Why do atheists try to convince us God isn't real?

Question

I don't usually mess around in this section, but I'm curious. I know Christians motivation for trying to convert atheists. We're trying to save their souls. Whether atheists agree or not, we have good intentions. What intentions do atheists have? Do Christians look unhappy, and atheists are trying to save us from unhappiness? I just don't see why atheists would try to convert Christians out of good intention.

I do know that if Christians are wrong, then we are all dirt when we die. If atheists are wrong, they spend an eternity burning in hell, and we spend an eternity in paradise. Doesn't sound like atheists have much to offer.

I had never heard of Pascal's wager, but I read it and the atheists wager. The atheists wager doesn't work because it assumes that an atheist will go to heaven for being a good person. That assumption is incorrect by all Judeo-Christian beliefs.

Answer 1

We offer the truth. If you find that unimportant then you are not one of the ones we are trying to reach.

Answer 2

Does a drunk look unhappy, that you would ask him to stop drinking? Getting rid of a falsehood, no matter how pleasant, is what this Atheists wants. Now, if the faithful will stay completely away from anything political (including voting), I'll let them be.

Adding Pascal's Wager at the end was a nice touch. But Christians being wrong would not necessarily mean Atheists are correct. Perhaps you'll go to a Hindu hell.

Answer 3

The burden of proof is always on the person who claims something is true and factual. There are no facts to support there being a god. When someone, anyone comes up with some empirical evidence that there is a god, I will be a believer. Until then......

I get involved in these discussions for a number of reasons. Besides the fact that it amuses me, I don't like that theists try to block science from school simply because it contradicts their holy books. I also don't care for the fact that my politicians are being selected because of their religious backgrounds. As if that is a good reason to put someone in charge.

Are these same Christians good intentioned when they tell me that I'll burn in hell? That doesn't sound like a good intent. Sounds judgmental and like they are putting their noses in the air a bit.

Your final argument is called Pascals wager. Read about that and then look up Atheists wager.

Answer 4

This is a great question. I agree with you on this. I think it's because of the conviction the atheist must feel. Their anger or bitterness towards God.

I can see from all the answers here that what I just said is correct, otherwise an atheist would not be answering questions in a section for "Religion & Spirituality". Since they do not have any religion I think it's obvious why they are in this section. It is great to see them being interested in what God has to say. Man is forever searching for the truth. And just for the record: Following after Christ & being a Christian is not a religion it is another saved life.

Answer 5

It's called common sense. That's what we have to offer. If you saw a forty year old man who honestly thought Santa was real, wouldn't you try to help him?

Pascals wager is hopelessly illogical. (Typical of most works done by believers in invisible sky gods.) One does not consciously CHOOSE what we believe. I'd love to believe that I'll spend all of eternity floating around an invisible fantastical cloud palace strumming a harp if I spend my life doing this and not doing that, but simply going through the motions of church and acting as if I believe doesn't MAKE one believe. That's utter absurdity. If this logic were true, every Christian would become atheist after a single 7th grade science class.

Answer 6

In their defense (and believe me, I don't do this very often), some few of them really do think that religion is dangerous, since they have only human history to judge by, and since, historically, the battles between different religions has been fierce and has resulted in a lot of carnage.
What they can't seem to get through their heads is that it is not God, or even the belief in God, that causes this, at all.
Wars are not about religion, religion is only a handy excuse dishonest leaders use to push their own greedy agendas unto their followers. EVERY religion has been guilty of this at some time, including Christianity, I'm sorry to say.
"If we could convince people that religion is outdated and unnecessary," the atheist thinks, "then there would be no more reason for all the war with it's attendant death and misery."
And when we see how the majority of religious leaders have abused their position and power, and the misery that has resulted, we can almost agree with them...

On the other hand, Jesus is all about peace, love, and understanding.
Ghandi made a very good point, when he said that he loved our Jesus...but he wasn't too crazy about Christians.
Now, if he would have just taken it a step further, and gotten to know Jesus for Himself, instead of worrying about what His "fan club" was doing (or not doing), perhaps he would have made a fine Christian.

This is the advice I give to atheists...

