For athiests: why hate towards just Christians? Clarify please?

Question

So I've had this observation lately and I just was hoping for some clarification.

It seems that many athiests don't just simply not believe in God or any other higher power, but often go out of their way to attack Christians and our beliefs (notice I didn't say ALL athiests do this.)

But I don't think I've ever heard an athiest attack a Jew, a Muslim, a Buddhist, or any other religious belief and call them stupid or ignorant for their beliefs.

Why is this? They believe in a God/higher power, too, so if you think Christians are stupid for what we believe, why don't you feel the same way towards them?

I just hate that if you say something against Jewish beliefs, you're "anti semitic" but if you attack a Christian that seems to be fair game.

And yes, I'm aware that many over zealous "Christians" give our faith a bad name, but there are just as many of us who practice the basics of our faith: love and forgiveness. So why so much hate?

Respectful answers only please.

Also I want to clarify that, while there are many Christians who give a negative image of Christianity, many of those people are not actually living by the principles set forth by our faith (which are love and forgiveness, in short).

When you attack those Christians (who, I agree, the the ones who are most visible), you assume that we are all that way. We're not. When people bash me for my Christian faith, they don't realize that I'm not one of those "you're going to hell" or "you need to believe what I believe" types. My faith is the center of my life, but I do not push it on anyone.

This is why I get upset at the lack of respect I get

Answer 1

I copied this from another person's answer last night to a similiar question. I'll look for the web sites people have referenced as to why christianity gets bashed soo much. Most Atheists are as familiar with this religion as the people who still follow it. If you really want a thorough answer to your question read some books by atheists like Dawkins, Hitchens, or Harris. There are some very valid reasons to bash this religion. There aren't enough jews to really be of as much of a threat as christians and muslims. I usually lump all of the Abrahamic religions into one when I discuss them.

I have a problem with any religion that tries to have laws made (that *I* have to live by) that are based solely on their religious beliefs.
I have a problem with people trying to deny people basic human rights based on their religious beliefs.
I have a problem with a president telling the government of a foreign country that "God" *told* him to invade Iraq.
I have a problem with scientific advancement being held up due to someone else's religious beliefs.
I have a problem with scientific education being disrupted by people who are trying to have their religious dogma included in our children's science classes.
I have a problem with people trying to convince our children that dinosaurs and humans lived at the same time, despite the fact that they have NO evidence to show that, and in fact, ALL the evidence shows that that is completely untrue.
I have a problem with the fact that our government spends over $100 million ANNUALLY on abstinence-only related education programs for our kids, (based on pressure from the religious) despite the fact that they have been proven a dismal failure, over teaching how to effectively protect themselves from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in ways other than as WELL as including abstinence.
I have a problem when people stand outside of a fallen soldiers funeral holding signs that say "Thank God for Dead Soldiers".
I have a problem with anything that causes an entire group of people to fly into a homicidal rage so severe and irrational that it can actually make people call for someone's death simply over what they named a teddy bear. NOTHING ELSE on this PLANET except religion can cause something like that.

What I have a problem with is when someone else's irrational beliefs affect my life. If the religious just kept their beliefs to themselves, then I'd have no problem.

Answer 2

I don't hate xians, I'm just not overly keen on what xianity stands for. Which isn't always what YOU think it stands for

This is an often asked question you know a simple search would have sufficed. I also don't get why it's such a big mystery

Most people on the net are from the US or Europe which are both heavily xianised countries
Most atheists are from those countries

The muslims don't fare to well either though.

We're not keen on religions that think they have a right to force us to follow their beliefs

Take chiefred for example - when you read his answer can you understand why there might be an issue with some xians?

