So what do athiests think of christianity ?

MungoMan

Whats the consensus about christainity amongst athiests ?
A man made story based on fiction ?

What about islam ?
whats the consensus about islam amongst athiests ?

MagicMarker

They're both right.

Links234

Christianity is wrong. Islam is wrong.

JuliusCaesar

Why should atheists have a consensus about anything? We haven't all signed up for The Atheist Religion, which tells us all what our attitudes and beliefs are. We're just a miscellaneous bunch of people who were either brought up not believing in a supernatural being, or who arrived at that belief, usually by themselves.

Unless I'm missing out? Did anyone get converted by an atheist proselytiser? Any atheist missionaries pop out of bushes and scare you into non-belief?

Eathrin

It's funny how all world religions are basically the same thing yet they try and tell the other ones that they are wrong.

magicbastarder

MungoMan wrote: »

Whats the consensus about christainity amongst athiests ?
A man made story based on fiction ?

What about islam ?
whats the consensus about islam amongst athiests ?

i think the answers are obvious; if you don't believe in god, there's only one conclusion about who created religion.

Nervous Wreck

MungoMan wrote: »

Whats the consensus about christainity amongst athiests ?
A man made story based on fiction ?

What about islam ?
whats the consensus about islam amongst athiests ?

Surely the answer to these, on a basic level, is implied by your very question.


Essentially, "What do people who have no belief in a deity think about a system of belief centred on a deity? Do they believe it to be a fabrication by man?

What about a separate system of belief centred on a separate deity?
What is the consensus about this separate belief system, that is still contrary to the beliefs of atheists, amongst atheists?"

eviltwin

I think its a story that got out of hand, someone saw the potential in it to exploit the masses and its grown from there.

golden lane

religion is a great idea............but it will never get a patent.....

Jimoslimos

I dismiss them all as being as bad as each other. Christianity comes in for a lot of criticism here because it is the dominant religion round these parts. I'd be equally as critical of Islam if I lived in the Middle East, albeit perhaps a little less vocal!

bradknowell

I know in my opinion I just dont believe in any religion. after that then religion doesnt enter my thoughts at all. Take from that what you want.
I dont dislike people who believe in religion. Each to their own.

18AD

If anyone says they like either of those things we will have ourselves a good old fashion witch burning!

actuallylike

I don't see any difference between Christianity or ancient religions to be honest. Zeus, Apollo, Mercury and Venus. All understood to be ridiculous now but here we are in the same situation. Not been able to understand something so settling on something to simply feed the human drive of 'having' to understand something. I and possibly many more here prefer not to settle. Hold my hands up and say 'I don't know', the one common thought amongst everybody in the world (although many won't admit it).

I just see these religions as more steps in time, repeating what's been done before and will, like the 'religions' past, be eradicated through time only to be reinvented under different guises. Just try and look at the human timeline in one strip and imagine what it'll be like in 500-1000 years. I don't know if religion will play a part? Probably will as long as people are willing to believe Christmas is better with Santa and people need to control others but the religions we see now surely will be obsolete.






nice churches though

celticcrash

Yea lets have a debate about the tooth fairy. Ah you first.

AskJives

Eathrin wrote: »

It's funny how all world religions are basically the same thing yet they try and tell the other ones that they are wrong.

I think that goes beyond religion and into talking about people.
Alot of people like to force their views onto others ... even state the others are wrong. In opinion, stance or even in the most stupidest and trvial of things.

Turtwig

First off, the only consensus atheists share is that they don't believe in a deity. Not that there isn't a God, just that they don't believe in one.

What do I think of Christianity? The honest answer is nothing much. It reads to me like a story of elaborate fiction. Same could be said for Islam.

vibe666

my favourite religion is that harry potter one. it's a lot better written and has more believable characters, although as with all religions its just a harmless bit of fun until people start to take it too seriously and go around in pointy hats quoting lines from the book and trying to convince everyone else that it's brilliant and the best thing ever, which is where i usually mention something about cuckoo's and leave them to it.

Sarky

I don't think about it very much at all. The few times I do my thoughts are something along the lines of "Aw, how quaint."

robindch

vibe666 wrote: »

my favourite religion is that harry potter one. it's a lot better written and has more believable characters [...]

Harry Potter? Nah. Tolkien's Silmarillion is where it's at:

http://casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/05/great-tolkien-passages-the-music-of-the-ainur/

Now, that's a creation myth.

Wereghost

This thread should have a multiple choice poll and include options for Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologies. The fact that fewer people believe in these things nowadays has little (if anything) to do with how likely they are to be true.

