Explain to me why some people are accepting of other religions but not of atheism

[Spungo]

The atheists claim they are learned more than others, that's what irks me.

Actually that one is supported with real data. A survey showed that atheists knew more about religion than the people who claimed to be religious. article.
That makes sense at this time because most atheists are surrounded by theists and they need to argue their position. Jews took second place in that survey for probably the same reason. One might dig into the details of Judaism if people constantly ask what that means and how it differs from Christianity. One can expect atheists to get dumber and dumber as they become more common. People will say they are atheists because their parents were atheists or because the person on TV is an atheist. Someone will probably start having atheist meetings but refuse to call it "church" even though that's basically what it is.

It's amazing how many Christians don't know anything about Christianity. They can read the bible several times but never consider the history of the organization itself. Too many people think Constantine is just some crappy Keanu Reeves movie.

 

[disappoint]

The smart ones stay agnostic. The truly smart one make Pascal's wager.

Pascal's wager has more holes in it than Swiss cheese.

That quote is really ignorant. I don't think other gods are possible at all. Just one. That's because I was shown the truth by God through events in my life.

Some of the events in your life were staged by some pretty clever humans. I know you don't think that was possible, but it was. Ask me how I know.

The other events were coincidences that your brain interpreted as supernatural in origin. That is because the human mind has the propensity to find patterns and put them together as often as it can.

Or maybe you're right after all and there is a God and he did do it all. It's certainly a possibility however unlikely.

Ultimately you're going to have to use your mind's eye to figure it out. It doesn't look like you're going to get any real evidence either way. Just don't let anyone tell you you're crazy for believing what you do. You're being put through a maze of sorts to improve humanity. No one can blame you for not seeing the maze walls as they really are.

If you want to trade stories on the "proof" you (and I) saw I'd welcome it.

 

[Ancalagon44]

That quote is really ignorant. I don't think other gods are possible at all. Just one. That's because I was shown the truth by God through events in my life. Therefore, I think that quote is just coming from an ignorant person.

I understand why I dismiss false gods, because I know them to be false. I don't understand why this person would dismiss God unless it's out of ignorance.

You dont understand the quote. A Muslim would feel exactly the same about your God - which of you is right?

This is exactly why atheism is not a religion - its difficult to religious people to understand us. I not only lack belief in God, I also lack religion, completely, and that is difficult for religious people to understand.

 

[Edgy]

Simplest answer to OP's question = Ignorance.

Your friends are confusing religious acceptance of other gods and other religious beliefs other than their own vs social tolerance of other people with different religious beliefs.

Most if not all religions listed regarding your "friends" are exclusive monotheism. For example, Christians by definition must believe god and in only 1 god - Jesus Christ.

There's a difference in accepting that other gods and other religions exist and are valid vs tolerating those people who have different religious beliefs as you do.

Exclusive monotheism cannot by definition or in principle accept the validity of other gods and religions. But that doesn't mean you cannot hang out with someone who has different or no religion unless you're a religious fanatic in my opinion.

And that Stephen Robert's quote defending atheism may seem like sound argument at a glance is so flawed.

Exclusive monotheism dictates that no other gods exist other than their one god in most cases - a religious principle/belief. As you can see, an atheist cannot use this reason why they reject all gods because atheist have no basic religious principle since they reject all religion.

 

[Broheim]

People who have a spiritual side to their lives consider it as essentially a part of them as their emotional life. It's unfathomable to them that somebody would be straight up missing an entire component of human experience. It's the same way we can't fathom someone who is psychopathic - it's kind of unimaginable when you try to consider what it would be like to be unable to empathize with other human beings. With regards to religious people preferring people of other religious affiliations over atheists it's easier to think someone is like you but misdirected than to think someone is utterly unlike you.

Atheists make that easier by having their most prominent position in society be one of outspoken assholes. I know several thoughtful well-spoken atheists but none of them are half as loud as the rabid fanatics who walk around being as insulting as possible on the least provocation.

outspoken atheists are completely outnumbered by outspoken religious fanatics in the US.

 

[AreaCode707]

outspoken atheists are completely outnumbered by outspoken religious fanatics in the US.

I can't argue that. It's an interesting thought; I wonder what the percentages are, since sheer population means you're pretty much necessarily right.

It doesn't change my point though. Religious folks, already struggling to understand how atheists could go without a critical faith component that they feel is core to their own lives, are likely to experience the outspoken anti-religious aggression of some atheists as justification for their feelings of alienation. Not saying that's right or wrong, just stating it as an answer to the OP's question.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

Because atheism makes them insecure. You can put a Mormon and a Muslim together and at a very fundamental level they share the same belief in God and neither can call the other an idiot for it. Heretical, maybe, but not an idiot. It's kind of like two audiophiles with a deep-rooted disagreement on which $10000 headphone and Monster cable combination is best, and then someone comes along and says "I saved my money". Can you just imagine the resentment?

