What do Christians think of Atheists?

[quatona]

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...?

I´m not seeing how this can´t be done without being religious or without religious reasons.

 

[Maile78]

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.



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

I never ask anyone to understand why I believe what I believe. I haven't always believed this way. All I can say is people do many things for many different reasons and the only ones who have to answer for those actions are the people who acted.
I am glad that you do good things. I wish more people did. I don't for one second think that it takes a belief of any kind for people to do good things. My husband is a very giving, generous man and his beliefs are totally opposite mine.

 

[Maile78]

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.

I don't think he was saying it was irrelevant just not needed. And he is right. I don't need my faith to be a good person. I choose my faith. I also choose to do good things. Others choose faith and choose to do bad things. It would and could all happen without one mention of faith. But I suppose, in my case at least, that I mention it to be able to give God the glory (the credit) for the good stuff I am able to do.

 

[Allandavid]

I never ask anyone to understand why I believe what I believe. I haven't always believed this way. All I can say is people do many things for many different reasons and the only ones who have to answer for those actions are the people who acted.
I am glad that you do good things. I wish more people did. I don't for one second think that it takes a belief of any kind for people to do good things. My husband is a very giving, generous man and his beliefs are totally opposite mine.

Fair enough.

 

[seashale76]

Specifically, I'm curious about what you think the reasons are that an atheist doesn't believe in god? I've been on the forum here for quite some time...and I frequently come across those who hold all sorts of beliefs about why atheists don't believe in god. By far, the rarest belief I've seen is that atheists genuinely don't believe for a lack of evidence...which is surprising since that's by far the most common explanation I've seen atheists give for their lack of a god-belief.

I've seen claims that atheists are in denial of god because they don't want some "authority figure" over them. Similarly, I've seen the desire to sin proposed as a reason. I've also seen other emotional reasons put forth...like perhaps the atheist had a particularly bad experience with a christian. Another is that the atheist was somehow traumatized by life at some point and lost their faith.

I understand that a lot of these beliefs exist because there are times when a christian may struggle with their faith...and end up in some way resenting or being angry with their god. While this may be the closest your average christian ever gets to being an atheist....it is not atheism for the simple fact that you cannot genuinely be angry/disappointed/or otherwise upset with something that you don't believe exists. Nevertheless, it's all that many christians can imagine about lacking a belief in a god...so that experience gets wrongfully projected onto the atheist.

So, as a simple matter of curiosity...I'd like to hear why you (as a believer) think an atheist doesn't believe in god. I'd also like to hear why you hold this belief about atheists (if you feel like using some introspection).

I understand as a topic it may feel a bit uncomfortable to admit to what you genuinely believe...so I'd like to assure you that I won't be passing any judgement on you for your opinions/beliefs. While I can't assure you that no other atheists will do the same...in the interest of mutual understanding...I do hope you'll be as honest as possible, even if your opinion may seem insulting.

Any thoughts?

Well- (and I'm posting blindly after just reading your OP here)- I think the answer to that is quite varied. I don't think that all atheists have the same reasons for being atheists. The ones I understand the most simply do not have/have not had any experiences thus far in life that convince them that God (or gods) exist, and/or don't see any evidence that would convince them of such. I get these people. However- I've seen some others here and there that strike me as idiots that just so happen to be atheists- and also they somehow think that being an atheist magically bestows intelligence. They can't discern their own reasons for being an atheist from what atheism is and assume all atheists are the same as them.

I started a somewhat similar thread a few years ago. Read it if you like (at the very least you'd get a better understanding of my own views): Atheism

 

[Allandavid]

Well- (and I'm posting blindly after just reading your OP here)- I think the answer to that is quite varied. I don't think that all atheists have the same reasons for being atheists. The ones I understand the most simply do not have/have not had any experiences thus far in life that convince them that God (or gods) exist, and/or don't see any evidence that would convince them of such. I get these people. However- I've seen some others here and there that strike me as idiots that just so happen to be atheists- and also they somehow think that being an atheist magically bestows intelligence. They can't discern their own reasons for being an atheist from what atheism is and assume all atheists are the same as them.

I started a somewhat similar thread a few years ago. Read it if you like (at the very least you'd get a better understanding of my own views): Atheism

To be classified as 'atheist' is really quite straightforward. We don't accept the claim that gods exist. That's it.

And yes, you will find some jerks in our midst, as you will in any other group of people...

 

[SolomonVII]

Well- (and I'm posting blindly after just reading your OP here)- I think the answer to that is quite varied. I don't think that all atheists have the same reasons for being atheists. The ones I understand the most simply do not have/have not had any experiences thus far in life that convince them that God (or gods) exist, and/or don't see any evidence that would convince them of such. I get these people. However- I've seen some others here and there that strike me as idiots that just so happen to be atheists- and also they somehow think that being an atheist magically bestows intelligence. They can't discern their own reasons for being an atheist from what atheism is and assume all atheists are the same as them.

