Agnostic, and I also believe in the theory of psionics (the main philosophy of which is keeping an open mind), among other things. Due to this, I frequently get the, "ZOMG YOU'RE GOING TO HELL" thing from a lot of my Christian friends. Fortunately, most of my friends aren't very religious to begin with, or are just tired of their own religion. I really only have one hardcore-Christian friend, but she never tries to rub her religion off on any of us, so we never say anything about her beliefs.

Since I try to keep an open mind, I don't mind hearing about other's beliefs. My friend Katherine is a Wiccan, and I find the religion truly fascinating, and am in the process of trying to learn about it myself. But that doesn't mean I'm going to follow it. Picking up on something myself is one thing, but having someone else try to force their beliefs on me is intolerable.

Personally I don't know what I believe yet, tho I'm not ashamed to say I'm interested and searching.

My dad is an atheist, my mom is a non-practicing buddhist.

I don't mind people who force their beliefs on others and I listen to everyone equally and intently. I acknowledge that this practice of forcing yourself onto others is drilled into a lot of people by the church institutions themselves... and they feel immensely self-satisfied to be able to "give" you their gift of salvation.

I also acknowledge that some people DON'T want others forcing them a certain way, and I respect that as well. I think people that DO force themselves upon others that they know DON'T want it is rude, disrespectful, and definitely the wrong way to go about achieving their means. If they truly wanted salvation for that person, then they are doing it the wrong way.

My uncle is a prime example of a Christian extremist who always gets into violent arguments with my atheist dad.

I do want to learn tho... slowly... at my own pace. I don't want to commit to a specific religion until I feel I have truly sampled everything and finally find something I can hold onto as my own.

I was raised as a Christian and taught to accept that everyone has a different worldview and that they could be free to believe whatever they want.
It's a shame that not all Christians (or theists in general) are raised like that; they end up giving their religious group a bad name. x_x; I know that many people are raised like this and I respect them greatly, but I also know that some people aren't, and I have near no respect for them at all.

I'm an atheist now, and my various friends react differently to that.
My atheistic friends said, "Cool, so am I."
Most of my theistic friends said, "Cool beans, I'm not, but variety is the spice of life."
Some people I've told (who aren't my friends) ask me why I love the devil and want to go to hell. And these people are just misinformed; atheists don't believe in God, nor do we believe in the devil, nor heaven or hell. Duh.
And my Geography teacher actually thought that atheists believed in a supreme being. That... was an interesting class period.
But one of my friends, a devout southern Baptist, started prodding me. I explained that the way I saw it, a supreme being wasn't logically possible. And she started contradicting everything I said, told me I was going to hell, and despite my trying to convince her that it was her belief, and that because people think differently people are going to have different views on life, she constantly tried to convince me that I was wrong and participated in an immoral belief and couldn't see what was "plainly true," and it turned into a nasty, wordy version of a catfight.
Her parents, though, had the nerve to tell her that instead of hanging out with me so much, she should try to make more Christian friends.
So now I know this kind of thing is cyclical, and really, this kind of thinking should be stopped.

Anyway, that's my experience on the matter.
The reason, I think, that atheists are so looked down upon is the dilemma of morals. Atheists don't have a book to tell them what to do, nor do they have absolute motivation to do the right thing. This leads some people to believe that we have no morals and, if run unchecked, will take down society because it's fun. Now, from personal experience with atheists including myself, that couldn't be more false. I, along with all the other atheists I've met, consider myself to be a good person in general and consider the repercussions of my actions before going out and doing something "bad," (and thus, I don't do such things).

I am a Spiritual Atheist.

I believe in the supernatural. I believe in psychic ability, yes ,even magic. I believe in fate and predestination, to a point. I do not believe that some supreme being or beings got it into their deific heads to create the universe, the Earth, and humanity.

I seem to be in the minority here, because the only people who ever told me I was going to Hell were my 7th grade classmates.

In defense of certain groups that seem to catch a bad name - Jehovah's Witnesses, chiefly - they aren't bad people. It's part of their religion to spread the Word. Their belief is that by accepting their religion, they also accept the task of reaching out to others not of their faith and drawing them in. Some of these people are actually quite nice, in fact.