 

[RocksteadyDotNet]

well actually both believers and not believers are the same in mentality

the believers can prove the existence of god?!??! NO
atheist can prove god does not exist??? NO

so both sides can not prove their fundamentals and yet both sides think they are smarter and more intellectual than the other side. Hmm the similarities are so many. Ones believe in a god and the others believe to nothing. But never the less both of them are believers. And as someone said since we can not prove any side believing that there is a god is a much safer bet

Wow, that's the dumbest thing I've read in ages.

Just because neither side can prove their claim, it doesn't mean there is a 50/50 chance of both been true.

The odds of a god existing are extremely small.

If someone believes that unicorns exist, does that mean that people who don't believe they don't exist have faith that there are no unicorns? Or have a 'belief that there are no unicorns?

No, they looked at all the evidence and concluded that there is not a single piece of evidence to suggest that unicorns exist, so the only logical stance is that there are no unicorns.

Anyone who thinks unicorns exist are idiots. Just as anyone who thinks god exists are equally idiotic.

 

[Ancalagon44]

Because atheism makes them insecure. You can put a Mormon and a Muslim together and at a very fundamental level they share the same belief in God and neither can call the other an idiot for it. Heretical, maybe, but not an idiot. It's kind of like two audiophiles with a deep-rooted disagreement on which $10000 headphone and Monster cable combination is best, and then someone comes along and says "I saved my money". Can you just imagine the resentment?

Lol! Very good way to put it!

What I find odd is when theists think that atheists are lacking something other than faith - ie enjoyment or a sense of wonder.

Like the movie Knowing with Nicolas Cage illustrated it perfectly - Nicolas Cage's atheist world view is portrayed as bleak and depressing. An atheist world view is not bleak or depressing!

 

[Broheim]

I can't argue that. It's an interesting thought; I wonder what the percentages are, since sheer population means you're pretty much necessarily right.

It doesn't change my point though. Religious folks, already struggling to understand how atheists could go without a critical faith component that they feel is core to their own lives, are likely to experience the outspoken anti-religious aggression of some atheists as justification for their feelings of alienation. Not saying that's right or wrong, just stating it as an answer to the OP's question.

I think in many cases you're right, and it's a vicious circle. christians hate on atheists who hate on christians for hating on atheists who hate on christians because they hate on atheists and so on....

I don't know how we pulled it off here in Denmark, but somehow we managed to train our christians to keep religion to themselves and as a result we don't really have many outspoken atheists around (although the majority of the population will ridicule religious people when they start getting in our faces with religion and shit).I'd say atheists and christians both make up about 25% of the (native) population each and the rest are agnostics or slightly religious people who really don't care one way or the other though.

 

[Kadarin]

Because atheism makes them insecure. You can put a Mormon and a Muslim together and at a very fundamental level they share the same belief in God and neither can call the other an idiot for it. Heretical, maybe, but not an idiot. It's kind of like two audiophiles with a deep-rooted disagreement on which $10000 headphone and Monster cable combination is best, and then someone comes along and says "I saved my money". Can you just imagine the resentment?

I think this comes pretty close. I had the conversation once with a group of former coworkers, who themselves were different religions: one Muslim, one Hindu, one Christian. All of these were from India. They simply couldn't understand that I do not believe in a "higher power". (I cannot say that a "higher power" does not exist, I just will not "believe" in it without evidence.) They all want to feel that the universe has some guiding purpose and intelligence, and thus feel like their lives have meaning.

My life has purpose and meaning to me and to those who care about me, but I am not concerned with my "spiritual" place in the universe because that simply does not matter when it's not knowable by me given current ability to observe and understand.

 

[randomrogue]

The OP's original question is based on a false assumption. Religious people are not tolerant. To me, they're both poor positions since one states that they know there is a god(s) and one states they know there isn't. I wonder how many people are really atheist vs agnostic. It makes more sense to simply say you don't know, don't care, and have better things to do with your life.

 

[StrangerGuy]

The OP's original question is based on a false assumption. Religious people are not tolerant. To me, they're both poor positions since one states that they know there is a god(s) and one states they know there isn't. I wonder how many people are really atheist vs agnostic. It makes more sense to simply say you don't know, don't care, and have better things to do with your life.

I'm sure plenty of atheists "accept" religions in public or even claim they are one of them than to say the truth...Too much at risk for zero reward.

 

[Jeff7]

I'm sure plenty of atheists "accept" religions in public or even claim they are one of them than to say the truth...Too much at risk for zero reward.

