The Atheist Obsession with Insulting Christians

[abaris]

As far as honesty goes, I take a Chad, a Lek and a GC over a Randy anytime.

Not to mention those christians, who really are out for a serious discussion and not just copy paste apologetic bullshit.

[Jenny A]

I have been fascinated by the phenomenon of the "angry atheist" ever since my arrival here in the forum. I expected and hoped to engage in intelligent discussion of our differences of opinion with the so-called "brights" of our society, but more often than not, I have been the recipient of a lot of misdirected venom.

And I'm not alone, apparently.

In this article posted at Dave Armstrong's blog, Jan Tik describes his own experiences with the angry atheists he has encountered and writes:

The Atheist Obsession with Insulting Christians
by Jan Tik
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstro...tians.html

But if one takes a look at just about any active combox underneath an atheist post that has anything at all to do with Christianity, the usual boorish, garden variety collection of insults will be immediately observed:

Christians are gullible, infantile believers of fairy tales on the level of unicorns, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, the Easter bunny, leprechauns, “magic,” the tooth fairy, etc. We are  anti-intellectual, anti-science, dumb, stupid, idiots, ignoramuses, and imbeciles who are impervious to evidence of any kind for our beliefs. We have a blind faith that is shielded from reason, fact, and any possible falsifiability. You name it: we’ve been called it by the sadly typical “angry / hostile” atheist.

Any curious human being, it seems to me, who observes this behavior, must marvel at both its near-universality and the extreme level of passion and vitriol involved. The question arises: “whence derives such utter disdain and derision?” It appears to be a species of a mentality that is brought to mind by the famous line of Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks“. Source.

As I have observed and commented upon in this forum, Tik also notes:

The same people who produce the endless stream of invective against Christians and Christianity (or, “Christianity”) can (again, like all schoolyard bullies) dish it out but can’t take it. Any criticism back is met with even more highly insulting rhetoric and hyper-polemics.

Happily, there are a few members of this forum who do not fall into this pattern, but they are all too few, IMO.

OK.  You have put me down as a "nice" atheist is a couple of posts.  I do try to be polite while explaining I think what you are saying is insanely wrong.  That's condescending of me.  But then you are rather condescending yourself, so I guess that comes up square. 

However, I spend the majority of my time in a real brick and mortar world where I hear "god bless you" every time I do something kind, and people telling me that they prayed and reached x conclusion about once a day and I don't even live in a very Christian part of the country.  I have people ask which church I attend without first asking if I am Christian.  When I tell them I don't attend the response is usually startled, "but you are so nice and you have such good children."  And I generally am, and I certainly do but Christianity has nothing to do with my "niceness" or the goodness of my children. 

I see Christian billboards everywhere.  I hear Christian prayers at secular meetings. I see one nation under god on my currency.  Christians knock on my door and attempt to convert me.  They yell on street corners.  Yet a little evolution or sex ed in the school room bothers them and not being allowed to place Christian statuary at the court house is apparently an attack.

I was raised Christian, and my parents and my husband's parents (he's deist if that matters--and my fault as he was Christian when I met him) both send us Christian educational materials for the girls because they are afraid we are depriving of a good Christian upbringing.  We don't and never have censored those (imagine the reaction of a Christian parent to atheist educational materials for their five year old sent by grandpa). Otherwise our relations with our parents are very good.  Which is good for them because as they age they need us more and more.

This forum is a recent thing for me. I like the freedom to say what I think about Christianity here.  And I do.  I'm unlikely to address my remarks about the idiocy and immorality of Christianity to you personally, but I sure say some nasty things generally.  I like being able to do that.  

I sometimes wish we were a little politer here to Christians, but not too much.  This is a place, one of the few, where atheists are in the majority, and we can speak our minds loudly.  What is said of the ungodly in churches is none too polite either.  Nor is what Christians say of other religions.  There are many, many, loud ugly Christians in the general public.  Would that they were limited to Christian forums.

