# Best reactions by others when you tell them you do not believe in God. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 16, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460 "2013-12-16T13:41:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/61 "2013-12-17T20:29:02Z")
> [@OurLordPeace](#): > > Speak for yourself. > > As for reactions, whenever I pass the group of lunatic street preachers in this city I love to yell something. A few days ago I yelled “God is imaginary!” As I descended a nearby escalator, some young guy, maybe a teen boy, who had been in the vicinity yelled down at me, saying “God is imaginary? How was [sic] you created?” You see, when a Mommy and a Daddy love each other very much … > [@](#): > > But the best reaction to declaring my atheism? “Good,” she (a fellow grad student and ex-Hindu, I think) purred, as we got to _know_ one another in the biblical sense\*. My daughter is engaged to a German guy. His mother was quite concerned that, being Americans, we were religious fanatics. She was quite relieved to learn that we were atheists also. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/62 "2013-12-17T20:34:53Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > I recently told my favorite childhood cousin. We had spent on formative years together and we’re as close as two people could be without being lovers. When she found out I was agnostic, she stopped talking to me, removed me from her Facebook page, and forbid her daughter from contacting me. I knew she was big on Christ, but didn’t realize she would do that. That falls under the heading: What Would Jesus Do? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/63 "2013-12-17T21:22:20Z")
> [@randompattern](#): > > I also find it funny that spellcheck underlines the word christian if I don’t capitalize it. You are aware that Christianity derives from a guy by the name of Christ, right? “Christian” is properly capitalized, just like [“Keynesian”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynesian_economics) or [“Lovecraftian”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovecraftian). ---
**Author:** ![LuvsPolarBears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ee59a6/32.png) [@LuvsPolarBears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuvsPolarBears)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/64 "2013-12-17T21:24:53Z")
My family was never that religious until my grandfather died and my grandma found out I don’t believe in God; she cried and fell to her knees begging me to see reason because she wanted me to be able to go to heaven. Of course I couldn’t tell her I didn’t believe in heaven because her husband of 50+ years had just died. My husband’s family however were very strict Christians. So strict in fact, that they kicked him out of the house on his 18th birthday because they found out he was an Atheist. How Christianly. But yeah, my husband and I have both gotten the whole, “What stops you from doing bad things if you don’t believe in God?” To which I always say, “I don’t not do bad things because I’m afraid of Hell, I don’t do bad things because I have morals and a conscience, and I take responsibility for my actions.” ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/65 "2013-12-17T22:51:02Z")
I’ll admit I’m agnostic, but won’t go so far as to call myself an atheist. I also don’t get to combative about it until you get in my face. Several years ago, a well dressed couple came around the neighborhood delivering these nice full color pamphlets. I talked to them for a few minutes before accepting the literature, and they seemed nice enough. No harm no foul. We were all getting along until they handed me the pamphlet, and I saw in big bold print on the front, _THE END OF THE WORLD IS COMING!_ I said, “Shit! Is that this week?! Thanks for letting me know!” At which, they promptly turned around and left. I was expecting more of a fight. I guess they didn’t really want to save me after all. I’ll take the thread in a different direction and say the best reaction has been my Father-In-Law, who loves Jesus, but has pretty much left me alone on that topic since I explained that I don’t share his interests. He’s been great about it, even admitting to my wife (when preaching to her) that he doesn’t bring it up around me because I told him I don’t want to hear it. She’s jealous and wondering how she can get in on the program. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/66 "2013-12-17T23:49:32Z")
Some of my co-workers know I’m an atheist. There’s one who is curious (and a christian) and we often have conversations. We were talking one day when a few other folks walked up. The first said “you can’t be an atheist, you’re so nice!”. Another said she would be interested to know how I came to that conclusion. The other one backed away and said “I don’t want to hear that”. I thought it was interesting that she was scared to have it even spoken of in her presence. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/67 "2013-12-18T02:34:50Z")
> [@aurora\_maire](#): > > Some of my co-workers know I’m an atheist. There’s one who is curious (and a christian) and we often have conversations. We were talking one day when a few other folks walked up. The first said “you can’t be an atheist, you’re so nice!”. Another said she would be interested to know how I came to that conclusion. The other one backed away and said “I don’t want to hear that”. I thought it was interesting that she was scared to have it even spoken of in her presence. I have found that quite a few are scared of it. I think maybe they are questioning their faith and are afraid that even thinking about it will push them right over the edge. Or something. ---
**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/68 "2013-12-18T04:07:29Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > You are aware that Christianity derives from a guy by the name of Christ, right? “Christian” is properly capitalized, just like [“Keynesian”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynesian_economics) or [“Lovecraftian”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovecraftian). Christ is another word for messiah, not a name. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/69 "2013-12-18T04:16:50Z")
This came up in a discussion with a classmate. She was witnessing a bit to me and to a few other classmates. She declared that “it takes more _faith_ to believe in EVOLUTION than it does to believe in GOD!” Uh, no. No, it doesn’t. Do you actually know what “faith” means? Do you understand what evolution actually is? Her witnessing was not well received by anyone within earshot. She also told one guy - a vet - that he had no idea what “hell” would be like for him since he was not a believer. He got a little - heated- in his response. He explained he had been in hell already and that SHE had no idea what hell was. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/70 "2013-12-18T04:43:47Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I still go door-to-door, though. 🆒 “Haven calling…!” 😉 > [@August\_West](#): > > It rarely pops up in conversation. One exception that I particularly enjoyed was when a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses came to my door. One asked what religion I was, I replied “I’m apathetic”. She frowned and said “I don’t think I know that one!” Isn’t it funny how one person’s apathetic turns so many other people apoplectic? (…could you imagine how much money we could raise for charity if they only had saddles &[quarter slots](http://carouselworkshop.com/xcart/images/P/Trigger809c.jpg)?) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/71 "2013-12-18T10:09:39Z")