Turtwig

Scrawny71 wrote: »

This thread should have a multiple choice poll and include options for Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Norse mythologies. The fact that fewer people believe in these things nowasays has little to do with how likely they are to be true.

Pfft,

You see it's a well know fact that if something rings true with someone on a personal level it must true. So, obviously, like, there's no need to consider the alternatives.

Also.
With that awesomeness of an avatar you really should be yelling
PUNY GODS!

Bannasidhe

My thoughts on Christianity - and every other religion - is 'please go away and leave me alone. Thank you kindly.'

Turtwig

Bannasidhe wrote: »

My thoughts on religions - and marriage - is 'please go away and leave me alone. Thank you kindly.'

FYP:D

Wereghost

Jernal wrote: »

Pfft,

You see it's a well know fact that if something rings true with someone on a personal level it must true. So, obviously, like, there's no need to consider the alternatives.

Also.
With that awesomeness of an avatar you really should be yelling
PUNY GODS!

Yeah, I missed a trick there.

nozzferrahhtoo

MungoMan wrote: »

Whats the consensus about christainity amongst athiests ? A man made story based on fiction ?

What about islam ? whats the consensus about islam amongst athiests ?

I am not sure what kind of answers you are expecting here. The atheist to my knowledge sees no argument, evidence, data or reasons to lend even a modicum of credence to the claim that there is a god. So I would imagine the "consensus" about Christianity and Islam is that they are both equally flawed and false from the foundation up.

More than that I can not say about "atheist consensus" but I can talk at length about my own opinions as to why religions is false, man made and even at times quite dangerous and damaging.

Perhaps you can be a little clearer on what kind of answers you expect or where you are going with this line of questioning however as the way it stands I am unsure how to give you anything useful in response.

vibe666

the thing that gets me is that to be politically correct we're always supposed to "respect" peoples religious beliefs, but how can we do that when our own beliefs are that religion is stupid and pointless?

how can you respect someone's beliefs if you think that what they believe is stupid?

"i respect your right to be an idiot" isn't really going to be worth anything to a believer so what good is it for everyone to pretend?

i don't imagine it's very different for them deep down either. they have to (outwardly at least) "respect" other religions because if they don't they can't really have any expectation for anyone to do the same for them, but if they really believe their own religion, deep down they must feel the same sort of things about other religions as atheists do about all of them, so how can they really respect alternative religious beliefs that they themselves don't believe in?

and yes, i realise i've probably just become the ugly face of militant atheism.

Penn

vibe666 wrote: »

the thing that gets me is that to be politically correct we're always supposed to "respect" peoples religious beliefs, but how can we do that when our own beliefs are that religion is stupid and pointless?

how can you respect someone's beliefs if you think that what they believe is stupid?

"i respect your right to be an idiot" isn't really going to be worth anything to a believer so what good is it for everyone to pretend?

i don't imagine it's very different for them deep down either. they have to (outwardly at least) "respect" other religions because if they don't they can't really have any expectation for anyone to do the same for them, but if they really believe their own religion, deep down they must feel the same sort of things about other religions as atheists do about all of them, so how can they really respect alternative religious beliefs that they themselves don't believe in?

and yes, i realise i've probably just become the ugly face of militant atheism.

I don't think it's about respecting other people's beliefs, it's about respecting their right to hold those beliefs. I think pretty much all religion is poppycock, flimshaw, gobbledygook and whatever other comically outdated words for nonsense you can think of. But the rights of a person to have those beliefs are important.

However, the right to have a religion is no more important than the right to make fun of religion

vibe666

Penn wrote: »

I don't think it's about respecting other people's beliefs, it's about respecting their right to hold those beliefs. I think pretty much all religion is poppycock, flimshaw, gobbledygook and whatever other comically outdated words for nonsense you can think of. But the rights of a person to have those beliefs are important.

However, the right to have a religion is no more important than the right to make fun of religion

i know that's what we're supposed to think and say, but how can you (respectfully) respect a person's right to be an idiot?

if it was anything else stupid (the harry potter nerds for example) that someone believed in would anyone put any stock in it?

doctoremma

Penn wrote: »

I don't think it's about respecting other people's beliefs, it's about respecting their right to hold those beliefs.

Was going to reply exactly the same. It's unfortunate that I find myself often having to explain the distinction, when a discussion warrants it, which is often, given the frequency with which people revert to "It's my opinion and you have to respect it" (about anything, not just religion).

