Ever wonder how [some] Christians view atheists without really knowing atheists?

[VelcroQueen]

Well, let me admit to my part of the problem and not leave it so lop-sided. I am an older woman; I work because I love to, so I am not home much; because I am older, when I get home, I expect my time to be my time, so I don't run about the neighborhood; I admit that I have only known the names of those in three homes on my street, including her home; I'm gone all day on Saturdays when others are probably visible in the neighborhood; on Sundays, I am napping, shopping, working around the inside of the house. I must look very unfriendly to most, although I always wave and say "hi" to anyone I see.

[rifleman]

Originally Posted by peppermint

So a true atheist is one who does not discuss religion? How interesting.

Originally Posted by rifleman

I'd say Christians want to generalize and pigeon-hole us atheists. We are not so easily cataloged, "divy'ed-up" or "keyed out", like a sample bug under the microscope. There's an assumption that we carry some contagious disease, or that we're genetically damaged goods.

We're everyone, every type, every belief. Except, of course, having thoughtfully reviewed the entire religious paradigm, we don't want to bother with subscribing to an iconic "Wooden God" concept, or to rigid belief systems that have evolved from non-independent thinking.

Originally Posted by OngletNYC

Yes, that is exactly what I was saying. Well that, and that atheists are intelligent enough to understand the concept of nuance.

Originally Posted by AREQUIPA

Ascerbic it was, but I have seen, in one form or another every one of those attitudes yea, even here, on these forums

Originally Posted by rifleman

Agreed, AREQUIPA. This cartoon was truly great. And funny! Amazingly, true to their standardized, parroting approach in "debating" atheists, I and other atheists here on C-D have been accused of literally each of the specific jibes leveled in this wonderful parody.

The obvious conclusion is that all of the standardized criticisms of atheism have been, in one way or another, taught to the Christian apologists as de rigeur comebacks to any commentary of ours, no matter how thoughtful and thought-provoking.

You know: you hear a knock at the door and your first response is to blow a hole through it with 12 ga buckshot? Like that, only with more hatred...

Originally Posted by peppermint

The letters to the editor in my town are frequently those written by religious people protesting this group or that. It is difficult to sit back and say nothing, and I don't think that's the right thing to do.

Originally Posted by rifledog

It isn't, I agree. By hiding your own thoughts, or restraining your own commentary, you're giving in to the rampant theatrics and threat-mongering of Christians who are, in fact, now officially terribly afraid of what they are so obviously losing: footing and relevance in modern educated society. They can't get traction any more, frankly, and they know it, and in response, their messages Letters to The Editor, etc.) have become more strident and prophetic as regards hell, etc..

Originally Posted by Nea1

We just moved and our neighbor is religious. I don't like the guy. So Sunday I had misplaced my keys, I was running around frantically yelling, cant find the keys I am late. Well he came over and asked me what was up, just as I found my keys, I yelled thank you Santa!! ( instead of thank the lord" or thank you lord") He asked " Santa"? I said, yea if your going to believe in myths it might as well be the good one!! He walked away. hehehehehehehe! He hasn't talked to me since.

Originally Posted by rifle

Now, that's not very neighborly, is it, Nea? I pegged you as a nice meek, polite lady! How little we really know of our fellow mean-spirited atheist friends.... Sigh. Now I have to re-think everything!

Originally Posted by VelcroQueen

The fact is that you are right -- I don't know many atheists, and I am quite sure that the atheist in my neighborhood is a very poor example.

...the atheist in my neighborhood is, bluntly, loud-mouthed, demanding, smart alec, know-it-all, ugly, critical, attacking, confrontational, bitter, angry, suit-happy, and worse. I think she is a poor representation of atheism...

... unless we think, we tend to measure people by the few examples of those in our lives. If I were to measure atheists by her, without those on this board, my ideas would be very skewed.

Originally Posted by devil-rifle

Precisely, VQ! In fact, I'd have to assert that, given the wide walks in life all of us pursue, that there is no such thing as an atheist personality, though as I say, Christians want to peg us thusly.

In fact, there's far more uniformity in Christians, though even there they manifest a very wide range of personalities. At least they subscribe to a rather loosey-goosey set of interpreted standards, quite differently interpreted, but still: there's a common God and common bible (more or less).

With atheists, there's none of that. None at all. Apparently though, we're still ethically bereft, immoral and evil! Well of course we are! At least that's what the Church and fellow Christians want non-thinkers to believe and perpetrate. In fact, I find and burn a baby in sacrifice each night, and pluck the wings off honey bees whenever I can!

Originally Posted by VelcroQueen

As I have written, I think it is the incessant pain that makes her like this.

I am trying very hard to think of other atheists I know personally . . . .

Hello! How do you do.... Pleased to meet you!

[VelcroQueen]

. . . But I meant knowing someone IRL, not just here!

But you sure made me grin!!!! . . . IRL!!!!

[Nea1]

Originally Posted by rifleman

Hello! How do you do.... Please to meet you!

meek? Rifleman you know better than that!!!
I was being neighborly, after all his long diatribes on hell and how Jews got what was coming to the for killing Christ, I thought I owed him a little something!

[chessgeek]

[quote=Yzette;15578811]I love that cartoonist! He cracks me up.

My own experience with Christians judging atheists goes something like this:

Christian: They want anarchy! They want pedophilia! They want the destruction of all that is moral and pure! (QUOTE)

This re-opens an old thread, but I could not resist.

I am a Christian and it is very disappointing when I hear other Christians say those things when they are supposed to be acting with decency.

I would simply share this link with them about the trailer to the 2006 documentary Deliver Us From Evil about clergy sexual abusers that several Catholic leaders protected in an attempt to cover it up. I predict that will stop their hostility toward atheists quickly or at least take their attention away from it. BTW, I recommend the documentary and would not be surprised at all if it played a role in the Vatican having a more reform minded Pope these days.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OCz55k0pdc.com.