To be irritated by religious views...

[Frume]

I know I'll get flamed here. Of course it goes without saying that you are entitled to believe whatever you believe. And I understand that sometimes people turn to 'God' because that's their last hope. But..

My example that prompted me to write this...

I was on Instagram and catching up with a poor girl that I follow. She is 19 and has battled cancer 3 times. The page is updated by her mum and she says things like:-

'In Him we trust to heal his child'

'This is all part of His plan'

'He knows what he is doing'

Something good happens & then it's, 'God is good' or 'Thank you to Our Father in Heaven for making our prayers come true and healing his child'

Ok. Sure, that was it.. or probably science

The general 'Thoughts and prayers' when there is any kind of disaster. Because obviously that's all that's needed in a time of crisis.

I’m a Christian and a doctor, so I don’t see any conflict between science and religion.
Science merely describes the physical world and the mathematical principles that govern it. It says nothing about WHY it exists. And in fact struggles to explain how there should even BE a universe at all, as opposed to a complete void.
I do get irritated by the rudeness of atheists referring to God as an “imaginary friend”.
They have no proof that He is imaginary, whereas millions of Christians have experienced direct contact with God in their lives or during prayer.
I never met Julius Caesar, but I’m prepared to believe he existed, on the written testimony of people alive at the time.
Ditto with Jesus. St Paul interviewed eye witnesses, including St Peter, before writing his epistles. And Paul was a violent persecutor of Christians before his own conversion, so a previously hostile witness.
I used to be an atheist myself, before having a direct encounter with the presence of God, which changed my entire perspective on life. I’m now ashamed of my previous arrogant certainty that religion was nonsense!
God exists whether you believe in Him or not. He came to this world in love and suffered a horrific torture and death to demonstrate that love for all time.
It’s beyond sad to hear arrogant people rejecting that infinite love and scorning Him all over again - but how appropriate, given that tomorrow, Good Friday, is the commemoration of the Crucifixion.

God exists whether you believe in Him or not.

Proof? No? Well then, God doesn't exist, whether you believe in Him or not.

It annoys me that something bad happens it's due to man, but something good happens its thank you God.

Ifsomeone pulls through cancer thanks god, but if he is so omnipotent who gave them cancer in first place.

If there is a god there is two ways of looking at it, either he is a complete scumbag who enjoys inflicting harm and suffering and gets off on self gratification, Or he has no powers and then what is the point of praying to him.

God exists whether you believe in Him or not

Prove it?

God doesn't exist whether you believe in him or not.

It annoys me too, because religion seems so silly to me. Sure, God loves you, he just let most of your family members die before their time and your daughter was abused by her dad etc but sure , sure, we love you God, as you love us

I respect and understand your opinion. But people who know nothing about religion don't realise this is not how it is. We are human. God is a higher presence. Some call it the universe. Our time on life is to learn. There's not a big puppet master in the clouds (or perhaps there is? I couldn't prove otherwise so I don't judge). I have always looked at both sides and feel people with limited knowledge about religion do not take the time to understand the views and ignorance spreads (that is no way aimed at you btw, just a general comment and can also refer to people who refuse to believe science is a 'thing').

Thr bottom line is, what anyone believes does not matter. Being a good and kind person to others matters. Stop judging each just and try to help. "He without sin cast the first stone".. you may not like the biblical reference but it's absolutely relevant in this thread.

And actually relevent on most threads. I'm on a forum that only supports and encourages each other or you are removed. I'm new to mumsnet but the way some people bring each other is down is terrible.

She may well be as irritated by your atheism as you are by her belief. The best tactic for either of you is to mind your own business unless it becomes some kind of welfare issue. You'll do nothing for your stress levels if you're going to get irritated every time someone evinces a very different worldview to yours. That applies across the board.

So weird that you are pulling someone's Instagram apart, you must have clicked on the suggested person and then clicked on their posts to read the captions, very ghoulish!

I respect and understand your opinion. But people who know nothing about religion don't realise this is not how it is. We are human. God is a higher presence. Some call it the universe. Our time on life is to learn. There's not a big puppet master in the clouds (or perhaps there is? I couldn't prove otherwise so I don't judge). I have always looked at both sides and feel people with limited knowledge about religion do not take the time to understand the views and ignorance spreads (that is no way aimed at you btw, just a general comment and can also refer to people who refuse to believe science is a 'thing').

Well if God has no power what's the whole point of it all he's no use at all then.

Any people who don't believe have limited knowledge atheists are stupid then? It's funny because as a atheist I seem to have a lot more knowledge you than the believer's usually.

Oh and it's funny how these threads always start around now, you know with Easter a few days away

I totally agree it’s terrible how people bring each other down on here and is unecessary.

