It seems to me that many of the atheists on here are just here because they hate Christianity.

[Augustus]

Am I wrong? Can any of you atheists say anything good about Christianity at all?

Well many of the atheists here are Humanists, and that's basically a secular offshoot of Christianity.

They should really have a lot of of gratitude to Christianity as the Humanist worldview is its legacy.

(for some reason though, Humanists tend to really hate even considering this idea)

Christianity was also a major driving force in the abolitionist movement which most people should be happy about too.

 

[Neo Deist]

'Incorrect'?

One of the nice things about this forum is the diversity, and ability to learn about different groups. One of the reasons I originally came here was to learn a little more about modern Deism, actually.
Why not just ask atheists, and more specifically atheistic Satanists, about their beliefs?

Did someone ring?!

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Many atheists here who profess a lack of belief in a god or deities do not need knowledge of religions (because their position is not defined as rejecting them so why would they need to know about it?) and will often reply with accusations of logical fallacy, make one line replies, etc.

Maybe. There are certainly people within all the larger groups here who have too much certainty about pretty much everything.
But one of the issues may also be that it's the squeakiest hinges that get the oil...or attention, as it were.

Just on the 'not needing to know about religions' thing...couple of quick points, using myself as an example, since I'm an agnostic atheist, which I guess is what you mean;
1) I was raised in a Christian family.
2) I am a history nut
3) I'm a psychology major (which gives me no great insight, actually, just proof of interest)

If you can tell me any other force that both historically and currently is able to motivate or suppress the actions of millions as effectively as religion, let me know, but there is a clear reason to be interested, and to have knowledge of religions above and beyond personal belief.
For much the same reason, I study politics.

there's a pattern to it and it's really unpleasant if you get on the wrong side of it and many people do it at once. I'm not religious, but I fall foul of it. It not a conspiracy or persecution though, but very difficult to respond to when someone plays judge, jury and executioner at the same time.

Yes, I could see that. I think there are a number of atheists here who steer clear of such threads entirely though. Meh, I have no grand point. I think similar points of view could be put forth about Christians (that they don't have an open mind, that they aren't willing to listen, etc) as atheists, and it would similarly be a vocal subset of the whole lending credence to it. People are people, and atheists (as you know) are no more or less so than anyone else.

 

[McBell]

@Reggie Miller, if you were willing to be a bit more polite and a listen to other people, you'd likely get a much clearer picture regarding what people actually think and feel. The way you're doing this, you're not going to get very many productive responses and will come away no more informed than when you started.

well, it will confirm that if you treat others badly they will reply in turn.
Though I seriously doubt his agenda will allow for that.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Did someone ring?!

*laughs*

You're almost 4 years too late, mate.
But in case you're interested, here is the back story, just for giggles.

I posted a fair amount on a basketball website at one point, under the same username I use here. It has basketball connotations, and I'm a Celtics fan (I prefer Reggie Lewis not Miller, basically).
NBA player Jason Collins came out as the first openly gay pro athlete in America, and all of a sudden our basketball geek website had sexual politics thrust upon it.

There were some fairly extreme posts (to my mind) and others in support. One who was very much anti claimed to not be a Christian, but to be a Deist. Didn't really ring true to me, based on what I knew of Deism, but what I knew was basically limited to studying the Founding Fathers to some degree. Not much about modern Deism.

Anyways, I still think the guy was full of crap. Part of his position involved it not being part of God's design, which didn't sound like any flavour of Deism I'd ever heard of. But I googled to try and find a multi-faith discussion site. Rest is history.

 

[YmirGF]

Am I wrong? Can any of you atheists say anything good about Christianity at all?

First off, you are very new here and so I understand if you have not read much to base your perception on. Welcome to the nuthouse, affectionately known as RF, btw. That said, yes, you are quite wrong. I am a "strong atheist" who has rushed to support Christians on RF, particularly Mormons being attacked by other so-called "Christians". I also enjoy close relationships with many RF Christians and Christians in real life. When asked why I am not a follower of Christ I often smile and say that I'm a friend of the family and one simply does not worship ones friends. That would be a little more than a bit weird.

So... you want me to say summin' nice about Christianity? Hmmmmm... that IS a toughie.
I've always used the "golden rule" as a yardstick in my life. It just seems reasonable.

I'm also a fan of DO others as you would have them DO you.

Also, I'm not prone to quoting any books, as I have enough linguistic dexterity to express myself in most situations, but I've always loved,
Matty 17:20 - He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” In my life, I've taken this idea further than most could possibly imagine and can attest to the truthfulness of the statement.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

@Reggie Miller, if you were willing to be a bit more polite and a listen to other people, you'd likely get a much clearer picture regarding what people actually think and feel. The way you're doing this, you're not going to get very many productive responses and will come away no more informed than when you started.

@Reggie Miller

I agree with Kirran. Your stay would be more pleasant if you are a little more open in what people say and polite. You don't have to read every one's post in full; but, you have to at least, if skimming, find the core point and context before replying. How you conduct yourself on RF would help make a better experience *cough* and this is from personal experience.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I'm not trying to be rude but if you are not an atheist then the OP was not addressed to you.

Agnosticism, in the context of Abrahamic Monotheism, IS a kind of atheism, so the OP was very much addressed to me.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Well many of the atheists here are Humanists, and that's basically a secular offshoot of Christianity.

They should really have a lot of of gratitude to Christianity as the Humanist worldview is its legacy.

(for some reason though, Humanists tend to really hate even considering this idea)

Yeah, you have a point. Although I think it's human nature. I've met Christians who don't like to acknowledge that Jesus was Jewish. When you think you've 'improved' on something, casting aside the old seems somewhat de rigueur.

