If I were an Atheist

[Faith No More]

The bashing of theists is an emotional reaction to being marginalized by ignorant believers and their desire to marginalize anyone that dares disagree with them. You can only be mocked, told you're un-American and deserve to burn in hell before you lash out at the stupidity behind the whole thing.

I agree that atheists should try to avoid the insults and bashing, but when you're faced with such a hostile ideology, human nature will take over and the frustration will come out. Theists always complain about atheist hostility, but until there's any reflection as to their role in the whole mess, I say you reap what you sow.

Would you blame the bees for stinging you if you're sitting there poking their hive with a stick?

[Cato]

@OP

Just another long-winded condescending religious shitbag with no evidence to offer who simultaneously suffers from a reflexive offense taking persecution syndrome because others simply point out the obvious ridiculousness in his/her beliefs. Grow up.

[Whateverist]

Missed this one but since the OP didn't stick around to field questions I'm not sorry.

So much stupid. So little insight.

[JesusHChrist]

Another fun one I've missed. Always on the weekend.

[Norman Humann]

Another fun one I've missed. Always on the weekend.

Right? Why does everything entertaining happen when I sleep?

[JesusHChrist]

Another fun one I've missed. Always on the weekend.

Right? Why does everything entertaining happen when I sleep? :-/

Insomniacs or Euro bastard people I can only assume.

[Norman Humann]

Insomniacs or Euro bastard people I can only assume.

But I'm both and I still miss it!

[JesusHChrist]

Well maybe if you were on standard euro time it would work out! Looks like the op got the usual af.org ass kicking nonetheless.

[Nope]

"belief in God with belief in Santa Claus how is it they’re not gaining any traction"

This is the reason why atheism is not growing. Because of meme's like "the spagetti monster in the sky". Pretty much its like arguing with a 5yr old atheist child and therefore a theist will not be amused and will continue to think all atheists are just a bunch of angry people who are "mad at god" for their misfortunes in life.

One problem theists have is that they try to transfer their feelings about their beliefs onto atheists. It doesn't work. While some atheists might very well want to gain more people to their side, I don't give a flying rat's ass what anyone believes.Life can be very hard and some people need a crutch. That doesn't make them stupid, it is just something that they need that I don't.

I do not remember which religion the OP said that they followed but I am most familiar with American Christianity so I will use that as a reference. Christianity is an evangelical faith. It's adherents believe and tell other faiths that their way of doing things is wrong and the deities they worship are false. That is considered a loving actions by Christians. Perhaps other faiths also practice this type of evangelism. Yet, some Christians express anger or say they are persecuted when atheists do the same thing back to them. Non Christians are supposed to have a very high acceptance of which behaviors by Christians are considered rude and yet Christians set a very low bar as to what is considered rude behavior toward them by nonChristians.

The reason that atheists use Santa Claus as an analogy is that theists often don't seem to understand that atheists do not accept their god as real. Theists have become so used to being the ones in power for so long that they honestly can not put themselves in a nonbelievers place.

A lot of Christians sound like angry people who smile outwardly but are inwardly very pissed. For example, why else would they be pissed that some poor store clerk acknowledges that other faiths exist during Christmas or that their religion's opinion isn't followed in deciding what is a legitimate marriage

---

Well, I was once an atheist...and the beautiful atheists I've met along my journey in faith, is an experience I'd never trade. Not everyone can emotionally handle atheism. I was one such person. No one can prove that a deity exists, but it brings me some sense of comfort to know one just might exist. Deism resonates with me now, more than theism.

Everyone has to find their own way.

I understand your point of view. Not everyone is cut out to be an atheists and as long as someone doesn't expect special treatment for their beliefs or hurt anyone, I think that their beliefs should be tolerated

[Drew_2013]

Stephen Hawking would gladly disagree with you with god creating everything and i will too you don't need go to create a universe, Hell we could create a universe but what is the point.

Yes we do create virtual universes. Explain to me how the fact intelligent beings can create a virtual universe is evidence mindless mechanistic forces did the same thing?

Laws of physics breaks down the further when you go into the past at the time of the initial big bang whats the point and afterwards the universe is hot and cooling off thermodynamics and entropy is the end

So the notion we can explain the existence of the universe by an appeal to the laws of physics is bogus since the laws of physics didn't exist.

I agree in general with all your points (yes, even the first point). But I don't see that atheism should be treated on the same level as theism in terms of reasonability. Atheism makes a lot more sense than theism. You even listed some of the reasons why. So why aren't you an atheist again?

Because the preponderance of evidence favors the theistic hypothesis.

Atheism isn't a growing movement because it isn't a movement at all. It's a belief. Not organized and not well funded. It is growing however. Just about every poll backs that up.

Not even 5% of the population (in the USA) claims to be atheist. I believe it has flat lined for decades...show me otherwise?

In Europe the picture looks a whole lot different. In my country for example 59 percent of the people identify themselves as in no shape and form religious. Also what have numbers to do with anything? There have been and still are very popular movements that proved to be wrong or despicable.

But they don't refer to themselves as atheists either correct?

So, you're probably talking about the christian god

I'm a philosophical theist not associated with any church or religious belief.