As an Atheist, I’ve noticed that the thoughts of my friends (in criticising/questioning other religions) have been taken in FAR more warmly than my own.
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Keep this is mind13% Voted for by Dragonslayer365, pozo, Insanly Poetic.
“Blessed is the poor in spirit for they will be conforted”. Be atheist all you want gentlemen but don’t turn yourself off to the possiblity that there is a God which the Jewish and Christian bible speak of. Only then will you answers be met.
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Well in my.......................8% Voted for by Nosferatu, Kevin.
.......opinion. The followers of organised religion have so much invested in their faith ,they have more to loose than perhaps some one like I might. I have found that this is often the reason for the ‘venom in their sting.’
When confronted with an intelligent and vocal person who challenges their dogmas they often will be deffensive because they have been conditioned to believe that those who say these things are posessed of the devil.
This is the magic of the Christian faith. It has installed itself into the seat of power using the sword, and continues to remain there by manipulating the minds of it’s followers with fear. A most effective method, employed by many througout the ages, but not to the global extent of the Christians
To be sure, the Christian faith is not the only one who uses fear to ‘guide’ it’s followers, but undeniably it has been the most successful and so that is why I mention it.
It has been my experience that, the stronger the reaction, the deeper you have thrust. If you stike a chord, and shake the bridge of faith, the “anti Satan” alarms will go on, and the venom will be strong and swift.
If your question was just, if your comments respectful, then it is not the answer that is what matters. What matters is that you stood, and you questioned, and that is the act of a brave person.
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It's Sectism8% Voted for by Fanelia19, nihilismisdead.
People can only criticize their own sect. In Christianity it is said, “thou shalt not judge (others)”. This quote dastely applies to organizations as well, it is not acceptable to criticize outside out of your block. For how could an atheist know about what it is to be a Christian?
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Fear makes them mean8% Voted for by jendeavor, slender spider.
“As an Atheist, Ive noticed that the thoughts of my friends (in criticising/questioning other religions) have been taken in FAR more warmly than my own.”
Its pretty simple human nature, those who take your friends comments more warmly than your own probably feel some kind of affinity to your God believing friends, and less with you. With you they don’t know what to do, or think, or how to respond. An athiest can be a very scary thing to a believer. A beleiver LOVES God, and can’t understand why someone would choose not to want to know and therefore love God too. They may not only fear you, but more likely even fear FOR you, and of course your mortal soul.
I for one don’t believe in a mortal soul, I only believe in an imortal soul-type, so fear of God does not touch me, fear of no God doesn’t touch me either. I am not agnostic, nor athiest, but I am not Christian, Jewish or Islamic either, I see and feel divinity in each aspect of life, from the miracle of a tree inside a seed waiting to be born, to the unerring precision of the tides of the Ocean, the world is a magical place, with room enough for belief of God, and non-belief.
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add thisVoted for by bettaproger.
im of a faith that is not widely known, infact i bet you couldn’t guees even if a pictoral hint was above you. people just jump me if i say anything, its way harder then before i was of any faith (atheist)
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ignoranceVoted for by fairyme.
as an agnostic, I guess you could accuse me as a fence sitter, but (sitting on my fence) I noticed that too. Perhaps its because religious people share that common value in their beliefs so its okay to critisise the superfulous details. Yet atheists don’t really believe in anything which contradicts all their beliefs in one blow, perhaps they cannot accept the contradiction of their core beliefs and sense of identity. Also, it’s pretty difficult to actually offend an atheist on the matter as they simple don’t belive anthing you can critise. Generally, I think to believe anything from either side of the fence without being able to listen to or accept different views, would make you pretty ignorant.
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Because of similaritiesVoted for by pozo.
Apart from more eastern religions/more cultish religions most religions are similar. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are very similar in nature- therefore you’re dealing with the same things and you know a lot more about the texts, ethics etc then an athiest. There’s also the question of how athiests argue. I don’t mind athiests who argue nicely, I don’t mind Christians and other faiths that do the same. But all too often it becomes Christians who believe others are ‘heathen’, athiests who believe others are ‘superstitious’, Muslims who believe ‘Jihad’ is offending (or worse) others. That is what I object to.
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Actual questions?Voted for by humanimal.
Well, having observed a number of religious debates, Something I have noticed is that many atheist enter into the discussions angrily, or close to it. Too many have a chip on their shoulder from the beginning.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that very few atheist offer even remotely logical reasons for the non-existence of a god. Of course, very few theist offer any for the existence of a god, but more often than not, they don’t have a bug up their ass.
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Agnostic speaksVoted for by becomingbroken.