That said, most people I know are at least nominally Christian and they are decent people.  But they don't think very hard about the evidence behind or the underpinnings moral logic of Christianity.  I'm sure I have some blind spots in my thinking.  But Christianity is the mother of all blind spots, except of course for all of the other equally unsubstantiated religions.  You see Christianity with rose colored glasses.  I see no religion with rose colored glasses. You are aiming to convert.  You think "I need to hear."  Well damn it, I have heard, and heard and heard.  Why aren't you spending your time learning about Islam, or Mormonism, or Hinduism?  Because you've decided you know.  Well, you all look the same to me, self deluded.  I have no more time for Christianity then I do for fairies except that fairy believers  don't knock on my door.

I think you need to look at faith as you would any other proposition.

[JesusHChrist]

Everyone here manages to be so much more succinct than me.

Verbosity is the handmaiden of Satan. Repent!

[MTL]

Everyone here manages to be so much more succinct than me.

Verbosity is the handmaiden of Satan. Repent!

I know.

I just feel like what is a simple concept for us, doesn't seem to register with them.

So often you need to repeat yourself, provide multiple illustrations, and spoon-feed ideas that should be obvious.

It comes from a lifetime spent with my mother and other devout family members.

My apologies.

[JesusHChrist]

Verbosity is the handmaiden of Satan. Repent!

My apologies.

No worries. I'm a lazy bastard when it comes to responding to the huge copy/paste drivel that passes for an argument.

I'd rather regrout the tub, or mow the lawn, or do my taxes.

[Whateverist]

Randy, we don't insult you all that much you asshole.  

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Just kidding.  

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Basically anyone who comes here with the agenda of saving us for our own good is always going to come off as pompous.  Throw in that you are willing to lie, cheat or steal to get it done and you begin to understand why you haven't faired so well here.

No one asked you to do us any favors and no one gives a shit about salvation.  You'd do much better to just accept that we are different from you and want different things.  Then the question becomes what is the best way we can co-exist in the same community.  Look to Kingy and Cathy for positive role models.  

When I do answer one of your posts I rarely feel it was worthwhile for all the thoughtfulness I find in your posts even on those rare occasions that you actually respond at all.

[Minimalist]

As far as honesty goes, I take a Chad, a Lek and a GC over a Randy anytime.

Randy thinks they are all heretics.  500 years ago his cult would have gladly burned them at the stake....and vice versa.

[rado84]

I have been fascinated by the phenomenon of the "angry atheist" ever since my arrival here in the forum. I expected and hoped to engage in intelligent discussion of our differences of opinion with the so-called "brights" of our society, but more often than not, I have been the recipient of a lot of misdirected venom.

The majority of Christians are being insulted because they're asking for it. All they know is babbling about their deity and refuse to accept another point of view. And if an atheist says "God doesn't exist", next thing coming is a flood of insults and curses. In some cases even worse - beating, attempts for murder and so on. So, how can you expect Christians not to be insulted? So far the only Christian that never told me "You will believe or else..." and whose agenda is not to brainwash me is Catholic_Lady. That makes her the only Christian (for the moment) who I respect for not trying and I'll never insult her. Even when I post something offensive on Facebook regarding Christians, I'm sure she knows she's being excluded from the group that my post is addressed to. Because one different person doesn't change the majority.

[Catholic_Lady]

Randy does make a valid point though. Let's not pretend there isn't a bit of a double standard here. Not everyone does this, of course, there are plenty of super nice/sensible people on AF. But it does happen.

[Catholic_Lady]

So far the only Christian that never told me "You will believe or else..." and whose agenda is not to brainwash me is Catholic_Lady. That makes her the only Christian (for the moment) who I respect for not trying and I'll never insult her. Even when I post something offensive on Facebook regarding Christians, I'm sure she knows she's being excluded from the group that my post is addressed to. Because one different person doesn't change the majority.

I appreciate it, Atheist BG. <3