Why are atheists interested in religion?

[HiddenHijabi]

Atheism is a religion within itself. A religion with the core tenet of 'God does not exist'.

Like any religion, Atheists do their fair share of proselytizing and preaching their philosophy to all and sundry.

They are just as passionate about their 'no God policy' as believers are about God.

Atheists all want to 'wake up deluded people' who still believe in an illogical, irrational deity, because they see it as being the downfall of society and also, others beliefs in a God are having a negative/detrimental effect on their personal lives and they wish to change that.

They cannot change another's beliefs, so they become officially 'Atheist' to cement their resolve.

Atheists shouldn't worry about what other people believe in if they don't, but like I said, Atheists are just as mad about proselytizing as Muslims and Christians are - if not moreso!

They want to see a world ruled by science and logic, where God has no part of that.

Little do they know, they actually have no say in it.

Atheists generally don't see it as a atheism vs. theism debate though. They see it as a battle between the rational and the irrational, between ideas with provable evidence (such as the theory of relativity) or a fairly argued rationale (such as a theory about anthropology or psychology). Their stance isn't that there isn't a god, which I don't think I've heard said by any atheist, but that it can be rationally assumed based on critical analysis of the evidence points towards the non-existence of a deity (of any sort), and for the falsehood of organised religion.

They also take issue where religion has been proven to have known negative effects, such as Richard Dawkins' example about creationism and the effect it has on the advancement of science and of technologies such as stem-cell medicine or vaccinations. As Christopher Hitchens points out, no atheist would bulldoze Notre Dame or Makkah simply because they're religious places, nor would atheists take issue if the sort of subtle nuanced religion of someone like Dietrich Boenhoeffer was the norm.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Atheists don't believe in God but there are many who participate in this forum. I'm glad they do because their opinions and knowledge are very interesting but I don't understand their motivation.
If someone doesn't believe in a deity, why be interested in religion?

Religion is a cultural phenomenon that has deeply influenced many of the major human civilizations throughout history. It's a large field of knowledge that helps to shape cultures regardless of whether or not one is religious, so it seems to me that it's perfectly normal for atheists to be interested in it.

 

[Revoltingest]

Atheists shouldn't worry about what other people believe in if they don't, but like I said, Atheists are just as mad about proselytizing as Muslims and Christians are - if not moreso!

Hey! You didn't have spray me with the garden hose when I offered you my pamphlet at your front door.
(I'm copying my JW friends' tactics.)

 

[McBell]

Atheists don't believe in God but there are many who participate in this forum. I'm glad they do because their opinions and knowledge are very interesting but I don't understand their motivation.
If someone doesn't believe in a deity, why be interested in religion?

Because of this type of blatant dellusion and misinformation:

Atheism is a religion within itself. A religion with the core tenet of 'God does not exist'.

Like any religion, Atheists do their fair share of proselytizing and preaching their philosophy to all and sundry.

They are just as passionate about their 'no God policy' as believers are about God.

Atheists all want to 'wake up deluded people' who still believe in an illogical, irrational deity, because they see it as being the downfall of society and also, others beliefs in a God are having a negative/detrimental effect on their personal lives and they wish to change that.

They cannot change another's beliefs, so they become officially 'Atheist' to cement their resolve.

Atheists shouldn't worry about what other people believe in if they don't, but like I said, Atheists are just as mad about proselytizing as Muslims and Christians are - if not moreso!

They want to see a world ruled by science and logic, where God has no part of that.

Little do they know, they actually have no say in it.

​

 

[Straw Dog]

A lot of people are interested in sports that don't actually play.

 

[nilsz]

I am interested in this forum in large part because I am occasionally fond of passionate discussions, and because I'd like to further refine my personal philosophy. I can appreciate the perspectives of theists despite our differences.

The justifications for holding an atheist position are varied. I don't think of my step mother as particularly "rational," as she is a sucker for alternative medicine. If she was to justify her atheism, I suspect she would characterize Christianity as misogynist.

 

[camanintx]

Atheists don't believe in God but there are many who participate in this forum. I'm glad they do because their opinions and knowledge are very interesting but I don't understand their motivation.
If someone doesn't believe in a deity, why be interested in religion?

The forum is called "Religious Forums", not "Religion Forums". While atheists don't believe in God itself, they have more than just a passing interest in those who believe in God.

 

[cottage]

Atheism is a religion within itself. A religion with the core tenet of 'God does not exist'.

Like any religion, Atheists do their fair share of proselytizing and preaching their philosophy to all and sundry.

There are quite a number of sweeping assertions in the above, an extremely narrow and prejudiced view when in fact atheism is a broad church, if you’ll forgive the pun.

Some theists argue that atheism is a committed belief or a blind faith that there is no God, and it is therefore akin to religious belief. You can have a committed belief that a thing exists with the assumption that there is possible, yet to be discovered evidence, but it makes no sense to speak of having blind faith that a deity doesn’t exist, because there can be no evidence for a thing’s non-existence outside of possible experience

Atheism even at its most extreme is only a response to theism: no theism, then no atheism. Atheists do not believe ‘There are no gods’ as a matter of profound faith any more than a theist (or anyone else) believes with the same level of commitment that ‘There are no aliens’. The absolute crux of the matter is to recognise that the mystic’s committed and emotional belief in God, or gods, is a different species altogether from those who have no reason to believe in such. Even the most ardent or strong atheists can make no claims to certainty, but are constrained by what can be empirically known and logically demonstrated. Theists by definition believe in God/gods. Atheists by definition lack such a belief-in, although they believe that there are no gods. Even hard or strong atheists that believe that there are no gods must still allow that gods are logically possible. But when do we hear theists say: ‘I believe in God, but God might not exist’. We don’t! And that of course is because one cannot logically believe in something while at the same time believing that it might not exist?

