A question to atheists.?

Question

Who would you rather run into in a dark lonely alley in the middle of the night -

a ) A pious god fearing religious person who follows the laws of God...

i.e - does not lie, steal, kill etc

b) OR a godless person who does not believe in the concept of sin....which means he would be ok with *anything* he might do. i.e - lie, steal, kill etc.

I believe, Ive asked a very direct and simple question...and it is possible for one to just answer either 'A' or 'B' without deflecting the question.

Who do you think might be more likely to cause you harm? Why?

Call me a fundie, but Id rather run into 'A' in a dark alley at night than 'B' anyday.

Waiting for responses.

Answer 1

B, but just because a person doesn't believe in god doesn't mean they do those things. People have their own morals and even if they don't fear god they can do the right thing. I don't believe and personally I live my life this way: 1 life, 1 chance, live it at its fullest, and make the best of it.

Besides, do you have any idea how corrupt a lot of religions are? Islam was created by Muhammed when he was 40 and claimed to hear god. Joan of Arc said she was called upon from god to save the French, but was soon executed by the English because the french king who she served didn't help her. Where was god then? The Crusades were wars over religion! You don't believe in our god? Then we'll kill you!

Answer 2

B is, in a nutshell, ignorant and wrong. I'm "godless" and have better morals than my very religious friends. Come up with more realistic scenarios and I'll be happy to answer.

And I seem to remember something about priests and little kids...Hm. Guess I must be wrong, since they'd never do anything like that, being people who follow the laws of God.

Answer 3

Congratulations.

You win the prize for the most loaded question of the day.

Answer 4

A.  Just carry a Science book.  That'll scare'em.

B. Act like a Jehovah's Witness.  That'll scare'em.    

Answer 5

Which gods does A fear? Actually, no. Could I run into a god respecting person that follows the laws of the government? I think that would be a nice twist to this question. Running into a friendly Pagan would be pretty neat.

Edit:

Also, God fearing people can commit crimes, too. Plus, homosexuals were stoned to death in the Bible. I definitely wouldn't want to meet someone that follows that "Law of God."

Answer 6

As a person who believes that not all religious people are good, and "godless" people are bad, I'd have to point out that you have simply chosen to ignore the above two possibilities...

Why should people need a God to be good? Surely they can be given more credit than that?

And by the way, you have chosen not to capitalise G in God... I'm pointing this out as a grammar error.

Answer 7

A, but that's only because person B doesn't exist.

Just because someone doesn't believe in God, doesn't mean they think it's ok to rape and pillage whenever they want.

Answer 8

You forget option C: the lying, thieving rat b*****d sneaking around under the guise of a religious nut... I mean, person.

Answer 9

Are you saying we don't have morals? And the answer is B for me.

Answer 10

Nice bracketing of your warrants.

Can we possibly be more manipulative of stereotypes?

In answer to the question, I'd rather run into the godless person.

Why, you ask?

He's more likely to accept me as I am without prosthelyzing. You'd like us to assume that since he's "amoral", his first response will be to victimize us. Being as this is hypothetical, I'd say he'd be more likely to ignore me and go about his business.  

The pious man will insist on my hearing the word of God. If God wants me to hear his word, let him tell me himself, not rely on some psuedo pious pomp who's only motivation in this is to purchase more savior power.

Answer 11

A-

BUT, I just want to tell you that there are murderers, rapists, etc in prisons across the country who all believe and study the Bible/God.

There are also atheists who do not do bad things, who are not morally corrupt just because they don't believe in sin through Biblical goggles.  

Answer 12

I have faith in my fellow man and would not fear being in a dark alley with either.

If you made me choose, I would play the odds and choose b. Afterall, there are far more theists in prison in the U.S. (where I live)  than atheists.  

Answer 13

I call bull$hit.  You are jambing together two distinct characteristics, theistic disposition and morality, with obvious biased intent.  You have no intention of providing a fair and equitable balance; your goal is to find support for your believes through whatever means necessary.  Calling you on this is not diverting the question; it is addressing the salient point.

If you expect us to believe that you proceed in all fairness, then adjust you options.  Either drop one of the characteristics from the each description or add 2 more choice to address the full spectrum.

so atheists, which of the following would you rather run into in a dark alley?

