Attack of the Atheists
By maildumpster
@maildumpster (3815)
United States
May 18, 2007 8:44am CST
No, no I am only teasing. Seriously though I do have a few questions to any and all atheists in myLot.
Why do SOME (note that I am saying some cause it surely isn't all) think that it is ok to be rude to people cause they don't share their beliefs? They complain about being attacked on here but then they are downright rude and insulting.
Why are some so afraid of the bible? They react to it with such disdain you would think someone was throwing holy water on a demon LOL. It is a book. Christians believe in it. You don't have to. But just because you don't believe it does not make it untrue nor does it allow you to bash people for believing in it or quoting from it. Heck someone could be on here quoting from the Satanic Bible; and I would not insult the person(s) and tell them it was a book of lies. I would not tell people they were stupid for believing it. I does not mean that I would not contradict what they said with my bible but that is not to attack or insult.
What makes atheists think that two wrongs make a right? They are being bashed so the way to solve that problem is to bash back and get rude? How does that solve the problem when all it does is anger people?
One last question - why do you not believe in God? (I am not asking to criticize or anything just curious as I am sure that different people will have different reasons.) How many have decided that God doesn't exist due to how PEOPLE have treated them?
** I don't have a problem with atheists at all. I have atheists on my friends list (Jimbo and Inked4Life come to mind). I have people in my life that are atheists and agnostics too. I am just curious about the questions I ask cause it seems like kindergarten around here sometimes. You know "they hurt my feelings so the way to handle it is to attack back".
I hope that I have not caused anyone any insult or harm by posting this as it is surely not my purpose in doing so. I have tried to me as respectful as possible.
10 people like this
11 responses
@inked4life (4224)
• United States
18 May 07
I've never had any interest in religion of any kind but that is not to say that I don't know anything about it. The whole concept of an omnipotent being who sees everything and knows everything is just a little hard to swallow for me. I've never even really had to mention my lack of religious beliefs until I moved to the South 3 years ago and now I am literally bombarded by people trying to get me to join their church and when I let them know that I was an atheist I (and my family) was shunned by a number of these people. I am constantly told that I am going to hell and worst of all my daughter was bullied in school because she happened to mention that she doesn't believe in God (something that I didn't push onto her BTW, before veryone jumps down my throat)...it's at that point where my anger kicks in and I tend to lash out in return....it's very foolish to do so and I try really hard not to be judgemental (a value that I really try to instill in my kids) but it's very difficult sometimes when you are constantly judged and condemned by people who lead a lifestyle that is supposed to frown upon that very behavior.
6 people like this
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
18 May 07
Fantastic reply! Very open and honest. I can imagine that for some the idea of God is hard to believe.
I am so sorry your family was treated that way. I am a Christian and I have never even thought to treat anyone like that. I am ashamed of those who do such things. I was laughed at by my hubby because I said I didn't hate Osama Bin Laden for attacking us. I truly felt sorry for him. I felt terrible that people are taught hate their whole lives to the point that they would perform such an act.
You know what you are a father and fathers should get angry if their children are mistreated!! I am a momma bear and get really angry if my children are mistreated. I am happy to say it hasn't really happen - God love anyone who does mistreat my kids!! You are also human and we have emotions. We cannot always control them. It is our nature.
Again thank you for answering. Again I am sorry for the way people who claim to try to act as Jesus would have treated you. To condemn people and threaten them with hell is horrible. They seem to forget that we all get a chance upon our deaths to accept or deny the truth.
4 people like this
@josephperera (2906)
• Sri Lanka
18 May 07
I could not check your age, but I am 50 and when my parents were going to school it was not the atheists who were afraid of the Bible, it was the priests and the church who was afraid of the Bible. They did not want everyone to read it. But in our school days the church could not prevent us from reading the Bible. I read the entire bible in grade 7.
Even in grade seven we asked questions like whether in Adams family brothers and sisters go married and committed incest. The priest said that they are just parables. Just read Ezekiel 1st chapter. Is God an alien. If not why did he come in a flying saucer? Actually the church cannot answer other than saying that they are colourful stories. In fact they admit it is not true.
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
18 May 07
Joseph I am 34 and when I went to Catholic school I got a real good dose of Catholics being afraid of the bible. Seemed everytime I brought it up Sister got angry at me!
I don't know about God being an alien. If it matters my hubby has often said God could be an alien.
3 people like this
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
18 May 07
I can't comment on India as I have never been there.
It is true that the bible is not concentrated on. What is studied and taught is doctrine created by man. Not what is in the bible.
3 people like this
@OhMyDayz (157)
•
18 May 07
I have not seen many athiests come on here and critise the religious folk on this site. I always find it is the religious ones who are first to make an opinion against someone who doesn't believe, as they find it difficult to accept that someone may not believe in their god.
As an athiest myself, who has never had religion in my life at all, I would never go against anyone who believes certain things, that is down to them, but remember us athiests have religious beliefs that form parts of our lifes, like holidays, certain laws etc, but we just accept it and although we do not celebrate them, we do not bash those who do.
I find religion is the one thing that causes problems and I do not want this in my life, but that does not mean I will attack anyone and I don't think athiests do. If you look at all the conflict going on it certainly ain't the non-believers causing all the problems.
