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As I'm sure many of you have heard, a study was done sometime over the last few years showing that atheists are the least trusted minority in the country.
We're also the least desirable marriage material for the average American's child.
I would like to know, why? I have my suspicions, and I believe some of them are correct. However, I'd like to hear it straight from others, what don't you like about us? What makes you uncomfortable? I'd really like some honest opinions.
I'm not starting this because I want to be degraded, or because I want to fight, but as an educational venture.
I, for example, believe that if more people came to know me, and my altruistic ways, they would reform their opinions on atheists. Some of my friends already have.
So tell me, and maybe I and other fellow disbelievers can educate you on who we really are.
As I'm sure many of you have heard, a study was done sometime over the last few years showing that atheists are the least trusted minority in the country.
We're also the least desirable marriage material for the average American's child.
I would like to know, why? I have my suspicions, and I believe some of them are correct. However, I'd like to hear it straight from others, what don't you like about us? What makes you uncomfortable? I'd really like some honest opinions.
I'm not starting this because I want to be degraded, or because I want to fight, but as an educational venture.
I, for example, believe that if more people came to know me, and my altruistic ways, they would reform their opinions on atheists. Some of my friends already have.
So tell me, and maybe I and other fellow disbelievers can educate you on who we really are.
Well, I don't mean to be rude but like you said, this is years too late. And I don't think Atheist are the least trusted anymore. I highly doubt it because atheism has rised in recent years.
I'm gonna tell you the truth straight up though. Because I rarely hold things back. I like atheist sometimes. And other times, I don't. Sometimes, I will meet one of those humanist atheist that are really nice. I've known a girl from last year. She was the sweetest girl I ever met. Very animal-friendly type person. Vegetarian as well. Always looking for the best in humanity. Very positive attitudes. But then there's other ones I hate dealing with like some not-to-be-named people on this forum who are just negative people and jerks for no reason. They attack us (Christians) because they have a chip on their shoulder from their childhood and think that by attacking us, it's somehow getting back at their Christian parents or family members that supposedly ruined their life. It's so stupid. Usually it has to do with males and female atheist. Female atheist are kinder and more at peace with themselves and their beliefs. The males are the ones who I usually don't get along because of their stank attitude. Lol. But that's basically my only issue. I have atheist friends. I love them just like my other friends. I pray for them and everyone else every night. If their cool, I'm cool. It's like whatever. This shouldn't even be so taboo. If we all respected each other and our beliefs, there wouldn't be so many problems. But because there is this lack and there's spite and hatred, thus continues on the war. I think its stupid. I am nice to anyone who is nice to me. I don't discriminate on anyone. But its people that purposely blame others and their beliefs on why their life is like this/that that p*ss me off. You pidgeonhole an entire religion and people based off your own bad experiences and then you expect everyone to be all nice and sweet after you insulted them. That's not going to happen. And this is an issue I have with atheist. I just wish some of them wouldn't do that. But that's just me. These are my personal issues with atheist that have nothing to do with anyone else
Last edited by allenk893; 05-12-2011 at 08:06 AM..
It depends on the position that a religious person holds since not all believers have problems with atheists. The kind of believers that distrust atheists are the kind that think that belief in god is the only way for someone to live a life of morality and happiness and without it someone lives a life of despair and hedonism.
I don't dislike 'atheists' or most groups.Like just about any group some atheists are very nice,and some are real jerks.....but thats true of 'believers' too.Atheists,like christians,are too broad of a grouping to all stick in the same box.
Other than not believing in a god there is nothing that one atheist need have in common with another.They can be brilliant or stupid,liberal or conservative,rich or poor,etc.Many don't wear their atheism on their sleeve,but nor do many believers.Many of my life long friends are atheists or agnostics,but none of them are the rabidly anti-religionists that you sometimes encounter on discussion forums.....I will say in fairness though that some of the pro-religionists I find just as annoying...or amusing.
As I'm sure many of you have heard, a study was done sometime over the last few years showing that atheists are the least trusted minority in the country.
We're also the least desirable marriage material for the average American's child.
I would like to know, why? I have my suspicions, and I believe some of them are correct. However, I'd like to hear it straight from others, what don't you like about us? What makes you uncomfortable? I'd really like some honest opinions.
I'm not starting this because I want to be degraded, or because I want to fight, but as an educational venture.
I, for example, believe that if more people came to know me, and my altruistic ways, they would reform their opinions on atheists. Some of my friends already have.
