18 Ways Christians misunderstand Atheists (1 Viewer)

[Gordy327]

Here is a brief article I happened to come across explaining the 18 ways Christians misunderstand Atheists. I have heard christians say these things about atheists many times, both on and off DP. Although, I doubt it is limited only to Christians.

To summarize, from the article:

1. Atheism Equals Nihilism
2. Atheists Reject All Spiritual Experiences
3. Atheists Are Angry at God
4. Atheists Are Certain There Is No God
5. Atheists Disdain Religious People
6. Atheists Have No Purpose in Life
7. Atheists Lack Morality
8. Atheists Lack a Sense of Community
9. Atheists Don't Appreciate the Beauty of Religious Traditions
10. Atheists Are Always Rational and Dismiss Emotions
11. Atheism Is a Belief System
12. Atheists Cannot Experience True Love or Compassion
13. Atheists Are Immune to Religious Influence
14. Atheists Lack Tradition and Ritual
15. Atheists Deny the Possibility of Anything Beyond Human Understanding
16. Atheists Are a Homogeneous Group
17. Atheists Disregard the Importance of Religion in History
18. Atheists Do Not Face Discrimination or Prejudice

Thoughts?

 

[TypicalRussian]

Number 4 is wrong. The better term would be agnostic to describe someone who isn't certain

 

[Dragonfly]

Thoughts?

I’d add christians think:

Atheist are communists
Atheists are immoral
Atheists HATE “god”
Atheists can’t appreciate life
Atheists lack a life of purpose
Atheists lack hope
Atheists are too stupid to understand
Atheists chose to not believe
Atheists chose to ignore ALL the evidence of god
Atheists are close-minded

I’m sure there’s others….but that’s basically what many theists here at DP have posted.

 

[Gordy327]

Number 4 is wrong. The better term would be agnostic to describe someone who isn't certain

Agnostic atheists state there is not s god, but without 100% certainty. They are open to evidence for God. Gnostic atheists will state there is no god with 100% certainty, which is a logically indefensible position.

 

[Gordy327]

I’d add christians think:

Atheist are communists
Atheists are immoral
Atheists HATE “god”
Atheists can’t appreciate life
Atheists lack a life of purpose
Atheists lack hope
Atheists are too stupid to understand
Atheists chose to not believe
Atheists chose to ignore ALL the evidence of god
Atheists are close-minded

I’m sure there’s others….but that’s basically what many theists here at DP have posted.

You are correct. I've heard similar things too. But I will focus on the last point, "atheists are close minded." I find that comical since I have have asked theists who make that assertion if they're open minded to the notion that their beliefs are wrong. Not surprisingly, they are not. Yet they claim atheists are close minded? Too funny.

 

[devildavid]

Number 4 is wrong. The better term would be agnostic to describe someone who isn't certain

Agnostic means uncertain.

 

[btthegreat]

On # 4. Atheists do not believe in God. How certain we are that we are right not to believe, is a different question. it works like theism. We are allowed to have doubts in the certitude of our beliefs, as long as we end up dismissing our doubts. All of this separate from the question of what we purport to know or see as knowable.

I am a lot more certain about what I know, than I am about what I believe.

 

[Gordy327]

On # 4. Atheists do not believe in God. How certain we are that we are right not to believe, is a different question. it works like theism. We are allowed to have doubts in the certitude of our beliefs, as long as we end up dismissing our doubts. All of this separate from the question of what we purport to know or see as knowable.

Atheism is a lack of belief. The lack of belief comes from the lack of objective evidence.

 

[NolanVoyd]

Number 4 is wrong. The better term would be agnostic to describe someone who isn't atheists.

A common misunderstanding.

athiesm means a lack of theism.

Agnostics lack theism and are therefore athiests.

 

[BabaVoss]

Here is a brief article I happened to come across explaining the 18 ways Christians misunderstand Atheists. I have heard christians say these things about atheists many times, both on and off DP. Although, I doubt it is limited only to Christians.

To summarize, from the article:

1. Atheism Equals Nihilism
2. Atheists Reject All Spiritual Experiences
3. Atheists Are Angry at God
4. Atheists Are Certain There Is No God
5. Atheists Disdain Religious People
6. Atheists Have No Purpose in Life
7. Atheists Lack Morality
8. Atheists Lack a Sense of Community
9. Atheists Don't Appreciate the Beauty of Religious Traditions
10. Atheists Are Always Rational and Dismiss Emotions
11. Atheism Is a Belief System
12. Atheists Cannot Experience True Love or Compassion
13. Atheists Are Immune to Religious Influence
14. Atheists Lack Tradition and Ritual
15. Atheists Deny the Possibility of Anything Beyond Human Understanding
16. Atheists Are a Homogeneous Group
17. Atheists Disregard the Importance of Religion in History
18. Atheists Do Not Face Discrimination or Prejudice

Thoughts?

Wrong. Every one.

 

[btthegreat]

Atheism is a lack of belief. The lack of belief comes from the lack of objective evidence.

Yes, except we atheists are not vulcans but humans, who are much more subjective and prone to be swayed by less than objective evidence, or prone to redefine 'objective' than Spock's beloved papa Sarek is going to be ( I don't think he has actually been borne yet. I like pop culture references). That's where incertainty seeps in.

 

[devildavid]

A common misunderstanding.

athiesm means a lack of theism.

Agnostics lack theism and are therefore athiests.

Agnosticism is about lack of knowledge, not lack of belief.

