15 Things Not to Say to an Atheist

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[DallasWade]

I'm an atheist, and obviously we have different worldviews. But you're pretty chill. Cheers, brother.

[bigair]

That was an insightful video.
As a non-believer, I think your approach is on the right track. It is _amazing_ how _off_ most christians are regarding what they think _all_ non-believers prescribe to.


Right out of the gate, christians will say, "well you believe in nothing", or "you believe everything _magically_ came into existence", or "you just _want_ to sin and rebel", or "you hate god", or "you were never a _real_ christian." Non-believers are as diverse as any one of the thousands of denominations of christianity. The *only* thing non-believers have in common is regarding something that we are *not*. It tells you _nothing_ about what we _are_. If you want to know anything about what we believe, _other_ than our lack of a god belief, you must _ask_ *that* non-believer. Even when I speak with other non-believers, I must assume nothing about them until I ask them a specific question that addresses their thoughts or beliefs _on that topic_. All non-believers have differing opinions about about evolution, the big bang, a potential deity, abortion, assisted suicide, UFOs, out-of-body experiences, ghosts, fortune telling, recreational drugs, marriage... etc. It kills me when I say I'm a non-believer, that the typical christian _immediately thinks_ they know all of my other stances. It _just isn't true_. And it's disingenuous to assert anything else.


BTW - I totally agree with +Robin Dude regarding the _ideology_ of atheism. My previous comments back up that position. There simply _is no_ common ideology, not to mention no religion (dogma, goal, agenda, rules, commandments, requirements) within the stance of being a non-believer. About me? The term non-believer is just one answer to ONE question... do you have a god belief? It tells you _nothing_ about my positive views.... what I *DO* believe.

[canonhers]

This is why a lot of people are friends cus

[anazarandia]

I actually disagree with the idea that faith is oposite of critical thinking. But I find it hard to understand the idea "you have to have faith". What if you have tried hard, but you just don't have faith?

[Leroy]

Atheism is not an ideology at all, not even the opposit of an ideology. Rather a rejection of an ideolog if anthing. I could still be wrong about what it is though.

[robindude]

*What if you're wrong?*
There's actually a couple reasons this fails. First there's the idea that if this is a loving, caring god, such a god would not be upset that we used our minds and came, honestly, to the conclusion that we cannot accept his existence. A god that would is not a caring entity. I find this a very weak position. I'd also point out that it doesn't mean Christians haven't done their research, just that they came to a different conclusion. The more potent argument is to ask the question back. What if _you_, the Christian, are wrong, is there is either _no_ god or the god you worship is not the correct one? I think there's a fair case to be made about atheists being better off than believers in 'false' gods. More than this, if there is no God you lose all the limited resources you have that you put into the religion.

*You just have to have faith. But this doesn't mean blind faith.*
Doesn't it? It's come down to that every time I've heard the phrase used. It usually comes after a question about a God's character. We point out god doing something objectionable (such as commanding the slaughter of women and children except virgin girls who get to be 'given' to the soldiers that are killing their families) and asking why God did that. We get told to have faith that this was ultimately a good act. That _is_ blind faith because we have no information to suggest it _is_ good, nor will any be provided.

*Atheism is an ideology.*
Religion or ideology, it doesn't matter. Atheism is neither of these things. Atheism should properly be contrasted with theism, not with Christianity. Theism is not a religion, nor is it an ideology. In themselves, both theism and atheism answer a single question: do you believe in existence of one or more gods? That's it. That's all it tells you.