At one point in time, when my mother, my cousin, and I were all living together and all unemployed, a pair of Jehovah's Witnesses came to the door to talk to me. They offered me reading material, which I read and found to be refreshingly unbiased - they quote Buddha, ftw - and we talked for a good half an hour. During that time, I let slip the fact that we were all out of a job, and simply didn't have the money to pay rent or buy enough food, let alone attend an event that cost five dollars a ticket.

We talked some more, said our good-byes, and I thought that would be the end of it. But those kind ladies, knowing I was a Spiritual Atheist, my cousin was an Agnostic, and my mother was Pagan, went out that very afternoon, bought several bags of food, came back, and gave them to me.

And that was the end of it. They didn't come back and try to convert me again, they didn't come back and remind me how nice they'd been and ask for a return favor- they did their good deed and left it at that. It was, without a doubt, the single nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.

I can understand why they have a bad reputation as a whole, but I can also understand why they would go out, day after day, wearing their best clothes in the freezing cold, to talk to people who are usually rude and even cruel to them. I can understand what motivates them to try and spread their belief to others, knowing that a great many people will resent them for it, knowing that the majority of the people who do more than yell at them to leave will see it as nothing more than an intrusion and a nuisance. I admire them for that, and only wish I was able to believe is something unprovable as strongly as they do.

Originally Posted by tracy

i know what you mean. >w<
i'm actually very offended by the christian religion.
this is because they are against gays.
so, i suppose i can be seen as negative towards it.
i'm not all "merr. christians are dumb." though.

Christians are not against gays, they have a problem with "gay acts"
and people are allowed to have their opinion, and not accept things they do not agree with. it doesnt make them a bad person or close-minded. imo

there are Homosexuals and Transsexuals who are Christian.
so are they against themselves? No

===

i have no religion, i guess i am a spiritualist.
my problem with Atheist of this Century. is that they are getting more extreme.
being offended by a cross on a church as they drive by or being angry at the American Dollar for having "In God we Trust" on it. . so there are Extremist in Religion and ones who dont even believe in Religion.

if you have no belief in the symbols and words that represent some Religion, it should not offend you. yet there are some Atheist that dont seem to be very Atheist at all. just people who want their way.

I don't believe in the whole God and Satan thing, its my choice because I shouldn't have to believe in something that doesn't exist. Its very annoying how people will just pester you into being the same as them, I don't wanna be one in a million people. My belief is that when we die, nothing happens, because theres nowhere left to go except wander this awful earth and watch it slowly die for all eternity. Sure, I could go to hell for not believing, but I will wait for that day I die of old age and see for my own eyes if heaven and hell exists. My thoughts will not change unless I see some proof of God or Satan, some REAL proof.

Pssh, it's called a stereotype. Oh! If you're atheist then it does mean you:
- Have no morals.
- Are some kind of prostitute.
- Or "sexually desviated" [gay/bi/lesb]
- Believes in Satan! [You seriously don't know how many people have asked me this >_>'']
- Must be stupid.
- Takes drugs.
- Have parents that aren't christians. [However, mine are o.ô]
- Hate the world [I just hate close-minded humans ]
... it could be the reason why my [ex-] best friend stopped to talk to me, "Christian Formation" teachers look at me as if I were some kind of retarded alien, and Jehova's Witnesses stay away from me xD
But seriously, those same people claim humanity should not discriminate people for race, nationality, gender, etc. [however, they never mention religion o.ô] I never tell those people they're stupid for believing in an imaginary "friend" that can send you to hell whenever he wants ^^' In fact, I try not to bring this disscussion up because I know they won't convert to atheism anyways, even if I had the reason or not. However, they always seem to try to convert me whenever the topic comes up at classroom xP
It's like as if I went up to a christian, and told them "Convert to the Jedi side, or Anakin Skywalker will shoot you! D:!!!" ... who would believe it? xD

PS: Not offending christianity itself by my comment... just the members who act like that xP

Well, i consider myself an athiest, but I'm not like this...

I am Pagan and so my beliefs get attacked. I was attacked at work by a Christian young minister who basically attacked me by being "nice". He told me he has ways to write essays and tell me I am wrong. :/ It was kind of rude when I thought about it and I was kind of upset. He said I was the one being rude but I never said anything rude. I just stated my beliefs and by the way I did not state he was wrong. I just felt disrespected. He started it too. I was not even talking about religion and he got me onto it. He asked what I believed and I said I was Pagan. He had no clue what a Pagan was.... Someone who studied the bible and religion had no clue what a Pagan was... So I explained myself and next thing I hear is laughter. Then he tells me I am being ignorant. :/ Jerk!

