I know that there are a lot of different belief systems in the world. I try very hard to respect others while sharing my views in an open and honest way. So why do athiests and others like to call christians dumb, stupid, small minded ect?\n\nI have two bachelor of science degrees from an acrdited state university. I am not stupid, but I do believe, why does that threaten so many people?
214705
Christians have been bashing non believers for thousands of years.  Psalms chap 14 says atheists are foolish and no good.  The flock have been repeating that ever since it was written.  Never mind the violence perpetrated on non believers throughout history.\n\nEven today in the U.S. if you don't make a big deal about how much you go to church, you can't get elected to public office (Bush has even said that you need to have a relationship with the Lord to be president).  In some places if you push evolution over intelligent design you are automatically labelled an atheist (meant in a very derogatory way).\n\nNow they get some it back and they don't like it.  If Christians don't want to be bashed, they need for once to be truly fair to everyone else.
172299
Just because an athiest says the name of a person who happens to be in your book, doesn't mean he believes in them.  For example, if you said Allah or Muhamed(spelling), does that mean you are an muslim?  Not to mention, according to Christians using gods name in vain is considered a sin.  If these people truley believe in your god, do you think they would deliberately damn themselves to eternal torture?
115957
I am an athiest. well know agnostic. well I don't know, but I do not follow any organized religion. I do, however, have respect for every religion that is out there and the people that are involved. If it works for them, good for them. The problem comes when they insist on trying to convert me to their religion(christianity mostly). I can't stand it. I have to figure out what I believe on my own, and I do not feel I need a book to tell me what is right and wrong.\nI honestly believe that the athiests who lash out at christians are jealous. They want to have something that they can believe the way Christians believ in God. The crave it, but push it away, and hate those that embrace it.\n\n\n\n\nI am offended by "smartarse" below me. That is rude.
329179
It can be difficult to find agreement with large groups of people who choose to believe a doctrine that promotes the idea that those who don't share that doctrine are "evil" and should be slaughtered.\n\nAtheists are far more tolerant of bible thumpers than bible thumpers are of anyone who disagrees with their propaganda.
191285
It is not that people are divided into two camps, "those who believe, and those who don't".  In fact this is a belief structure on its own.  Many atheist have strong beliefs, they are just different from your own.  So maybe the better question to ask would be, "why do you believe something other than what I believe?"\n\nMost people who question Christianity do so because it is very easy not to believe in it.  Remember that the foundation of Christian beliefs is FAITH.  \n\nFaith is not easy for people who believe in science and reason.  Many of the beliefs of the Christian faith are total unreasonable.  For example, "The world was made in seven days".  This is not reasonable at all, but one needs faith to believe it.\n\nFor myself, I don't believe that Jesus was any more the son of god than you are.  Why? Because it is totally unreasonable.  But I do believe in God.  Although the God I believe in is likely nothing like the one you imagine.  My God is universal, and impossible to understand, we are too small and simple to understand a truth that grand.  My God is totally unreasonable also, but I don't attribute Human characteristics to him like many Christians do.  My God is everything, and everywhere.  And my God is inseparable from us.  We are, and it is us, and everything else.\n\nThe sad thing is that most Christians hope that Jesus will figure it all out for them.  All you have to do is believe in him, and that's it.  So is it really faith, or is it desperate hope for lost people?  I find Christians simplifying life so often it makes me wonder if they really KNOW Christ like they say they do.
543687
Yes,Christians are to love all people, just as God loves them.\n   Atheists know our beliefs,and we are only doing more harm than good by constantly harping on them.They know where we stand,and we know where they stand. If there is any hope at all of changing their minds(though they have made it quite clear we can't change their minds) we have to be more tolerant and understanding with our questions and answers,not to mention a lot more respectful of their decision.\n   Atheists should likewise give Christians the same consideration. They get angry when we qoute Bible scriptures in our answers,but they have to realize that the Word of God is where we get our faith,beliefs and inspiration.
108583
Come on lymber1,I know it can get frustrating sometimes as a Christian trying to tell the truth of GOD.........But you know that calling people who don't believe,ignorant,is not the way to spread the truth of GOD,doing that will only drive them further away from GOD\n\nI know how you feel,but we must approach them from another angle the way JESUS did\n\nCraig,before you judge other peoples grammar,look at your own...."realize"not"realise\n\nhttp://www.gotquestions.org
85301
I think some people are confused. They don't really realize that many of the people they think of as "atheists" are actually god-fearing individuals.\n\nThey simply point at Hollywood or scientists and assume that these people are godless. They are largely wrong.\n\nI'm coming from a different frame of view. I think that faith divides people and causes them to do terrible things to one another. Worse than that, it justifies these actions. The idea that atheists are immoral is faulty. The idea that one cannot have morals without god is faulty. \n\nThe people who come down so hard on atheism are missing that it truly is a message of tolerance. It's an acknowlegement that there are no rewards or punishments in some made-up after-life, so it is incumbent upon the individual to do the right thing for no other reason than doing the right thing. It is selfless in that sense.\n\nThere is a man in Florida who is trying to start a town for Catholics where abortion (among other things) would be banned. Is it constitutional? I don't know. However, I think that if I were to try to start a town for atheists, secular-humanists, whatever you want to call yourself and the only rules would be "1. No worship of the supernatural and 2. Tolerate everyone" people would go crazy and decry it as a new Sodom or Gomorrah.\n\nAlso, atheists cannot recruit in the traditional sense. We cannot "show you the light." One must reach their own rational conclusions. The further truth is that most atheists do not fault people simply for believing in god. It's when they use their faith as justification for intolerance or violence that we really get up in arms.\n\nDespite our lack of organization, we have something going for us that no other "faith" does. We will never go away. Whether people worship Zeus, Jehovah, or (maybe in 1000 years) The Star Wars Trilogy, there will always be people who say, "This cannot be right."
