To really hate it when atheists take the piss out of those who believe in God?

[sharkirasharkira]

I have several FB friends who are obvious atheists, and often share things about science and/or about the concept of God being stupid -basically saying that anyone who believes in God is an idiot, a child (with an 'imaginary friend') or someone who has no idea about science and the universe.

I get that not everyone has faith in a higher being/religion etc but why the childish name calling and the necessity to take the piss out of those who do? It just really irritates me! Belief in God and an appriciation of science are not mutually exclusive. I find it quite offensive that people who don't know my personal beliefs are essentially saying that if I believe in God I must be an idiot or a child who believes in magical sky fairies, because theres no possible way I can believe in evolution (for example) and be an agnostic.

Aibu to think that people should just let others believe what they want to believe without mocking them for it, even if they don't agree with it?

Have any religious conviction of your choice - fine
Opt to be agnositc - fine
Don't believe in god and be atheist - fine
Be religious but thinj terrible things have been done in the name of religion - fine
Be athiesr and think religion has contributed ti evil in the world - fine

Decide as a religious person your theology is the only belief to have and be intolerant to others - not ok
Be one of those smug militant self styled dawkins athiests who ridicule religion and those who believe - not ok

Hold whatever personal belief you like, but the second you start to ridicule others you are a twat.

Ah, but Chester, you've fallen into the trap. Two traps, really. First, that atheism is about a specific god, which is a wee bit arrogant. And second. that the burden of proof is the same for a proposition (the existence of something) as for the non-existence of something.

I'm sure many people say that 'god doesn't exist' in the same way as people say fairies, or ghosts, or dragons don't exist. All those are, in your sense, a statement of belief. In a more practical sense, they are statements of an absence of belief - I have seen no evidence that these things exist, and persuasive evidence to explain their existence in mythology, so I do not believe in them.

I am now careful not to, because there are some theists who like to use it as a special 'a-ha!' moment without realising that it makes them sound a bit silly. Atheism isn't a belief. It's an absence of belief. In my ideal world, atheism would be utterly irrelevant as religion wouldn't be pushed upon people from birth.

Cheers jassy Mine comes home from secular primary asking whether God and Jesus are real and do I believe in them. I think we might have more fun with Thor etc! My favourite as a child was Eostre!

Pre-warning that this post is tongue in cheek and not meant to be taken overly seriously

BUT

Christians -> "You non-believers are all going to burn forever in hell!
Atheists -> "Your belief is ridiculous."
Christians -> You're so abusive!

Of course not all Christians (I know and love many), but of the ones I know, there is a serious disconnect between their judgement of others and how they react to judgement of themselves.

I'm sure there are militant and unpleasant atheists out there too (as there are in all walks), but I do think the reaction to what they say is sometimes disproportionate to what they've actually said (ie. reality as science sees it).

The thing with Thor is that thanks to Marvel there are ACTION FIGURES.

Jassy - you can also get sex toys in the shape of various deities... (I promise you - Jesus may not have existed but the Baby Jesus Buttplug does.)

Patricia, a bit of idle meandering about the web tonight led me across an interview with Rowan Williams in which he said something quite similar.

SGB I now need a new brain, this one is ruined.

PatriciaBateman
Or the reverse:

Militant atheiests - I hate religion. People get so superior about their beliefs when they're really just deluding themselves by believing in silly sky fairies abd judging other

... ironic...

I have an issue with people of any beliefs or none who ridicule others or sneer at other people's beliefs.

Does the buttplug come with a Little Donkey Dildo?

MaisyPops

I agree that ridicule and sneering serves little purpose but to elevate the ego of the one doing it. No good change or 'meeting of minds' ever comes from that approach.

My views are coloured by watching my 'militantly' Christian relatives in action against the much smaller number of atheist relatives who take it calmly 95% of the time, land a cutting insult another 5% of the time, and get utterly crucified for this pardon the pun.

Yes, you can't extrapolate to all, etc. etc. But I think enough people have a similar experience that there is a limited amount of sympathy.

Still wrong though, I agree.

ChesterBelloc
"God exists" ... "God doesn't exist"
Both are statements of belief. ... Neither can be 'proved', by science or any other method.

Atheists make neither claim. They just dont accept there is enough/any evidence for the former.

Decide as a religious person your theology is the only belief to have and be intolerant to others - not ok
Be one of those smug militant self styled dawkins athiests who ridicule religion and those who believe - not ok

Hold whatever personal belief you like, but the second you start to ridicule others you are a twat.

