Negativity in Atheism
Atheists like to discuss religious people. They like to portray them as bigots and intolerant, gun wielding tyrants. Of course, a staple of atheist discussions is how to avoid praying when friends get together and pray, such as before Thanksgiving dinner. They intended inference is that, is an atheist doesn’t pray, all hell will break lose and the Christians will behead the damn pagans for their failure to pray. 
Interesting thought, but one without basis in reality. The vast majority of Christians, especially Protestants, value individualism and respect the rights of others to not believe or to believe differently from themselves.
The irony is in the intolerance and negativity of the modern atheists. The histrionic name-calling by Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens and atheists in general is in stark contrast to the tolerance and respect for others demonstrated by Alister McGrath and Christians in general.
As atheists go about attacking religion with name calling and their “Imagine no Religion” placards, one drives by a Churches and cannot help but notice the lack of negativity demonstrated by the religious people who are so utterly demonized by atheists.
Instead of focusing on the perceived faults of non-believers, Christians tend to focus on the virtues of belief. Love, faith, hope, etc. When was the last time you saw a Christian church displaying a placard saying “Atheists are evil” or “No Buddhism” or “End Hinduism”?
If atheism has any virtue, then atheists would be better served to focus on those positive attributes, instead of dwelling forever on the perceived negative attributes of religious persons.
December 17th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Atheism is a tricky subject to debate in any manner, but my feelings toward Atheists stems from what I see in actions by the minority. For example, the US was built by God fearing people, religious, right or wrong. But it’s the minority of the atheists that have prohibited prayer in school, who are trying to get God taken off our currency, remove the 10 commandments from government property, the list goes on.
Why should we as a nation bend to the will of the minority? These are the negatives I see and would logically apply them to individual confrontations with those that are atheist. And yes, I have 2 friends that are atheist, so I have some personal experience there, me being a Christian.
A growing problem I see is that liberals are constantly feeding the beliefs of negative atheists. By feeding this belief and then bending to their wills and trying to look compassionate, they are accomplishing the opposite. Not to mention they are contributing to the moral decline of America, the way it was founded. It’s ok to have different religious views, but we should NOT bend rules/regulations/culture because of the minority belief.
December 17th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
When was the last time you saw a Christian church displaying a placard saying “Atheists are evil” or “No Buddhism” or “End Hinduism”?
You do not see the signs, you here it during conversations with them. It happens
December 18th, 2007 at 1:20 am
I haven’t completely figured religion out yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.
On the topic of prayer, I had religious friends when I was growing up and I never felt pressure to pray before meals while at their house. I kept silent while they prayed, out of respect for them and that was OK with them. They were free to worship. I was free not to. Sounds simple to me.
On the point that nails brought up. It’s interesting that he pits majority against minority, but what happens when the current comfortable majority becomes a minority? When Christians are in the minority in the USA, will the rationale for keeping God in government then become tradition? With non-religion and other religions becoming more popular, this is a very real possibility.
December 18th, 2007 at 3:17 am
Zap, I think, in all honesty, that Christians already are the minority in America. Although polls say that 70-odd percent of Americans identify as Christians, that includes a lot of people who don’t fit the actual definition of Christian. Bill Clinton, for example. He went to Church even, but his many extra-marital affairs would seem to indicate that his Christianity was less than sincere.
I personally believe that the separation of Church and State is best, both for the Church and for the State. The state has no business regulating the Church, and the Church has no business legislating morality.
December 18th, 2007 at 3:23 am
I have known hundreds of Christians. Oops. No, make that thousands. I went to Christian schools.
And, no, I have never known Christians to attack other religions. In fact, the Christian school I went to in Japan ( http://caj.or.jp/ ) had children of other faiths attending. Nobody tried to attack them.
If you think about it, you might figure out why. Think about how the Protestants were treated by Catholics, and you will see why they value individualism and respect the right of individuals to make their own decisions.
December 18th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Bill Clinton, for example. He went to Church even, but his many extra-marital affairs would seem to indicate that his Christianity was less than sincere.
We are all sinners John, but that doesn’t make us any less ‘Christian’. Just maybe not the type to look up to.
December 28th, 2007 at 3:26 am
He was a sincere Christian. He just believe in justification by faith not good works. (I’m kidding, although that would explain it…)