I guess we have to accept the internet gives people a certain level of bravery they don’t have in real life and this is what the result is.

Well if God has no power what's the whole point of it all he's no use at all then.

Any people who don't believe have limited knowledge atheists are stupid then? It's funny because as a atheist I seem to have a lot more knowledge you than the believer's usually.

Some people believe it's to learn as humans. I have no proof so don't say either way. And no one said atheists were stupid, I said people who don't have knowledge about religions can spread ignorance. The same way if I started talking about the negative of cars (which I know little about) I would be spreading ignorance about that.

I was an atheist at one point. I changed my views because I found something in the church that spoke to me personally, no one else has to and there are lots of religions. It's whatever you believe that makes you a nicer person. The basic teachings people read online or even in texts books do not give them the full knowledge of the practise nor people feelings. To say you are smarter than most people who believe in religion it's exactly the point I was trying to make. Just respect their views. My young teenage son has decided he no longer wants to be part of the church. I respect that so he doesn't go. If you think you're smarter than millions of people in the world then that is your opinion. Just don't push it on me.

Exactly Jodie. Was only thinking today I highly doubt people speak to each other like that in real life. With so much In the news about cyber bullying and the devastating affect it has on children (eg suicide) you'd think the adults/ parents would lead by example.

Hope is probably all she has to get her through this horrible time there’s nothing wrong with that. Surely if you don’t like it then unfriend her/unfollow her comments. people who look down on religion or use science as an excuse are not pleasant people ime it doesn’t concern you and you shouldn’t be judging anyone having a hard time with their health how they cope with it

@Crocusflo - Exactly!

He exists whether I believe it or not? Ok. He doesn't exist. You just chose to believe he does. Same thing.

And Easter has nothing to do with it...

For the 100th time, the Instagram was just an example. There are many many other examples of this. I DO understand and DO agree that her having faith in a situation like this is good. Fuck, if I were in that situation and was desperate I would probably convert too!

Geberally I disagree but when people say that horrible tings happening (like a child dying) is a part of God’s plan I see red. A) because that is not even remotely comforting and b) because if that is the case then god is a bit of a shit and saying that it was a shitty gods shit plan that a child should die as if we should just accept that is even worse. As you can see I have quite a temper.

I get irritated if they force their views onto me, stay out my face and ill stay out yours

I'm an atheist, but it appalls me when other atheists refer to imaginary friends or sky fairies. It's smug, arrogant, and insulting to those with a genuine belief. And I'm amazed that they think it's okay. They expect religious people to respect them but aren't prepared to do the same.

I have family who are religious, and I've seen the strength and comfort that their faith has brought them at the most tragic of times. Sometimes I envy them that. They're also incredibly caring and giving, and don't deserve the offhand generalised insults of some of my fellow atheists.

@bondbaby

I'm an atheist. Can you explain how my life is lacking in 'structure and meaning'? I'll be honest, I hadn't really noticed....

No I can't explain your beliefs to you any more than you can explain mine to me.

Frume I hope you don't think all comments are aimed at you. You asked if you were BU and in that one Instagram I thought that but not overall. I was referring to other comments mostly.

OP I wrote an almost identical post about 9 years ago!
Someone I know had lost someone and I was really struggling to comfort her when she talked so much about heaven and god etc. I got torn to shreds and couldn’t see the error of my ways at all!

I genuinely don’t mean to be patronizing but life actually has shown me that I’d much rather be in their shoes spiritually than my own. I’ve learnt to have my own “spirituality” and now the hardcore atheists (which I still sort of consider myself) annoy me far more than the hardcore religious. I’m on a Facebook page called raising children without religion, because I am doing just that in a very religious country, but they seem to go out of their way to be offended and outraged at other people for their views rather than focusing on “raising their children without religion”

I know it seems silly. I'm pretty certain that none of the people who ever say this have ever sought only gods help, they're clever enough to know where to go when you're seriously sick.

@GregoryPeckingDuck
See, from a Catholic Catechism perspective, this is incorrect. Bad things are not part of God's plan. God permits bad things to happen as part of our fallen world and our choices. He doesn't will bad things to happen. He brings the good out of bad situations. Sometimes, we just can't see the good things. For example the recent Notre Dame fire was a terrible event. However, I have already heard of someone coming back to the Church as a result of seeing the Cross shinning in the rubble and there is going to be a funded huge improved restoration project.

I think the point often missed by atheists is that we were created by God so if He permits us to go back to Him, then that's his choice. My life force doesn't belong to me. It belongs to God. Death to a Christian is not the final destination.

Also, I forgot to say that I feel telling someone this notion of the bad thing happening as part of God's plan is very tactless and insensitive to someone's pain.

Even Jesus wept at Lazarus's tomb before bringing him back to life.