I have, upon occasion, visited Blogs written by Atheists. When I take the time to leave a (respectful) comment I am always blasted by other commenters. And they don’t approach me with the slightest bit of civility either. Name calling seems to be one of the most used forms of communicating.
I won’t try to get into all the “whys” that Atheists are so mean to people of faith. Except that one of the most common themes seem to revolve around the “Look at how religion has played such a role in violence over the centuries.” I must agree that they do have a very valid point with that argument. But then again you don’t have to believe in any religious god to have a violent following.
It has been my personal observation that there are “haters” on both sides of this issue. Like any disagreement each party can become very hateful, vindictive and down right cruel. I will say that the Atheists have a valid argument when they say that religion’s role in violence over the centuries has been abhorrent. However, they (the Atheists) are confusing the humans who claim to be followers of their religion’s diety with the founder/diety of that very same religion.
Mankind, for the most part, has been selfish since Adam and Eve. Of course that was not the Creator’s intent. However, He gave Adam and Eve the ability to choose and they each chose self over loving obedience. The rest as they say is history.
I’m getting a bit off track here. The purpose of this Blog post is not to proselytize but to try to determine why it is that Atheists must resort to such crude, hateful and denigrating forms of communicating to people of faith.
Surely no one can expect to “convert” a person by berating them. It matters not what the subject matter is (politics, religion, alternative life styles) I think it is better to communicate in a polite and respectful manner if you want the other person to try to see the point you are making.
I have some childhood friends who (as children under their parents’ supervision) were full participants in their local churches. Now, as adults, they could not be further from those beliefs and practices. I must say that, for the most part, they have been pretty-much respectful of my faith… for the most part. Of course they tend to throw little jabs by trying to get them in through the back door, so to speak. I notice them and ignore them. But it makes my heart ache (proverbially speaking of course). I wonder how it is that an individual can get from “here to there”. I do know that the One True God had nothing to do with them taking that journey.
I suspect that people develope deep-seeded negative views toward God based on how they have been treated. SOMEONE had to betray or even abuse them to chase them from their former beliefs.
I think it can be much like a dog that becomes so vicious that the only choice is to quarantine it or too put it down. And NO I am not saying that Atheists should be quaranteened or put down! That vicious dog was someone’s little puppy one day. Full of love and promise. Everyone loves a fluffy little puppy. But because the puppy isn’t properly cared for as it is growing up it developes some bad habits. Rather than spend the time to lovingly show this puppy better ways to correct its unwanted behavior it is neglected or even worse abused. The more neglect and abuse the puppy receives the more ardent it becomes in its beliefe that whenever “those people” come around its bad news. And after a while the puppy has grown into a dog that knows (based on repeated abusive treatment) that when “those people” come around they are going to make life miserable.
I think there is a significant number of us who claim to be Christian who will have some answering to do about the way we interacted with or fellow created beings when we find ourself at the Bema Seat.
God help us all.
I’m not sure Michael but you have a very good point. I’m not sure why but now that you mention it, atheists just seem to be angry in general. Either that or I think they are so into trying to get you to change that they get angry when you won’t budge.
Ok here we go… At the risk of totallly becoming “Unfriended” by you here we go.
First of all, I personally have never ever seen anyone as judgemental as “BAC’s”. I have been literally told by several that Im going to hell because I don’t choose to believe and worship as they do. Its as simple as that to them.
No other religion does that. If you hang out with Jew’s they always talk about being jewish, but they don’t try to convert you. If you hang out with Muslims, most only talk in simple terms about God in their own lives. Never try to convert. Budhists, are the same.
Why is it that people of the Christian faith are so willing to damn me to hell? And Im not even an athiest!
You see, there are haters from all sides. I have been to Lindseys blog too many times to see the BAC’s just destroy anyone who isn’t of their faith or beliefs. Its absolutely rediculous. Look at how MANY of them treat the issue of homosexuality and you will see true haters.
Im sorry I think this is an issue of people in general and their own personal belief systems and prejudices, rather than a simple thing of Athiests and Christians. Period.
I go to a Church of Christ, and there are often sermon where the prechers tell us that we need to spread the word of god to show our loyalty and faith, we are not trying to be rude but we are told it is good to covert other people to our religion because, and don’t hate me for saying this, we are saving them.
I know this is an old post, but see those are the type of Christians that sort of gives us a bad rep. I first, must apologize for how they approached you. We as Christian are meant to approach all and everyone with love, patience and an open mind. However, the bible is misinterpreted too many times. There is no single way to worshipping God, you worship how you worship. And the reason why I feel some chrisitan resort to say “Blasphemy!” is because they lack the patience. Patience is another key thing we are taught, we must exercise that and from what I see, they have yet to.
So I understand how you feel, because although I am a Christian, I have been to churches that have the same mind-set. I have been told for example: “If you do not speak in tounges, then you do not have the holy spirit”
When to be given the Holy Spirit, you must be baptized by water, not of tounges.
So you see, I understand. Please understand that there are still many Christians that aren’t like the ones you have met.
I have noticed that people get ridiculous online when it comes to faith and politics, or even talking about celebrities. Something about relative anonymity leaves people feeling free to be nasty and it then escalates.
That’s why I don’t even bother anymore.
Hayden you said,”Something about relative anonymity leaves people feeling free to be nasty….that’s why I don’t even bother anymore.” My thoughts exactly.
