Why do atheists hate Jesus?

Atheists sure seem to like to make fun of God and Christians. Is there an atheists inferiority complex? You would think it was the other way around. If you are so sure God doesn't exist, then why all the bitterness?

 

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Correction: we hate baby Jesus. We like to make him cry.

 

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As an atheist, I'm not bitter. I think its nice that so many people feel they are loved and if they screw up, they can be forgiven. Many of us don't have that in our personal life. I'm jealous of the fellowship believers have and I wish I could share that, but I can't. I don't impose my beliefs on others, which is why my kids have gone to church. My daughter loves it.

But I agree with you. So many atheists aren't happy to just leave it alone, they treat believers as gullible idiots. They say believers impose their beliefs on them, but they do the same. There are some things I take a stand on (religous items in courthouses, God in the pledge, prayer in school) but I try very hard to not make it personal. I don't want to sink to that level.

There is a particular Christian female here who is so filled with anger that is scares me and at the same time makes me sad. I never want to be the atheist version of her.

 

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You don't have to have strong faith to go to Church. Think of it as a nice club. If you are a non-believer, than what possible harm could come to you at Church? God, if he doesn't exist, certainly isn't going to strike you down. All churchgoers have varying degrees of faith. Some, probably close to zero. What's your problem?

 

What's my problem??? I'm not a hypocrit. I don't lie to myself and I try not to lie to others.

 

If there is bitterness or dislike, it commonly stems from unpleasant experiences with religious people, church, or religion. I know I have had them and they are quite similar. The worst part is if you are at all open, you end up feeling emotionally overrun and violated. It's literally like someone's narrow and extremely subjective opinion trying to snuff out all others, it's like a compulsion, very rude and revolting.

 

You are mistaken. I think I can tiptoe out on a limb and say that athiests and other non-believing types do not hate the religious icons themselves. What we are strongly against is the forced assimilation that accompanies religion. The masquerade as a nicety when all the Church wants is power.

Just look at what you said (highlighted). "Think of it as a nice club". What the f*** is that supposed to mean? A church exists to perpetuate their own dogma and facilitate their own ends. Priests are trained to "witness"...to drill the bible into the congregation. To put the "fear of god" into unwitting sheeple. A club merely serves drinks, plays music and encourages unchaperoned mingling.

Your statement is a prime example of what non believers act against. A church is not a club. Organized religion is anything but benign. Do not pretend it as anything but a political force. We'll respect you a little more then.

 

I wish everyone, regardless of their religion, had your open minded view. Two thumbs up for you!

I'm just speculating here because while I'm more or less agnostic, I'm not athiest, and while I don't agree with being condescending towards any belief, I can see how some athiests do have the view that they do towards Christians. But I've met quite a few Christians (not all) that have that 'holier than thou' attitude; to me, that's quite off-putting, but I know that not all Christians are like that.
Maybe it could also be that a lot of Christians (not all) believe what they believe, regardless of the lack of logic in their doctrine, and never ever question it (that may be where the gullible idiot thing comes from).

Why, whoever could you be speaking of, Orleander?

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Well, the concept of God, and the beliefs of Christians are ridiculous, so expect ridicule.

How could you possibly come to that conclusion, apart from through the misnomer that religion makes people better people? We ridicule you because of your blind faith and adherence to anachronistic ritual, not through some 'complex'.

Well, we can be as bitter as we like, because we aren't afraid that your sky pixie is going to make us burn in hell.

I'm not bitter, however. Religion makes me laugh quite often.

 

I think your response just reinforced John's assumptions.

 

I can see why Christian push their beliefs. My Mom truely believes she will not see me in heaven and it scares her. She is worried about my eternal damnation. I don't care if my family believes. Either way its all the same ending. Get what joy you can out of it while you can.

 

Haha. My family, and one of my Christian female friends feel the same way.
Christians push their beliefs because the bible tells them to be witnesses for God. It's a good concept, but it gets corrupted when some (not all) Christians start forcing their beliefs on non-believers, then becomes even worse when they tell non-believers that they are going to hell.
I just shudder to think that a supposedly benevolent, merciful God is going to send his supposedly greatest creation (his children) to hell if they don't accept him. Would any parent here willingly send their children to hell for all eternity if they disowned/ex-communicated you?
You would think that he would be pleased that his children exercised the gift of free will to not choose that route; if God would have wanted 'robots' that followed him blindly, then we wouldn't have free will.
That's the one thing I just cannot get past.