1)A pious god fearing religious person who follows the law of God (let's not forget the part about not suffering witches to live)

2)A pious god fearing religious person who doesn't follow the laws of God

3)a godless person who follows a societal code of ethics

4)A godless person who does not follow a societal code of ethics

5)Some other combination not listed here for brevity

Answer 14

Let me ask you...what is a pious godlaw-abiding faithy doing down a dark alley at night?

Methinks there are no such things as people who follow their god's laws. In direct answer to your question...neither prospect fills me with much hope or cheer.

Edit: You can't expect a decent A or B if the terms you've laid out are faulty. You make the assumption that people of no faith have no code of ethics..and you made it falsely. How do you expect us to answer, if not aggressively or glibly?

"Ask a silly question..."

Answer 15

I would take my chance with an Atheist ANY DAY over having to deal with a religious person.   Who knows when "god" will tell the religious person to start whacking non-believers?

By the way, it's god-free, not godless.

Answer 16

False dichotomy.  Assumes incorrectly that only a deity can be a source of morality.

Remember that sin and morality are distinct concepts.

Further, approximately 85% of the US population is Christian, and approximately 10% atheist.  However, 95% of the in-coming prison population (ie: before they spend time in the prison, as asked during their in-processing) are Christian, and only 0.5% are atheist.

This shows that Christians are actually MORE likely to commit crimes.

So I'd much rather meet a fellow atheist in the middle of a dark lonely alley at night, statistically speaking.

Answer 17

ok...i think any human being feels this question is stupid

Answer 18

I'm guessing that you mean A is a Christian and B is simply nonreligious.

Both A and B have sinned in the past and are likely to sin in the future. A has been forgiven and is making an honest effort to turn away from anything that displeases God - theft, murder, etc. It's likely, however, that person B has morals too and also generally refrains from theft and murder.

Even recognizing that atheists have morals too... I'd still rather run into the Christian.

Person A realizes that his actions have eternal repercussions. If he isn't caught, God knows what happened and his actions will not go unpunished.

Person B doesn't realize this, and therefore believes that if he isn't caught, he will have 'won' and there will be no consequences.

In my opinion, if both A and B are tempted, A is less likely to attack because of what he believes about God.

Answer 19

*bangs head on computer desk*

just because someone doesn't believe in god doesn't mean they lie, steal, rape, murder, or do any harm to other people.  they're called morals, and a lot of us have them.

Answer 20

This question makes no sense.  A "godless" person does not have to believe in sin in order to know what is right and what is wrong.  

But to answer you. B.  I hate running into sheeple in dark alley's.

Answer 21

I don't believe in the concept of sin.

I also don't lie, steal, or kill.

In other words, this doesn't make sense.

Answer 22

wait no more here is my response

well as i am b , b is who i would rather run into

and i wont answer the next one

Additional

dg

the "fuss" is about the following

it is the implication that a is better than b and b is worse than a and that b is a possible criminal due to their non beleif in god and a is not due to their beleif in god

we interpreted just what you have said

it is suggested by your question, its content, its wording and its own conclusions

that you go on to say "Id rather run into 'A' in a dark alley at night than 'B' anyday. " makes matters worse as the implication is set and the intent behind your question and what it suggests

you realise you say a DOES NOT lie steal kill etc and b MIGHT lie steal kill etc

and

that b WOULD be ok with doing 'anything', you say nothing of the sort about a

its really very clear what is implied by all of this

you ARE making a blanket statement, you dont come outright and say it, you imply it , but it is there

im afraid person b IS being presented as a criminal and dangerous , a possible criminal, possibly dangerous, or more likely to be a criminal and dangerous than a,

and again, your own preference and statement with your preference sets that

really, there is no other meaning behind your choice and the way you word it or the content

im afraid your own bias against b shows all too clearly

you DO imply b is worse than a and your question is surrounding the reasons for that being their non beleif in god

if you did not intend this to be the implication, you needed to word it entirely differently , and probably have a very differnt intent for this question being asked

ie without saying "a does not lie steal and kill and b might lie steal and kill"

and

without mentioning your own preference, without the wording you used in your own preference, without any implications what so ever

just a believer and a non believer

as thats what this all comes down to

just a choice, and your answer if needs be, no additions, no words, no explanations, nothing extra

just a simple question,

that is the only way this would have worked and would have been fair

this is NOT a simple question, because of your wording and intent

if it was, it would not cause so much "fuss"

that is just logic

Answer 23

You mean god fearing people like various serial killers, Hitler or the KKK?

