Atheists, why do you feel so threatened by religion?

Question

If religion is all imaginary as you claim, why does the natural instinct of attacking a threat kick in? Are you afraid deep down that you are wrong and will pay a price for your disbelief?

Answer 1

I don't BELIEVE you'll get an honest answer.

Answer 2

I'm not attacking but rather I am defending.What I am afraid of is that you people will get control of the government and use it to make life miserable for non believers and people of other faiths. How is that hard for you to understand. Deep down I know there is no god of any kind. I don't believe in Greek gods,Roman gods,Indian gods,African gods,Eygptian gods,and that includes goddesses too. I believe in one less god than you do. That will not change. When I die I will still feel the same way about it. You one the other hand cannot prove that I will pay for my disbelief or that you will be rewarded for your belief. That's all it amounts to, you're afraid of what will happen when you die and I'm not. Isn't that amazing?

edit:It seems that I'm not the only one who is afraid you peopel will get control Almost every answer to your question says the same thing. Something for you and the rest of the religious community to think about.

Answer 3

It's quite the opposite, really. When ever I get into a discussion with a Christian over religion, I always ask them why they are Christians. They almost never know. They'll say stuff like, "Because I just am." or "Because the bible is god's word." and all this crazy stuff. But when they ask me the same question, I'll give them a fairly in depth answer with clear, concise reasoning in it and I think it scares them. I think it scares them that most atheists are actually fairly educated in the Bible and "god's word" and they know nothing about what we believe (which sometimes differs from person to person) But anyway, they are usually quick to say that they feel sorry and pity me because when "judgement day" comes, I won't be saved and I tell them that any god that tells his people not to judge others, yet had a "judgement day" where he decides , ergo, "judges" whether a person should be accepted into heaven or not doesn't sound all to appeasing to me.

Answer 4

1. People tell me I'm a horrible person for not believing in god. Oddly enough no one thinks I'm a horrible person for not believing in unicorns or elfs or the Loch Ness Monster.

2. If you think you have another life in some Disneyland in the sky you're going to waste this one.

3. I'm greatly interested in life and death, but I think scientifically and independently about it. Religion tries to fill my head with all sorts of crap related to both life and death.

4. Religion causes people to make sub-optimum decisions. For example, a truly religous person would pray instead of dialing 9-1-1 when someone has a heart attack.

5. Like everyone with a scientific mindset, I am interested in the universe I live in. Religion reduces this universe to nothing special.

6. Religion, as we know it, is the worship of humanity. If there is a god, I think he prefers atheists because they know humans aren't the hot s--t religous people think they are.

7. Religion steals from humanity. For example, at many funerals people spend more time praising Jesus than remembering the deceased.

That's a good general outline but I could probably come up with more.

Answer 5

Because the mass media gives loonie-fringe fundies a lot of publicity,providing them with an exagerated stature,what to speak of their frequently highly disturbing public statements. To go by tv,they seem to be a much larger group than they are. Plus,they have an awful lot of money from somewhere since they became rabid zionists in the Reagan era. I don't find that atheists are threatened by the catholic Church ( although they dislike it's stance on abortion and birth control),and they take a sanguinary view of mainstream Protestants,who are for the most part quite progressive. But the fundie-phenonemena can seem very threatening - to anyone who isn't nuts.

Answer 6

I don't feel threatened at all. If anything religion should fear Atheists because a good amount of us can prove the fallacies and contradictions of the bible or of the other religious texts and ideologies. Whenever I talk to really religious people about their religion and belief in god they turn out to be the ones yelling and/or name calling..

If you wish to email me to discuss something about religion then email [e-mail]

Answer 7

I don't fear your religion nor any religion nor am I afraid of the threats some christians like to dangle with their supposed judgment day.

Religion has its place - in private homes and in churches and not in secular government where it affects anyone who does not believe in that particular religion. So long as you are willing to not make non-christians live by your theology I'm good.

Answer 8

Feels no threat from religion at all. I am humored and entertained watching the human sheep be herded into the greatest con ever played upon the world.

Answer 9

The only threat I feel from religion is the very real threat of religious beliefs being legislated into law. If another religion tried to force its beliefs on you by way of the law, you'd feel somewhat threatened too, no?

Answer 10

If the preferential treatment it got from the government was imaginary then I wouldn't. I'm afraid not so deep down of the absolute fact that so many seem to want my country to be a theocracy.

Answer 11

Well, there have been some unfortunate burnings at the stake, but it's been a while. Then again, you never know.

I am not anti-religious. I wish you well, and am happy when people find something that helps them get by.

There may be a better way, and I'd be happy to share it with you, but that's up to you. Either way, be well.