POLL: Are atheists more likely to commit crime?

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother
no religious peron I know would abstain from murder because they thought God was watching them. Not that this is a news flash, but AT is populated with idiots

Who are these people? How do you know them? And what would make you say that about them?

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Compton

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: Eeezee
How could you honestly believe that lack of mythical belief has anything to do with crime? 28 people clicked yes? Okay, so how many of those 28 clicked the wrong button and how many of those 28 are flipping retarded?

Atheists are moral relativists and are prone to thinking that anything, including murder is ok as long as you dont get caught, for there is no God to hold them accoutable. No afterlife to miss out on, no ancestors or family to meet.

That is flipping retarded.

The sleaziest people I've ever known were very religious, but I'm not going to make a thread trashing religious people.

How many atheists do you really know? And WTF makes you think they condone murder?

Sleazy comes in all flavors, including atheist. I didnt say they condone it, but I dont see why they wouldnt either. Or bank robbery, petty theft, vandalism, etc.

Since atheism provides no moral teaching or anything else for that matter, its easy to see the propensity for moral relativism.

 

[MazerRackham]

I am an athiest and only occasionally speed on the highway. I have not committed any other crimes to date, and I am 32 years old. Take that for what it's worth (which isn't much).

Whether religious or not, the people that committ crimes are usually able to rationalize ANYTHING they do in whatever manner required to justify their criminal behaviour. I'd expect that if some is religious they could say "I'm going to do _______ because my god wants me to". And if they are not religious then they just hope they don't get caught.

I don't see why being either religious or not is a factor in this whole debate here. People commit crimes because they want to, and if they need "justification" they can find it in any manner that serves their purpose.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother
no religious peron I know would abstain from murder because they thought God was watching them. Not that this is a news flash, but AT is populated with idiots

Who are these people? How do you know them? And what would make you say that about them?

like the people at my church? Because they don't like hurting other people and causing pain for other people, not necessarily because they think GOd is watching, especially since half the people at my church are atheists.

 

[Compton]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: Compton

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: Eeezee
How could you honestly believe that lack of mythical belief has anything to do with crime? 28 people clicked yes? Okay, so how many of those 28 clicked the wrong button and how many of those 28 are flipping retarded?

Atheists are moral relativists and are prone to thinking that anything, including murder is ok as long as you dont get caught, for there is no God to hold them accoutable. No afterlife to miss out on, no ancestors or family to meet.

That is flipping retarded.

The sleaziest people I've ever known were very religious, but I'm not going to make a thread trashing religious people.

How many atheists do you really know? And WTF makes you think they condone murder?

Sleazy comes in all flavors, including atheist. I didnt say they condone it, but I dont see why they wouldnt either. Or bank robbery, petty theft, vandalism, etc.

Since atheism provides no moral teaching or anything else for that matter, its easy to see the propensity for moral relativism.

Spanish Inquistion?
Catholic priest scandal?

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: MazerRackham
I am an athiest and only occasionally speed on the highway. I have not committed any other crimes to date, and I am 32 years old. Take that for what it's worth (which isn't much).

Whether religious or not, the people that committ crimes are usually able to rationalize ANYTHING they do in whatever manner required to justify their criminal behaviour. I'd expect that if some is religious they could say "I'm going to do _______ because my god wants me to". And if they are not religious then they just hope they don't get caught.

I don't see why being either religious or not is a factor in this whole debate here. People commit crimes because they want to, and if they need "justification" they can find it in any manner that serves their purpose.

Other factors in your life have led to your moral behavior. And as you say, people do commit crimes because they want to, even Christians.

Again, as stated in practically every post, religion teaches morals. Without a particular source, then you are left to find other sources for those teachings, assuming one even bothered. Those people, who are also clearly athesit by choice are the ones Im talking about.

Taking your voracity at face value, you found another source.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat

Originally posted by: IAteYourMother
no religious peron I know would abstain from murder because they thought God was watching them. Not that this is a news flash, but AT is populated with idiots

Who are these people? How do you know them? And what would make you say that about them?

like the people at my church? Because they don't like hurting other people and causing pain for other people, not necessarily because they think GOd is watching, especially since half the people at my church are atheists.

So they are good people, but are likely to commit murder? And attend church to worship God but are atheists? Youll have to fogive me if I am confused by this.

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
Well since they are obviously more intelligent than average, they probably commit less crime

QFT!

 

[skriefal]

Uh... no. It doesn't matter.

 

[walrus]

An athiest is never going to kill someone else because they hold a different religious belief. While war and murder over different religious belief is rampant.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: walrus
An athiest is never going to kill someone else because they hold a different religious belief. While war and murder over different religious belief is rampant.