I started a somewhat similar thread a few years ago. Read it if you like (at the very least you'd get a better understanding of my own views): Atheism

There is the old saying that those who do not believe in something end up believing in anything. There is certainly that aspect to atheism in the very diversity of different belief systems that have come in the wake of Christian disbelief, anything from crystals to technocracy to humanism, and Nietzche and Marx too.

However, it also seems to me that the desire to coalesce behind the banner of belief is a very strong human tendency as well. People desire a centre of gravity, and this is doubly so for a post-Christian people who recognize that the centre is missing.

It is not as if society has shattered into a myriad of different atoms all going different ways in our post-Christian societies. Instead, it seems as if what is happening is takin to the proclamation "The king is dead; Long live the king".

Christianity is no longer the glue that binds society together.

Big government is. And this is a true now for many Christians in a post-Christian world as it is for the preponderance of non-Christian believers.

 

[Allandavid]

There is the old saying that those who do not believe in something end up believing in anything.

And, in keeping with many old sayings, this one is totally irrelevant...

Because, to be an atheist does not mean that we "do not believe in something"....it simply means we do not believe in ONE thing....the existence of gods.

There is certainly that aspect to atheism in the very diversity of different belief systems that have come in the wake of Christian disbelief, anything from crystals to technocracy to humanism, and Nietzche and Marx too.

There is no necessary link between being an atheist and accepting some other form of belief system.

However, it also seems to me that the desire to coalesce behind the banner of belief is a very strong human tendency as well.

You got that one right. Humans are pattern seekers...it's wired into our DNA. But it also means that we will 'see' a pattern that does not exist, all too often...

Christianity is no longer the glue that binds society together.

Again, we agree...!

Big government is. And this is a true now for many Christians in a post-Christian world as it is for the preponderance of non-Christian believers.

You sell yourself short. Change is on the march, but religious belief of one form or another is still dominant in many parts of the world.

 

[seashale76]

To be classified as 'atheist' is really quite straightforward. We don't accept the claim that gods exist. That's it.

And yes, you will find some jerks in our midst, as you will in any other group of people...

I'm aware. It would have been nice had you actually decided to read not only the post you quoted but my thread that I posted a link to, wherein I put a reiteration of that very statement into my OP. It would have saved you the trouble of responding to me.

 

[possibletarian]

There is the old saying that those who do not believe in something end up believing in anything. There is certainly that aspect to atheism in the very diversity of different belief systems that have come in the wake of Christian disbelief, anything from crystals to technocracy to humanism, and Nietzche and Marx too.

Atheist's simply don't believe in a god, it does not mean anything else.

Not only that, it could be from any starting position. A Communist could for example say ''those who do not believe in something ending up believing anything, such as Christianty, devil worship, spiritism, space monsters, humanism"

 

[quatona]

There is the old saying that those who do not believe in something end up believing in anything.

And old saying says it, that settles it.

 

[SolomonVII]

And old saying says it, that settles it.

Settles what?

 

[SolomonVII]

Atheist's simply don't believe in a god, it does not mean anything else.

I certainly have not put up an argument against the basic definition of the word.
My whole argument is based in that basic definition of disbelief.

Not only that, it could be from any starting position. A Communist could for example say ''those who do not believe in something ending up believing anything, such as Christianty, devil worship, spiritism, space monsters, humanism"

Certainly it could be. That goes to the heart of what is being said. It is that very vacuum of disbelief that creates the search for something-anything- to believe in.

Sweep out one devil, and seven come in to take its place, is the Biblical principle at work here.

 

[quatona]

Settles what?

That which the old saying says.

 

[SolomonVII]

That which the old saying says.

I guess it does, yes.
Thanks for your erudite and thoughtful contribution to the discussion.
There is much food for thought there to be digested.

 

[quatona]

I guess it does, yes.
Thanks for your erudite and thoughtful contribution to the discussion.
There is much food for thought there to be digested.

No problem - any time!
And thanks for supplying me with another old saying - I´m gonna add it to my old sayings collection.

 

[quatona]

I certainly have not put up an argument against the basic definition of the word.
My whole argument is based in that basic definition of disbelief.


Certainly it could be. That goes to the heart of what is being said. It is that very vacuum of disbelief that creates the search for something-anything- to believe in.

Sweep out one devil, and seven come in to take its place, is the Biblical principle at work here.

Summary: If someone doesn´t believe as I do, they probably believe something else.

 

[Chesterton]

I´m not seeing how this can´t be done without being religious or without religious reasons.

Maybe Bill Maher could explain how it's done, you know, the atheist who tells people not to take the medicines that help them.

 

[quatona]

Maybe Bill Maher could explain how it's done, you know, the atheist who tells people not to take the medicines that help them.

You didn´t read the post that you responded to and quoted, I guess?

 

[Chesterton]

You didn´t read the post that you responded to and quoted, I guess?

Yes, I read the sentence 4 or 5 times. It was difficult sifting through all the negatives.