Answer 3

I don't hate Christians as people. I know a lot of Christians, and they're just trying to get along like the rest of us. What I hate is the efforts by some Christians to turn my free society into a Christian version of Iran, where faith is enforced by law. What I hate is their efforts to have their storybook codified into the law of the land. What I hate is their efforts to have their biblical fantasies taught as science in my publicly-funded schools. What I hate is their contempt for knowledge, and their discounting of almost all science. I do find it comically ironic, however, that they spend their time on here denouncing science while using computers and the Internet, both of which are products of science. What I hate is the rampant hypocrisy of religion. A lot of folks on here say "the Old Testament doesn't matter," but then they turn around and quote Leviticus when they need to hate gays. What I hate is how they foam at the mouth about abortion, but also campaign against comprehensive sex education which would teach people how to avoid unwanted pregnancies. What I hate is their self-appointed title of "pro-life," while doing nothing to improve the lives of the babies and children who are already here. What I hate is their self-indulgent worship of the fetus. But as people? Most Christians are OK, as long as they keep their mythology to themselves. Certain powerful people have been pushing their Christian agenda hard over the last two decades, and now some of us are pushing back. That's not "hate," it's patriotism. We're trying to save our country from religious tyranny.

Answer 4

Personally, I'm an equal opportunity offender. I recently wrote and had published a letter in our local paper:

First, I've decided to buy a pet rat and name it Mohammed. I'll feed it to my cat, and e-mail the video to the government in Sudan, just to show them what I think of their prophet.

Second, I'd like everyone to imagine I named the rat Jesus instead, and see if their reaction - or their neighbors' - would be a whole lot different than the fanatics in Sudan.

Finally, I'd like everyone to note that the primary difference between our country and the Sudan is that religion, despite continual attempts by zealots here, is still kept somewhat separated from our government. I don't want to live in a country where insulting a prophet, or a god, or any religious figure or icon or whatever, is subject to laws. Freedom requires that the right to offend others is honored. We all should remember that next time we think censorship might not be so bad.
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So as you can see, I don't spare any religion. However, as you noted, in this country it's pretty rare for an Islamic to press for laws requiring special treatment, or encroaching on government, nor do Jews bomb clinics or shoot at doctors in our country. The reality is that what you consider the "basics" of your faith are relatively recent developments, mostly forced on the churches by secular society. Christianity's history is faith by force; secular society has made churches sell instead of demand. Given the power, I have no doubt that the Catholic Church would again engage in Inquisitions or Crusades - and other sects would be equally bloodthirsty.

Answer 5

You see, christians have this bizarre persecution complex. Not all christians, but most of the ones complaining like this. They see any question as an attack, and anyone who doubts their preferred myth as hateful servants of the devil (despite the fact that these people don't believe in the devil either). But when they attack anyone who doubts their faith, they don't perceive any moral problem with that. They literally don't see what they're doing. Look around just on YA, open your eyes and see your brethren not only attacking atheists, but Muslims, Pagans, even competing Christian sects!

Frequently, "christians" see attacks that aren't there, due to the aforementioned persecution complex. They also make unprovoked attacks on atheists, and don't notice this due to their lack of introspection. When any non-christian responds to such attacks, the response is perceived as another attack (and the self-proclaimed "christian" forgets his own actions that provoked that response).

We do not call you stupid or ignorant for your beliefs. We call you stupid or ignorant because you ACT stupid or ignorant.

Quite simply, you bring it on yourselves.

Why doesn't this happen with Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists? First of all, there are fewer of those groups in Western societies, and they tend to keep to themselves. There is no indication that Jews or Buddhists have any desire to hijack the US government for their own ends, nor for that matter any Muslims but the more extreme radicals. And even if these groups had such desires, they don't have the numbers to put their plans into action. The pseudo-christian right, however, has been trying for decades to codify their beliefs into law, sometimes with frightening success. Yet the same people who enjoy so many opportunities to abuse government power whine that they are being persecuted because their power is not absolute.

You believe that atheists hate christians, because you project your own hatred of the "other" onto them. Often, they are merely defending themselves from attacks by you and your brethren. Other times, they point out that you are acting like whiny children, ignoring obvious facts, or exhibiting other undesirable traits that you don't like to have pointed out. You do not perceive such hatred directed towards other religions because those other religions do not spend nearly as much time attacking atheists.

If you want respect, try showing a little respect. Coming right out of the gate accusing people you don't know of hating you without the slightest shred of evidence isn't very respectful. There's that lack of introspection again.

