Why do you care?

[Mister Agenda]

I wonder why atheists are so anti-Christian?

I don't think most atheists are anti-Christian. Most of us in the West have Christian friends and family, whom we love. There is a certain class of Christian, that I think of as 'Christianists', who attempt to gain tacit government endorsement for their religion that irritate me, and trolls are irritating by definition, no matter their religion or lack thereof. Atheist forums get theist (in the West, mostly Christian) trolls, it's the nature of things. So, on discussion boards, there's a tendency to expect trolling from new theist members who haven't shown they come in peace. It's not fair, but it has more to do with the interwebz than with actual differences between atheists and theists.

I mean, really, if you believe God doesn’t exist, then why trouble yourselves with what Christians believe? I notice no one complains about Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism, and no one complains much about cults, just Christianity.

In the West, our lives are not much impacted by Hinduism and Buddhism. Possibly you haven't been around long enough to make a sound judgement about no one complaining about Islam. Perhaps you should check out the subforum on Islam?

I also wonder why there are rules in this forum against saying you are going to hell for your beliefs, and yet it seems you post continually about the injustice of Hell, or the fact that God is responsible for evil. Again, what do you care? If there is no God, why do you get so hot under the collar about it? No pun intended.

Because it is rude on multiple levels. It assumes the speaker is qualified to determine who goes to hell (arrogance/hubris). The speaker necessarily agrees that it is just that the person they're claiming will go to hell will go there (judgemental/nasty). Believe it or not, pretty much all atheists are aware that most Christians think we're going to hell. What purpose does it serve to harp on it? I find it mystifying that so many theists have trouble getting that 'if you don't believe in God you'll go to hell' translates as 'if you don't agree with me you deserve to be burned alive for eternity'. Whether God does or doesn't exist has nothing to do with the offense involved with someone telling you that you're going to hell.

And if, to you, the evil in the world proves there is no God, how do you explain all the good?

The presence of ANY evil is incompatible with a God who is omnipotent and omnibenevolent. A mix of bad and good is expected from an indifferent universe. It may not be a problem for your particular version of the Christian God, I hear there's a movement to tone down his omnipotence a bit while retaining the omnibenevolence: that's how I would go if it was me, a very powerful but not omnipotent God that's doing the best he can with a whole universe to run.

Just some questions; just trying to keep it real.

Word.

[Faith No More]

I know it's been said, but I must reiterate. I am not concerned with what others believe until their beliefs encroach on my right to be free of their influence. The biggest problem is politics. I would guess that if Christians could learn to stop pushing their beliefs on others there would be minimal hostility.

[Doubting Thomas]

Just for the record, I think all religions are nothing but made-up superstition. Not just Christianity, but Judiasm, Islam, Hinduism, Scientology, Baha'i, Mormonism, Wicca, Paganism, and any others anyone could possibly care to follow. It's just that Christianity is the religion in this country which has the worst track record of trying to force everyone to conform to their beliefs, so that's the one we usually rail on the most.

[thesummerqueen]

By the way - I'm sure it's hard to tell from this thin-slice, but I at least have a problem with just about every religion and several "non religions" that are quite cult-like. I have a problem with anyone who preys on the helpless, causes unnecessary harm to another without informed and explicit consent, and spreads hypocrisy in the name of out-dated ideals. Your Christianity, by virtue of its strength in numbers, unfortunately gets a front row seat to me saying "YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!" but believe me, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, some Wiccans, Scientologists, anti-vaxxers, CAM promoters, moon-hoaxers, organic fruitcakes, some feminists and Nessie hunters have all met the sharp side of my tongue (or keyboard).

I speak for most members here when I say I'm anti-bullshit. Yours isn't any more special than the rest - there's just a lot more of it. But it's okay - I'm a gardener and moving shit into something useful is what I do.

[Erinome]

The nature of Christianity is malignant. Why do I care?

I care because I have babies that are going to grow up in this world, unless some people with "faith" in their deity decide they don't like these other people with "faith" in another deity, and decide to blow us all up. I care because I can see how the world is fucked up by these ridiculous beliefs that are used to justify the oppression of good people. I care because some sweaty, ignorant oaf with a nice suit and a bible in his hand is not gonna tell me what I can and can't do with my own fucking uterus. I care because my best friend in the world/husband was a gay man who died from AIDS last year, and I've heard it implied that Jesus sent AIDS to eradicate homosexuality from the planet, and I happen to think that's wholly disgusting, as theories go. I care because I am a woman, and everyone around me loves this invisible sky man, who supposedly made me with a vagina, but hates me for it. I care because lies like Christianity are dangerous, and the idiots around me don't even want to see it.

So for me it's personal.

[Mister Agenda]

I generally have fewer issues with Christian theists than with Raellian atheists, in principle. It's just that in practice, the Raellians have no power to affect my life, so I tend to ignore them except as examples of the diversity among atheists.

[Ace Otana]

You know, he asked why do we care and we've given some pretty decent answers. Now I want him to answer the same question but reversed. Why do you care? Are you bothered by people who lack religious belief? If so, why?

[Welsh cake]

I wonder why atheists are so anti-Christian?

I wonder why you ask such stupid questions. Do you even know what "atheism" means? I'll give you a hint: its not antitheism for one thing.

I mean, really, if you believe God doesn’t exist, then why trouble yourselves with what Christians believe?

Because you discriminate us in and out of the work-place for our lack of belief for starters.

Again, what do you care?

Because you're part of an evil cult that threatens non-believers, duh. >.>

[5thHorseman]

You know, he asked why do we care and we've given some pretty decent answers. Now I want him to answer the same question but reversed. Why do you care? Are you bothered by people who lack religious belief? If so, why?

You're so cute. I'm not a butt badgerer either.

[Minimalist]

I wonder why atheists are so anti-Christian?

I'm not strictly anti-xtian. I'm anti anything which insists that belief is superior to thinking. Still, I don't care enough to track people down and try to shove bibles into their hands or visit theist web sites and tell them they are wrong.

Why are you HERE?