What are your answers?

[Phaedra]

The more I read the posts on this website, the more I wonder about the real reason for the hatred a lot of Athiests have for Jesus, the Bible, God and religion.

These are my questions:

1. Are athiests just wounded people, upset that God hasn't shown himself to them in a way they deem acceptable? Meaning, if he suddenly appeared you would believe?

No, I am not wounded. I am not upset at God for not "showing me the way". I used to be a Christian, but then I started studying history, science, sociology, and anthropology. I learned about how Christianity came into being, along with how other religions came into being. Then I started questioning whether or not God existed at all. I got into Buddhism and quantum physics. I read philosophy and deeply examined my own outlook on life. I tried as hard as I could to justify a belief in a higher being, and found that I no longer could. If God "suddenly appeared" and made himself known in a way that is scientifically testable and provable, then yes, I'd believe.

2. Do athiests hate God or do they hate organized religion in general?

I do not hate God. How can you hate something you don't believe in? Do you hate the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus? I hate what people do in the name of God and organized religion.

3. Why does it seem like athiests hate Jesus more than anyone, what do you think of Jesus?

I don't hate Jesus. I'd say that he was, for the most part, an ok dude. He and I would definitely be on the same page concerning treatment of the poor and oppressed.

4. Do any of you know athiests that have converted to another religion, did you feel swayed by their conversion?

Nope. But I know a lot of religious folks who have "converted" to atheism. I'm one of them. I can't say that I would feel swayed by an atheist's decision to convert to a religion. I'm a very independent person who has no problem going against the grain and doing my own thing.

5. Are you an athiest based on your research of many of the top religions, or does your athiesm come from a personal experience where you feel that God didn't show up like he should have?

Neither. It was partly based on research into religions, but it was so much more than that. It's been a long process, and it's been quite painful at times. But once you know something, you can't "unknow" it. It definitely didn't come from the feeling of being let down by God. I've never felt that, since when I believed in God I didn't really think that he meddled in the affairs of humans.

6. Since athiests don't believe in God and dislike when people force God on them, why do they force their negative and hateful opinions on Christians (and other religions) through mockery and verbal assault?

I'm sorry, but this is very much a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Atheists are second most hated group in the United States. We take so much crap from religious people that it's hard to not get defensive. I've had "Christians" tell me that I'm a whore who is going to hell. How can I not laugh at that? That having been said, I don't go looking for fights with believers. But if you dish it out, you'd better be able to take it. I don't understand why you think that not believing in a higher being is negative and hateful. [/b]

I know I'm a little late responding, but I figured I'd add my two cents. I bolded my responses.