Why do atheists seem to dislike Christians?

[Sweetdeath]

I would definitely love a black shirt, with bold red letters: "i didn't ask Jesus to die for me."

Remembering he was a carpenter, it would funny to think of him dying before he finished my great, great, great, great grandparent's stable. "thanks jesus :/"

[Gawen]

It just occurred to me, thanks to you Sweetdeath, that however ironic it may be, that carpenter died on a rough hewn cross...what an insult that must have been.

[Sweetdeath]

LOL!!    Jesus built the cross he died on makes me laugh so hard, I snorted. :<

[Gawen]

After thinking about this...all afternoon...  

I do dislike a person, no matter how benign he/she may be that would see me "born in sin" inherited from an ancestor, that (Jewish illegal) vicarious atonement sacrifice cleanses me of that sin, and yet undergo torture by a loving god for eternity because I don't believe it. To know that a coworker thinks in the back of his head that I'm going to hell, no matter how much we may laugh and joke and just try to get through the day does not endear me to him.

Can I respect them? Well, respect comes in levels. Can you respect a cop? How about a cop that has been awarded many medals for years of great service......but has just been found out that he's physically abused his wife for years?

Can you respect a cop that coerces his children about the beauty of Heaven when, if you look at the concept, Heaven is a totalitarian state with no private or personal life, with the incessant worship of a mediocre career-sadist as the only culture, where all citizens are the permanent property of the state?

Can you respect the honored cop who believes the entire apparatus of absolution and forgiveness as moral and believes in the concept of revealed truth (when the concept of revealed truth degrades the concept of free intelligence by relieving us of the task of working out the ethical principles for ourselves)? And yet what if he endorses the death penalty for adulterers?

I can respect a person for the good he may do. But I cannot respect one that holds the desire that there be an unalterable, unchallengeable, immutable, infallible tyrannical authority.  An authority who can convict you of thought crime (even while asleep) and one who must, indeed, subject you to total surveillance around the clock - every minute of your life and before you're born and after you're dead.

No, despite the good a Christian may do, the evil they do cancels out the good. The evils they do to others and themselves and the poison they instill in their children and children around the other side of the globe through missionary work...these people I dislike.

[Tank]

One has to be extremely careful demonising over one billion people for a belief they hold when the vast majority of them do not hold that belief through choice but upbringing.

[Medusa]

And now...behold hither of what this impious olde trout hath wrought.

Perhaps I should answer THIS question: Why does this atheist dislike Christians?

I dislike all Christians...every one of them. But why...

I dislike the religious right who meddles in politics to the religiously neutral who say nothing of those that meddle.
I dislike the self-deprecating Rapture Readies to the glib superiority complex ridden, self commendatory self fulfilling Armageddon evangelicals.

I have no respect for them and their differing worldviews.

I have been called arrogant at times but to claim that I am privy to the secrets of the universe and its invisible creator is beyond my conceit. I simply have no choice but to find something suspect even in the most humblest believer. Even the most humane and compassionate theists are complicit in their quiet and irrational authoritarianism and proclaim us created sick and commanded to be well.

Christians declare me redeemed by a vicarious human sacrifice that occurred thousands of years before I was born. I didn't ask for it, and would have willingly, ethically and morally foregone it. And if I refuse this unsolicited gift? Well, there are still some vague mutterings about an eternity of torment for my ingratitude. Yea, even the most humble of Christian believers are totalitarian in this way.

A religion rooted in violence, the irrational, intolerannce, racism, tribalism, bigotry, ignorance, hostile to free inquiry, hostile to free speech other than their own and hostile to free will, holds women in contempt and coercive toward children: Organized religion really hasn't changed that much.

I wake up every day to a sensation of pervading disgust and annoyance. I feel as if I'm falling prey to premature curmudgeonhood thanks to asshats like Gov. Rick Perry and those haters of the constitution...haters of anything that is outside their worldview.

Wow you must be really really really really really really busy meeting every single Christian on the planet. I bet you have a shitload of frequent flier miles.

[Gawen]

One has to be extremely careful demonising over one billion people for a belief they hold when the vast majority of them do not hold that belief through choice but upbringing.

Therein lies one of the biggest problems, Tank. What difference can it make when a person comes to Christianity from another religion or a child is indoctrinated with it by a Christian family? They are their own demons - those from a religious right fundamental minority that would seek to theocratise the nation as compared to those liberal Christians who choose to say nothing.