3 people like this
@fightingistheonlyway (2658)
• Canada
19 May 07
firstly, when there is a debate, nobody cares about the othersides feelings.
second, when people like richard dawkins says that atheists are more educated than religious people, and people take it offensive, the thing is, it is a fact. there is a higher percentage of educated atheists then there are educated religous people.
third, when there is a world where religion is bashing everything from abortion to gays to euthinasia etc, i think ofcourse there will be a group of people who are going to bash religion..
forth, when someone bashes something other than religion, it is a freedom of speech, but when someone bashes religion, it becomes as if its not allowed. that too is a form of freedom of speech, so if we can say "iraq is full of terrorists" or "iraq is full of freedom fighters" we can also say "religion is evil" or "religion divides us" or "religion brings you closer to god"...
fifth, if anyone is an atheist based on how "people have treated them" like you have said, i would tell you that that is not a true form of atheism. atheism has nothing to do with how people treat them, it is merely the thought that there is a lack of evidence supporting the god theory.
sixth, although i can disprove god easily, i would just say that i am an atheist because of lack of evidence. if you were to rebuttle this i would get into that, but i wont at the moment because that is not really what your post is about.
thanks
2 people like this
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
22 May 07
Thank you for you well thought out and thorough reply. I appreciate all your points.
Just one thing...
I was referring to a myLot member that stopped believing in God because of the way people treated them. Whether or not that makes them a true atheist or not - I haven't a clue.
1 person likes this
@argie713 (1809)
• Philippines
18 May 07
God is a product of the human mind. Gods exists during the early times. Gods are being not known or abstract beings created by people to channel their frustrations. When people of the early days encounter a problem that seems to be unsolvable, they look up and see the sky and wonder who is up there. The rain would pour down and the land could be planted again. So they concluded that there is someone from up above listening to them.
@gardengrrl (1445)
• United States
20 May 07
Exactly so, argie. I have always thought that the first religion began when someone looked up at the immensity of the starry sky and was afraid.
1 person likes this
@kadangodan37 (34)
• India
19 May 07
Belief in GOD in a democratic society, is the individual right of the person. I am not able to understand everything that takes place around me. Atheists put the blame on some person or group of persons, if something is wrong. Some times they are correct. Even when they are wrong, they don't admit it. They go on arguing. Believer puts everything on GOD.Even then he is not able to explain many things. Then he says that it is so.
What I think is this: We can understand certain things[good!]. We cannot understand many many things now. By and by we may understand more. This universe, galaxies, star systems, planets with life and without life, life on earth, living beings from unicellular to man..........Try to understand. If you feel GOD is required for your understanding, go ahead: Be a believer. If not you can be either an atheist OR YOU CAN BE A LIBERAL AGNOSTIC
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
19 May 07
Not atheist, but Agnostic, I believe in a God, I just do not believe in religion. Seriously, do not force people to worship what you worship and believe in God if they do not believe in God. People have free will and just do not see what you see or believe in what you believe in. Honestly, I ask this question, this is a John Lennon question: "Imagine there's no heaven? No Hell bellow us? No religion too? I wonder if you can? Imagine all the people, living for the world?" Imagine.
@candiec2005 (828)
• United States
18 May 07
I completely AGREE with you! I am so sick of people critizing me becuase I believe in God and I don't critize them ever. They're always so defensive and rude. I always try to handle it like a lady becuase I am not going to stoop down to their level but yes, SOME agnostics and aheist people can be very ignorant.
2 people like this
@gardengrrl (1445)
• United States
20 May 07
Some people are ignorant, period. Every group in the world has their share.
The fact that far right Christians have seriously distorted our political process over the last two decades, forcing the dictates of their church to define our laws and civil rights, and delivered us into the hands of the Knucklehead who created Viet Nam for the 21st century in Arabic, tends to make some of us a mite testy. I ain't too thrilled with the not-so-far-right folks who sit on their hands and let the extremists get away with it, either. Add to that, some folks cannot open their mouth without turning whatever I said to them into Jesus-speak, and I get downright cranky. I have more than a passing familiarity with the Bible, and I've never found anything that says the faithful have to proselytize in every situation, every time you can. Didn't god give you sensitivity, tact, discernment, so you could better love your neighbor as yourself? If we seem defensive, it's because we're waiting for you to Bible-bash us, this happens to us all the time. I've been told I'm going to hell over and over by ignorant Christians. I have never said to them in reply what's in my heart, I hope they retain individual consciousness just long enough to discover their entire life was based on a fable.
Everyone should keep in mind, until somebody's Messiah shows up and is revealed, all religions are highly defined opinions NOT SHARED by 2/3 of the people on the planet, and chill.
1 person likes this
@cliff19id (306)
• Indonesia
1 Jun 07
atheist still human and have good perspective or good life. they just need evidence
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
22 May 07
I think you could ask the same question and put Christian in place of Atheist (or put pagan, jewish or any other type of person for that matter.) It comes down to the same thing, some people are just rude. It doesn't matter their religious beliefs or lack thereof. They just lack manners & common sense.
2 people like this
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
19 May 07
I hope I haven't offended anyone because I have replied to a few discussions in the subject area. My opinion is we can all believe whatever the heck we choose. It should be an individual choice and that choice should be respected or at least tolerated.
To answer your question, I don't believe in 'god' (whichever god you are thinking of, insert under that heading). I just don't. I was baptised but I wasn't trained in any of it. I have only read the Old Testament, and just skimmed much of it I look it it as a story, like any other story. Whatever critical window there is to instill a belief in all of that, it was missed with me.
I think it is wonderful that people have faith, and it gives them solace in their times of trouble, but it isn't for me. I think the problem I have is with religious people being so defensive that they treat non-religious people as being defective for not believing. And of course that is a two way street, non-religious people (myself included) may think people are silly or fanciful to 'fall for' all of that.
In real life, I think it is a subject I tend to avoid discussing because people can get so riled up about it.
