Why do athiests care so much about religion?

[Cephus]

Quote by: Mr. Blue Sky Then we'll just say I know a few scarecrows in that case...

Then why don't you go debate them because you're not finding them here.

[Heehoos]

Quote by: Milton Bradley I'm late to this thread, so I'll just jump in, and answer the original question. All of my interest in other peoples religion is fostered by the same thing, their desire to legislate it onto me/others. If they practiced what they preached, and stayed the Hell out of politics, like their good book instructs, then there would be very little reason for the topic to ever come up in conversation. As always, they bring the persecution upon themselves. The U.S. government was never empowered by the constitution to "do Gods work".

MB, I agree on a great many things that you have said. Humankind has the inclination (in groups) to put others down in order to raise themselves up. I agree that Christians have definitely done that and it is horribly sad.

But faith in and of itself is a personal endeavor. And faith itself is not a tool by which to persecute others.

To respond to others here as to why anyone would want to seek faith, here is an example of why I look toward faith:

Has anybody been watching the news lately about the release of the new PlayStation? People have been standing in line overnight outside of WalMart in order to buy these game machines. Further, people have resorted to violence (brawls, even a shooting or two) because another human being came between them and their toy.

Many faiths (Christianity, Buddhism, etc.) teach us that focus on the material world will not bring us joy. It will not enhance relationship. It will not accomplish any of the things that make us TRULY happy. This PlayStation thing is one example. People will buy their games, be enthralled with them for a little while and either put them down or become completely addicted to them. They will be busier with something that means nothing, but they will not be happier nor will their relationships in their lives be enhanced.

Science and technology are wonderful things. I am a biology freak. And I love reading things like Stephen Hawking and others regarding the Universe and Quantum Physics. But as technology increases, we as a civilization do not necessarily become smarter. Too many things are done for us now that used to keep us *grounded* as human beings.

Perhaps part of faith is keeping in touch more with those things that make us innately human, fundamentally grounded in our humanity and more in-tune with the relationships and the *Ways* that make us happy.

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Quote by: Cephus Then why don't you go debate them because you're not finding them here.

That's just the thing, I'd rather debate here where people actually think.

[italiangm]

Quote by: TheTruth hey i can debate without illogical fairy stories. for me i didnt need the stories all i needed was to feel the power of God the moment i got saved and i didnt believe, i KNEW. maybe you atheists should stop overanilizing and thinking so much and actually experience God for yourself (at a real church not some dead catholic or somthing like that) then maybe you would believe.

Welcome to the fascinating world of neurotransmitters and hormones. :)

[JohnMK]

Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and some other religions, tend towards social conservativism: there is established history of governments seeking to impose moral codes that are in line with these religions' beliefs. I'm sure we can all agree random wanton killing and acts of violence should be outlawed, but social conservatives often push the limits of what's necessary to legislate, just as economic liberals do the same thing except in the economic sphere. Marriage, sex, and so on . . . prohibitions against various expressions of these allegedly transcend religion, but I disagree. In practice, the people who legislate morality are religious and socially conservative. The kind of brain that adheres strongly to a religion is prone to flights of fallacy. Given the evidence, it's only natural that an atheist be suspicious of religion.

Freedom loses when a people are ruled by the religious. It doesn't matter that your particular religion might be interpreted as favoring a free society, in theory . . . in practice, it just doesn't pan out that way in the real world. Hence the concern.

[italiangm]

Why do athiests care so much about religion?

Why do folks who believe in religion care so much about micromanaging the lives of non-believers?

[Heehoos]

There's a speculation that the Jews could find no other way to destroy the teachings of Jesus Christ ... so they worshipped him, made him a God. They created a construct around him and thus destroyed his true teachings.

They couldn't kill him, so they worshipped him. It's amazing how, when you put a human construct around a beautiful idea it becomes a weapon, a way to manipulate people.

[D_Chilli]

It's not that atheist care so much about religion, it is that theists care so much about what everyone else believes in. We do not go door-to-door asking others not to believe, so why do they ask us to believe. If someone is religious, fine, believe in what you will, but leave others alone. If you realy must go door-to-door as a salesperson, make some money at it and sale vacuums, I am sure you would have less crap to deal with and less doors slammed in your face.

[JohnMK]

Nothing wrong with proselytizing, D_Chilli. If you don't want to hear their spiel, politely ask them to leave. Hang a sign up on your door . . .

