there. At various times during the month, the municipal judge holds court there.
This is the only building available for such needs...the firehouse is entirely unsuitable and the village DPW barn certainly can't be used in this manner. It would be a serious loss to the community should this old church building be burnt or otherwise destroyed. Peterboro certainly couldn't afford to rebuild in its place.
You seem to think that we atheists are entirely lacking in civic responsibility and don't give a fu*k about our neighbors' needs. Guess what: you're full of it, bubba!

Answer 3

Some of the most beautiful architecture in the world is undoubtably the place of worship. These buildings are priceless treasures and the genii that conceived and built these masterpieces are often contemporarily unequalled. To see such craftsmanship destroyed in such an irrevocable way is heart rending.

On the other hand some of the glib red brick modern attrocities pressed out of the "MacChurch" cookie cutter can burn down in a second for all I care. And not a second too soon.

Answer 4

I'm the most hardcore atheist I know and it's painfully obvious from your question that you simply don't get it. I do have ethics. I do have morals. I am a law abiding citizen. I do not celebrate when a church is destroyed by either accident or by evil. I care deeply about my fellow human beings whose lives will be negatively impacted by the lose of their church, which I know is an important part of their lives.

There are only two significant differences between myself and yourself. You are undoubtedly a Solipsist and imagine that your subjective mental experiences are real. I am a scientist and know that only the physical realm is objectively real. You believe in a supernatural deity, which I believe is a figment of your overactive imagination. You believe your own thoughts are real and I know my thoughts are the imaginary creation of my living brain.

That's it. That's what this fight is really about. Please take your self-righteous hatred and shove it down your own damned throat.

Answer 5

I am an atheist, but I not a barbarian, so I do not like to hear about any building being burned. Believers will just build another one anyhow, so that does not have any real effect. It is some believers who want to burn people as well as buildings. Need I mention Catholic Queen Bloody Mary of England burning Protestants in groups of 6 in the 1550's; the Spanish Inquisition with years of tortures and burning of so-called heretics; the Salem witch trials in the USA; etc.?

Answer 6

Though you may refuse to acknowledge it, many wars in history have been sparked by differences in religious believes. I can't speak for all atheists, but one major flaw in religions is that it promotes exclusivity and hostility against those who follow a different religion.

Though we sure hope that everyone would understand that God is no more than an unproven concept, most of us do not go as far as wishing death upon Christians. I am a hardcore atheist, but I would not rule out that there are some extremist Atheists out there though who would think otherwise.

Many of my atheist friends and myself are pacifists.

Answer 7

I don't think any Atheists are happy when Churches are burned or destroyed.

I think that's more along the lines of militant extremists of other religions.

I don't know if you've met one, but Atheists generally aren't militant, as by a wide margin they're more intelligent. Part of being intelligent is not condoning senseless violence for no reason.

Answer 8

There is nothing to be gleeful about when fires occur. The possible loss of life, the damage to property.

As much as I disagree with religion, I respect people's right to worship, and will defend their right to do so.

There is a difference between debating religion vigorously and and using force and violence to stop people with varying viewpoints. The latter is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.

I believe that one day superstition won't rule the minds and lives of people, maybe not in my lifetime, but it will happen. I just don't think that violence is a means to an end. It will occur naturally.

Answer 9

Why are you so afraid of atheists? Why are you so ignorant of what atheism is?

They simply do not beleive in a God - any god - not just yours.

They can follow any religion or spiritual life they wish that does not have a god.

Why would someone who does not beleive something exists want to do anything about it?

Sadly Christians see all non followers of their religion as atheists and something to be feared - that says their faith is so weak and that they have nothing to do with the loving, forgiving God of real Christians!!!!

Interestingly your sort of question makes Richard Dawkins points for him!!!!

Answer 10

Churches don't make people believe in God, they make people believe in the "therefores" attached to their God.
God exists, therefore homosexuals are immoral.
God exists, therefore we need to bomb the Hell out of countries we can't locate on a map.
God exists, therefore abortion is murder.
God exists, therefore you have to put 10% of your earnings in this plate.

Even if the building burns down, the "therefores" will still be taught. "Therefores" are much more dangerous than the belief in God.

I'm saddened when a church is burned down because, as the first poster said, it's due to religious conflict. It's because people take the "therefores" too seriously.