I lead a fairly conventional lifestyle, so many of my friends assume that I must be a bible-thumper. One day, a friend of mine went on a venomous rant against some fundamentalist who had ticked her off. It then segued into a rant against Christianity in general. Then she noticed that I was in the room. "I’m sorry if this offends you, I know you are a Christian, but . . . " “No, I’m not.” “What are you?” “I’m an agnostic, secular humanist, social Darwinist.” It took her several seconds to process that, and it kind of killed the momentum of her rant. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/72 "2013-12-18T13:21:40Z")
Why would someone’s beliefs or disbeliefs be of any concern to anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Boggette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@Boggette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boggette)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/73 "2013-12-18T13:49:02Z")
I was told that it must be horrible to live with no hope. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/74 "2013-12-18T14:20:24Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > I lead a fairly conventional lifestyle, so many of my friends assume that I must be a bible-thumper. > > One day, a friend of mine went on a venomous rant against some fundamentalist who had ticked her off. It then segued into a rant against Christianity in general. Then she noticed that I was in the room. > "I’m sorry if this offends you, I know you are a Christian, but . . . " > “No, I’m not.” > “What are you?” > “I’m an agnostic, secular humanist, social Darwinist.” > It took her several seconds to process that, and it kind of killed the momentum of her rant. What exactly is “Social Darwinist”? > [@Floater](#): > > Why would someone’s beliefs or disbeliefs be of any concern to anyone else? I don’t know, but it evedently does come up… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/75 "2013-12-18T14:46:23Z")
I had made a new friend at work when I was with the FBI as a contractor. We had lunch, talked about stuff and she even introduced me to South Park. One day she asked me to church and I said I don’t go to church. After more questions she found out I did not “believe”. She said, “I’m sorry for you.” The next day she said she had prayed on it and could not be my friend anymore. She never spoke to me again. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/76 "2013-12-18T14:55:25Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > I had made a new friend at work when I was with the FBI as a contractor. We had lunch, talked about stuff and she even introduced me to South Park. One day she asked me to church and I said I don’t go to church. After more questions she found out I did not “believe”. > She said, “I’m sorry for you.” The next day she said she had prayed on it and could not be my friend anymore. She never spoke to me again. Ever. Wow. That’s a sad story. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Cerealbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Cerealbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerealbox)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/77 "2013-12-18T15:58:52Z")
> [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > What exactly is “Social Darwinist”? > > I don’t know, but it evedently does come up… 😕 Social Darwinism is the belief that some races (e.g. white people) are more evolved than others. That might be the reason that ended the conversation, not the atheist thing. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/78 "2013-12-18T16:05:22Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > Social Darwinism is the belief that some races (e.g. white people) are more evolved than others. That might be the reason that ended the conversation, not the atheist thing. Um, [not exactly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Darwinism). ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/79 "2013-12-18T16:18:54Z")
> [@Cerealbox](#): > > Social Darwinism is the belief that some races (e.g. white people) are more evolved than others. That might be the reason that ended the conversation, not the atheist thing. That’s not even remotely close. Social Darwinism is a human society version of survival of the fittest. In a very strict sense it is technically correct, in that our species is subject to evolutionary pressures like other species. But a more typical use of the term would be to say that a Social Darwinist is the rough equivalent of a Libertarian, someone who doesn’t believe government should intervene to protect the vulnerable against the more, er, predatory elements of society. ---
**Author:** ![Cerealbox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Cerealbox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerealbox)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460/80 "2013-12-18T17:46:47Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Um, [not exactly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Darwinism). > **[Social Darwinism | Definition, Uses, & Facts | Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-Darwinism)** > > Social Darwinism is a theory developed in the 19th century that human groups and races are subject to the same laws of natural selection as Charles Darwin perceived in plants and animals in nature. According to the theory, the weak were diminished... > [@](#): > > social Darwinism, the theory that persons, groups, and races are subject to the same laws of natural selection as Charles Darwin had perceived in plants and animals in nature. According you guys need to read a history book. social darwinism has a very ugly background. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-reactions-by-others-when-you-tell-them-you-do-not-believe-in-god/676460.md?page=5)