Of course I get attacked on not being Christian and so a lot of times I get defensive on it. *sighs* So I apologize for ever being mean but hell what can I do if I am being attacked. Some think I am an atheist.

Not all Christians are ignorant but so far I have only met five who I can say are not ignorant.

@ darkwolfofthemoon: Good thing, me neither! ^_^
@Dream Empress: Ohh pagan... err could you explain..? ^^v *feels ignorant* Pssh, that guy was being mean the moment he told you you were wrong. I would have asked him "Haven't your parents taught you not to be so honest? I mean- discret? If you don't believe, good for you, but if we both respect our own beliefs, good for both." And then you would cut him off by walking away :D Sometimes these people won't just let you be >.<

PS: *search in Wikipedia what a pagan believes in* o.o''

::EDIT:: @Blondheart: I'm not stereotyping christians. I meant that most of them thought at least one of those points. And well, stereotyping is generally about negative aspects, so that's why it annoys me xP And I don't bring that part of my life UNLESS asked... which people like to do in "Christian Formation" class. And it wouldn't annoy me at all if they asked ^_^ If fact if people came up like "Could you explain me your beliefs?" I would be glad to have someone to chat with ^^v But not when they come willing to convert my beliefs in trash xP So my critic was directed to trashy people, not to ALL of 'em. Uhh... thanks? xD

I think the reason why there are people
who think Atheist as negative toward religions
are the same as why there are people who think
that Christian people are all fanatic freaks.

The answer is simple.

They are stupid,
old fashioned and narrow minded.

XD

Well... there is nothing horrible about it.
I think...
My dad is Atheist, many other people I know ar Atheists too.
For example my History Teacher is atheist, though he knows almst everything about other religions. But he is not like against other beleifs, he is just neutral towards them and never visits churches.
I think it is partly because of the generation the were raised in.
In the Soviet Union churches were burned and forbidden. That was mainly thanks to Stalin.

I am an atheist, and I'm not afraid to tell anyone that. I mean, if they have a problem with my 'religion' I guess I could call it, then that's their problem. I mean, we have the freedom of speech, and everything. We cannot be forced to be quiet because we are different. And being atheist, does not mean you worship Satan. That is Satanism.

I would say to someone if they told me I was going to hell for not believing, "well I'm glad I'm going to hell, so when you die and then I die I won't have to see your ugly face!"

Still I don't believe in false hope, they use it to hide from the real truth that God is doing nothing to help save this world. Thats how I feel about all of this religion crap. -_-

I am the same.
I'm an Athiest.
I don't believe in God, anyone that does isn't wrong to me, they just have different beliefs. I respect them and their beliefs as long as they respect mine.

However, I have been told, to my face that I am stupid and ignorant because of my beliefs. It's really frustrating.

Just, argh!

What I think is wrong is forcing you beliefs on others. Wanting them to swallow them at gun point.

What you are is perfectly fine. Don't let others get you down. :]


EDIT: Why would people ask you if you worshipped Satan?
If you don't believe in god, you can't believe in Satan either. They're intertwined.

People are so retarded.

I'm not atheist. I'm agnostic.
However, one of my friends used to get on my case about it a lot. She would bring me to church with her, then become angry or depressed when I wasn't interested in what they had to say, and instead took that speech time to draw in my sketchbook.
She would also tell me that she felt sad because I was going to hell, and got me "saved" and some other things. (I don't believe in "saved," but I went along with it anyway because I was curious as to what the process was.)

My stubbornness in who I am and what I believe, however, wasn't to be waned.
She eventually learned to live with it, and I think it helped her.
Now she's a lot more tolerant of different beliefs and lifestyles.

Originally Posted by Din

Why would people ask you if you worshipped Satan?
If you don't believe in god, you can't believe in Satan either. They're intertwined.

Lol I used to say that:
- Seriously, you're an Atheist?!
- Yeah o.o
- Then you believe in Satan? D:
- No >_> If I believed in Satan, I would believe in God's existence too -_-v
- Ohh...