This is where I stand.

I am not at all religious, btw.

You are unreasonable at all. I am not sure if it is massive arrogance or deep insecurity that makes people do this (or a toxic combination of the two).

There is so much that is not understood, will probably never be understood. Some people just can't accept that and have to nail their colours to a mast and belittle anyone who doesn't agree.

The same the other way around, believers who condemn or mock non-believers. They are equally annoying.

I have nothing against people holding firm views either way, but that is all they are, your own views. People need to respect other peoples right to hold contrasting views, without resorting to childish insults.

I'm an Athiest but never in a million years would I post stuff like that.. Everyone has a right to believe or not, there's no right or wrong but people should keep opinions to themselves.
However. a couple of years ago, my DS was asking questions about midnight mass and tbh is didnt know the answers. So that Xmas eve we took him to our local church So he could learn and experience it.
And I must say I was disgusted. The vicar was discussing about those who don't believe.. Which again is perfectly fine. HOWEVER his following words disgusted me.. He said. ' we all know those who don't believe are small minded people who have sad lives', .
I didn't stay much longer than that as I was quite annoyed.

*Decide as a religious person your theology is the only belief to have and be intolerant to others - not ok
Be one of those smug militant self styled dawkins athiests who ridicule religion and those who believe - not ok

Hold whatever personal belief you like, but the second you start to ridicule others you are a twat*

Exactly this.

I don't understand why people feel the need to mock. To each their own. People don't like religion being push and the same thing happens the other way. I guess bashing those who are religious is just a current "in thing." Bashing, pushing and mocking on either side is pathetic.

I think the re is so little KNOWN about science outside the set of very specific conditions that we experience every day on this rock.I am not a scientist but as I understand it there are so many unanswered fundamental questions in theoretical physics, the door is left wide open for just about anything including the existence of a god.

At the end of the day though , discussions about evidence are pointless - religion is all about faith.if god does not exist then clearly their will be no proof.If god does exist then I am whether he would want to prove his existence beyond all doubt ?There are many things which are really beyond human comprehension and I think god isprobably one of them.

There ae of course

There are of course things like the miracle of Fatima which of course has its skeptics.But when something has been witnessed by tens of thousands of people it is hard to dismiss entirely

I thgink it is understandable why Christian believers try to push their views on others.They want them to end up in the good place!

Yes, being self-righteous tosspots for our own good is quite different.

I agree, OP, and I don't have any religious beliefs.

Religion isn't like homeopathy or flat-earthers. Those are incorrect claims that purport to be grounded in science. They can (and have been) disproved. Religion, at least Christianity, which I think is what you are talking about seeing on Facebook, is based on faith. So it can't be scientifically disproved.

As I have said, I don't have any religious beliefs. This is because I have never had any indication that any of these things exist. However, there are people who believe they have seen or heard evidence of supernatural beings or powers hearing God talk to them, feeling a spiritual presence that isn't something I can dispute scientifically. On what basis can I argue with a person whether she has heard God's voice? Just because I haven't heard it? Where is the logic in that?

bring back burning at the stake

"People deserve respect. Beliefs do not."

ITA.

But I think it is important to be kind to others and sometimes that means not telling someone you think their beliefs are completely illogical.

When it comes down to it there are jerks and arseholes in every group and Atheists are not immune to that... and neither are Christians. You can find examples of jerks in every group if you look.

Just as there are Christians who get frustrated that there are Atheists who don't believe and are dismissive about their beliefs, there are Atheists who get frustrated that they are expected to go along with what is the norm in society. When people get frustrated they sometimes act poorly.

I find it quite offensive that people who don't know my personal beliefs are essentially saying that if I believe in God I must be an idiot or a child who believes in magical sky fairies, because theres no possible way I can believe in evolution (for example) and be an agnostic.

I agree with this, but and it is a BIG BUT when Christians are represented on TV it often the fundamentalists who think evolution is a lie, the Bible was written in the order published and in English.

I have heard one say that a child was born disabled because she mush have committed a sin in the womb.I have also read someone who said Satan buried dinosaur bones to fool people.

When I take the piss it is these people I am going after, and you should too, they are wanting to put creationism in schools, in some Faith schools (small minority) they are teaching this, and that the Loch Ness Monster exists.

www.aceministries.com/curriculum

www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/accelerated-christian-education-europe-ofsted-dfe-inspection-report-a7502616.html

@teapot analogy, you can know when you've tasted the tea inside.