I'd rather run into an atheist.

And, once again, I see a believer who "thinks" that morals come from some non existent being instead of being an integral function for the formation of a society.

So sad!  

Edit:  people are making a fuss because you haven't asked a simple question.  You have implied that just because a person believes in a deity they're going to be good people (quote " does not lie, steal kill etc") but because a person doen'st believe in a deity they would happily go around killing, cheating, lying, etc).

The truth is often the reverse, in my experience.

Edit 2:  You are presenting person 1 as some type of angelic figure who would never commit a crime because he believes in a deity and person 2 as an unscrupulous non believer who would do whatever he wants if he thinks he can get away with it.  This is not representative of reality.

Answer 24

+ Deus caritas est +

An open meat market, am I seeing here? You just exposed yourself the most immature way you could ever have done! Even as a Traditionalist Catholic I find no linkage between all the vulgar actions you have hopelessly listed and atheists. The word "Atheist" means they simply do not think God exists. That is not to say they have no morals or conscience. That question is an indirect statement that you or others of your precious little faith community only have the morals and conscience that pleases God over Good 6.5 billion people. I see no Christian idea of humility, here?

My choice is A. As somebody above said, nobody falls into the category B as such people do not exist. Your bigoted hopelessly arrogant immature concept of sin can actually be what some well-educated and law-abiding atheists consider as "crime". Ever heard  of such word before?

p.s. People like you give a completely wrong impression of the concept of living as a Christian. Even your precious Mr Pastor would be ashamed of you. I do hope he would be.

Answer 25

This question has given me no real choice. B is based on illogic. Give me a real and true if - then statement and I will answer. Your assertions do not support your conclusions.

Answer 26

By your logic, I would be the threat to  them, not the other way around.

I don't follow the Bible, and if I did, then I might just stone the person to death for any sin I could think of, so your logic just doesn't work.

Answer 27

Like Muhammed Atta vs. Betrand Russell?

Answer 28

"A week before the events of September 11, 2001, I was on a panel with Dennis Prager, who is one of America's better-known religious broadcasters. He challenged me in public to answer what he called a 'straight yes/no question,' and I happily agreed. 'Very well,' he said. I was to imagine myself in a strange city as the evening was coming on. Toward me I was to imagine that I saw a large group of men approaching. Now -- would I feel safer, or less safe, if I was to learn that they were just coming from a prayer meeting? As the reader will see, this is not a question to which a yes/no answer can be given. But I was able to answer as if it were not hypothetical. 'Just to stay within the letter B, I have actually had that experience in Belfast, Beirut, Bombay, Belgrade, Bethlehem, and Baghdad. In each case I can say absolutely, and can give my reasons, why I would feel immediately threatened if I thought that the group of men approaching me in the dusk were coming from a religious observance.'"

Christopher Hitchens

Given that theists are over-represented in prisons, its fair to say that one would have a better chance at staying unharmed if the person(s) in that alley were atheists.

Oh, and please don't try to pretend that you had no agenda in your "hypothetical" question. You may be that stupid, but we're NOT.

Answer 29

You didn't add a third choice.  I'd rather run into you in a dark alley.

Take that as you wish.

Answer 30

This is the atheists have no morals question again, isn't it?

My question is - what have morals to do with religion?  Torquemada was a very religious man, for example.  Hitler was a Christian as well.  As were those paedophile Catholic bishops we've all been hearing about.

I am an atheist, a godless person.  That does not mean I do not believe in sin - or at least, it doesn't mean I have no sense of right and wrong.  I don't kill, steal or commit adultery.

Moreover - and this is important - I do not do any of these things because it would seem wrong to me to do so.  Morally, I believe this puts me above a religious person who does not kill or steal becasue merely they fear retribution in the hereafter.  The thought that there are people who would kill and rape if it was not for their belief in an imaginary deity is really rather frightening.

PS - You say "I'm not making a blanket statement like 'All Godly peole are nice'..."

Male Cow Excrement.

PPS "PERSON B IS NOT BEING PRESENTED AS A CRIMINAL"

Quite a large pile of male cow excrement.