Which is out of concern for things like losing my job as a result, depending on who would find out, and/or having my car vandalized in the parking lot, and being treated like someone who's prone to start murdering people on a whim because I'm not concerned that some deity is going to dole out some punishment after I die.

 

[rcpratt]

People don't like it when you tell them that their god is pie in the sky.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Because other believers have a similar mindset, they just focus it in a different place. Atheists are completely different. My guess is that they can't relate to your religious belief (or lack thereof).

This is how I see it as well. The comprehend belief, but can't wrap their brains around non-belief.

 

[Ancalagon44]

Its amazing to me that people in the US are so anti atheist. People in South Africa, backwards third world country that it is, dont really care. I certainly wouldnt worry about being attacked over my lack of belief.

 

[randomrogue]

Its amazing to me that people in the US are so anti atheist. People in South Africa, backwards third world country that it is, dont really care. I certainly wouldnt worry about being attacked over my lack of belief.

America is one of the most religious places on the planet. Plenty of fundamentalists too.

 

[JackBurton]

Wow, that's the dumbest thing I've read in ages.

Just give him a little more time. I'm sure he can set an all new record.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Because atheism makes them insecure. You can put a Mormon and a Muslim together and at a very fundamental level they share the same belief in God and neither can call the other an idiot for it. Heretical, maybe, but not an idiot. It's kind of like two audiophiles with a deep-rooted disagreement on which $10000 headphone and Monster cable combination is best, and then someone comes along and says "I saved my money". Can you just imagine the resentment?

Not just that, the truth triggers the logical part of the brain into overdrive and the rest of the brain refuses to accept it and goes into full panic defense mode.

If somebody calls my mum a Ho I will just roll my eyes and move on, because I know that isn't true at all. A religio-fanatic bursts into rage when hearing ugly truths about his faith because at some deep level he knows it is true and his mind now holds a contradiction. My hypothesis anyway.

 

[Agent11]

There are loud obnoxious atheists who declare anyone who believes in religion idiots.

That probably doesn't help.

 

[randomrogue]

I have met ONE obnoxious atheist. ONE! And I'm agnostic. People with no religious affiliation don't sit and talk about it all day long contrary to popular belief around here. It's not an important part of our life or relative to anything we do on a day to basis.

Those saying you keep meeting obnoxious atheists what are you doing to find yourself in these situations?

 

[Agent11]

How many have you met on the internet?

 

[soulcougher73]

That quote is really ignorant. I don't think other gods are possible at all. Just one. That's because I was shown the truth by God through events in my life. Therefore, I think that quote is just coming from an ignorant person.

I understand why I dismiss false gods, because I know them to be false. I don't understand why this person would dismiss God unless it's out of ignorance.

Pot meet Kettle..youre both black. The fact you dont get the quote shows how ignorant you really are. But keep on believing bro.

 

[ALIVE]

Wow, that's the dumbest thing I've read in ages.

Just because neither side can prove their claim, it doesn't mean there is a 50/50 chance of both been true.

The odds of a god existing are extremely small.

If someone believes that unicorns exist, does that mean that people who don't believe they don't exist have faith that there are no unicorns? Or have a 'belief that there are no unicorns?

No, they looked at all the evidence and concluded that there is not a single piece of evidence to suggest that unicorns exist, so the only logical stance is that there are no unicorns.

Anyone who thinks unicorns exist are idiots. Just as anyone who thinks god exists are equally idiotic.

wow and you win the dumpest write after all
the contest can stop we have a winnerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

and what evidence you have so you can favor the no existence of gods??

and the argument of the unicorn is relative to the subject how???
unicorn was said to be an animal living in the planer so if noone can find this animal then that is a good indication that the animal may never existed
maybe cause some animals do a very good job hiding.
so lets see giant kalamari it was consider to be a myth of drunk sailors but now after centuries and centuries of no data we do have a specimen of that. so wow the stories of all the sailors now we can say they were truth. the devil of Tasmanian for a century it was consider a myth until the manage to find a creature. how many species we have alone drove to extinction how many did without our help???
the giant bird in south america the used it as a horse. do we have a speciment now no did it exist we have people to say that they have seen it.

and yes if you choose to have a thesis that can not be prooven then that thesis is called a belief.
and in that ground atheist and believers are the same they have a believe.
who is right who is wrong?? well if we could answer that there would not be any reason to talk now
what really matter is how you behave to the person that has a different believe than yours. if you leave him to believe to what you believe.
and another think atheist and theist has each side believes that they are the smarter one. i do not believe in god cause i am smart. i am smart so i believe in gods. it is so amusing.
atheist you are such a believers. and being a believer you live in your ignorance.
as for me i am a believer and i live in my own ignorance.