This may be an atheist rant or a question...?

Question

I find it particularly offensive when religious people of whatever denomination claim that atheists close their minds to religion and arguments in support of it. Given that atheists have grown up in a fundamentally religious society (I have yet to find a society not involved in some kind of religion), is it not true that they have seen the literature and chosen not to believe it? Considering the majority of people have little opportunity to experience atheism from birth, is it not a tad arrogant to assume atheists have little or no knowledge of religion? I was made to rewrite the 4 gospels in high school in my religious education classes. I know what it says.

Answer 1

They will never convince me any god exists,we can never change the psychological conditioning they have endured because like a floundering drug addict,they will never admit to having a problem,sounds severe I know but it is down to conditioning,like a person rescued from a religious cult or the conditioning used by the n***s in WW2 to brutalise their youth in to becoming unquestioning killers,the principle is the same never the less.

Is religion any less dangerous,no! we only have to turn on our TVs and see the violence committed in the name of god to realise how much damage it can do to society.

If religious people kept it to themselves as a private matter ,that would be one thing,but they all want us to convert to their particular branch,it is even a requirement it seems to preach to none believers to save them,do they know how arrogant that sounds? no, keep religion away from the honest people of the world,it only creates division,pain,misery and deception and fear.....

Answer 2

Jesus explained about the nature of God (Mt. in the NT).

He said take it or leave it. That's the dealio.

The problem of the human condition is that we all want people to think as we do and work hard to correct the "offender."

Some work harder than others.

I am not here to convince anyone they are wrong and I am right. That is strictly the work of the Holy Spirit.

All I am interested in is what is left.

God love you!

Answer 3

I just love reading the responses that say "we atheists are much smarter than you Christians".

It's ironic that many non-Christians complain that Christians act like they are so superior than non-believers.

Aren't we all basically the same, no matter what side we fall on?  The sooner we all come to realize that, the better off we all will be.

Answer 4

Quite, I think i know the bible better than a lot of the christians on here, i have studied it inside out, i went to church and sunday school as a child, (through choice, not because my parents made me go!) I am an Atheist because i do NOT believe in god. As I grew up, i questioned religion, and lost my faith. I am not an Atheist because i close my mind to god, I am an atheist because i do not believe.

Answer 5

Same here, I served my church as an alter boy most of my youth. And have read the Bible, studied religions from high school into university.

It's a cop out on their part. Assumadly because they hear this at church. That atheists have no God, don't know God, and never have.

Why would anyone discard their entire core belief system without a second thought, religious or not, is the real question here. Simply put, nobody ever could. This is all really just ignorance.

Answer 6

To each his own, man. No one can say for sure they have the right belief.

Answer 7

I HAVE experienced atheism from birth, and yet I still find that I am more familiar with many Christian texts than they are.  But that is only because I have chosen to study it on a university level..... It IS an arrogant assumption, and I can only guess that the only reason they keep using it is because it makes them feel superior.  

Answer 8

They have no influence in your relationship with God, and don't let them limit your concept of God.

Jesus said to love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.  So use your mind!  If you can imagine a better God, then do so.  The true God is better still than you or they can imagine with all your open minds.

Answer 9

Amen

x x x

Answer 10

Agreed.  I have found that Atheists generally come from religious backgrounds and after studying things, or finally just getting tired of everything that religion entails, it is then that they turn away from the beliefs that they were brought up with.  I also find that most Atheists are actually pretty well educated.

Answer 11

What i think is that it works both ways. Possibly more to the side that theists are less informed of what there talking about. I am theist and it does quite annoy me when other theists come up with nonsensical dribble that makes no sense. However, through experience, i have noticed that alot of evolutionists dont know the slightest thing about evolution.

Also, saying that everyone is brought up religous isnt quite accurate. They may have general beliefs taught to them but think about it, all through school we are taught evolution as fact and people who believe in god are mocked, believe me, ive had it myself.

As for me, i have looked into both sides of the argument and come to my desicion. It just annoys me when people make there desicion without thinking about it at all.

Answer 12

Atheists prove, every single day here, that they know ten times as much about religion as the people that profess to practice it.

We prove it.  This is not a matter for debate.

Answer 13

I wouldn't really call it a rant, but it doesn't sound like a question either. Still, I'll offer my answer.

