Why are people so confused about Atheism?

Question

Ok, well I am an Atheist, and I just want to know why so many people have so many different views on what an Atheist is, what an Atheist believes in, and why so many people think that Atheists are so violent?
For example, one girl I met that didn't know I was an Atheist yet, said she thought Atheists believe that after we die we become trees. I had never heard anything like this before, and since then I've heard alot of different beliefs about Atheists that are pretty off mark. So it got me thinking, why is there so much confusion about it?

*All an Atheist is, is someone who does not believe in god.

Answer 1

Misinformation, I assume. Or a combination of misinformation and willful ignorance.

Answer 2

A lot of people just believe what they have heard from others without doing any research on it. Others make up their beliefs. I was recently told that I am gay. This woman could not understand for the life of her how anyone could be an atheist unless they were gay. I've also been told that I'm a devil worshipper, I don't really disbelieve in god I'm just crying out to him, I have no morals or family values, and the only reason I want to be an atheist is because I like to sin without consequences. Those are a lot of different beliefs from a lot of different people. But you know what they say...it's hard to educate the masses.

Answer 3

This is how I see it:
Okay, they don't need any proof to swallow what it is they believe. And yet they deny that emphatically. So therefore they are in denial about something they have no clue of; that's not scientific.

So while they are espousing Atheism, they admit to being unscientific ( ipso facto), and therefore illogical to the Methods of Science. It's obviously important to them, many are here every single day preaching it.

They attribute logic to other things perhaps, but by definition they are irrational and faithful to their beliefs of God's existence.

I would not ask for logic from a people who are by definition wandering away from the very precepts they attest to, and yet living in the conflict of their own denial.

You cannot get a rational answer from such a person whose demeanor is set so deep in denial. They will rationalize their answers; some by avoiding the question, and some by denying the charge.

This is the same as any person who while in denial react by acting accused because they feel like they are under pressure. They feel guilty. And so the reaction is rejection and rudeness, while the question remains unanswered.

I do not believe that many people are confused about Atheism, I think that they are just not able to communicate what it is that they disagree with about it.

As far as that one single person - what the girl in your example did was show you that there are people under the bell curve of average knowledge.

Answer 4

I have found that many people believe that atheists are an organized group with some sort of common doctrine, as a religion like Christianity or Islam would have. They fail to understand that atheism is not a religion, it is simply the absence of a belief in a deity. I don't know why they believe this. Ignorance, I suppose.

Answer 5

The problem with the phrase 'athiest' is its too broad, its like simply saying 'theist', or 'rock music' (the most pointless ever invented). Maybe we should start coming up with different brands of athiests - these are the ones I've noticed;

People who aren't opposed to the idea of a god (though they may object to specific examples of how this God works and its place in the universe), but cannot believe in one in the absence of solid evidence (I'd consider myself in this category)
People who have a problem more with the theistic organisations than the concept of a God, usually through bad experiences - This is more athiesm as a means of rebellion than a belief
Rabid nutters that just like pulling apart the beliefs of others in the absence of any themselves.

And, no athiests don't believe in Satan. That would be like not believing in Santa Claus while thinking Toy factories employ Elves.

Oh, and Francine, you really shouldnt put such crass and freudian statements on the internet - your latent desire to be desecrated by a heathen is embarrasing and we don't need to hear about it...

Answer 6

I believe a lot of the confusion arises because so many people feel they must portray atheists in a certain light. They insert whatever characteristics will support that perception into what they claim is the "atheist belief system". This happens to lots of groups. In the end, you can't really trust an outsider to correctly portray any group due to their bias. Interestingly, you can't necessarily trust an insider to give a portrayal free from bias either.

It all appears to be human politics, my friend.

Answer 7

I am a Christian who believes that most Atheists are normal, moral, good people. However, theres a good portion that come off as hateful and ignorant towards Christians. And yes for some reason it's only Christians they target their hatred towards, not other certain religions whose devout followers fly planes into buildings.Its sort of how the far left gives a lot of good democrats bad names.

Answer 8

People are born stupid. If they don't learn how to think or receive some sort of education, they will believe whatever perceptions happen to build up in the back of their minds over time. Occasionally I catch myself thinking something, and I wonder, where did I pick that up? Was it a valid source, or did I just put it together and assume that it was true?

Answer 9

The current structure of the United States facilitates the proliferation of information without censorship and without evidence. We need to understand that given our system's ineptitudes, flaws such as misinformation are present. It is our responsibility as citizens to inform ourselves, not have some half-assed reporter tell us how he feels or what some radical believes. We need to be accountable for what we say and offer our argument up to scrutiny. A solution is that we go to the supreme courts when senators and representative are unable to get the system right from their psuedo-intellectual failures.

Answer 10

Each atheist has his own point of view so how can a person hope to know what everybodies personal interpretation might be? Since there is no official authority.

Answer 11

It's wierd, I've never encountered it in my everyday life, but I'm starting to see evidence that the title "atheist" is starting to gain a wierd, illogical, inconsistent aura something like the aura around the word "fundamentalist" or "nazi."

And by the way, we do turn into trees. Among other things. Didn't your teacher tell you what happens to the carbon molecules in decomposing matter?