Evil Atheists?

[Ace Otana]

People tend to fear that which they don't understand. For the deeply religious, be they Christian, Muslim or whatever, they cannot understand what makes a person an atheist.

It therefore follows in their mind that because we are without faith that we also have no belief in anything. We must therefore be cold and emotionless like reptiles. As they also believe the morals come directly from God and we are without God we must also be without morals.

In their world of black and white there are only two forces, good and evil. As we are without God we must therefore fall into the latter category so by default we must be evil.

They would not see the atrocities done in the name of their religion as evil, just good people perhaps misguided and being tempted by the devil. We, on the other hand, are actually on the side of the devil because we are not on the side of God.

Remember, in their minds there is an ongoing war between the forces of good (God) and evil (Satan) and if you are not with them then you must be against them.

I've come across this a few times in my life where someone tells, say, a Christian that I'm an atheist and they look puzzled and say something like "But he's such a nice person!"

It's a very limited view. Either your with them or against them. So there is no neutral position in their world. As in, Take no part in it. Don't take part in god or satan and remain neutral with one main goal which is to live and enjoy life in peace. It's a narrow view to only see two sides.

If you had a choice between 3 choices that being 1, Gods side - 2, Satans side - or 3, Take no side at all, The logical choice is to not take part in it. In other words a neutral. This is my position.

It would seem that to a theists view I have poked a hole in their two sided ways by me stepping out side this two way choice into a 3 way choice.

What confuses me is that - Do they acknowledge that I take no sides? That I'm a neutral? Do they recognize that I'm not on their side nor their enemies and yet they still call me evil. Do they still see me as an enemy because I don't follow?

It is indeed a very narrow view. But how can you explain to them that we refuse to take sides? How can you explain to them that we want no part in it.

Theists are not my enemy but they see me as their enemy. Why is that? I don't go around attacking every theist I encounter because I have nothing against them but they seem to have something against me. It would be wrong for me to attack them, I'd actually be lowering myself to their level since attack is the only thing I see from them.

I find I hard to see the world in a narrow two sided way. There is a third option. Take no part in it, Be a neutral. It shouldn't be that hard for them to accept.