They are just as passionate about their 'no God policy' as believers are about God.

Atheists all want to 'wake up deluded people' who still believe in an illogical, irrational deity, because they see it as being the downfall of society and also, others beliefs in a God are having a negative/detrimental effect on their personal lives and they wish to change that.

They cannot change another's beliefs, so they become officially 'Atheist' to cement their resolve.


Atheists shouldn't worry about what other people believe in if they don't, but like I said, Atheists are just as mad about proselytizing as Muslims and Christians are - if not moreso!

I think you’re generalizing and overstating what atheists are and what they do. In my case I’m only interested in the arguments for God, without troubling myself as to whether anything corresponds to the concept in actuality. And it certainly isn’t the case that those who see no reason to believe supernatural deities are real and existent are all militant atheists that think believers are delusional and the downfall of society.

They want to see a world ruled by science and logic, where God has no part of that.

Objectively speaking the world is of course already ruled by science and logic, the God aspect is merely subjective opinion.

 

[idav]

They also take issue where religion has been proven to have known negative effects, such as Richard Dawkins' example about creationism.....

Theists should be concerned about the negative aspects too, not just atheists. The religious tend to reject other religions and atheists just go one religion further as far as not believing.

 

[Enai de a lukal]

Atheists don't believe in God but there are many who participate in this forum. I'm glad they do because their opinions and knowledge are very interesting but I don't understand their motivation.
If someone doesn't believe in a deity, why be interested in religion?

Well, if one wasn't interested enough in religion to even think about the matter in the first place, one would not be an atheist, seeing as atheism is the position that theism is false. So clearly to be an atheist at all, one must have at least enough interest in religion to think about the matter.

 

[Caladan]

I think I have a related question. Why are Christians interested in a non Christian religious forum, or Why do Muslims, or Satanists?
Well you get the idea. All people have an agenda and beliefs, many are also interested in understanding where others are coming from.

 

[Enai de a lukal]

I think I have a related question. Why are Christians interested in a non Christian religious forum, or Why do Muslims, or Satanists?
Well you get the idea. All people have an agenda and beliefs, many are also interested in understanding where others are coming from.

Well, and on a more basic and obvious level, people have interests, and there isn't always a good explanation for their interests- some people are interested in sports while some are not, some people are interested in politics while some are not. Same goes for religion.

 

[HiddenHijabi]

Theists should be concerned about the negative aspects too, not just atheists. The religious tend to reject other religions and atheists just go one religion further as far as not believing.

I think a lot of religious people do care about the negative aspects, but atheists tend to be very public in voicing their opinions.

 

[idav]

I think a lot of religious people do care about the negative aspects, but atheists tend to be very public in voicing their opinions.

Religious tend to be vocal about religions that are not their own.

 

[Alceste]

I come for the quality of discussion and subject matter of the threads in sections that interest me. I hardly ever get into discussions of god or religion here.

I used to go to an Irish music forum that had sections for discussing anything you felt like talking about. I didn't bother with any threads about Irish music. Then they got rid of that section due to anal retentive Irish musicians complaining that all those other discussions were getting in the way of discussions about Irish music. That was just before the US started the wars in the ME, which just seemed more important and interesting a subject to me than how to keep your pipes in tune.

For all I care, this could be a knitting forum or a Justin Bieber fan club. If Mystic Sangha, Sunstone, Dustin, Kilgore Trout, Horrorble, sandandfoam, both the penguins and even Reverend Rick were there, I would find it and make myself at home.

Also, I'm a taoist. Ever been to a taoist forum? It's a total snore.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Atheism is a religion within itself. A religion with the core tenet of 'God does not exist'.

Like any religion, Atheists do their fair share of proselytizing and preaching their philosophy to all and sundry.

They are just as passionate about their 'no God policy' as believers are about God.

Atheists all want to 'wake up deluded people' who still believe in an illogical, irrational deity, because they see it as being the downfall of society and also, others beliefs in a God are having a negative/detrimental effect on their personal lives and they wish to change that.

They cannot change another's beliefs, so they become officially 'Atheist' to cement their resolve.

Atheists shouldn't worry about what other people believe in if they don't, but like I said, Atheists are just as mad about proselytizing as Muslims and Christians are - if not moreso!

They want to see a world ruled by science and logic, where God has no part of that.

Little do they know, they actually have no say in it.

You mean anti-theists. Those are ones who get all preachy and make other atheists look bad.

 

[Alceste]

You mean anti-theists. Those are ones who get all preachy and make other atheists look bad.

Yeah, and there aren't that many of those either. Painting all of us as a super-aggressive Richard Dawkins fan club is about as fair as painting all Christians as members of the Westboro Baptist Church.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

If someone doesn't believe in a deity, why be interested in religion?

If someone isn't interested in an answer, why would they ask a question?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Yeah, and there aren't that many of those either. Painting all of us as a super-aggressive Richard Dawkins fan club is about as fair as painting all Christians as members of the Westboro Baptist Church.

Very true. :yes:

 

[psychoslice]

I am an agnostic who had my childhood spoilt by the crazy, 'you must be 'born again' or go to hell', garbage. I have no problem with moderate live and let live Christians, but will always challenge the extremists.

This is how I see it also, if there is no one questioning the extremist of any religion, the extremist will take over or way of free thinking.