Comments on: Reactions to Atheism http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/ Atheism with Positivity Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:58:32 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Reed Braden http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-25592 Reed Braden Sun, 06 May 2007 16:48:19 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-25592 I have to thank you for linking me. I've gotten a lot of hits from readers of your blog and others. I linked you from the sidebar on my blog as a favour. I have to thank you for linking me. I’ve gotten a lot of hits from readers of your blog and others. I linked you from the sidebar on my blog as a favour.

]]> By: Reactions to Atheism « The Green Atheist http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24811 Reactions to Atheism « The Green Atheist Wed, 02 May 2007 12:48:43 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24811 [...] May 1st, 2007 by tga I have personally never met someone who had a violent or negative reaction afterI annonced that I am an atheist, but it appears to be a fairly common phenomena in the USA. Here’s an excellent post by Hemant Mehta on this very subject: Reactions to Atheism. So much for Christian values eh? Here is Hemant’s concluding paragraph, which I agree with wholeheartedly: It’s just sad that some people are so insecure about their beliefs that they can’t stand anyone they know being exposed to different ways of thinking. Or it’s scary that people can be so deluded, they really think the “evil atheists” must be punished and they will take care of it themselves. I mean, if God is supposed to be the Ultimate Judge anyway, one would think we don’t need humans taking over God’s role on Earth. [...] [...] May 1st, 2007 by tga I have personally never met someone who had a violent or negative reaction afterI annonced that I am an atheist, but it appears to be a fairly common phenomena in the USA. Here’s an excellent post by Hemant Mehta on this very subject: Reactions to Atheism. So much for Christian values eh? Here is Hemant’s concluding paragraph, which I agree with wholeheartedly: It’s just sad that some people are so insecure about their beliefs that they can’t stand anyone they know being exposed to different ways of thinking. Or it’s scary that people can be so deluded, they really think the “evil atheists” must be punished and they will take care of it themselves. I mean, if God is supposed to be the Ultimate Judge anyway, one would think we don’t need humans taking over God’s role on Earth. [...]

]]> By: Mriana http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24732 Mriana Wed, 02 May 2007 02:47:10 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24732 Sadly, it was the behaviour of Christains that turned me off and it is the biggest thing I complain about. However, you are very right, Susan, not all religious people are like this and those are the Christians I get along with very well and have no complaints with. They are not judgemental and agree to disagree without any religious battles. They are more tolerant of beliefs that differ from theirs. I have no issues with them, but I do those who display behaviours that are undignifying and dehumanizing to others, nothing but pure hatred without any show of compassion for others, control, and/or oppress people. Those are the people who upset me and get me going about their behaviours. Sadly, it was the behaviour of Christains that turned me off and it is the biggest thing I complain about. However, you are very right, Susan, not all religious people are like this and those are the Christians I get along with very well and have no complaints with. They are not judgemental and agree to disagree without any religious battles. They are more tolerant of beliefs that differ from theirs. I have no issues with them, but I do those who display behaviours that are undignifying and dehumanizing to others, nothing but pure hatred without any show of compassion for others, control, and/or oppress people. Those are the people who upset me and get me going about their behaviours.

]]> By: Reactions to Atheism « The Green Atheist http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24673 Reactions to Atheism « The Green Atheist Tue, 01 May 2007 21:31:53 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24673 [...] May 1st, 2007 by tga I have personally never met someone who had a violent or negative reaction afterI annonced that I am an atheist, but it appears to be a fairly common phenomena in the USA. Here’s an excellent post by Hemant Mehta on this very subject: Reactions to Atheism. Here’s the concluding paragraph, which I agree with wholeheartedly: It’s just sad that some people are so insecure about their beliefs that they can’t stand anyone they know being exposed to different ways of thinking. Or it’s scary that people can be so deluded, they really think the “evil atheists” must be punished and they will take care of it themselves. I mean, if God is supposed to be the Ultimate Judge anyway, one would think we don’t need humans taking over God’s role on Earth. [...] [...] May 1st, 2007 by tga I have personally never met someone who had a violent or negative reaction afterI annonced that I am an atheist, but it appears to be a fairly common phenomena in the USA. Here’s an excellent post by Hemant Mehta on this very subject: Reactions to Atheism. Here’s the concluding paragraph, which I agree with wholeheartedly: It’s just sad that some people are so insecure about their beliefs that they can’t stand anyone they know being exposed to different ways of thinking. Or it’s scary that people can be so deluded, they really think the “evil atheists” must be punished and they will take care of it themselves. I mean, if God is supposed to be the Ultimate Judge anyway, one would think we don’t need humans taking over God’s role on Earth. [...]

]]> By: TXatheist http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24669 TXatheist Tue, 01 May 2007 21:14:09 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24669 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYpS2fkwWsU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDwNbck-m7Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYpS2fkwWsU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDwNbck-m7Y

]]> By: Reed Braden http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24667 Reed Braden Tue, 01 May 2007 20:45:14 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24667 Thank you for publishing my story. The best thing that can happen right now is for the word to be spread that these things still happen to Atheists. Thank you for publishing my story. The best thing that can happen right now is for the word to be spread that these things still happen to Atheists.

