Is Atheism itself immoral?

[jasha]

Hi all,

I live in the ultra liberal-secular cocoon of the San Francisco Bay area so it often blows my mind to read how negatively most people in this country feel about atheists (not everyone of course, but a large percentage).
Obviously I don't agree with most of the country on this since I don't know anyone who is at all religious, and I don't consider any of my friends or family to be bad people. Earlier today I read the ten commandments and realized that most of them concern matters that I don't relate to. For example, taking Sunday off of work might be a good idea, but I don't seriously consider it immoral for someone to work on Sunday.

So I'd like to ask a question of the forum here, for anyone who care to answer but I am most interested in the opinions of Christians:
Is disbelief in God in and of itself, immoral? I understand that many theists believe that other immoral behavior will follow if someone does not believe in God, but I am interested in whether the disbelief itself is immoral in your opinion.

Thanks in advance,

-jasha

 

[BobW188]

Not if it is genuinely arrived at. I think even the God I believe in would rather you be an honest atheist than a dishonest Christian. Jesus reserves his harshest words for, and even swings a whip at, those whose words profess belief but whose actions belie it.

 

[lawtonfogle]

God prefers the cold atheist to luke-warm 'Christians', or so I remember reading in the Bible.

 

[HighwayMan]

The Bible-thumpers will tell you that everything and everyone is immoral, and that yes - even if you think you're the nicest person on Earth, disbelief in God is as immoral as it gets.

The rest will tell you no.

 

[Ave Maria]

No, Atheism in and of itself is not immoral.

 

[rambot]

I don't think the possession (or lack) of spiritual beliefs can be incorporated into morality.

 

[naboo123]

Being Atheist isn't immoral if you use Atheism as an excuse to not be good then it is immoral however an Atheist has equal reason to be good.

Ultimately Atheism like communism is theoreticly the best option however society is not ready to accept them yet so we remain a religious democracy for now and for the forceable future.