Atheists and attacking/vehemently questioning others' faith

[Israelite9191]

Similar to the thread posted by Civ-General based on a question by Ironduck, I pose another question. Many Atheists in this forum (and in the real world) seem to feel that they must attack and attempt to disprove faith at every possible junction. So the question is: Why do Atheists feel the need to attack, or less polarising, vehemently question the faith of the religious?

A personal opinion is that Atheists feel they need to justify their position. Thus, as humans, they take the easiest way to do so: attack and attempt to disprove the faith of others. A second opinion is that the sheer volume of atheists and agnostics in this forum results in a mob mentality. This is a common phenomenon where the majority subconciously feels the need to attain conformoty etc. etc., which results in the attempt to change those who are at opposition to there view. A third is that the very nature of Atheism encourages vehement questioning of others. Atheism is based on the scientific method, and thus questioning any and all. This results in the constant questioning of everything, and in the face of faith, escalation to attacking.

Now, please note that I have nothing against Atheists or Atheism. I merely wish to understand what causes this phenomenon on the forum (and outside the forum). I want to encourage polite discussion and debate, so please, no rude/flamming/incendiary/insulting remarks or responses.

 

[JohnRM]

Atheists are more interested in other people's religions than other people.

 

[Israelite9191]

I would dispute that peronsally, as I know myself, as well as several others, are equally interested in other faiths. Furthermore, why are Atheists more interested in other faiths? Is there something more you can say on the topic?

 

[JohnRM]

I would dispute that peronsally, as I know myself, as well as several others, are equally interested in other faiths. Furthermore, why are Atheists more interested in other faiths? Is there something more you can say on the topic?

I am saying that Atheists are more interested in other's religions more than those people are interested in their own religion.

I think Atheists come in various forms, sometimes multiple forms in one person. They are jealous of the tranquility that religion brings to some people's lives. They are looking for something to believe in and for someone to make them believe. They hear religious people warning them and others of the ways they live their lives, that being immoral or otherwise wrong and they attack religion in an effort to conceal the fact that they are living in error. Then there are some, albeit few, who feel threatened by religion being pushed on them without invitation. These people are justified in attacking whatever religion is being shoved down their throat. Some people see it that way and are simply wrong, however.

 

[Pyrite]

I question other's faith because I honestly fail to see how people could believe certain things.

I want to question a system that perpetuates hatred and degradation on individual's who it views as wrong, not for any rational justification, but because it is "god's will."

I'll attack any vehicle of such thought.

 

[JollyRoger]

I am an atheist that didn't really care about religious types until I was told that I am in a war against Christmas and I am somehow persecuting Christians in a Christian-majority nation. I now try to live up to these expectations. If Christians are going to feel persecuted anyway, might as well give them good reason.

 

[GenMarshall]

The way I see it, the reason why that many atheists react negatively to a religious person whenever the religious poster tells about his faith (Weather it be the Poster's faith's doctrines, moral and ethical standings, and history of the faith itself).

I would give my experiance onto this, since I have a hybrid belief system: One which is not popular with anyone but a few (Roman Catholicism) and one which has sparked curiosity (Shintoism). The way I see it is that some atheists see other faiths as reasonable such as Buddhism or other religions that has a distant view of God (IE God does not look at us like goldfish) with morals and ethics that are within human reason. However on the other side of the coin, some atheists see the other faiths such as Catholic Christianity, Protestant Christianity, and Islam (mainly Abrahamic Faiths) as hostile to human freedom with strict moral and ethics, as well as statements from atheists that they are not rational.

Thats just my $0.02 on this issue.

 

[garric]

I'm an atheist and I agree 100% with the OP. I now feel ashamed in a way to even bring up that I am an atheist, because of the poisonous reputation atheists have built. Any time you see an atheist on TV he's probably doing some ridiculous thing like petitioning to remove "God" from money or remove a cross from a cemetary, and every time you see an atheist online he makes some thread or has a cheeky quote in his sig about how he's "right" and theists are wrong.

I believe it was Ansheem that has said that these people are no longer atheists but anti-theists.

 

[Pyrite]

Not simply hostile to human freedom.
It's hostile to thought. (imho)

 

[Israelite9191]

Thank you for expanding your thought John.

Pyrite, while I understand your sentiment, do you honestly believe that all religion does is act as a vehicle of hatred and degredation? If so, then you have a severly distorted understanding of religion. All of the world's great religions are based on doctrines of good action, good thought, and good belief. If you actually took time to study the doctrines, dogmas, and the majority of the actions of most religions, you will find that they do much more good than bad. While I am the first person to acknowledge the bad that has been done by religion (especially concidering that in the West the majority of this has been targeted at oppression of Jews), I am also the first to acknowledge that religion has done much more good than bad. Open your mind to the beliefs of others, try to understand things from the position of others, and actually take the time to learn a majority part of the systems of beliefs of others and you will find that your understanding of religion is severely distorted. Just as many religious take what they hear/see of Atheists at face value (immorality etc.), you are taking what you hear/see of religious at face value. This is a mistake many of us make, and in my opinion, a large reason for all the horrors that have happened in this world.