[D_Chilli]

Why should I need to hang a sign on my door to advertise my beliefs? I feel that when I am at my own home I should be left to my own beliefs. There are tv commercials advertising religion, and that should be sufficient enough. Also, if I were to be so easily persuaded in changing my belief, I would go to them rather than waiting for them to come to me. I would not make a life changing decision simply because someone knocked on my door and asked me to. I feel that there are better ways to spend a persons time than trying to convice others why their beliefs are the right beliefs.

[D_Chilli]

Also, I would just like it to be known that I do politely tell them that I am not interested. But I have heard stories of what others do when they are approached at their own home and I truly don't think that it is fair to the person that is selling his/her beliefs, but I also think that there is no need to "sale" a belief.

[Cephus]

Quote by: Mr. Blue Sky That's just the thing, I'd rather debate here where people actually think.

Then you have to debate the people who are here and what *WE* think, don't you? Seems a bit silly to debate what those people think where those people aren't, don't you think?

[Zhavric]

Quote by: Heehoos There's a speculation that the Jews could find no other way to destroy the teachings of Jesus Christ ... so they worshipped him, made him a God. They created a construct around him and thus destroyed his true teachings. They couldn't kill him, so they worshipped him. It's amazing how, when you put a human construct around a beautiful idea it becomes a weapon, a way to manipulate people.

As we've established in another thread, Jesus was a mythical creation by Jews who wanted to "re-judify" Judea & create their own religion. I don't see that Christianity has had any other point besides controlling the masses. That is one of the reasons I'm against it.

[Heehoos]

Quote by: Zhavric As we've established in another thread, Jesus was a mythical creation by Jews who wanted to "re-judify" Judea & create their own religion. I don't see that Christianity has had any other point besides controlling the masses. That is one of the reasons I'm against it.

We've "established" nothing. You can herald your "victory" all you want to but it doesn't make it so. Why not keep that discussion in that thread?

Fine. You're against it. I think the question at hand was why people who don't believe so love to talk about it and learn so much about the religions that they oppose. If you don't believe in it, why learn so much about it?

[Zhavric]

Quote by: Heehoos We've "established" nothing. You can herald your "victory" all you want to but it doesn't make it so. Why not keep that discussion in that thread?

What an odd question? I thought you were done with that thread...

Fine. You're against it. I think the question at hand was why people who don't believe so love to talk about it and learn so much about the religions that they oppose. If you don't believe in it, why learn so much about it?

I don't believe in Lord of the Rings, nor do I play NFL football, but I know a thing or two about both. I also know about influenza and pyramid schumes. The best way to not be infected by something is to educate yourself on it and sharing knowledge is the best way to help others who are infected.

[Inlineskater]

I'm an atheist and I care because everyone should be open minded, especially about the beleifs of others. Imagine if a christian said something about Jesus and you said "who's that?". You must know what people are talking about. Also, Atheists are often drawn into debates and if they don't know what they are debating about they can never win, or at least prove their point.

[Jack]

Many of us used to be theists. Is anyone from a state they no longer live in? Do you find yourself noticing news about your home state, or defending it as a native? That equates to how some of us view religion. Not that we defend it, but it was our home for a while and still interests us even though we no longer call it home.

[iahag]

Quote by: Isherwood Many of us used to be theists. Is anyone from a state they no longer live in? Do you find yourself noticing news about your home state, or defending it as a native? That equates to how some of us view religion. Not that we defend it, but it was our home for a while and still interests us even though we no longer call it home.

How odd it must be to go through a spiritual transition. I was nothing until I realized I was agnostic through debate forums similar to these.

[pikatore]

Quote by: Heehoos If athiests are seeking to know more, perhaps they, too, are on their own spiritual journey and holding conversations with people of faith will help them to make their own decisions.

well said.

however, being an atheist, one that questions faiths, makes us no worse off than a person following a faith and thinking he or she has found the 'right' path.

[samsara15]

A long time ago, I regarded the proper thing to be in life as a Seeker. Someone asked me what I hoped to find, and my answer was 'Nothing, the Seeking it itself is its own purpose '. If I were ever to find religious certainty again, it would only be a transient state, before new knowledge or new information changed me into something else. However, that makes me an avid listener to what other people believe. I share my opinions and beliefs (or lack thereof) with them, and they invariably question what I believe, which leads to discusion, if not debate. Sometimes, what they say influences me and gets incorporated / merged into my own ideas.