358265
siamsalem007: are you serious or are just that dumb? it is by leaps and bound easier to follow the herd so you don't have to formulate original thoughts or have an individual opinion.  i don't mean to bash or berate, but come on! jeewhiz! <---hehe that rhymes with jesus. HA!\n\nand for all of you christians supposedly being supportive and caring, you sure are a bunch of ravenous close-minded religion-mongers. what makes you think you deserve eternal paradise? because some book written by the hands and fingers of men tells you so? at the very LEAST, practice what you freaking preach! so few of you do.
284916
Why do people always assume that athiests are nonbelievers out of ignorance? A lot of us are learned enough about various religions to have the capacity to question the beliefs man has created for himself.
330042
It doesn't have a label. I have thought like that in the past. It's an interesting theory - that the Earth is a just place. Anyway you wouldn't want to call it atheist or agnostic, and you would probably have to explain yourself every time! If only more people could be open-minded and creative like you! Most people think they have to stick to either exactly what the Christian Bible says, or they are atheist. There is nothing wrong with coming up with your own theory, such as maybe we go to another planet when we die! Who knows? AND WHO CARES. We should be focusing more on this life and doing good things whether or not we get REWARDED! Christians are only selfish people looking for rewards such as Heaven and claim to be "moral." They act morally, but aren't truly moral. They do it for themselves and their own satisfaction, not as a human being who thinks everyone SHOULD do it. Don't call yourself atheist - because you have a strong defined belief. And don't say agnostic because YES, you do know what you believe. Just explain it. You are not Pagan (polytheistic), or wiccan (witches) either. By the way, YOU DON'T NEED BELONGINGNESS like others think. It's nice to believe in something that you really believe in, not something others do. As long as you don't take it too far and start a cult with human or animal sacrifices and holy wars and stuff, JK. Just tell everyone you have beliefs, so are not atheist like me, but they are different than established religions, or are some sort of combination. Either way the Christians have condemned you to "Hell" in their corrupt, hypocritical, contradictory world. Good luck!
70597
haha I asked the same question but about fundalmental christians.  For someone trying to figure out my own sprituality I find both sides rather annoying and superfical.  I think the reason both Atheists and Fundalmentals are on here so much is because their point of view is very simple to give a easy answer.  Beleive and don't question for the fundalmentals and don't beleive at all for the Atheists.  To answer many of the deep questions posted on here a lot of thought has to go into those answers.  Even with lots of thought, a good answer is hard to communicate.  Whole books have been written to answer some of these questions.  So it only appears to be narrow minded people in the population but in fact its just easier for them to give their narrow minded answers because to them everything is black and white
289198
Some atheists like to pick on believers because they enjoy mocking anyone who thinks differently than they do. That is why they Troll the religion sections of most forums.Even if they had their own section they'd still harass people who believe in God or gods. I'm a Christian but I have no problem with a person being an atheist if thats the way they want to believe. The only problem I have is when certain Atheists go and ridicule and condscend to people who do have some sort of faith regardless of what that faith is outside of some form of cult. I ignore most of these Militant Atheists because most there arent a lot of them around they just like to make lots of noise and make most people intimidated by them. Why even give them attention I say. Keep the faith I say To Believers
660746
Hey, can I start by raising the term Agnostic?  You know, if we got all the atheists and agnostics together we would probably out number all the religions in the world.  We could probably turn them into the quiet, life living people that we are.  It seems we are the only group of people that aren't trying to change everyone elses mind.  Why do the religious types have to go to the point of harrasment?  Religions only exist because all of us allow them to have their own oppinion.  I like to think we lead by example.
147535
People are closed minded.  I am an atheist with one atheist friend and one pagan friend, and the rest of the people I associate are Christians, and I know how people must react when you say you are pagan, many people freak out when they find out I am an atheist.  They do because you are different, because you challenge their beliefs and make them wonder "hmm, is it really true?"  And so they resent you and I for that.
295157
I agree. Many times on this site, I'll see a good question, and then some well intentioned Christian say, "you just have to have faith," or "faith isn't about logic."  It's quite irritating.  I know I have so much to learn and am ignorant myself, but it seems like some people check their brains at the door when it comes to faith. God wants us to love him with all our minds as well.  \n\nRejecting worldy wisdom doesn't mean we're supposed to be ignorant.
568535
No offense.. but this reminds me of the reason that people thinks that we are pushy freaks...\n\nI mean... I am a Christian... My father is a pastor... but I know that you are opening a can of worms by putting this question on here... \n\nThere are WAAAYYYY too many Athiest with too much time on their hands that LIVE on yahoo answers... \n\nGuarantee they'll say something stupid about this... i.e.  Have an open mind... or freedom of religion... or... that's your opinion not mine... or if your God's so great than why........... blah blah blah... \n\nGood Luck... \n\nThey will see but not SEE... \nThey will hear but not HEAR...