I don’t pretend to know the answer to this question, and yet it just crossed my mind that truly “God is love,” and maybe some of the atheists are that way because somehow they don’t feel the love. At the same time, some so-called Christians don’t act very loving, and that causes me to question whether they’re really just taking His name in vain.
It is unfortunate that there are “haters” in both camps. I’ve never been able to figure out why people can’t simply respect each others beliefs in a non-judgmental way. So many people are trying to remove the motes out of others eyes that they fail to see the beam in their own.
your attempts at psycho-analysis are both laughable, and pathetic.
PROJECTION.
the motives you attribute to others are your own.
you don’t love god. you hate people. you use god as an excuse to look down on them.
your so-called love reeks of condescension, and self-loathing.
that’s why.
you don’t possess the intelligence to understand the breadth of your own inquiries.
fairlane;
Thanks for proving my point.
and thank you for proving mine.
you don’t care why “atheists” (anyone bold enough to call out bullshit) dislike “christians.”
if you did, you’d pose the question, and let others answer.
instead, you asked and answered the question yourself.
i mean, you couldn’t make your motives any more obvious.
in truth, you, and that sycophant “servant” should thank me. i fast forwarded to the only part about which you seem to care, the part where you smugly say, “tsk, tsk, tsk,” and “garsh, we really tried,” and the pièce de résistance, “thanks for proving my point.”
this entire post is nothing more than a setup for a punchline.
oh-
who said i’m an atheist?
You?
who the (edited) are you?
@fairlane:
You could be right. It’s more of a curiosity than a need to know.
Regarding asking and answering the question myself. It’s my Blog and that’s how I write. As you may have been able to discern, I am far from a professional writer. I write like I think, outloud. Sometimes it’s messy but that’s the process I use in sorting things out. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Additionally, my asking and answering does not keep others from commenting.
As for the “who said I was an atheist taunt… You actually demonstrated your belief system (or lack there of) by the way you interacted here on my Blog.
Saying you are or are not an atheist does’t make or not make you one any more than a person who claims to be a Christian and then leads a life of debauchery makes them one.
Finally, I don’t mind you commenting on my Blog but I must insist that you leave the more colorful language over at your Blog.
Thanks for taking the time.
I am sorry that you have that feeling towards us. But do understand that not every one of us, is like that. It is true, you do have Christians that use that as an excuse to exercise their hate, however, like everything else in this world, it is because they misinterpret what is taught to them, or have people that taught them wrong.
I know you believe what you believe, but so do we. I love and yes I am not perfect. As for those who do the self-loathing, It is not written in our bible to be as such: we are taught to be humble in all our ways, not arrogant.
“A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.”
They may have the verses to quote with them, but they lack the understand and wisdom behind it.
I am not trying to convert you, but I am trying to show you, not all Christians are as what you stated.
Wow…
That’s all you can say about fairlane.
Not even an attempt to be civil…
My daughter has a very scientific mind and high IQ. She “can’t believe that Jesus, though a pretty cool guy, was who he said he was. Nor can she believe in a being so great and powerful as” her mother’s God. We are in disagreement but we love each other very much. If I start screaming the Gospel at her it will drive her away from me and I am truly trying to be an example of Christianity that she sould point to and say ‘there’s one right there!’
When she makes a remark quoting scientific evidence I reply with Biblical referance and say I’m glad we can respect each other’s point of view. In this way we don’t argue. Once again – we love each other I would say “as Jesus commanded us” she might say because we are related and so much alike genectically.
Ok, as a bonafide atheist, I will try to explain some things.
But first, I’d like to say that your right about there being rude and disrespectful people on both sides – and its not good from either end.
I’d like to make a point – if you want to know about atheist motivations, go and find an atheist and talk to them. Its pretty simple. I can see by some of the things you’ve said in your post that you’ve got no idea on the subject.
For instance, your puppy explanation was just….wrong. I’m not an atheist because I’ve been treat badly or abused, by religion or religious people, or by random people in my life. If I am treat nicely I will not welcome a loving God.
I’m an atheist because this way of life makes sense to me, the way life makes sense to you in terms of God. Where you see creation, I see evolution. Where you see a plan, I see chance. This is a very simplistic explanation of complex ideas, but if you’d like to know more I’d be happy to oblige.
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
That’s fine, if you’d like to know anymore information than please feel free to ask.
I don’t really know why Atheists are so hateful towards people of Christian faith. Maybe one of the reasons is because of their “intellectual being” and saying that “believing in a God makes no sense”? Or “the Christians always say I’m going to go to Hell (those who believe in Me shall have eternal life, as God says in the Bible)”.
I can’t even be friends with Atheists because all of the ones I’ve met are full of hatred. Whenever I make spiritual connection to things or say I believe in ghosts, and then the remark always is “oh, so you’re one of those Jesus-freaks, eh? That’s just great!” and they come up with more insults as time goes along. Personally, it upsets me when they do this. Doesn’t seem like they care, though, since they find it amusing to make nasty comments like that.
We only try to have Atheists become Christians because God tells us to spread the word and bring more people to his Kingdom and make more followers while spreading God’s word. My guess is Atheists are intolerant and just berate Christians who are only trying to help others. I guess people are too stuck in their own ways to be open-minded towards different people.
Honestly, it’s all about how they always been approached. You approach a person with love and a lot of us, I must say are quick to condemn before they can truly listen.
“A gentle answer deflects anger,
but harsh words make tempers flare.”
I think honestly there is a misconception about both sides periods, while we do have good apples there is always one in the group. I think we just need time to sit down without any type of judgement and find an understanding.