 

[JohnRM]

Not simply hostile to human freedom.
It's hostile to thought. (imho)

Assuming that atheists are right, of course.

 

[Perfection]

Well, I can't speak for other posters but as a prominant atheist poster I will speak for myself. I'd say that my posts regarding religion can be largely grouped into two groups:

The first group is posting the stuff that I actually care about (science, and on odd occasions a political topic). My Creationism thread being an example. These generally aren't about religious faith but about the rejection of science in favor of religious dogma, something that I find disturbing.

The second group is semiserious mostly just for entertainment purposes. My thread on whether the LRA is Christian or not being an example. A thread regarding religion will often yeild results that are interesting to me so I bring it up every once and a while. I generally don't have a major issue with the faith of other people, but I do find it interesting to play with thier concepts. These aren't meant to be attacks, but thought provoking questions.

 

[Pyrite]

Thank you John.

Pyrite, while I understand your sentiment, do you honestly believe that all religion does is act as a vehicle of hatred and degredation? If so, then you have a severly distorted understanding of religion. All of the world's great religions are based on doctrines of good action, good thought, and good belief. If you actually took time to study the doctrines, dogmas, and the majority of the actions of most religions, you will find that they do much more good than bad. While I am the first person to acknowledge the bad that has been done by religion (especially concidering that in the West the majority of this has been targeted at oppression of Jews), I am also the first to acknowledge that religion has done much more good than bad. Open your mind to the beliefs of others, try to understand things from the position of others, and actually take the time to learn a majority part of the systems of beliefs of others and you will find that your understanding of religion is severely distorted. Just as many religious take what they hear/see of Atheists at face value (immorality etc.), you are taking what you hear/see of religious at face value. This is a mistake many of us make, and in my opinion, a large reason for all the horrors that have happened in this world.

I certainly don't think such a thing.(I'm not even fully an atheist) But, they justify such actions to irrational people, and so I wish to expose the fallacies of their supporters. If someone started a thread saying please describe your relationship with god, I wouldn't even open my mouth (or start typing on my keyboard) until something degrading to human freedom popped up. And that's where I and theists will always disagree, I view freedom as the ability to act as I desire coupled with other peoples desires to do as they act, unimpeded. Theists tend to see freedom as the "ability to do what is just" <- Pope john paul.

How has religion done more good then bad? It has comforted people certainly. Comforted proles to go to bed hungry, comforted kings in their divinely appointed tyranny. Why are the good things we see in religion universal? Because they are universal human values, that pragmatically speaking bode well for our survival. They are inherant survival traits and mores adopted for stability. We don't need religion for humanism <- not the ideal system, merely our "universal moral agreements"

 

[Pyrite]

Assuming that atheists are right, of course.

I'm not an atheist. But I still can see the danger of dogma.

 

[Neomega]

gotta spread the gospel of atheism I suppose.

 

[GenMarshall]

All of the world's great religions are based on doctrines of good action, good thought, and good belief. If you actually took time to study the doctrines, dogmas, and the majority of the actions of most religions, you will find that they do much more good than bad.

I agree with your statement. I myself have acknowlaged that both Roman Catholicism and Shintoism have had dark histories in their past. Shintoism with the involvement in agressiveness and World War II when originaly Shintoism is a pasificst religion/philosophy. Roman Catholicism with it's inquisitions and Crusades. I can say that both faiths have been twisted by men who want to keep power and humans are not perfict beings. Nobody (not the poster) is perfict and same goes for any clergy person all cross faiths from Greek-Roman Polytheism to Mormonism. However, I can say that that Catholicism and Shintoism has both brought good into the world.

 

[Israelite9191]

From now on, could people identify wether or not they are Atheists? It would be a real help.

 

[Pyrite]

You'd call me agnostic.
I don't know what's right.
But I know it isn't Christianity.Or Islam (or if it is, we should be leaping at Jehova or Allah with daggers)

 

[vbraun]

Because it's cool to cause trouble.

 

[GenMarshall]

From now on, could people identify wether or not they are Atheists? It would be a real help.

Kind of redundant since I have my idenity on my signature. But if you must, here you go .

I am a Roman Catholic with Shinto spirituality and philosophy. Quite ovious that I am not an Atheist, but speeking with a pair of sociology glasses .