For the atheists

Hello, ok my question is why do some atheists feel so strongly about not believing in god and putting down everyone who does? Is it ok for us to believe what we want to believe without them calling us ignorant, uneducated, or living in a fantasy world...

every chance they get? Seems like they are trying to force their beliefs on us just as much as they say we're doing that to them. Just wondering... Do atheists try to convert as well?

womanofvirtue, how many times a day here do Christians quote the pearls before swine tripe from the Bible? How often is a fool says in his heart there is no God garbage quoted here? How often do we read variations of Pascal's wager (I see one in the OP)?

Believers own the real world through sheer numbers and a historical willingness to commit violence against anyone who disagrees with them. But online, those divisive beliefs can be challenged safely.

...and so they shall be.

Do I try to convert? Yes and no. I'm not so interested in what people believe, as I am in why they believe it. To the extent challenging faith is considered 'conversion', then so be it.

I dont know?
I dont even understand why they believe in evolution..its the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
its soo retarted..they think when we died its just..nothing.they'll burn in hell after they die..and realize they should of believed.
I dont even get why..if they're soo unsure about everything..why dont they start believeing in God..to be on the safe side.They wont regret it after they die and see Jesus.Well you have to give your life to Jesus first

Correct evolution is a waste of time, thats why they still teach it as a theory. If you look at the fossil records they have not transitional stage in between species. Thats why it will always be theory because all they have is circumstantial evidence. However the fossil records don't be default support creationism either. And yes, some atheists seem to want to convert just as some religious people do, it's just how some people are.

And as for being educated or living in a fantasy world, heres something. If all of our existence is determined by electrical and chemical impulses interpreted through our brains, you cannot even prove that there is an existence, let alone that there are things such as laws of physics or facts or God or hell you can't even be sure you exist. You could be a computer program or the dream of some other creature. Ironic how science just proves that you cannot prove a damned thing, that ironic argument therefore defeats itself, how funny. All are insane, but those who can analyze their delusions are philosophers (Ambroce Bierce)

WHOA! there are extremists in every group, every religion, every nationalitiy, sexual orientation. No one is better than anyone. maybe we should start teaching our children about tolerance more whose religion is right or wrong. we all have to live together on this itty bitty planet.

It's not really atheists in general it's the kind of people they are. There are people from every religious path that try to shove their religion down our throats. Theres not much we can do because we live in a country where we have been given freedom of speech. Maybe try listening to someone else opinion sometimes and you will be able to have a more optomistic standpoint on life and be able to comprehend people better. But don't close your self off to new ideas, just because someone tells you their opinion does not mean you have to follow it.

Ok where are the super vocal Atheist?

I'm atheist... and personally, I don't care if you believe in god as long as you keep it to yourself. I don't try to make anyone believe what I believe, I just explain my beliefs to anyone if they are curious. I find my beliefs so logical, I would never see it any other way.

Atheists call christians ignorant and uneducated becuase if you actually HAD taken the time to learn about evolution... until it made sense, that is... you would understand it... and most likely incorperate into your beliefs.

to lol thats funny: I find it odd how you (and most religious people) relate the belief in evolution to athiesm. News flash: you can believe in creation AND evolution. Plenty of people I know do.

Is it ok for us to believe what we want to believe without them calling us ignorant, uneducated, or living in a fantasy world every chance they get?

Is it ok for us to believe what we want without being told we'll burn in hell for all eternity or that the reason we don't believe in God is because he's hardened our hearts or blinded us to the truth?

There's a flip side to every coin.

You're right semi1900, you should not be told that. I personally do not like when Christians tell people they will burn in hell. So I give props to meganhead, you r so right and I didnt even think about it like that. just like there are different types of Christians (loving ones and then crazy radical ones), there are different types of atheists and other religions. I guess it's all personality and has nothing to actually do with religion. thanks everyone for commenting and megan for clearing that up for me

As I've said before, there are bad apples in every bunch whether atheist, Christian, Muslim, etc. There are some atheists who seem to get off on showing up a Christian. That certainly doesn't help our community's image.

Certainly, there is no evangelical movement or door-to-door witnessing among atheists (yet) but you do sometimes see those who are determined to correct every statement or belief they perceive as a mistake. I can see where that might be interpreted as an attempt to convert.

