Christians: In your honest, non-antagonistic opinion, why do you think that atheists are atheist?
I encourage Christians to answer honestly and Atheists if they wish to respond with correction or affirmation to do so without either party taking things personally or becoming combative.
It's going to depend on who you ask. Some Christians will blame the churches for presenting a horrendous view of Christianity that is repulsive to any decent person. The Christian subreddit is full of Christians who say this. Others will blame "secular culture" or "materialism" or even just "Satan."
The reality is that there have always been atheists regardless of the dominant religion. I think today, it's mainly due to the number of secular institutions that provide a worthwhile substitute for many of the things religion used to provide, and the serious failure of religious institutions to meet the challenge. To be fair, that may be impossible. The old style fire-and-brimstone approach is repellent, and a feel-good, new age approach will lead many people to question why they should get that from religion when it's available elsewhere.
I have noticed that some of the loudest religion pushers on here see it more as a personal philosophy, as they don't center their lives around church or even attend one regularly. The Republican party has taken the place of religious participation in their lives.
@Mathers Let's see who has more hate. I think Christians, even fascist monsters like you, should have the same civil rights I have. Would you allow atheists the same civil rights as Christians if you had the power to limit them? What about gay people? You can't claim to "love" people if you want to take their rights away.
Atheists and gay people have more civil rights than Christians. Christians have been arrested on the streets for giving their views on the gay debate. A gay person says they upset them and the Christian was arrested. Christians have been arrested for silently praying on the street. Don’t talk to me about civil rights for Christian people because the rights of Christian people are being eroded. Only just recently in Scotland a Christian standing for election was viciously attacked by the secular press for her Christian views. She said she believed in the family. You are a joke and totally out of touch with the viscous ness of society. @LeopoldBloom
Many atheists are atheist just because of a closed mindset and ignorance. Some have just accepted the humanistic brainwashing of the age. Some are more thoughtful and have adopted that worldview which is their right even though it leads to despair when thought through.
because there is no irrefutable evidence of god.....no one has ever seen god or provided evidence of an afterlife...because there are so many connections to christian practices and prior practices...
Yeah America has lots of good stuff. It's great it many ways. But it's not the best. I know that's not what Americans are brains washed to think but there it is.
And that's all i'll say about there here because that is so not what this thread is about. Start a thread about it if you want to get people's input from around the world👍
lol what have i said to you several times now when you bring up worse countries? Are you paying attention or are you just trying to get me to say "Murrica number one! "
Possibly for some people. Although feelings of powerlessness and disenfranchisement within a society are positively correlated with higher rates of religiosity, not atheism.
@Pikachu Is that based on studies or just a perspective? My observation is that powerless and disenfranchisement of religious people can depend on which branch of a religion you are part of. Most Christians I know are actively engaged in society.
Who are atheists? Those who God hasn't saved yet. Why? I have no idea why! I have no idea why he saved me. I certainly didn't save myself. But I am certainly saved, that's for sure. I see the world from God's point of view as Holy Father and I see myself as a sinner saved by Grace. I can't boast that I am special. I can't take credit for The Holy Spirit changing my heart many years ago. I know I was very skeptical about God at first when I first read the Bible, but I really wanted the truth from his perspective if he actually wrote the Bible, since it says it is God breathed. It wasn't until many years later that I understood the importance of obedience and trusting God with my life. That's when life improved a lot. The churches teach just accept Jesus and you are saved and then people seem to not respect God or change much, Jesus requires us to "follow" him. Or maybe they are saved and they just aren't mature yet, who knows the mind of God?
Jesus said [quote][c=BF0000]"These are those who love me those who keep MY commands." [/c][/quote]Jesus is God! So who are atheists? Those who aren't saved. Those who aren't following Jesus. We shouldn't be too judgmental. We should be loving and realize we were just like them.
Mostly I think it's the explanation that makes most sense to them. I think some have been burnt by religious experience and have an element of antagonism and reaction as part of that. I understand that.
People hated Jesus so much they crucified him. Doesn’t that speak for itself? He said to his followers, “If the world hates you know that it hated me first.” @Abstraction
@Mathers I understand that. There are also people who call themselves Christians who act in the ways Jesus criticised pharisees as hypocritical, self-righteous. There are things done in the name of Christianity that were evil. None of these behaviours relate to who Jesus was.