Upbringing: The same rules or laws of probability must govern in religious questions as in others. There is no subject, and can be none, concerning which any human being is under any obligation to believe without evidence. The problem with 'upbringing' is that most believers do not question the religion in any meaningful way, believe without evidence and that most feel they are under an obligation to believe because of their upbringing. After all, Mom and Dad and all my relatives and my neighbours and all my friends at church simply wouldn't lie to them, now would they? And I submit that most are flattered by their exercise of ignorant credence.

Every Christian person according to the structure of his mind, experience, thought processes, intelligence and prejudice or genius will arrive at the conclusion that Jewish theology and the Islamic God are false belief systems because their mind seeks the path of least resistance, and their conclusions are also dependent upon hereditary tendencies, society.

The Christian wonders and scoffs at the Pagan; and yet it must be understood that the Gods of stone, water, air or fire listens to the Pagan's prayers and protects their worshipers precisely as the Christian God listens to prayer and protects his worshipers. The Christian wonders and scoffs at the one whom seems to achieve a higher consciousness and tranquility found outside his most loving God.

Yes, Tank, every religion demonises every other religion. And these man made demons have been inferred, planted and grown from superstition. They become demons themselves while demonising others.

[Gawen]

Wow you must be really really really really really really busy meeting every single Christian on the planet. I bet you have a shitload of frequent flier miles.

I think you have missed my point, but that's alright. 

Just know that I return the sentiment back to those that do not respect or dislike me because I do not have faith in their invisible loving god that is also unknowable and works in mysterious ways, in creating himself from a virgin, changes the laws of physics in the first half of the first century and then kills himself to placate his wrath on us to then sit beside himself in Heaven.

Just know that I have met a slew of Christians who have tried to either convert me, thinks I'm angry at God, filled with demons or Satan, going to Hell if I don't accept Jesus, wished me dead or bodily injury, thinks I'm stupid because I can't see what they obviously and naturally see and feel in their hearts and a whole host of other unique and fun stuff. And I am relatively sure by my experiences with Christians that even though those that say nothing to me know in their heart I am doomed - and they can't help but thinking it. I find it sad and deplorable behaviour.

And suffice it to say that yes, I do not have many friends at all. And also, yes, I get along with most everyone, due to my nature. But it doesn't mean I have to like them.

And while I'm at it, many of you here may think I am painting with a very broad brush. Far be it from the truth and I would implore you to go back and read my posts.

[Medusa]

Hey you don't need to convince us of your hate. I hate some people simply because they smell funny. I'm just honest in my hate.

[Gawen]

Hate.

Such an ugly word.

A word you conveniently and unwarrantably place in my mouth. Does not the thread title ask "Why do atheists seem to dislike Christians?" Have I not given my answer? As truthfully as I can?

[Medusa]

Hate.

Such an ugly word.

A word you conveniently and unwarrantably place in my mouth. Does not the thread title ask "Why do atheists seem to dislike Christians?" Have I not given my answer? As truthfully as I can?

Hate isn't an ugly word. It's just more honest. You dislike Christians. I get it. It's all good.


EDIT: Fixed quotes. Tank

[Whitney]

Hate isn't an ugly word. It's just more honest. You dislike Christians. I get it. It's all good.

Dislike and hate have different meanings...if someone says they don't hate someone you have to take their word for it because you can't jump into their head and feel what they feel.

[Gawen]

But it's NOT all good. It sucks! I don't want to dislike anyone, but being human, it's a trait that cannot be gotten rid of. You do me a great disservice by analogising me in with those that hate all Muslims because of 9/11. You seem to think that I am the same as those Americans who hate all Germans because of what the Nazi's did. This is wrong. I do not hate Christians, Muslims or Germans. Matter of fact, I never really used to dislike Christians, having been one of them years ago. But today is a different day.

I am a veteran; of the South East Asian War Games. I took an oath to protect the Nation from its enemies, foreign and domestic. You folks that are not American citizens and/or live outside the United States and those of you who do not understand what I've written above or do understand but do not agree with me; I shall try to enlighten you forthwith.

I consider the politically active Religious Right who hide behind the Religious Conservative Teabaggers, and those that support Dominionist Theology, Christian Reconstructionism, Theonomy and American Theocracy as enemies of the (Secular) State.* I consider them Christian Fascist and I don't like them, period. Radical view to hold, is it not? What is just as radical is that I also uphold their right to worship and believe what they will, just as I do for anyone living in this country. But until you folks understand this politically Ultra Conservative Christian movement is no longer the tiny minority that it once was and is a threat to EVERYONE'S freedom in America, those American citizens reading this and do nothing about it deserve the possible fate that will be crashing down over your civil liberties.

