Why Do Atheists Criticize People's Beliefs?

[Harry Nevis]

Are we really going to play the victim here?

People  - ALL people - criticise others on a daily basis, whether it's for their opinions on a certain subjects, the clothes they wear, or whatever.  And very few people react badly about it.  But criticise religion and it's a whole other issue, apparently.  Why should someone's religious beliefs be above criticism?

Are we going for a world where everyone should just keep their opinions to themselves?

Apologies, I mistook what you said for talking about ridicule, instead of criticism.  That was my mistake.  I'm all for criticism where it can help.  But two things:

1. I wasn't trying to play the victim, I was pointing out that it's better to justify something with a means other than comparing it to something worse.  There's always something worse, so it's not a good way to defend anything.

2.  The reason criticism of religious belief or any belief held strongly for that matter is ineffective is not just because such strong belief is tough to get over emotionally, although that is often true, but, more relevantly, because you're dealing with ideas that aren't susceptible to rational analysis.    There is no clear evidence that the basic idea you've assumed was true your whole life and placed your hopes and confidence in, is actually a lie.  And there can't be clear evidence of it either, just as there can't be clear evidence that it's true.

 But for anyone who believes things purely for emotional purposes, criticism can indeed be effective.  I think even CS Lewis, who converted to Christianity, said during his time as a Christian something to the effect of an honest atheist being closer to God than a religious hypocrite.

Criticism and ridicule on a forum such as this can keep the minds of people who are not sure of their beliefs open.  And religion gets so much free uncriticized publicity as it is.  Need to make sure the other side is represented.  Since the believers as a whole won't question their beliefs, and they support laws to push them, we need to keep the open minded hearing our side.