Quit worrying about what Christians are doing (or not doing)...if we (Christians) could live up to our own standards, we wouldn't have needed Jesus in the first place, now would we? Instead, get to know Him for yourself.
You just might decide to follow Him, yourself.....

Answer 7

Atheists don't try convince people that god isn't real we just try to show you the facts about the history of existence, you can carbon date things that prove the earth is older than the supposed 6,000 years ago when god apparently created the earth and scientists have reordered a shock wave from the big bang. Also fossils prove the creation theory wrong, if dinosaurs were created the same time that people were then why didn't people see them when we started to populate the earth

Answer 8

I don't try to convince anyone that there is no god, only that there is no reason to believe one exists. I would much rather convince a Christian that the Bible isn't true than that there is no good reason to believe a god exists. The Bible says that I am a corrupt fool who can do NO good (Psalms 14:1) and unless Atheists speak up, that's what Christians are going to think of us.

Christianity stops a thinking mind. Once you accept "god did it" as a legitimate answer to a question, then there's no need to learn about anything. The worst thing about religion is that it teaches people to either be satisfied with not knowing answers or convinces them to believe false answers are true. The brain power that could cure cancer or otherwise improve the conditions of humanity could be easily lost once the victim of religion accepts "god did it" and stops thinking.

Christians do look unhappy to me. They display signs of their mental illness (Grandiose Delusional Disorder) all the time and I sincerely pity them in the same way I pity a heroin addict.

The last part of your question is an act of Christian Terrorism:

S: (n) terrorism, act of terrorism, terrorist act (the calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear)

http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=terrorism

And that's another reason I like to talk Christians out of their delusion. They even have no problem terrorizing children.

Another thing is that I am not heartless enough to be a Christian and I don't think others should be either:

"If there is a God who will damn his children forever, I would rather go to hell than to go to heaven and keep the society of such an infamous tyrant. I make my choice now. I despise that doctrine. It has covered the cheeks of this world with tears. It has polluted the hearts of children, and poisoned the imaginations of men. It has been a constant pain, a perpetual terror to every good man and woman and child. It has filled the good with horror and with fear; but it has had no effect upon the infamous and base. It has wrung the hearts of the tender, it has furrowed the cheeks of the good. This doctrine never should be preached again. What right have you, sir, Mr. clergyman, you, minister of the gospel to stand at the portals of the tomb, at the vestibule of eternity, and fill the future with horror and with fear? I do not believe this doctrine, neither do you. If you did, you could not sleep one moment. Any man who believes it, and has within his breast a decent, throbbing heart, will go insane. A man who believes that doctrine and does not go insane has the heart of a snake and the conscience of a hyena." [Robert G. Ingersoll, "The Liberty of Man, Woman and Child", 1877]

Also, even if I didn't have a reason to want to do away with Christianity:

"The destroyer of weeds, thistles and thorns is a benefactor whether he soweth grain or not." - Robert G. Ingersoll, motto on the title page of "Some Mistakes of Moses"

That's just a few reasons, but any one of which is enough.

Answer 9

Personally, I hate seeing people waste their lives away living a 'Christian' or 'catholic' life all for something that doesn't exist and is simply a man- made thing. Humans created the thought of a 'God'.

Answer 10

We're just preventing you guys from converting the innocent... it's like asking for a second opinion from a doctor ;) We offer the option and let people decide.

Btw, pascal's wager won't win you any points with atheists...

Answer 11

You can say that all you want, but you're an atheist about a lot of things. If your [pick a relative or person close to you: mom, dad, sister, brother] joined a radically different religion or a cult, you would probably try to talk them out of it. You would point out how ridiculous the beliefs are, and how obviously false they are, as well as any negative social effects that religion has on society. Well, we are just applying that formula to one more religion than you do. We are trying to wake people up to the fact that their belief in God is unfounded, and in spite of the happiness and comfort religion brings, it has its negative effects on society as well.

Do Christians enjoy knowing that their children will stay up at night crying because they're afraid that they are going to be damned for doing something wrong? Isn't it better to teach children to be remorseful for wrongdoing simply because its wrong, and not because a vengeful god is going to burn them for all eternity? Christianity can be truly twisted.