# Are Atheists better Christians than Christians?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296>\
**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:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**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 27, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/61 "2011-04-27T01:49:18Z")

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> [@LonesomePolecat](#):
>
> Now, if you’re going to try to attach a stigma to religion in general, and Christianity in particular, because of crimes committed in its name, then you must yourself be prepared to be judged by the same standards.

That would make sense if you were addressing the above to communists, but since you’re addressing atheists, it doesn’t. Someone who says it better than I could:

[http://atheism.about.com/od/isatheismdangerous/a/AtheismKilled.htm](http://atheism.about.com/od/isatheismdangerous/a/AtheismKilled.htm)

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/62 "2011-04-27T01:51:50Z")

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A lot of people seem to equate virtuous behavior and Christian belief.

The common denominator to being a self-professed Christian is a belief that Jesus Christ died to redeem the people of the world, all people, from their sins. So no, atheists aren’t Christian of any sort, good or bad, because they wouldn’t believe that

How worship is conducted, on what day, what you eat, in whatever kind of building, or any other frippery, is extra. If one believes that one simple thing above, you’re Christian.

Of course, if you **DO** believe that you shouldn’t be doing things that might grieve God, you know, those Ten Commandment things? Hopefully virtuous behavior, charity, good works, and so on, will flow from that.

And what some non-Christians don’t seem to understand is that being a Christian doesn’t mean one isn’t a sinner. I would certainly never claim to be sinless. I tend to cuss too much. And when I see folks like the Phelps of the WBC I get really angry, and feel way morally superior. That’s pride, anger and blasphemy right there. _“For we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”_, and "_God, be merciful to me a sinner."_

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**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atheists-better-christians-than-christians/579296/63 "2011-04-27T02:23:27Z")

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> [@LonesomePolecat](#):
>
> :rolleyes: Communism was explicitly atheistic, materialistic, and secularist. To pretend that these doctrines were not central to the ideology and the movement is willful denial.

They were not central. Worship ofthe state was central. Other religions were competition. Trying to pretend that Communism was about atheism is wishful thinking.

Having said that, I’m not somebody who vlames religions for the evils of the world anyway. I think people are assholes with or without religion.

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