As a Christian, I find it annoying when I see other Christians claim any generalizations about Atheists - or anyone for that matter.

One would think we could all be respectful of each other.  

Answer 14

I guess people(including me sometimes) strongly feel that they is something more after this human life. It couldn't posibbly be worth nothing. Life is so much more intricate than it seems. Christianity doesn't have to be your path, or any other religion. It's really your choice and your beliefs. Just don't harm kay? ^^

Nameste~

Answer 15

Well,that's the whole problem isn't it?If they accept that the atheists don't believe because they actually KNOW better,their whole belief system is in serious danger of collapsing.Believing you are right and the other person is wrong,means you also believe the other person has missed something.It cannot be the other way round if you think your reality is the objective one(and if  you believe in the objectivity of reality in general).

I do agree with you though,and I also feel I could explain the bible to them better than they themselves could to other people(no matter that I don't believe what it says and what I think it means).

Answer 16

You are totally correct! I went to catholic school for 12 years! Everyone is born an Atheist. Religions are taught to us from then on. We know all about it. We have grown up and don't believe it. It's that simple.

Answer 17

I'm an agnostic.  This means I believe nothing.  I have no beliefs and therefore have nothing to push to other people.

Atheists, where thists have no proof of the existence of a deity, have no proof of the NON existence of a deity therefore have a belief.

I find it particularly offensive when people of ANY faith, be it Christian, Humanist, Muslim, Atheist etc push their beliefs on me.

Where you say you have grown up and chosen to ignore teachings of a deity, I have grown up choosing to ignore the teachings FOR a deity and the teachigs AGAINST a deity.  So why should I have to put up with people like you trying to push your faith on me every time I come on Yahoo answers?

Answer 18

I agree that Atheists have read the bible.  But when Atheists ask something like why Christians eat shellfish (which has become a *drink* question), that tells me that many Atheists either don't understand or haven't studied the New Testament.  Things like that lead many of us to believe that many Atheists aren't as knowledgeable about Christianity as they seem to think they are.

Answer 19

The only thing i find disturbing is that theists believe we have no feelings. That without a God we cannot make moral judgments (eg what is right and wrong), that we have no purpose in life or simply "lost souls". Others want us killed, others already condemn us to h**l even though we might be the best people around.

*Bashes head against wall*

Answer 20

Sounds like a rant to me bro.

The atheists on here always seem so angry/agitated all the time I wonder if they wouldn't be better off being religious!

There is a 3rd way if you find the atheist cap doesn't fit too well - it is called agnosticism.

Answer 21

It's incredulity.  Those who believe thoroughly can't imagine anyone knowing about the religion yet rejecting it.  They assume that anyone who rejects it must not know what it really is.

Answer 22

Well, it's all a matter of deep brainwashing and poor semantics.  Apparently, terms which seem to be pretty self-explanatory and striaght forward like "closed minded," "truth," "free will," "love," etc.  take opposing meanings depending on what side of the argument you're on

Answer 23

i think that alot of the Atheists on here are alot of the time very rude toward the christians and other religions on here too though,

i think people should be able to believe whatever they want. That is why we were given free will

i just think that it would be so much better if we all believed the same,

my family and friends are all mostly atheist but it doesn't bother me that they chose this, it only saddens me to think that they will not receive the amazing gift of eternal life =[

Answer 24

Good thing I experienced atheism from birth then, eh?

Answer 25

I find it very disturbing that supernatural beliefs are so main stream..

Answer 26

oh yeah, Christians (from my perspective) DO know many might know

about religion, etc.  However, when we have actually experienced God

for ourselves and know He exists, it is frustrating to see others

not believe - just like if you saw a new planet and no one

believed you!    

Answer 27

I agree with you.  But both side get righteous and belligerent, and it goes on and on and on. Someone new form one of the "sides" comes on and it starts again, or someone has to ask a question designed prove of dis.

Answer 28

Many atheists here are more knowledgeable than many Christians and most definitely much more intelligent.

Answer 29

Have you read this?

1 John 3 (New International Version)

1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears,[a]we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

Answer 30

I learned to just let it slide.  Everybody has their own opinions about everything and I refuse to let myself worry over opinions that make no logical sense.  That's just my pov.

_()_

Answer 31

Actually, what I've noticed is atheists generally have a better understanding of the bible than most christians.