]]> By: Karen http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24665 Karen Tue, 01 May 2007 20:24:12 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24665 <blockquote>It’s just sad that some people are so insecure about their beliefs that they can’t stand anyone they know being exposed to different ways of thinking. Or it’s scary that people can be so deluded, they really think the “evil atheists” must be punished and they will take care of it themselves. I mean, if God is supposed to be the Ultimate Judge anyway, one would think we don’t need humans taking over God’s role on Earth.</blockquote> It's not so much the "evil atheists" they are scared of, it's the "evil spirits." Honest. These people believe that Satan and his demons are constantly trying to tempt Christians and lead them astray. Atheists and people from the "wrong" religions are under the sway of evil spirits, according to this viewpoint, and so their influence is dangerous and they are not to be trusted at all. My husband is a fundy and just last year he about had a conniption when he came across my copy of The God Delusion. That's how little freedom of thought is allowed in these extremely conservative religious paradigms.

It’s just sad that some people are so insecure about their beliefs that they can’t stand anyone they know being exposed to different ways of thinking. Or it’s scary that people can be so deluded, they really think the “evil atheists” must be punished and they will take care of it themselves. I mean, if God is supposed to be the Ultimate Judge anyway, one would think we don’t need humans taking over God’s role on Earth.

It’s not so much the “evil atheists” they are scared of, it’s the “evil spirits.”

Honest.

These people believe that Satan and his demons are constantly trying to tempt Christians and lead them astray. Atheists and people from the “wrong” religions are under the sway of evil spirits, according to this viewpoint, and so their influence is dangerous and they are not to be trusted at all.

My husband is a fundy and just last year he about had a conniption when he came across my copy of The God Delusion. That’s how little freedom of thought is allowed in these extremely conservative religious paradigms.

]]> By: Susan http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24662 Susan Tue, 01 May 2007 19:59:29 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24662 Thank…well…<i>humanity</i> that not all religious people are like this. I've had the good fortune never to encounter anyone who was truly hostile to atheists. I spend a lot of time discussing all kinds of philosophy with a great many friends who are Christian or some other religion, and I've never met anything but respect (and maybe a little sadness) from them. (Though at least one friend of mine did cry when she found out I was an atheist, before she got used to the idea.) That's why angry atheists puzzle me a bit--it's pretty clear to me that we all <i>can</i> get along, and that lumping all religious people into the same category as fundamentalists is as silly as lumping all atheists into the category of satan-worshippers. At the same time, though, we definitely need to make religious folks understand that this kind of thing is happening, and that it is unacceptable. Thank…well…humanity that not all religious people are like this. I’ve had the good fortune never to encounter anyone who was truly hostile to atheists. I spend a lot of time discussing all kinds of philosophy with a great many friends who are Christian or some other religion, and I’ve never met anything but respect (and maybe a little sadness) from them. (Though at least one friend of mine did cry when she found out I was an atheist, before she got used to the idea.) That’s why angry atheists puzzle me a bit–it’s pretty clear to me that we all can get along, and that lumping all religious people into the same category as fundamentalists is as silly as lumping all atheists into the category of satan-worshippers. At the same time, though, we definitely need to make religious folks understand that this kind of thing is happening, and that it is unacceptable.

]]> By: chatterbox http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24661 chatterbox Tue, 01 May 2007 19:35:43 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24661 Sadly, it's those who take the bible literally who are most inclined towards this violence. It's full of examples of god telling them to destroy heathens and unbelievers. The people who believe religion / christianity / whatever is about love are ignoring the roots of their religion that some of their not well intentioned brethren violently embrace. There are bad apples everywhere, and the worst ones claim to be able to justify their actions. Sadly, it’s those who take the bible literally who are most inclined towards this violence. It’s full of examples of god telling them to destroy heathens and unbelievers. The people who believe religion / christianity / whatever is about love are ignoring the roots of their religion that some of their not well intentioned brethren violently embrace. There are bad apples everywhere, and the worst ones claim to be able to justify their actions.

]]> By: Kathryn Lang http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/comment-page-1/#comment-24655 Kathryn Lang Tue, 01 May 2007 18:43:35 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2007/05/01/reactions-to-atheism/#comment-24655 Let me apologize to you for the treatment that you have received. As a devout Christian, I agree completely with you. It's not my job (or the job of any one on earth) to condemn you, convert you, or to try and control you in any way. If more Christians walked the walk instead of talking the talk, then it would be a different world indeed. Let me apologize to you for the treatment that you have received. As a devout Christian, I agree completely with you. It’s not my job (or the job of any one on earth) to condemn you, convert you, or to try and control you in any way. If more Christians walked the walk instead of talking the talk, then it would be a different world indeed.

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