In general, what is the consensus on atheists' feelings towards believers?

[rockytheboxer]

I'm an atheist, and I generally view believers as harmless, but deluded. Unless they're in some seat of power, in which case they're equally deluded, but a great deal more dangerous.

I suppose this thread also begs the question, "What is the consensus on believers' feelings towards atheists?"

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

They can believe what they want. They have faith, which is something I think I will never have, and in that respect, they're lucky.

 

[Sassafrass]

I just let them be. Let them believe what they want to believe.

 

[jthm]

I don't particularly care what you believe unless you let it shape your life more than just the "do unto others" and show compassion towards your fellow man. When you start taking personal advice from an invisible man in the sky though, you make me nervous.

 

[Amnestic]

I'm an atheist, and I generally view believers as harmless, but deluded. Unless they're in some seat of power, in which case they're equally deluded, but a great deal more dangerous.

I suppose this thread also begs the question, "What is the consensus on believers' feelings towards atheists?"

Your title question implies that atheists have anything in common besides not believing in God.

Not so.

Glefistus said this as well, I'm just driving the point home.

 

[ohgodalex]

Depends. You have your knee jerk atheists and your nice and respectable atheists. You'd be hard pressed to find a community of atheists that could give you a single, unanimous answer.

 

[Jedamethis]

As long as they don't impose their beliefs on me, they can do what they want.

 

[RetiarySword]

'I don't care what crap you belive in, just don't take it to work and don't preach it to me'.

That's my view on beleivers.

 

[Gruthar]

I don't think there is a consensus. Personally? I don't give a rat's arse about your faith, or lack thereof. Just don't go trying to peddle it to people as anything other than a belief.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Secular humanists have a position on religious people. Atheists don't have a position because it is not much of a coherent philosophy or movement.

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

They can believe what they want. They have faith, which is something I think I will never have, and in that respect, they're lucky.

QFT

I don't mind believers, until like today they come knocking on my door, preaching their special brand of shit.

I like to think that if being of indescribable power created 'everything' they would care as much about humanity and what humanity thought of him/her/it as I care about different species of insects in Africa. Interesting for a 1 hour doco, but then I've got more important stuff to do, like making alternate conflicting realities and universes collapse on themselves for giggles.

What's "QFT"? Curse my internet naivety...

 

[More Fun To Compute]

What's "QFT"? Curse my internet naivety...

Quaffing fine tea. It's an expression of aloofness and superiority.

 

[appleblush]

By attempting to create a "consensus" and overgeneralize what people believe, to me it seems like you're not very confident in your beliefs and would like someone who shares them with you to speak up so you can go "See? This is atheism". No worse than all the believers out there who try to pinpoint their exact way to believe.

There's no such thing as a consensus, on any religion. Everyone will always believe a little differently.

 

[C14N]

Regarding question 2, I often find atheists extremely condescending which I don't like. Not all are but general experience on the internet has told me that most atheists act like they know more and that you're a stupid, backward sheep if you believe in God and that all major world religions are secretly plotting to take over the universe. Then again, you can't tar everyone with the same brush. It's just pretty annoying when atheists talk with the exact same certainty that they detest in theists when neither side can really be 100% positive.

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

What's "QFT"? Curse my internet naivety...

Quoted for Truth.

I think their beliefs are a little silly, and at times, creepy.
In example: "We are nothing without God! All of my hard work belongs to Him! I can accomplish nothing without His help!"
Okay, see?
That's creepy as fuck.

But as long as they don't directly interfere with my life (i.e. "let's teach creationism at schools!" "let's wake Max up right after dawn and annoy him!") I couldn't care less.

Ima agree with this. If a religion tries to force itself upon on, or tries to interfere, that's when I get annoyed. As long as they're off doing their thing, without me, I'm okay with them.

And thanks for the "QFT" definition.

 

[Nickolai77]

Provided thiests don't attempt to force their religion or politco-religious beliefs on me then let them believe what they want to believe. There beliefs make them happy and so, good for them.

 

[Cilliandrew]

I should probably admit a bit of bitterness here...(I dated a girl who was religious.. I thought it could work, me not being religious, her BEING religious (it worked for my parents!).. I was wrong.. OH so wrong.. She dumped me, claiming "I can't believe someone seemingly so intelligent could even question the existence of God".)

For the most part, if people don't try to force their beliefs on me, then i won't criticize them and will be a-ok with letting them believe whatever they darn well please.

However, when people start to try to question my intelligence, attack me personally, and show up at my door and at my work forcing their beliefs on me when i have zero interest...

I hate that. I also find blind devotion to be a weakness.

I took a class in University titled "The Existence of God": The course description suggested it was a forum to debate for and against the existence of God.

The class turned out being taught by a noted Theologian who started off the course with "There is no debate. There IS a God. Here are the reasons why...."

When you get down to the fundamental argument.. It all comes down to the believers being unable to accept that we may NOT have an ultimate purpose. We are just here. Another bacteria in the cosmos. We are born, reproduce, and then disappear.

The argument FOR God is that we HAVE to have a purpose.. Why would we exist, otherwise?


I don't get why they can't just accept that we have no real point, and should just enjoy our lives.