So tell me, and maybe I and other fellow disbelievers can educate you on who we really are.
I have absolutely nothing against atheists. As far as I'm concerned, they're just like me except for one thing -- they don't believe in God. Now I can't say I like all atheists, but I can't say I like all theists either. I can't even say that, as a Mormon, I like all Mormons. See, I don't have a problem with people who don't believe the same as I do, but I have a major problem with rude people. I simply have no tolerance for them whatsoever. So, I would have to say that I don't like self-righteous Christians who feel it is their duty to judge and condemn everyone else on the planet. I also don't like egotistical atheists who tell me that because I believe in a Higher Power, I'm any less intelligent than they are. The bottom line is that I pretty much treat everybody the way they treat me. I can be the nicest, most considerate person you'll ever meet or I can be a real Moderator cut: edit . Just treat me the way you want to be treated back.
Some of the most loving people I know happen to be atheist. I don't "like" atheists or "dislike" atheists. I don't really think anything about them as a group at all. (At least I don't think I do... hmmmm. I guess I need to do a "subconscious" check. lol..) Everyone is different, just because someone is an atheist that doesn't tell me really anything at all about their character or their personality or their quirks or anything else. Just like theists. Just because someone believes in God... it really doesn't tell me anything.
Those who follow the path of love and focus on love and attempt to put more love into this world are the folks who are closest to understanding God, whether they are atheist, agnostic, hindu, wiccan, muslim, what have you. (I'm saying this because I believe in God, this is not meant to be condescending to those who don't believe, please don't take it that way. This is just my personal view/perspective.) Then you've got all sorts of folks who believe in God, yet they are very non-loving and compassionless, judgmental and condemning, etc., and to me, these folks are pretty far from understanding God. I think that's the way it should be because labels and beliefs mean nothing. It's love that matters. God is love. The narrow road is love. What's love (within each of us) is on the narrow road that leads to life because love never ends. The non-love (within each of us) is on the road that leads to destruction, because love conquers all. Love will conquer the non-love within us.
So "atheist", "christian", "agnostic", etc... all just kind of meaningless labels to me. It tells me nothing. except what a person says they believe.
well, hope that made sense. It's kind of hard sometimes to help other folks see the view from your eyes.
I find in your face, "militant" internet atheists to be incredibly annoying, mostly they tend to be every bit as dogmatic as the worst Christians, Muslims, etc. I have a problem with anyone who's overly dogmatic, judgmental, and/or disrespectful.
The ones who are respectful and open to points of view other than their own are just fine by me. In fact, the world could use a few more of them.
They seem to hate us because we can answer a question without side tracking it with a quote from a book, or give some kind of generic run of the mill answer.
We can speak for ourselves.
They have to use a book to justify all actions.
-_-
They also don't like the fact that crap goes both ways. On Moderator cut: delete Wednesday" this year, I was LOL'ing with a coworker how stupid people look with dirt on their heads. This lady across from us at work, got offended and says we shouldn't talk like that -- that's fine, and I did agree and apologized.
LOL yet, I always hear her talk about "oh my prayers are with you" or "im praying for you".. and her most recent answer is "this is how god made me" (some kid asked why she looks that way -- she's deformed or something)
They seem to hate us because we can answer a question without side tracking it with a quote from a book, or give some kind of generic run of the mill answer.
We can speak for ourselves.
They have to use a book to justify all actions.
-_-
They also don't like the fact that crap goes both ways. On Moderator cut: Orphaned Wednesday" this year, I was LOL'ing with a coworker how stupid people look with dirt on their heads. This lady across from us at work, got offended and says we shouldn't talk like that -- that's fine, and I did agree and apologized.
LOL yet, I always hear her talk about "oh my prayers are with you" or "im praying for you".. and her most recent answer is "this is how god made me" (some kid asked why she looks that way -- she's deformed or something)
But I have to listen to her say that, right?
Uh...so stating that 'people look stupid with dirt on their heads on trash wednesday' would be a rude comment coming from an atheist but it is justified because the offended party offers to 'pray for people' ?.
Whether prayer provides any benefit is questionable but I fail to see what is offensive about such an offer as long as you aren't made to feel obligated to join in.Christians,jews,muslims,and 'followers of the star wars jedi path' are all free to pray for me if they want....it isn't going to hurt anything
Last edited by june 7th; 05-15-2011 at 07:18 AM..
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Christians,jews,muslims,and 'followers of the star wars jedi path' are all free to pray for me if they want....it isn't going to hurt anything