 

[BabaVoss]

A common misunderstanding.

athiesm means a lack of theism.

Agnostics lack theism and are therefore athiests.

No, that’s not quite it.
If you ask me what I believe, I will tell you I am an atheist.
If you ask me what I can prove, I will tell you I am an agnostic.

 

[NolanVoyd]

Agnosticism is about lack of knowledge, not lack of belief.

Right.

But because they lack knowledge they do not hold theistic beliefs, meaning they lack theism, making them, by definition, athiests.

 

[NolanVoyd]

No, that’s not quite it.
If you ask me what I believe, I will tell you I am an atheist.
If you ask me what I can prove, I will tell you I am an agnostic.

If you lack knowledge of gods, chances are you don't believe in them, meaning you lack theism.......making you an athiest.

I can't imagine an agnostic Saying "I don't know if there are gods but I believe in Gods".

No.......agnostics are athiests.

 

[BabaVoss]

If you lack knowledge of God's, chances are you don't believe in them, meaning you lack theism.......making you an athiest.

I can't imagine an agnostic Saying "I don't know if there are gods but I believe in God's".

No.......agnostics are athiests.

I do to lack any relevant knowledge, in fact I am well educated in theology and biblical studies. I don’t believe in any gods.
Again, context matters. I don’t believe any gods exist, so I say I am an atheist. I can’t prove it though, so I have to admit I am agnostic.

 

[Lursa]

Here is a brief article I happened to come across explaining the 18 ways Christians misunderstand Atheists. I have heard christians say these things about atheists many times, both on and off DP. Although, I doubt it is limited only to Christians.

To summarize, from the article:

1. Atheism Equals Nihilism
2. Atheists Reject All Spiritual Experiences
3. Atheists Are Angry at God
4. Atheists Are Certain There Is No God
5. Atheists Disdain Religious People
6. Atheists Have No Purpose in Life
7. Atheists Lack Morality
8. Atheists Lack a Sense of Community
9. Atheists Don't Appreciate the Beauty of Religious Traditions
10. Atheists Are Always Rational and Dismiss Emotions
11. Atheism Is a Belief System
12. Atheists Cannot Experience True Love or Compassion
13. Atheists Are Immune to Religious Influence
14. Atheists Lack Tradition and Ritual
15. Atheists Deny the Possibility of Anything Beyond Human Understanding
16. Atheists Are a Homogeneous Group
17. Atheists Disregard the Importance of Religion in History
18. Atheists Do Not Face Discrimination or Prejudice

Thoughts?

Because some Christians want to feel superior to atheists...and invent reasons why they believe atheists are 'misguided' or, even more satisfying to them, doomed to a lake of fire eternally. (Yes, posters here have written that.)

 

[Gordy327]

Because some Christians want to feel superior to atheists...and invent reasons why they believe atheists are 'misguided' or, even more satisfying to them, doomed to a lake of fire eternally. (Yes, posters here have written that.)

Yes, I have noticed. And then some claim atheists "do not understand faith," as if that makes their position superior or untouchable.

 

[Gordy327]

Yes, except we atheists are not vulcans but humans,

Unfortunately. But it's a work in progress too.

who are much more subjective and prone to be swayed by less than objective evidence, or prone to redefine 'objective' than Spock's beloved papa Sarek is going to be

Yes, humans are quite the emotional, irrational species.

( I don't think he has actually been borne yet. I like pop culture references). That's where incertainty seeps in.

If I am not mistaken, Sarek will be born in 2165.

 

[Gordy327]

If you lack knowledge of gods, chances are you don't believe in them, meaning you lack theism.......making you an athiest.

I can't imagine an agnostic Saying "I don't know if there are gods but I believe in Gods".

No.......agnostics are athiests.

I have "knowledge" of god/s: Zeus, Odin, Quetzalcoatl, Ra, and others. But I hold no belief of any god/s.

 

[btthegreat]

If you lack knowledge of gods, chances are you don't believe in them, meaning you lack theism.......making you an athiest.

I can't imagine an agnostic Saying "I don't know if there are gods but I believe in Gods".

No.......agnostics are athiests.

I hope you can imagine that I don't know whether any gods exist or not. I don't know if we even can know factually, so I am an agnostic. I also hope you can imagine that I don't believe in the existance of any gods or dieties because I have not seen sufficient evidence to convince me any do exist.

Its not hard for anyone else I talk to, to imagine all those statements are true for me. I am an agnostic atheist. There are agnostic theists as well, who claim they do not know if any God exists, but also claim they do believe in a specific god or a diety. I take them at their word.

I will also take you at your word when you describe what you know about God, what you don't know about God, and what you believe about God and what you don't believe about God

 

[TypicalRussian]

Agnostic means uncertain.

And what does #4 imply about atheists

 

[TypicalRussian]

A common misunderstanding.

athiesm means a lack of theism.

Agnostics lack theism and are therefore athiests.

They aren't

 

[NolanVoyd]

I do to lack any relevant knowledge, in fact I am well educated in theology and biblical studies. I don’t believe in any gods.
Again, context matters. I don’t believe any gods exist, so I say I am an atheist. I can’t prove it though, so I have to admit I am agnostic.

Agnostics are a sub category of athiests.

Agnostics focus on knowledge but their lack of knowledge implies a lack of theistic belief, which makes them by definition athiests.

 

[NolanVoyd]

They aren't

Of course they are.

Agnostics dont know if there are gods, which means they don't believe in gods (lack of theistic belief) which makes them, by definition, athiests