 

I and I'm probably speaking for a fair number of non-theists, do not 'hate' Jesus, if anything and assuming Jesus actually ever existed (as described in the bible), I respect his ideology and wish that everybody could be Jesus.

Alas, Jesus was hijacked by emperors and kings and 'the church', and his ideology was and is used as a political weapon and for dubious reasons, against all manner of people. As you say, most 'Christians' wouldn't recognise Jesus if he did cartwheels on water in front of their very eyes, and neither would most of the clergy, Christian prime ministers, presidents and kings.

Most people that profess to be Christians are ignorant hypocritic shysters that praise Jesus because they think that by simply 'believing', or saying the odd prayer, or making the sign of the cross at apt moments, they will be saved from hell. These people are no more than selfish cowards that will do the most horrendously unchristian things at a moments notice without remorse or even any awareness of their 'sin', happy in the knowledge that by going to church, singing a hymn and saying amen they have guaranteed themselves a place in 'heaven'.

 

Same here with my mom. Except its a bit worse, I believe in God but she fears for my soul because I refuse to attend a church.

It's funny when you look at it in a way. Those who are uber-Christian really think they're doing a service to those who they feel aren't as holy as they should be, when in reality, it's just making things worse. And when the "heathen" distances themselves ever further away from God, the uber-Christian thinks it's the "heathens" actions that are to blame. They never realize it's themselves.

 

I posted another topic on here a while ago about that. Basing my opinions Biblically and on the character of God, as you are, I really doubt there's even a "Hell" (e.g. eternal damnation). It's totally against God's character, as you put it, supposedly benevolent and merciful, not to mention just and fair.

An eternity of torture is not a fair punishment for a short lifetime of sin.

 

You're so damn proud, aren't you. Can't lie a little. So what if you're a little hypocritical. I'm sure your daughter wouldn't care if you attended church with her despite the fact that she knew you weren't a believer. A church is very much like a club. There is very little pushing by the pastor to become politically involved. The pastors don't seem to put you on the spot requring you to proclaim your belief in front of the whole congregation. It's pretty relaxed. They don't even ask your name. Atheists have the wrong idea about church. It's more a social club than an actual club.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. I've actually had dicussions here about the same thing. Wisdom Seeker has a lot of good insight and philosophy about this.
However, my female friend that I had this conversation with last night, vehemently disagreed with me about hell. Her argument is that 'god made the rules and that's what happens when you don't follow them'. I'd rather take my chances in hell than to follow any deity with that mentality(i.e. dictatorial/tyrannical).
It is sad really; especially considering she's very pretty and this is probably what would keep me from dating her and vice versa. Even so, I still enjoy talking to her and do not knock her for her beliefs, and while we did disagree on that, and other topics, it never got nasty. Treat others how you would like to be treated.

 

I can see how many churches are going for that "hangout" type atmosphere over, say, your grandpa's old church, and that's good because it's more relaxed and not as intense.

But at the same time, as a believer, this relaxed atmosphere is really what turns me off about church. Pastors now try to be so generic and broad with what they talk about, they'll spend a few hours talking about how to control your finances or some other dumb shit . If you want actually want to go to a service to learn about something you didn't already know about, good luck.

 

Church is not so much about learning anything, but about reinforcing what you have already learned. It's mostly about reminding yourself on a weekly basis to be a good person. What's the harm in that? I wish atheists went somewhere every week to remind them to be good people.

 

I think people take this matters too seriously, I mean, to choose one side and stick to it is detrimental for anyone. So you can be in the same position if you are an atheist or theist, if you choose one side wholeheartedly you are going to be the most offended when someone explains to you the other side of the situation; and just with the fact that you get angry when someone tells you a point of view opposite you yours tells us how you are holding up to something too much, you don’t even want to do it (therefore you get angry), but you do it anyhow to avoid contradicting yourself. Guess what, everyone has the right to contradict themselves, I don’t care if I contradict myself tomorrow, or later today, that only means I’m learning.
Some people even get angry when someone calls them ignorant, hell we are born ignorant, and we are still ignorant in many aspects, specially when it comes to religion.