*You may call Bullsh*t for me to lump believers that mind their own business in with the doorknockers or usurpers of the constitution. However, Christian liberals, Secular Christians, liberals, atheists, agnostics, apolitical persons, spiritualist, seculars (humanist or not) and conscientious objectors  who sit idly by and say or do nothing, turn a blind eye or say crap like "That'll never happen here" are nearly as equal enemies of the State. It's extremely irresponsible. I simply do not understand their apathy. What is to like about them?

Here are a few examples of why I dislike what is written above in red:

Dominionism is a tendency among Protestant Christian evangelicals and fundamentalists that encourages them to not only be active political participants in civic society, but also seek to dominate the political process as part of a mandate from God.

"With the apathy that exists today, a small, well-organized minority can influence the selection of candidates to an astonishing degree." -Pat Robertson, The Millennium, 1990). Robertson was right even 21 years ago; voter apathy is key to the phenomenal ascent of the theocratic right in the U.S. government.

The Republicans, have moved to a mentally corrupted Shangri-La, where unwanted problems, like climate change or the need to pay the costs of running the government can be wished away, where prejudice trumps fact (Obama might just be Kenyan-born or a Muslim, and indeed the vast majority of Republicans still believe Obama is not a US citizen), expertise is evidence of error, and reality comes to be regarded as some kind of elitist plot. The problem is that these ultra religious conservatives don't see themselves as their own elitist plotters.

"Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost. As the vice regents of God, we are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors -- in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."-Dr. James Kennedy, "Reclaiming America for Christ" conference in February, 2005

"We will not try to reform the existing institutions. We only intend to weaken them, and eventually destroy them," - Paul Weyrich, Free Congress Foundation.

Read up on this stuff:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr4.htm
for one example

These people are enmeshed throughout politics. Another example:
American Vision is a Christian Reconstructionist organization of Gary DeMar, that publishes books and newsletters, runs a discussion board, a web-based radio show, and annual conferences and engages in other activities to promote the dominionist views. It also publishes one of its most well-known associates, Gary North, the son-in-law of Christian Reconstructionist founder R.J. Rushdoony, and are both supporters of Ron Paul whose economic writings have also influenced Rand Paul. DeMar has another companion organization (Vision to America) that raises money for and promotes candidates for elected office. This companion organization sent a fundraising appeal in support of Nevada's Republican nominee to the U.S. Senate, Sharron Angle, from South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint's political action committee, the Senate Conservatives Fund.

You Texans remember Tom DeLay? Well guess what he is??!!

So tell me, what's to like about these people?

I've gone far past the point when trying to dodge or soften the issue of religion infecting politics when that is mistakenly deemed the "constructive" route. I've have had enough of nudging conservative Christians and asking politely if they'd please leave their religions to themselves. Atheists, in recent years, have finally begun to have their coming-out party, but you're not going to hear soft language from me about this. I'm going to be blunt; I HAVE to be blunt. It may even be considered abrasive, although that is not my intention.

If religious persons want on board and want to do something secularly constructive for all, that's great and there is no need to dislike a person that genuinely cares and wants to do right. But people have been far too nice, for far too long, far to respectful about religion in the public square. What I have learned, I think, is that when you're nice and you soften your message, nobody really listens. So now the message is that religious ideology needs to get the hell out and stay the hell out of politics.

I would really like believing in superstition (organised or not) to be socially unacceptable, or, if you will, 'uncool'. As it stands, people are generally respected for their "faith,". I would really like religious believers to get used to their religion being mocked, gently or otherwise. I want non-believers to realize that it's okay to disrespect belief in belief and belief of things not seen and hoped for. This is the sort of social change I'm envisioning.

@ Medusa: Now, if you have a need for me to have a soft voice projecting this message, in order to even give it the time of day, well, I think the time is up for that. I want religion out of politics, and there's no valid counterpoint to that position.

And I am genuinely surprised of the lack of replies in this thread after I've been posting even if one agrees with me or not. Apathy. It does a body no good.

[AnimatedDirt]

I want religion out of politics, and there's no valid counterpoint to that position.

I'll help you hold up a banner saying exactly this.

[Whitney]

I want religion out of politics, and there's no valid counterpoint to that position.

I'll help you hold up a banner saying exactly this.

We actually had a group of Christians help protest Rick Perry's prayer rally just this past week.