As for the comments you mentioned, I do believe that there are some believers who are ignorant, uneducated, and living in a fantasy world. That doesn't make them bad people - just unexposed to science and the world around them. Domzila is a great example: his comments regarding evolution would be funny if they weren't so sad. Obviously, he's never been exposed to the science behind evolution or he'd know that it's not retarded and not just a theory. It's very frustrating when people make ignorant statements like this and then offer no proof to back them up.

Do I have the right to criticize his bad science? Yes! Do I have the right to demean him and insult him? No! Wisdom is knowing the difference.

Many atheists (me included) are flamed on here because we dare to insert our opinon on a religious subject. As people have said there are fanatics all over, but I think those clinging to extreme religious belief (like denying evolution) are indeed ignorant. It is ignorance to deny overwhelming evidence of something simply because it challenges your long-held beliefs. When someone believe that strongly, they are living in a fantasy world.

athiests believe in themselves and think that an explosion made the universe well your wrong VERY WRONG casue god made ther universe and not some ball of dust. and if you ridicule other ppls religions your really need help cause I dont have any problem with you being an athiest but I have a problem with you makin fun of other ppls religions like that

peacemakin im srry but your going to burn in hell athiests believe in themselves and think that an explosion made the universe well your wrong VERY WRONG casue god made ther universe and not some ball of dust

Please reconcile this part of your statement with the next part:

if you ridicule other ppls religions your really need help cause I dont have any problem with you being an athiest but I have a problem with you makin fun of other ppls religions like that

You apparently have a problem with someone ridiculing other people's religions, yet you don't mind ridiculing their beliefs and views, or telling them that they will burn in hell.

You are part of the reason many atheists view religious people with complete disdain.

it's ok for people to believe different things, I don't force my ideas on anyone else.
on here I just answer the questions...put down my beliefs...or more like non-beliefs.
plenty of religious people judge and push their beliefs on non-beleivers on here...it's been seen a lot recently.
I and people I know have had abusive comments/messages just cause we don't believe!

bahaha. all the time theres christians preaching on about how great there god is and why everyone else should believe in him, and then theres people who dont believe in a god and say why. yes both parties can try to convert each other. but christians do it more. athiets and other people just pinpoint all the false facts about god and why they dont believe in him. but chrristians go on about how the world would be a better place if you stopped sinning and gave in to believing in god. so dont be stupid.
the world needs all sorts to call it a world

It's instinctive to look for evidence and arguments that reinforce your preconceptions. It's also instinctive to believe things that please you to believe them.

It takes discipline and training to overcome these instinctive biases. Critical thinking is not instinctive and often flies against common sense. It isn't a matter of intelligence.

I wont sugar coat it, yeah I dont really care if people believe in god but I do find them kind of ignorant and will tell them so if they start telling me all this god stuff. what you should be asking is, dont you think its messed up that at 1 point in time if you didnt believe they would kill you? isnt it messed up that they banned sooo many books that it held spain back from the scientific revolution? soo many messed up things in the name of god, most likely even more messed up things than I have mentioned, maybe you should ask the second person who posted why he/she got so defensive and had to say we're going to burn in hell, and believing for the sake of being safe must be even worse LOL I dont believe in heaven or hell or any of that stuff and im going to be dead before we find out how we got here and who put us here so why stress it, and if I die and it ends up being true that hell is real, id much rather be there because I know like 89% of the world is going to be there, and even tho I dont believe in satan he doesnt sound like such a bad guy, and I bet people are going to say yeah he is a bad guy because it says so in the bible LOL but thats just it hes just bad because thats what it says. I think religion just holds back humanity.

wow jazlovestoskate, dont be stupid? reallly???

There are many scientists who believe in gods, that's true. But it's not true that many religious scientists have cross examined their religious beliefs.

Scientists tend to be as assuming as anyone else outside their areas of technical expertise.

Most scientists who believe are deists, and come from a very different view than evangelicals and fundamentalists. They certainly don't believe the bible literally. Anyone who takes the creation story from the bible as truth is beyond ignorant. No real person of science could every believe such a ludicrous idea.

Einstein was said to believe in god, but he did not believe in the afterlife or of a god that intervened in our universe.

A recently released private letter written by Einstein a year before he died, proves he was an atheist.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24598856/?GT1=43001