What do theists think or feel about atheists/agnostics? Do you think it’s just a difference of opinion? Do you think we’re misguided or simple-minded or stupid? Or do you think we’re actually evil or the cause of the downfall of civilization?
And I really do just want your opinion, I don’t want this to become a debate.
I really don’t care. I’m a presbyterian; my girlfriend of 4 years is an athiest. I do hate it when athiests insist that I am wrong, because of no physical proof. Just like I can’t prove that God exists, you can’t prove He doesn’t. I don’t believe in a strict interpretation of the Bible…I think it was written by normal people, inspired by God, but still human…so there are simplifications. If God had told Moses about the big bang instead of just “I created the world,” he’d probably have just said “huh? Ummm…whatever.” Anyway, I don’t believe that God will send good people to Hell simply because they didn’t believe. It might be harder to get to heaven, but I don’t think it’s an automatic ticket to hell…it just doesn’t seem fair, especially considering how many people have never been exposed to any sort of religion.
Anyway, I respect your non-belief in a supreme being. I can understand why people are athiests. It only pisses me off when athiests call me deluded or brainwashed, or stupid, or any other derogetory things simply because I have faith in God.
Gotta agree with Jman, for the most part. I’m a Christian, but have many friends who are Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, and yes, Atheist. I don’t feel that any of these people are evil, I just think that we have a difference of opinion. I guess that I could equate it to being able to be friends to persons having differing political ideas than I do. Although, I think that the whole political issue is a smaller question.
I also have to agree with Jman about the whole “I must be an idiot if I believe in God” thing. No, I’ve just taken the information available and made a different conclusion than some.
One of my best friends is an atheist. I don’t really care. The only time it really bothers me is when he has religious wallpaper on his computer or something because he thinks it’s ‘funny’ and sometimes he’ll pretend to be religious. Like if he has a problem he’ll say “I’ll just leave it up to God to provide.” then he expects me to bust up laughing. :rolleyes: Believe or don’t, but geez. I respect YOUR views!
[disclaimer] I think we are all pretty tired of being bashed for whatever beliefs we have. I am tired of Christians being called less intelligent, Catholics being called repressed, etc., as I 'm sure you are of being called benighted, etc. So I offer this opinion only because it is requested, and with no intention of taking anything away from anyone else, evangelizing, etc. [/disclaimer]
I guess I can’t term it a difference of opinion because there is one Truth, and that’s God. Don’t flame me, I’m just saying that if I believe in Him, which I do, I have to believe that that Truth exists and will go on existing even if I didn’t believe in Him. Man’s opinions don’t change that Truth and so there isn’t a possibility for equal validity of different “opinions”.
I certainly don’t think atheists/agnostics are evil. There’s no way to say it without sounding patronizing, but I’m sorry that people have not felt His love and turned to Him. But I can definitely see that people want to explain things with science, or can’t reconcile suffering and evil with a loving God. Depending on the criteria used, this isn’t a stupid or misguided “opinion”.
Just to clarify that point. I don’t believe atheists and agnostics act out of evil, in the sense that there still is a moral system observed and people are doing the best they can on their own. Yes, in the sense that they are motivated by a desire to be apart from God, to be a part of what is not God, in that sense of evil.