The Atheist Obsession with Insulting Christians

[Catholic_Lady]

Heck yeah, brotha!!! 

See more at: http://www.pic4ever.com/index-7.php

[Iroscato]

Is that the holy ghost?

Oh yeah. 

Do you likey??

I imagine some variation of suggesting you blow the Holy Ghost from your backside is incoming

[Cyberman]

Stop reading my mind!

[vorlon13]

Sometimes just asking a question gets a reaction like an insult has been offered.

I note the Mormons flat out tell the flock when they issue new or revised edicts, strictures, rules, promulgations, revelations and doctrines the thinking has already been done.

Clearly, they don't want to entertain any questions and the flock is aware they can get in trouble for it.

As for outsiders, it's abundantly clear the LDS hierarchy  doesn't want to hear them questioning dogma either.

[Mudhammam]

I think it's understandable that atheists would be inclined to insult Christians, or any other believer of a sect that says atheists are either obstinate or blind fools who have been conditioned with a disease since birth that demands their so-called souls to be eternally tormented by the Creator of the universe if they don't believe what Christians say (without what they perceive to be sufficient, or valid, evidence) - but I'm not saying that justifies their insults or anything.

[Neo-Scholastic]

I think it's understandable that atheists would be inclined to insult Christians, or any other believer of a sect that says atheists are either obstinate or blind fools…

You, Nestor, are neither obstinate or a blind fool. I see you as a generally thoughtful and reflective thinker with a sincere desire to pursue the truth wherever it may lead you. People, regardless of faith or lack thereof, can be stubborn and/or stupid.

I do however believe that the worst representatives of each side make entirely different claims about the worst representatives of the other. The worst atheists call believers irrational deluded and self-righteous sheep. The worst believers call atheists angry embittered libertines. I think there is some truth to those accusations when applied to the right people.

…[Christians claim that people]…have been conditioned with a disease since birth that demands their so-called souls to be eternally tormented by the Creator of the universe if they don't believe what Christians say

I guess it depends on whether you believe that Man has innate limitations that lead inevitably toward errors of judgment or whether Man is in his natural state perfect but his abilities get compromised by external forces. Christian doctrine rests on the former belief. Even if I were still an atheist I would still consider human beings less than perfect. At the same time, I recognize that social structures can mitigate those errors.

As for your follow-up statement, I do not think there is a clear consensus about the degree to which Christianity is an exclusionary religion. All Christians believe that Christ Jesus is the sole means by which people overcome and achieve victory over sin and death, that much is true, but subsequent (non-essential) doctrines expressing how the Lord administers His saving Grace vary greatly.

[Minimalist]

Meh.

Doesn't have his own show.

[Angrboda]

I guess it depends on whether you believe that Man has innate limitations that lead inevitably toward errors of judgment or whether Man is in his natural state perfect but his abilities get compromised by external forces. Christian doctrine rests on the former belief. Even if I were still an atheist I would still consider human beings less than perfect.

In what way, as an atheist, would you have said that man is less than perfect? What is the standard?

[Catholic_Lady]

I think it's understandable that atheists would be inclined to insult Christians, or any other believer of a sect that says atheists are either obstinate or blind fools…

You, Nestor, are neither obstinate or a blind fool. I see you as a generally thoughtful and reflective thinker with a sincere desire to pursue the truth wherever it may lead you. People, regardless of faith or lack thereof, can be stubborn and/or stupid.

I do however believe that the worst representatives of each side make entirely different claims about the worst representatives of the other. The worst atheists call believers irrational deluded and self-righteous sheep. The worst believers call atheists angry embittered libertines. I think there is some truth to those accusations when applied to the right people.

…[Christians claim that people]…have been conditioned with a disease since birth that demands their so-called souls to be eternally tormented by the Creator of the universe if they don't believe what Christians say

I guess it depends on whether you believe that Man has innate limitations that lead inevitably toward errors of judgment or whether Man is in his natural state perfect but his abilities get compromised by external forces. Christian doctrine rests on the former belief. Even if I were still an atheist I would still consider human beings less than perfect. At the same time, I recognize that social structures can mitigate those errors.

As for your follow-up statement, I do not think there is a clear consensus about the degree to which Christianity is an exclusionary religion. All Christians believe that Christ Jesus is the sole means by which people overcome and achieve victory over sin and death, that much is true, but subsequent (non-essential) doctrines expressing how the Lord administers His saving Grace vary greatly.

Great post, Chad!

[abaris]

Even if I were still an atheist I would still consider human beings less than perfect. At the same time, I recognize that social structures can mitigate those errors.

No argument here.