Are you trying to say atheistic agression doesnt exist? Communism, Nazism, etc. not good enough examples for you? Please.

 

[Legendary]

This thread is obviously flame bait, but I have to say that the idea that atheists are moral relativists is offensive and entirely incorrect. It doesn't surprise me that this idea comes from FelixDeKat, who has most likely had limited, negatively influenced encounters with atheists.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: Legendary
This thread is obviously flame bait, but I have to say that the idea that atheists are moral relativists is offensive and entirely incorrect. It doesn't surprise me that this idea comes from FelixDeKat, who has most likely had limited, negatively influenced encounters with atheists.

This thread is obviously not flame bait, but I have to say that the idea that atheists are moral relativists is offensive and entirely incorrect to some, especially those who dont view themselves as such, such as Legendary. It shouldn't surprise you that this idea is nothing new but thanks to me we had a chance to discuss the relavant points. I hope we can all come together and sing "kumbaya my Lord" over a warm fire and marshmellows.

 

[mattocs]

Nah, atheists have more sence than religious folk...so they probably would think before they do something. :-D

 

[skace]

I voted yes because it was so hillariously absurd.

 

[Sloppy]

In defense of Christianity, most crimes committed by the Church in history have been due to a perversion or mutation of the original message, and the people responsible were Christians in name only, as opposed to -being- a Christian.

Where does "love your neighbor" fit in with "God hates fags" or clinic bombings? It doesn't, at all.

For example, when the Mennonite church first formed in the middle ages as a return to faith-driven Christianity (as opposed to indulgence-based, pay-to-play Christianity), the Catholics hunted, tortured, and executed many of them for being "heretics", which roughly translates to "threatens our nice system of keeping the peasants in check and making some cash".

 

[StageLeft]

Depends on the crime and religion. I know a lot of "good christians" who really are good christians, if we ignore the fact that they drink and drive. I highly suspect they'd be less likely to commit a serious crime like fraud, though. If we're talking about non-athiests like Muslims, well they are a little more likely than athiests to bomb shopping centers, so it's a pretty complex question.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
No one has ever even bothered to check, but I wonder if the majority of crime is commited by those who dont believe in God.

Does it matter?

While no one is perfect, including those that believe in God, I would think that knowing that God is watching you all the time and that you will have to account for wrong doing (sins) does prevent them (to some degree) from commiting crime.

For example, if you kill in cold blood, you go to hell. You can ask for forgiveness from God, but only He can forgive you. Which means He can chose not to, especially if it isnt sincere. And that also doesnt mean you wont be locked up or executed for the crime as well. That includes "thrill killing".

Wouldnt an immoral atheist or agnostic believe that "everything is ok, as long as you dont get caught?", like rape, murder or grand theft....heck even petty things like keying someones car?


Your input?

how do you explain the child molesting priests?

 

[momsmad]

Originally posted by: notfred
They're more likely to shoot you in the face for being an annyoing, bigoted, flamebaiting asshole.

Why the hell wouldn't an athiest have morals? Are you too fvcking stupid to even consider the possibility that some people's morals don't stem from what they read in a book that was *supposedly* inspired by god, but maybe from somewhere else, like thier conscience or philosophy?

r u serious?!? I feel sorry for you.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Originally posted by: pontifex

Originally posted by: FelixDeKat
No one has ever even bothered to check, but I wonder if the majority of crime is commited by those who dont believe in God.

Does it matter?

While no one is perfect, including those that believe in God, I would think that knowing that God is watching you all the time and that you will have to account for wrong doing (sins) does prevent them (to some degree) from commiting crime.

For example, if you kill in cold blood, you go to hell. You can ask for forgiveness from God, but only He can forgive you. Which means He can chose not to, especially if it isnt sincere. And that also doesnt mean you wont be locked up or executed for the crime as well. That includes "thrill killing".

Wouldnt an immoral atheist or agnostic believe that "everything is ok, as long as you dont get caught?", like rape, murder or grand theft....heck even petty things like keying someones car?


Your input?

how do you explain the child molesting priests?

Id say they werent practicing their faith.

If the same people that are molesting kids are non-believers (atheists) what would you say?

 

[Staples]

I am going to say no. Here is why. They may not be afraid they are going to hell but have you ever met a so called real Christian in America (ok, these are just the Dubbya kind but it is a majority)? Hate gays, think all Muslims are terrorists and support war in the Middle East. These so called Christians are likely candidates to commit immoral activities such as crime since they don't seem to know what morality even is.