Christianity was also a major driving force in the abolitionist movement which most people should be happy about too.

Sure. I think what happens when you have an overwhelmingly Christian society is that Christianity can become a driving force in many things, both good and bad. It's a common theme when examining early science, for example, or even art (although I know bugger all about art). I try not to throw every bad thing that happened at the foot of Christianity, and probably don't give it due credit where it should get it either. Much of the time, things (rightly and wrongly) were done by Christians. Christianity was in their world view. Was it that which drove their actions? How much?

Dunno. Beyond me. I suspect it influences much and controls little.

 

[Neo Deist]

*laughs*

You're almost 4 years too late, mate.
But in case you're interested, here is the back story, just for giggles.

I posted a fair amount on a basketball website at one point, under the same username I use here. It has basketball connotations, and I'm a Celtics fan (I prefer Reggie Lewis not Miller, basically).
NBA player Jason Collins came out as the first openly gay pro athlete in America, and all of a sudden our basketball geek website had sexual politics thrust upon it.

There were some fairly extreme posts (to my mind) and others in support. One who was very much anti claimed to not be a Christian, but to be a Deist. Didn't really ring true to me, based on what I knew of Deism, but what I knew was basically limited to studying the Founding Fathers to some degree. Not much about modern Deism.

Anyways, I still think the guy was full of crap. Part of his position involved it not being part of God's design, which didn't sound like any flavour of Deism I'd ever heard of. But I googled to try and find a multi-faith discussion site. Rest is history.

...and then Neo Deist came to RF, everything was made right, and the sun shone brighter for the rest of the planet. Just thought I'd finish the story for you.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I think the bible contains more bad moral lessons than good ones as it is ultimately authoritarian not consequentialist, and highly prejudicial towards women, gays, foreigners and foreign religions, but even much more outspoken atheists like Dawkins can and has listed what he enjoys about Christianity, including the essential impact it had on language and narrative prose.

Your title is very much wrong though. While there may be some really outspoken atheists against Christianity and Abrahamic religions, most of even the most outspoken still hold very civil and rational conversations with a great many other religions and philosophies represented here, from pagan, animistic, Buddhist, Hindu, Deist et all. This website isn't by and for Christians, after all. 'You're so vain, I bet you think this website's about you.'

 

[lewisnotmiller]

...and then Neo Deist came to RF, everything was made right, and the sun shone brighter for the rest of the planet. Just thought I'd finish the story for you.

I was looking for a happy ending.
Up until now I just had '...and Lewisnotmiller outstayed his welcome in typical Australian fashion'.
Yours has a nicer ring to it.

 

[viole]

Am I wrong? Can any of you atheists say anything good about Christianity at all?

We don't hate Christianity. Well, I do not. I don't hate Paganism, either. I think Apollo and Thor look cute. I also feel no animosity against believers in garden fairies.

Since Christianity, paganism, garden fairies, and the other thousands of figments of people imagination, share the same evidence and plausibility, at least for me, it would be very tiring to hate them all, since I do not like to give preferences to equally plausible claims.

Sometimes I say that we love the believer but hate the belief. But that is a joke, obviously.

By the way, without Christianity, the movie the Life of Brian and other great humans endeavors inspired by Christianity, would probably not exist.

Ciao

- viole

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I think the bible contains more bad moral lessons than good ones as it is ultimately authoritarian not consequentialist, and highly prejudicial towards women, gays, foreigners and foreign religions, but even much more outspoken atheists like Dawkins can and has listed what he enjoys about Christianity, including the essential impact it had on language and narrative prose.

Of course, some Christians disregard certain interpretations of the Bible anyway...

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Of course, some Christians disregard certain interpretations of the Bible anyway...

Oh I know. I can only speak of my interpretation of the bible and the intent of its authors. And I don't think that those qualities were absent in either their beliefs or their writing. But I understand that is, at the end of the day, my interpretation.

 

[Acim]

Am I wrong?

I would say partially right, mostly wrong. But depends a bit on what you mean by "many." If say 10 to 20, then perhaps, you are right as you filter it. If saying majority, then I'd find it mostly wrong.

There's many reasons to be on RF. Go hang out in politics section and see how very little religion/spirituality is discussed. Lots of things to discuss, overall, on RF and atheists are right there in those discussions, not actively hating on Christianity.

It's not like a Gnostic Christian such as myself is enamored by the orthodox Christian understandings and/or blasphemies, i.e. God stopped talking to humanity right after the bible was written.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I was looking for a happy ending.
Up until now I just had '...and Lewisnotmiller outstayed his welcome in typical Australian fashion'.
Yours has a nicer ring to it.

Well, as long as you bring beer and have shrimp on the barbie, everything is cool!

 

[Kuzcotopia]

Am I wrong? Can any of you atheists say anything good about Christianity at all?

Many institutions associated with Christianity often encourage philanthropy.

 

[LuisDantas]

It seems to me that many of the atheists on here are just here because they hate Christianity.

I am here mostly because I value religion and find it worth protecting from the most common and most damaging misconceptions.

Do I hate Christianity? I don't think so. I don't particularly value it, though.

Am I wrong? Can any of you atheists say anything good about Christianity at all?

Many Christians try very hard and very sincerely to be the best people they can, often enough making their doctrines that much better for it.

If any atheists responding could compliment my religion too, that'd be cool.

I'm actually rather fond of Hinduism, to the point that I have recently found myself wondering if I would not become a Shakta if I happened upon a good Guru.

(Edited to fix the spelling of "Shakta").

 

[Reggie Miller]

Thanks for all the responses.