What do Christians think of Atheists?

[SkyWriting]

Specifically, I'm curious about what you think the reasons are that an atheist doesn't believe in god?

Taking leaps of faith is hard work.

 

[Allandavid]

Taking leaps of faith is hard work.

Why is it hard work to simply believe something that may or may not be true...?

 

[JackRT]

What do Christians think of Atheists?

This Christian thinks that atheists are ordinary people just like you and I.

 

[Maile78]

I haven't read all the comments yet but I am enjoying this thread immensely!
IMHO, Atheists tend to be extremely intelligent people and intelligent people need proof. There is no scientific, hardcore, physical evidence of the existence of God. That is just fact. Many Christians argue that fact because it makes us seem like idiots to believe with no proof but to say there is proof is to destroy the foundation of our system of belief, which of course is Faith. So the reason atheists don't believe is because it is illogical to our human minds to believe in God. Simple and understandable.

 

[Allandavid]

I haven't read all the comments yet but I am enjoying this thread immensely!
IMHO, Atheists tend to be extremely intelligent people and intelligent people need proof. There is no scientific, hardcore, physical evidence of the existence of God. That is just fact. Many Christians argue that fact because it makes us seem like idiots to believe with no proof but to say there is proof is to destroy the foundation of our system of belief, which of course is Faith. So the reason atheists don't believe is because it is illogical to our human minds to believe in God. Simple and understandable.

Why would you use faith as your "foundation" when it clearly produces negative and harmful results so consistently?

 

[Maile78]

Why would you use faith as your "foundation" when it clearly produces negative and harmful results so consistently?

Christianity is fully based on faith. Like I said to our human minds it is illogical. I am unsure of how my foundation of faith produces negative and harmful results. Perhaps you are speaking of what I would call abuses of faith.

 

[Allandavid]

Christianity is fully based on faith. Like I said to our human minds it is illogical. I am unsure of how my foundation of faith produces negative and harmful results. Perhaps you are speaking of what I would call abuses of faith.

What drives people to fly planes into buildings, believing that they are doing good? To strap on explosive vests and detonate them in shopping malls? To deny their children life-saving medical procedures?

 

[SkyWriting]

Why is it hard work to simply believe something that may or may not be true...?

Becasue you only get answers after the hard work.
See Answered prayer below.

 

[Maile78]

What drives people to fly planes into buildings, believing that they are doing good? To strap on explosive vests and detonate them in shopping malls? To deny their children life-saving medical procedures?

Insanity? My faith has never and will never cause me to do any if those things. I believe I am called to love others. My faith in God causes me to give to the needy family next door, donate to a child's education and healthcare in Tanzinia, sit up with an Alzheimer's patient when he doesn't know who he is, etc. I don't know why other people use their faith as a reason to do horrible or neglectful things. All I can say is they apparently don't believe the same way I do.

 

[Allandavid]

Insanity? My faith has never and will never cause me to do any if those things.

And yet, those who do those kind of things will attest that it is their faith which guides them.

I believe I am called to love others. My faith in God causes me to give to the needy family next door, donate to a child's education and healthcare in Tanzinia, sit up with an Alzheimer's patient when he doesn't know who he is, etc.

Why does it require faith to do those things? I do similar things... I know others who do also. No faith involved.

don't know why other people use their faith as a reason to do horrible or neglectful things. All I can say is they apparently don't believe the same way I do.

And yet, you all use the same basis for constructing your beliefs...

 

[quatona]

And yet, those who do those kind of things will attest that it is their faith which guides them.



Why does it require faith to do those things? I do similar things... I know others who do also. No faith involved.

It seems like you apply a double standard here: Above you argue "And yet, those who do those things will attest that it is their faith...", and when Maile78 attests that it´s her faith, you argue that her attesting is irrelevant.

So either faith can have an effect, or not. If we assume it can have an effect, I fail to see why only the negative effects could be attributed to it.

 

[Allandavid]

It seems like you apply a double standard here: Above you argue "And yet, those who do those things will attest that it is their faith...", and when Maile78 attests that it´s her faith, you argue that her attesting is irrelevant.

So either faith can have an effect, or not. If we assume it can have an effect, I fail to see why only the negative effects could be attributed to it.

Nowhere do I assert that her faith is "irrelevant". The process of forming a belief system based upon faith is clearly relevant...look around the world! 'Not necessary' would have been closer to the mark...

 

[quatona]

Nowhere do I assert that her faith is "irrelevant". The process of forming a belief system based upon faith is clearly relevant...look around the world! 'Not necessary' would have been closer to the mark...

Ok, so when a person ascribes their actions to their faith, should we accept that claim or not? Or (as you seemed to do) only accept the claim when we don´t like the action, but reject their claim when we like the action?

 

[Allandavid]

Ok, so when a person ascribes their actions to their faith, should we accept that claim or not? Or (as you seemed to do) only accept the claim when we don´t like the action, but reject their claim when we like the action?

I think you and I are on slightly different tangents...

What I am trying to represent is more like the Hitchens argument....(paraphrasing) 'name me any altruistic action or statement made by a person of faith that could not equally be made by a non-believer. Now, name a harmful or destructive action or statement that is only as a result of a faith-based belief.'

Hitchens (and I) would claim that the former is almost impossible (depending upon the understanding of 'altruistic'), whereas the latter is all too common...

 

[quatona]

I think you and I are on slightly different tangents...

What I am trying to represent is more like the Hitchens argument....(paraphrasing) 'name me any altruistic action or statement made by a person of faith that could not equally be made by a non-believer. Now, name a harmful or destructive action or statement that is only as a result of a faith-based belief.'

I can´t think of any - in both cases.

 

[Chriliman]

I think you and I are on slightly different tangents...

What I am trying to represent is more like the Hitchens argument....(paraphrasing) 'name me any altruistic action or statement made by a person of faith that could not equally be made by a non-believer. Now, name a harmful or destructive action or statement that is only as a result of a faith-based belief.'

Hitchens (and I) would claim that the former is almost impossible (depending upon the understanding of 'altruistic'), whereas the latter is all too common...

A non-believer won't claim that the love of others will last forever. The Christian God is the only being(state of being) described as a family of beings that live and love each other, forever.

Anyone, whether believer or non-believer has made some form of harmful action or statement, it's silly to think they can only come from faith-based beliefs.

 

[keith99]

A non-believer won't claim that the love of others will last forever. The Christian God is the only being(state of being) described as a family of beings that live and love each other, forever.

Anyone, whether believer or non-believer has made some form of harmful action or statement, it's silly to think they can only come from faith-based beliefs.

So the only uniqueness on the good side is the CLAIM of lasting forever. On hte non-faith side I have seen love endure until death and if one counts the dead still being the object of love then beyond death.

 

[Tinker Grey]

I can´t think of any - in both cases.

In the case of good things, I think it is clear that non-believers could do and do do as much good as believers. (Indeed, if a believer does good only because of religion, isn't that poverty of character?)

Not-believing something has never caused an action -- though it may allow action. Not believing in elves never impels me to action. Not believing in a god never impels me to action. OTOH, adherence to an ideology (religious or not; thoughtful or not) often impels action. This, of course, can indict both believers and non-believers. However, in terms of religion, only believers can be indicted.

 

[Chriliman]

So the only uniqueness on the good side is the CLAIM of lasting forever. On hte non-faith side I have seen love endure until death and if one counts the dead still being the object of love then beyond death.

True, love can go beyond death, but someone has to be alive in order to love.

 

[Allandavid]

I can´t think of any - in both cases.

When a family deliberately withholds a simple medical procedure from their child, because their religious belief forbids it, you don't see that as harmful...?