Because Christians are the ultimate hypocryte, If we dont judge: is to, your all going to burn in hell, THEN Christian: hypocrit
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antithesis without solutionVoted for by twistedstranger.
I think the conflict lies in the fact that critisism is usually followed by an alternative means on the subject. Religions compare notes with each other while atheists come off as simply antagonistic
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solutions...Voted for by ohsweetie2788.
when one person criticizes another religon it is possible for them (if they are religous) to offer differences and different alternatives too god, not just say he isn;t there. more people ar apt to listen to other religons who believe in a god than an atheist who they believe to believe in nothing. it seems illogical too them and is far different from themselves to accept warmly.
Ash
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atheist?Voted for by Kazrith.
to me, being an atheist is not exactly not believing, but stepping out of that circle to find myself. i just havent stepped back in because i havent found a religion that fits me.
maybe i will make my own…..
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DependsVoted for by Ayrian.
It depends both on how the question is delivered, and the manner of lifestyle in which both of you live. If you live a hypocritical lifestyle, then naturally the questioning will receive a negative response, but if you live a lifestyle that does not contradict your question, then it should be accepted warmly, except if the audience doesn’t think highly of it, in which case you should look at how you deliver the question. One example I can think related to this topic of is claiming to not worship God, but if you make something else like a sport an idol, or basically an object of worship, then you turn it into a God, and you effectively are worshipping a “created god”.
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I think it is a matter of moral perceptionVoted for by transcendental baby.
I think both sides of the debate come into with the question of a moral code. In many religions, the idea of God is centered in a moral identity, and it’s hard for them to understand how a person who doesn’t have that anchor can be truly moral. And that naturally makes the unbelievers defensive.
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Admission of an AtheistVoted for by frndofyaweh.
Should I submit, I must admit, my life has been a worthless skit. My greatest fear, is God was near, for every dreadful bit. Lifelong mistakes, example makes, and now the kids are grown. Now I know, the fruits that show, from every seed I’ve sown.
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Don't judge!Voted for by Morgaine.
HEY don't label! I'm a pagan, I DON'T comment other religions and I don't mind anyone commenting mine. I wish you the best of luck with your commenting.
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It doesn't matterVoted for by Missing Refliction.
Everyone has their own "thing" I see an atheist isn't evil or agnostic evil either. I believe in other forces, out there, things happen for a reason. And nature is alive and speaking. When i'm older I want to convert to Wiccan. So what.
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This...Voted for by ThisEndUp.
Reminds me of a time Glacian posted a poem about Jesus that wasn't all too pleasant, I'm sure, for religions with him in it. Many people criticized him for it, and cursed at him, etc. I find that unfair.
I do, indeed, want to know why it is that they can insult someone for writing a poem about how they feel, their views, on religions, yet if that person complained about some Christian's poem on their beliefs, it isn't okay.
People don't tend to see the other side of things. They argue, and insult, and complain, and they get away with it...yet the opposing side wouldn't be able to argue if the situation was switched, without getting yelled at for their opinions. I really hate when that happens.
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February 22, 2005
March 26, 2005
The God of the Jewish bible is different than that of the Christian? WHA?
The God of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim people is the same God. Christians worship the same god who according to the Jewish story of Genesis, created Adam and Eve. In fact much of the bible is built on and around Jewish texts, why? Because the Jewish God Yahweh is the same as Jehovah, is the same as Allah. The Koran explicitly recognises Jesus and Moses as being two of Allah's (God's) earlier profits, a God to whom they claim Muhammed is the LAST prophet. Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same being, they just disagree on their interpretations of his will.April 10, 2005
frndofyaweh
May 3, 2005
NO Dauer we do not.
God is One. The trinity is a discriptive of life itself. Three is pattern for all life. Satan originates in the Old texts. As a Christian, I also believe, that God has NO adversaries. Satan is a human adversary, not a Godly one. God is UNLIMITED and has no restraints forced on Him.May 3, 2005
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frndofyaweh
May 2, 2005
Action as opposed to what?
Christianity and Judaism are the same and both work well together. Christianity does NOT replace Judaism, as some Christians believe. It completes it. It fixes the flaws in the Father and Child relationship. I can talk to the Spirit of God, just like Ezekiel! How come this gift belongs to me now and no hebrew has it anymore? God still raises the dead and feeds the Children in the wilderness. Action comes from the Spirit of God. That action works through me and many other believers in Christ. I have seen healings, first hand. It is NOT mind over matter or parler tricks. I must not elaborate, but you must trust me; I will tell you the TRUTH in Gods name: I have seen Gods power and felt Him love me and heard Him scold me. You are my brother and I am crying for you now, in Jesus' name.May 3, 2005
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May 6, 2005
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February 23, 2005
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