(above, I often use "you" in the collective sense. Maybe Ya'll should become more acceptable grammar, English needs a plural you to avoid confusion like this)

chief, it simply is NOT a fact that the USA was founded on christian principles. I'm sure you'll maintain that delusion until the day you die, no matter how much evidence contradicts it, but it just isn't true. Read the first damn thing about the founding fathers' religious beliefs. Many were deists, if not outright atheists. Read about Thomas Jefferson's denouncing of priests, and Thomas Paine's scathing dissection of the bible. Read the Treaty of Tripoli, which explicitly states that the US was NOT founded on the christian religion. The myth of a "christian nation" is just that, a myth. It's not true. How do you found a nation on christian principles without mentioning christianity EVEN ONCE in ANY of the founding documents? I've never seen any of your ilk even TRY to answer that.

Answer 6

Hate is an awfully strong word. Personally, I don't "hate" anyone. If you would care to observe Y!A for awhile, you'd notice that many Christians "attack" atheist beliefs as much as, if not more than, atheists "hate on" Christians. I have seen people dissing Islam (and Muslims dissing back), don't think I've ever seen a Buddhist "hate on" anyone.

Christians tend to be the loudest, most outspoken, most holier-than-thou and hypocritical of the bunch; their arrogant and self-righteous behavior toward others is what draws the "attacks." Like someone else said, if they word their questions a certain way, people are going to "attack." A lot of Christians, though, seem incapable of asking a question without "reminding" us that we're damned in their eyes.

It's not the belief in God that gets "attacked" - it's the behavior of the people doing the believing.

Answer 7

First of all ,I attack the beliefs and the religious institutions . I do not attack the Christians unless they attack me .
Second of all I do very much attack the just as idiotic beliefs of the Muslims who are just as hateful and vile as the Christians used to be during the Inquisitions . I ( and maybe others here ) tend not to attack the Jewish beliefs because they believe in the same OT as the Christians so it would be redundant . And because Jews do not generally try to convert "non-believers" and force their religion on society . I tend not to attack Hinduism because not too many Hindus post here , and it is generally a peaceful religion which does not force itself upon others . Also it is a very "silly" type of religion to those of us in the West . Buhdism really isn't so much a religion as a process . Scientology is idiotic , so much that they don't dare post here . And for all the other religions (like the brainwashed Moonies) I would be glad to "Attack Them in Debate" but once again they don't post here .
I don't hate people because of their religion . Most of my family is Christian . I do hate people who use a religious belief to carry out vile acts such as the murder of innocents on "9-11" .

EDIT for chiefred ( below ) How F'n ignorant !

Answer 8

Christianity is what we are familiar with.
Many Atheists once were Christians.

Some atheists have something personal against Christianity or religion.

Christianity has given an unfair bad rap to atheists.
Once I told a Christian friend that I'm an atheists, and she got really uncomfortable. I asked if there was a problem, and she responded, "I'm sorry, but we learned about atheism in church last month, and I just can't be friends with someone who worships the devil."

On top of that, Christianity is a political juggernaut that continuously tries to fuse the gap between church and state.

Why is "Under God" in the pledge of allegiance...because of Christians trying to ignore the 1st amendment.

Some atheists don't hate Christians, but they realize that Christians are political enemies trying to debase part of the foundation of the constitution.

Christians beliefs have put stem cell research on hold (thanks to Bush).

Christian beliefs have made most sex ed. classes in the country be based around abstinence, instead of protection. They are not medically accurate.

So then, we single out Christians because they violate our political rights and opinions (which are based on scientific standpoint...the most accurate predictor of truth).

Answer 9

The other religions you mention are not going around making the false claim that the United States was founded on their belief system, nor are they attempting to have their beliefs taught in public schools, or institutionalized in our secular government. If you christians grow weary of atheists attacking you, stop doing those things which provoke attack.

Answer 10

I don't think I hate Christians, but since I live in the US, Christianity is the religion I have to deal with. It's Christians who are abusing the power of the government to promote their view.

I don't get on about other religions because they don't have government power. Fox News doesn't go out of their way to report on the "War on Hannuka"

If they kept their religion out of the government I wouldn't care much at all about their views, even the over zealous ones. If I don't like a church, I just drive on by. If the government is coercing my child to say "one nation under god", I can't ignore that.

One last thing, please be careful about drawing too much of a conclusion from the argument on YA. People use this as a discussion forum. People inherently come here to argue religion.