What's the craziest thing you have heard about atheism?

[LegendarySandwich]

"All atheists are controlled directly by Satan." -My pastor in church this morning.

If I'm directly controlled by Satan, then he isn't as fun of a guy as I thought.

Before you ask why an atheist goes to church, I'm 16, still live with my parents, and they don't believe in religious freedom.

Same here.

[skwurll]

If I'm directly controlled by Satan, then he isn't as fun of a guy as I thought.

True 'dat. Who would've thought Satan could be in a loving relationship? Although, I guess that explains the sadism...

Before you ask why an atheist goes to church, I'm 16, still live with my parents, and they don't believe in religious freedom.

Same here.

Yeah, waking up at 7 am on a sunday is not exactly my definition of fun.

[father nicetouch]

If I'm directly controlled by Satan, then he isn't as fun of a guy as I thought.

True 'dat. Who would've thought Satan could be in a loving relationship? Although, I guess that explains the sadism...

Before you ask why an atheist goes to church, I'm 16, still live with my parents, and they don't believe in religious freedom.

Same here.

well, i have to say that you guys have alot of balls! when i was your ages i was a pussy about telling my parents i was an atheist! Good job on standing up for yourselfs. I was a closet atheist for the longest time. I was like, "yeah, Lets go to church! I love Jesus! I love giving half of what little bit of allowance you give me to the church!"

[skwurll]

well, i have to say that you guys have alot of balls! when i was your ages i was a pussy about telling my parents i was an atheist! Good job on standing up for yourselfs. I was a closet atheist for the longest time. I was like, "yeah, Lets go to church! I love Jesus! I love giving half of what little bit of allowance you give me to the church!"

To be honest, I just got sick of pretending to believe in God. It was the little things that got to me, like being asked to say grace at mealtimes, having to go to church, etc.

I finally confronted my mother a few months ago, It was probably the most difficult thing I've ever done, she didn't take it too well.

[ForTheLoveOfAll]

If I'm directly controlled by Satan, then he isn't as fun of a guy as I thought.

True 'dat. Who would've thought Satan could be in a loving relationship? Although, I guess that explains the sadism...

Before you ask why an atheist goes to church, I'm 16, still live with my parents, and they don't believe in religious freedom.

Same here.

Yeah, waking up at 7 am on a sunday is not exactly my definition of fun.

Amen and amen. I'm 18, moving out in three months, but goddamn, not soon enough. Been forced to go to church since I was old enough to find my dick. About sick of it, and the rents know I'm not a part of their cult anymore.

I love my family to death, but hearing some of the things spouted by them and the pastor is enough to make me want to stand up in the middle of the service and yell "IF THERE'S A HELL, YOU ARE THE ONE GOING TO IT!"  

[Epimetheus]

I've never heard any 'crazy' things so to say, however I have heard some amusing things: "Pfft...atheists, nothing but emo little nerds trying to disprove god", this was funny seeing as me and one of my friends had bumped into a group of 'emo nerds' who were in fact trying to disprove the existence of God, it was even more amusing for me seeing as the guy that said so was an atheist. The other thing I heard was from a good friend (very sheltered kid): "Atheists are all so mean". I have to say I've never heard some of the other stuff I've read in this thread.

[DirtyLeo]

I've never heard anything like "you eat children" or "you masturbate with the blood of aborted babies" however one thing I keep hearing is that we must be lacking a moral compass.

Hmmm... Which way is moral North again?

[Ellainix]

I had a Muslim tell me that all the Muslims in Darfur were Atheists... As in, there is violence in Darfur because the Muslims are actually Atheists...

[DirtyLeo]

I had a Muslim tell me that all the Muslims in Darfur were Atheists... As in, there is violence in Darfur because the Muslims are actually Atheists...

This reminds me of Arnaud Amalric infamous order:
"Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius (Kill them all. For the Lord knoweth them that are His.)"

[BadPoison]

well, i have to say that you guys have alot of balls! when i was your ages i was a pussy about telling my parents i was an atheist! Good job on standing up for yourselfs. I was a closet atheist for the longest time. I was like, "yeah, Lets go to church! I love Jesus! I love giving half of what little bit of allowance you give me to the church!"

To be honest, I just got sick of pretending to believe in God. It was the little things that got to me, like being asked to say grace at mealtimes, having to go to church, etc.

I finally confronted my mother a few months ago, It was probably the most difficult thing I've ever done, she didn't take it too well.

When I was 18 I was kicked out of my parent's house for refusing to go to church. I was basically told "if you're not at church next week you better not be here when we get home." So I got a shitty apartment and continued working my even shittier part-time job. I stayed in school (which I paid for myself anyways) and saw my first degree as a slap in my parent's face - "See, I don't need you assholes anyways" is what I thought.

All I can say is keep at it- you're basically being discriminated against in your own home and I understand how it can really suck at times. Especially when you're at an age where your parents will look down at you and think your atheism is just your way of rebelling.

[wildfire_emissary]

Atheists are intellectually arrogant.  (I'd say it's better than being arrogant ignorant.)
Atheists are the Anti-Christ.

[LegendarySandwich]

Atheists are intellectually arrogant.  (I'd say it's better than being arrogant ignorant.)

To be fair, some are, though some religious people are arrogant as well.

[Asmodean]

To be fair, some are, though some religious people are arrogant as well.

Many religious people see no difference between intellectual arrogance and simply superior understanding though. If I call someone a dumb shit for instance, from their perspective, it might sound arrogant, whereas from MY perspective, it may be a simple statement of fact.

I've read something interesting somewhere... Illustrated Science, I think. There it was claimed that people of high intelligence tend to undervalue their own intellectual worth to a degree, yet less-than-intelligent people tend to overvalue themselves. Basically, even if a "dumb shit" is obvious as such to like... The majority of the better educated population, the likelihood is that the "dumb shit" considers himself about as smart as any.

In any case, I wonder why the religious have a problem with arrogance. IMO, someone either deserves the right to be arrogant - in which case it's ok - or does not deserve it - in which case arrogance serves nothing but making the person in question look like a fool. An arrogant fool. Seen many of those in my life, and only few of them were atheist, come to think of it.

[DirtyLeo]

Atheists are intellectually arrogant.

I may be guilty of this. Or let's say I may look like I'm in this category sometimes. But when you debate with a religious person, and if the discussion is about God's existence, how else you're going to tell him that he's believing in something that has no scientific evidence what so ever. And when I tell them things like "Which god?" "Your god has as much proof and credibility as Thor, or Anubis or Zeus" or even "We are both atheists. I just choose not to believe in one more god than you do." I'm sure that, at least at times, it comes across arrogant.

[wildfire_emissary]

Why? What can make us arrogant?