# Are Atheists better Christians than Christians? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 21, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296 "2011-04-21T23:15:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/1 "2011-04-21T23:15:37Z")
I’m pretty sure that there must be arguments against this claim, and I’m not too sure about the scripture and interpretations; however, I want to test the veracity of this claim: Non-theist Atheists seem to be better Christians than Christians. If pride is the worse sin and god is incomprehensible, any god claim would be a sin. Non-theistic atheists do not make such bold statements of truth in regards to god; therefore, they do not commit the same sin. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/2 "2011-04-21T23:26:31Z")
Well, they suck on the “Belief that Jesus is the son of God” part of Christianity, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/3 "2011-04-21T23:36:05Z")
Isn’t blasphemy the only unforgivable sin? What I mean is, are we judging atheists by biblical standards or by “good people” standards? The results may vary quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/4 "2011-04-21T23:40:18Z")
Superfluous, I think both standards. I’m trying to figure out if believing in god is a sin in itself according to its own scripture and culture. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/5 "2011-04-21T23:47:44Z")
Christians are exhorted to evangelize and spread Christianity – few atheists (none that I’m aware of) do that. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/6 "2011-04-21T23:53:47Z")
> [@Knigel](#): > > Non-theistic atheists Those guys are trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2011, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/7 "2011-04-21T23:59:18Z")
X-ray, for sure, however, in what way are you thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/8 "2011-04-22T00:18:32Z")
I’m not going for the biblical answer. [but atheists make up 0.2% of prison population in the US](http://www.freethoughtpedia.com/wiki/Percentage_of_atheists), while they make up 6 ~ 9 % of the total population. So either atheists don’t get caught as much, people convert a lot in prison (not unlikely) or atheists really commit less crimes that land you in prison (for reasons which may only correlated to their atheism, such as income and education). ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/9 "2011-04-22T00:21:02Z")
> [@Knigel](#): > > X-ray, for sure, however, in what way are you thinking? It was a joke. Atheists are non-theistic by definition. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/10 "2011-04-22T00:28:59Z")
> [@Knigel](#): > > I’m pretty sure that there must be arguments against this claim, and I’m not too sure about the scripture and interpretations; however, I want to test the veracity of this claim: > > Non-theist Atheists seem to be better Christians than Christians. If pride is the worse sin and god is incomprehensible, any god claim would be a sin. Non-theistic atheists do not make such bold statements of truth in regards to god; therefore, they do not commit the same sin. Wheres the whoosh emoticon when we need one? ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/11 "2011-04-22T00:45:11Z")
X-ray, from my understanding atheism is a broader category that includes both anti-theism as well as non-theism. I like to make the distinction to avoid overly bold anti-theistic arguments. ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/12 "2011-04-22T00:47:36Z")
Raindog, to simplify: From my understanding, the Judeo-Christianity states that god is incomprehensible and it also states that pride is the worst sin; therefore, doesn’t that make it a sin to claim to know god? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/13 "2011-04-22T00:48:12Z")
All atheists are non-theistic by definiiton. Some are anti-theistic. ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/14 "2011-04-22T00:50:20Z")
1. God is unknowable 2. Pride is a sin 3. Therefore, claiming to know god is a sin. (I’ve skipped many steps to this, but it’s just for simplification) ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/15 "2011-04-22T00:52:14Z")
> [@Knigel](#): > > I’ve skipped many steps to this You sure did. Now can you show us the steps that show atheists are Christians? ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/16 "2011-04-22T01:02:09Z")
X-ray, there are different definitions to go by from my understanding and I wouldn’t say that you are incorrect. There is much syntax to be debated. I believe that there is another thread somewhere around here that debates this more in depth. Personally, I like to make the distinction between “not having a belief in a deity” and “a belief that a deity does not exist”. It’s merely a convention. ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/17 "2011-04-22T01:11:48Z")
x-ray. No. I would not say that they are Christians. Only better Christians than Christians. Not claiming to know god and its intentions, according to the bible, seems to be less sinful to its own standards. Seemingly, it is less sinful to be an atheist who simply states that they do not know. The bible seems to contradict itself out of any practical use. If god is unknowable, we must doubt the bible. If the bible is in fact the word of god, we must also doubt the bible because by its own words, we must not be so prideful in assuming that we know that it is god’s intention. The bible seems to cancel itself out and makes belief in it a sin of itself. Faith becomes a sin because it assumes that god wants faith. This is an assumption to know god’s will. “I know god’s will” seems to be a prideful claim. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/18 "2011-04-22T01:17:31Z")
> [@Knigel](#): > > X-ray, there are different definitions to go by from my understanding and I wouldn’t say that you are incorrect. Tell me what your definition of non-theistic is and then show me a cite for it. > [@](#): > > Personally, I like to make the distinction between “not having a belief in a deity” and “a belief that a deity does not exist” That’s the difference between weak atheism and strong atheism. It has nothing to do with being non-theistic. > [@](#): > > x-ray. No. I would not say that they are Christians. Only better Christians than Christians. They’re better Christians, but not Christians. Okay. ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/19 "2011-04-22T01:23:28Z")
An oval is not a circle; however, it makes a better circle than a triangle. ---
**Author:** ![Knigel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Knigel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knigel)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/20 "2011-04-22T01:26:17Z")
[http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=nontheism+versus+anti-theism](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=nontheism+versus+anti-theism) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296.md?page=2)