A person's right to believe in what they want is untouchable. That does not make what they believe untouchable.

doctoremma

vibe666 wrote: »

i know that's what we're supposed to think and say, but how can you (respectfully) respect a person's right to be an idiot?

As long as they aren't harming anyone else, who cares?

I suspect we all believe some stupid stuff. I personally used to believe that every plane I got on was going to drop out the sky; highly irrational and reasonably described as "stupid" but it didn't harm anyone so why would anyone care (other than if they cared about the personal distress I was experiencing).

vibe666

i understand the right of people to believe what they want and i'm sure like everyone else i believe a few stupid things, but i just don't think it's possible for someone to "respectfully" respect a belief that they believe is stupid.

i can certainly acknowledge a persons right to hold those beliefs and openly call that acknowledgement respect in order to remain politically correct, but i don't see how a person who believes a particular belief (any belief) is stupid could really, truthfully respect the views of people who hold those beliefs?

i'm probably babbling.

Skrynesaver

robindch wrote: »

Harry Potter? Nah. Tolkien's Silmarillion is where it's at:

http://casualstrolltomordor.com/2011/05/great-tolkien-passages-the-music-of-the-ainur/

Now, that's a creation myth.

Pfft, if we're nominating fictional religions I'm going for Pratchett's Yen Budhists...

The Yen Buddhists are the richest religious sect in the universe. They hold that the accumulation of money is a great evil and a burden to the soul. They therefore, regardless of personal hazard, see it as their unpleasant duty to acquire as much as possible in order to reduce the risk to innocent people.

The Mad Hatter

vibe666 wrote: »

i understand the right of people to believe what they want and i'm sure like everyone else i believe a few stupid things, but i just don't think it's possible for someone to "respectfully" respect a belief that they believe is stupid.

i can certainly acknowledge a persons right to hold those beliefs and openly call that acknowledgement respect in order to remain politically correct, but i don't see how a person who believes a particular belief (any belief) is stupid could really, truthfully respect the views of people who hold those beliefs?

i'm probably babbling.

The thing is that there are intricate and reasonably well-understood psychological and sociological reasons why people hold beliefs like religious beliefs. Dismissing them as idiotic is uninformed and unhelpful.

doctoremma

vibe666 wrote: »

i can certainly acknowledge a persons right to hold those beliefs and openly call that acknowledgement respect in order to remain politically correct, but i don't see how a person who believes a particular belief (any belief) is stupid could really, truthfully respect the views of people who hold those beliefs?

Do you mean to refer to any other belief held by that person? So if someone believes that Zeus makes lightning, you would dismiss their belief that, say, students should not pay tuition fees for university? The ultimate ad hominem?

vibe666

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

The thing is that there are intricate and reasonably well-understood psychological and sociological reasons why people hold beliefs like religious beliefs. Dismissing them as idiotic is uninformed and unhelpful.

help help, i'm being oppressed!

okay, so i don't actually care either way, but hopefully you get where i'm going with it.

doctoremma wrote: »

Do you mean to refer to any other belief held by that person? So if someone believes that Zeus makes lightning, you would dismiss their belief that, say, students should not pay tuition fees for university? The ultimate ad hominem?

no, just any single belief held by anyone that others might feel is stupid.

Lionel Messy

It's divisive like all religions and I have no proof there is a god, that's why i am not religious.

Galvasean

Hit n' run OP?

Zombrex

Galvasean wrote: »

Hit n' run OP?

Yup, thinking the same thing

kylith

Skrynesaver wrote: »

Pfft, if we're nominating fictional religions I'm going for Pratchett's Yen Budhists...

I prefer the Monks of Cool

The Monks of Cool, whose tiny and exclusive monastery is hidden in a really cool and laid-back valley in the lower Ramtops, have a passing-out test for a novice. He is taken into a room full of all types of clothing and asked: Yo, my son, which of these is the most stylish thing to wear? And the correct answer is: Hey, whatever I select.

Dades

Galvasean wrote: »

Hit n' run OP?

Might consider closing it later unless he shows up.

FergusODowd

MungoMan wrote: »

Whats the consensus about christainity amongst athiests ?

Other than non belief, there is none, why should there be ?

What's the consensus about atheism among Christians ?

28064212

FergusODowd wrote: »

What's the consensus about atheism among Christians ?

That it's heresy, surely?





And that they eat babies

FergusODowd

28064212 wrote: »

That it's heresy, surely?

And that they eat babies

The extreme ones perhaps, but I've also heard about lost flocks and prodigal sons, I don't think there is a consensus, but maybe the OP can enlighten us.