PS: Lol, I misspelled "Satan" twice as "Stan" XD *giggles*

Most of my friends are atheist or non religious, but I still love them even if they are going to hell.

xD I'm just kidding. I do believe in Jesus and God, but not in any of the hate some Christian religions preach. I believe that with the exception of a few people in the world we are all going to heaven no matter what we do... so even if you don't believe now I feel like when you wake up in front of the golden gates you will.

I do not have a religion, I have a way of life.

I believe in the teachings of Buddhism, but I understand evolution.

A lot of people ask me, "The bacteria that people came from had to come from somewhere, DIDN'T IT?"

And I say, "Where did God come from?"

And no one seems to be able to answer that.

Law: That's kind of a good question and they are fools. God always existed (or at least in my religion this is the understanding) so therefore he came from everywhere and nowhere all at once since his is and always was.

When I think about it although the question is a good comeback it's quite answerable there is just no answer. xD

I believe in Evolution by the way. I just believe God caused it.

Originally Posted by Julia Caesar

Law: That's kind of a good question and they are fools. God always existed (or at least in my religion this is the understanding) so therefore he came from everywhere and nowhere all at once since his is and always was.

When I think about it although the question is a good comeback it's quite answerable there is just no answer. xD

I believe in Evolution by the way. I just believe God caused it.

Your thoughts on evolution almost make sense, but...

But "God just appeared out of nowhere" isn't the best answer. D:


I think one of the reasons I stopped believing is because I became aware of just how fake the Christian version of "God" really was.

He's this all-powerful, all-seeing being and yet...

He does nothing to help save the very race he created. One of my personal examples is my still-born niece who never even got to see the world for more than an hour and a half.

What sort of "loving, merciful" God kills a newborn baby born from parents who are the most wholesome people I know?!
They're his followers- and they still follow him.

In all honesty... it sort of makes me a little sick.

I'm a Christian, & I go around telling people to become Christian 'cause I don't want ANYONE to go to Hell. But it does seem strange to change someone JUST LIKE THAT. The problem is you can never tell witch religion we should follow Although I'm an all-out Christian. But I never had a problem doing this :P

Originally Posted by Law

Your thoughts on evolution almost make sense, but...

But "God just appeared out of nowhere" isn't the best answer. D:


I think one of the reasons I stopped believing is because I became aware of just how fake the Christian version of "God" really was.

He's this all-powerful, all-seeing being and yet...

He does nothing to help save the very race he created. One of my personal examples is my still-born niece who never even got to see the world for more than an hour and a half.

What sort of "loving, merciful" God kills a newborn baby born from parents who are the most wholesome people I know?!
They're his followers- and they still follow him.

In all honesty... it sort of makes me a little sick.

HEY Satan exists!! He could've been the one who killed the Baby!!! That's why he's called "The Enemy of God"!!!!!
And You probably didn't read Genisis!!! We have to work for our lives 'cause Adam & Eve ate the Fruit of Knowledge. He doesn't make us perfect 'cause then we'd be like robots!!! THINK ABOUT IT!!!

1 Step you shouldn't double post, but what you said is kinda what I was going to tell

Law.

Once again you provide a good argument, but there is the concept of faith so even if there seems to be no God the whole Christian religion is based on that. We are supposed to believe without seeing. I myself would love proof, but yeah if he did prove he existed to me I would have been wrong about God in the first place.

I believe God is loving and merciful and it is not he who took you niece away and if he did (which I doubt) it would be a good reason. I know I won't change your mind and you won't change mine, but about him not coming from anywhere. He never came from anywhere. That is the answer. He always was. If he was always there like Space he didn't come from anywhere. It makes sense in away, but it kind of hurts my brain to think about Space and God at the same time. xD

Ah, religion. gotta love it.

I for one, am an atheist. man, i have a bad habit of wanting to put the i before the e, does anyone else do that?

anyway, to try to stay on topic...

I've always been amused of what people think of atheists. The Satan thing being my personal favorite.

Everyone knows its the goths that love him. ;) (just kidding)

I really don't mind when people push their religions either. It's generally interesting to listen too and it's flattering that someone would go out of their way to try to save my soul. Though the fact that i don't believe in souls makes that kinda difficult for them i guess.

Some atheists annoy me sometime though. like we used to have this big cross on a hill and i always thought it was pretty, but it got taken down because someone was offended by it.

it made me sad.

I think sometimes people just get to worked up. just let it go. Maybe they just need a hug. :glomp: