“Why do people get so angry at atheists for not believing in God?”
https://socialthoughtsblog.com/2024/11/02/why-atheists-enrage-theists/
- The existence of atheists threatens their theist-based perception of reality.
When theists have been conditioned to believe that they are on this planet because of a supreme being, they can’t handle an opposing view. Their theism affects everything else in their life:
- Reason for living
- Right vs wrong
- Social connections
- How to vote
- How to view death
Furthermore, indoctrination is not without the threat of eternal damnation for the act of doubting.
Most believers genuinely believe in a severe supernatural punishment if they dare to question their religion. I wrote about the use of Satan for the sake of control back when I was a Pagan: “The Devil: Lucifer vs. Satan vs. Satanism”
The realization that it’s possible to live according to your own perception without the fear of punishment causes many theists to be confused and/or envious.
- Theists have denial and projection of doubt.
No one likes to be made a fool. Not all, but many people will not admit when they are wrong or even unsure.
Our society has made it better to make up an excuse answer for a question than sit with uncertainty. This goes for religion and business alike — which makes sense because the church is very much a business. It sells you the idea that divinity and the supernatural exist, while never providing concrete proof for any of their claims. These types of theists would rather go to their graves telling atheists they’re wrong than admit that no one can actually prove that divinity exists.
- Theists don’t understand atheism.
Many of the angry theists make wild accusations about what atheism even means. Atheism answers one question: “Do you believe in god(s)?” If the answer is anything except for “Yes,” you’re an atheist.
These types of angry theists will instantly demand an explanation for how the universe began or they’ll tell you what they think you believe, as if it’s a fact: “You believe that something came from nothing!” What they don’t understand is that identifying as an atheist does not require that you answer this question or any other, in fact. They don’t understand that a perfectly rational, acceptable and the most honest response is “I don’t know, and neither do you.”
The Big Bang is the best scientific explanation for how the universe came to be; however, it does not account for the very first few seconds because no one was there to witness it. Science does not make up a story to explain what is unexplainable; religion does; hence creation myths like in Genesis I: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
While plenty of theists prefer the “God of the gaps” argument, it fails as soon as it begins. If God is responsible for everything, then where did God come from?
The unfortunate reason why so many theists don’t understand atheism is because they were told what it is through the lens of religion. If religion doesn’t allow them to question, it won’t allow them to know the truth about the opposing views; instead, it invents its own untruthful version that paints atheists as “ignorant” and “arrogant” for not believing, while simultaneously demanding blind faith from its own followers.
- Theists think atheists hate God.
“Why do you hate God, if you don’t believe God exists” is a common question from theists to atheists. They don’t realize how illogical this question is.
Do Christians believe in the Easter Bunny? Adults don’t usually believe. So, does this mean they hate the Easter Bunny? I doubt it. It’s quite a silly accusation; yet, replace “Easter Bunny” with “God” and you will understand how absurd this question/claim sounds to atheists.
Some theists will get especially angry if you don’t believe in their God.
I find this particularly confusing. There are billions of people in the world. I can’t help but wonder how it’s possible to be so insecure about learning that another person doesn’t believe exactly as you do.
Even Christians argue amongst themselves. Christianity alone has thousands of denominations. Who has the correct interpretation of the Bible? Which version of the Bible is the true version? What makes someone a “true Christian?” In my multiple debates with Christians, a surprising amount don’t even seem to be aware there are multiple versions of the Bible. Where did they think the multiple churches came from?
I have heard that the Christians most eager to prove their God exists are the most insecure. This makes sense. The Christians who truly believe in their God need not convince anyone else. I think that goes for any theist.
6 comments:
Dennis, I'm sorry to see that Bob Thiel's preaching style has rubbed off on you.
In this and your previous post, you are all over the map, and you make some very good arguments much harder to appreciate because of the way you conflate wildly different arguments having sometimes-contradictory first premises.
For instance, we may ask: "Is there a singular personal God who expects us to conduct ourselves in a particular way?" But that is an entirely different question from, "Is it more philosophically sound to assume the existence of an inaccessible Deism-type deity than to assume that the Universe has inherent existence?"
For that matter, the hard problem of consciousness is indeed a hard problem, and debunking any particular religious belief doesn't get to the heart of the underlying question of what consciousness is, and whether it is itself "god" (as suggested by some Eastern philosophies) rather than an emergent property of the chemicals we find around us.
Dennis, it's a pretty big leap from, "Your sky-fairy is bogus" to "The Universe's contents are self-existent" to "The periodic table is self-existent."
I'm sure you roll your eyes when you see one of Bighead Bob's sermon summaries. Please go back and look at your last couple of posts and separate out a couple of the strongest and most tightly-related arguments for proper consideration, if you want to have any hope of making inroads in the thought processes of the folks who read your posts.
The post, reproduced here and written by another who is answer in their own way why people get angry at atheists. It's not about solving the hard problem of consciousness. No one has. There is no debunking of any religious beliefs in either this post, or the last, also written by someone other than myself and merely reproduced there. You seem to have missed the point of both posts There is no need to go back to anything to single out "the strongest and most tightly related ag related arguments for proper consideration". One post is what topics in life can provoke one to question religion and this one is why believers get annoyed at unbelief.
I have no inroads to make. I simply am explaining both what observations in life have lead me on my own journey out of belief and why all the blowbacks.
‘The Christians who truly believe in their God need not convince anyone else’.
Quite a powerful statement there Dennis. And correct.
I enjoy your posts and while I do disagree I welcome your openness.
The tragedy of atheist regimes, the bloodshed they have spilled, is a telling indictment against them.
And much blood has been shed in the name of God.
Alas for humanity. But Christianity provides a hope, and without hope we are all lesser mortals. And it is hope that inspired countless folk to be better people and made this insane world we inhabit slightly more tolerable.
We need more of them.
And hope.
Cheers.
You seem to have missed the point of both posts
You, Dennis, seem to have missed the point of posting. Flinging poo against the wall isn't "explaining." Listing 30 topics that can provoke different ones to question religion is likely to be counterproductive, as most people will agree with some and disagree with others, leaving your readers annoyed. You're venting, seemingly as unconcerned about your audience as Dave Pack seems to be.
Sorry, I got twangled. There is no need to go back to anything to single out and "separate out a couple of the strongest and most tightly related arguments for proper consideration, "
The religious impulse should lead individuals toward humility. So should the scientific impulse. Whether you call yourself a theist or an atheist, if you aren't humble about it there's a very good chance that you've actually become a you-theist, making a "god" of your own subjectivity.
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