A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Why do many people find atheism offensive? When I'm asked about my religion, I say that I'm not religious. When I'm asked further, I simply state that I'm atheist. If the asker is religious then they seem put off. Yet they asked. It's not something I say on my own. Why do many people find atheism offensive, yet so few people find believing in God or Christianity offensive? Respectfully, I find the far end of the aforementioned somewhat insulting to human intelligence. While traveling, I stumbled across an atheist monument with a powerful and touching quote. I thought it was very meaningful and relevant so I shared it online. But I still wonder if I offended some friends, even though I don't say anything when they post religious things. Thoughts?
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female
reader, anonymous, writes (2 December 2013): I'm not religious myself, but I believe it probably has something to do with the fact that people turn to religion in times of need, and your view is threatening their hypothetical crutch. It is after all, cruel to take someone's faith and hope from them. They're also probably offended if you've ever implied you think them stupid for their beliefs, you can't judge a persons intelligence by how much they agree with your beliefs, especially when nothing has been proven or effectively disproven.
A
female
reader, like I see it +, writes (2 December 2013):
 I believe there may be an entity or entities out there greater than ourselves but if so, I very highly doubt it is/they are an old bearded dude anatomically identical to humans. Like you I don't usually discuss my beliefs with others because so few people are able to have a civilized conversation on the subject with someone whose beliefs are different from their own.
One of the things I find very annoying about certain "flavors" of Christianity in particular is that it's not enough for adherents to hold a belief themselves. Their religion literally compels them to go out and spread the word. When I was a freshman in college I had a couple born-agains walk into my dorm room without knocking or asking to inquire as to whether or not I'd found Jesus. Being less mature at the time I walked over and opened the closet and told them they were welcome to help me look! Heh.
My point is, these are the people who will resent and feel threatened by your atheism. They believe it is their purpose on earth to make sure as many people as possible know about and believe in *their version* of God. By holding a position that you yourself have deeply considered and arrived at via logical thought patterns you are the hardest type of person for devout Christians to deal with. By having the beliefs you do you're saying (without actually speaking a word) that you've sat down and considered their side and determined it to be a fairy-tale crock of s**t.
As I said, I'm not Christian, but if I were I'd find atheists even more threatening than, say, Muslims or Mormons, because at least those faiths also acknowledge the supposed existence of a God - albeit a different edition than the Christian God. It's less of a stretch, I would think, to try and get someone to change their perception of God than to go from completely denying one to completely accepting a certain version of one.
You have to remember that Christianity (and other organized religions) are under attack, and will continue to be as science advances. Devout parents may want to raise their kids to believe the world was literally created in seven days and that we're all descended from two people who sinned because of a talking snake, but those same kids then go to school and read about evolution and the fossil record in science class. They learn the conclusions that science has reached about the age of the universe. They go to social studies and learn that people all over the world believe different things thantheir parents about how the world came to be. And some of them, like you, start thinking for themselves and draw their own conclusions about human existence. THAT'S what Christianity is afraid of.
Be respectful of others' beliefs, but don't be afraid or ashamed to express your own. As others have said, those who criticize or judge you for daring to express a different opinion speak volumes about their own character and intellect by doing so.
Good luck and best wishes :)
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A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (2 December 2013):
 I was raised Jewish. I am no longer "practicing" my faith but I still identify as "Jewish" although for practical purposes I'm more of an agnostic. To be specific I would have to call myself a an agnostic, heathen secular Jew.... what a mess.
So I say nothing. This time of year is really hard too as folks who for the rest of the year don't care, CRAM their "religion" down folks throats. And if you ask about their PAGAN Christmas tree... be prepared to have your butt handed to you.
So here's my take on it.
1. i don't care what others believe as long as they don't force me to believe it.
2. if other folks do not want to be friends with me due to my lack of organized religion or my husband's atheist feelings, it's their loss.
3. many of my friends are church going folks (weekly even) and yet we manage to get along just fine.
WHO cares if YOU offended someone, they don't care if they offend you...right?
I always told my kids "we have vanilla chocolate and strawberry because not everyone likes vanilla" it's the same with religion.
Learn to live your life to please yourself. You will find over time, that not everyone agrees with you and you don't agree with everyone else and that's FINE. RESPECT is the key.
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A
female
reader, Foot-In-My-Mouth  +, writes (2 December 2013):
 If your atheism offends someone, that's a clear sign that they're close-minded, narrow and probably stupid. Great way of finding out how people really are, isn't it? Unfortunately, society tolerates much religious nonsense but has little patience for rationality and scepticism. I never talk about my atheism unless asked and while I do post about it, I unfriend anyone who complains about it on my wall. That way, I am left with an open-minded lot of people as friends.
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A
male
reader, Sageoldguy1465 +, writes (2 December 2013):
 Those of us who are considered pragmatists (you sound like one of us) do not subscribe to religious/faith dogma for whatever reason they (we) may have.... BUT there's no "right" or "wrong" in such a discussion....
Religion/faith, or "not religion/faith", is/are strictly PERSONAL attributes. IF someone should ask one about that aspect of "who they are" then they might expect a straightforward answer that is a DESCRIPTION of the responder... and (that description) shouldn't be subject to criticism or judgement. Just as if someone asked you: "What is the your phone number?".. and you replied with it.
That said.... there are MANY people who believe that religion/faith - specifically, THEIR R/F - is "correct" or "superior" (to any other) and, thereby, THEY ARE entitled to critique someone else's "religion/not religion."
To which I say, "Keep your judgements to yourself, please."
OP: You can keep on truckin' and don't worry about this matter....
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A
female
reader, Honeypie + ♥, writes (2 December 2013):
 Religion and politics are two things that will drive people nuts discussing. And it's also one of those subjects that can start a war, kill a person and make people mad.
But here is my guess, MANY Christians don't understand Atheism, they don't even want to know what it stands for they just think it's the opposite of THEIR beliefs so therefor it MUST be bad.
I'm of the Old Faith (Asatro) and have have a couple of Christian friends who are interested in knowing why and how my "faith" works for me, I have one friend, who thinks it stupid because it's "not really a religion and never was" (that was her statement) Guess what? I don't care. I could have spend hours taking apart Christianity (because unlike her, I have actually read the Bible several times and TALKED to people of different religions because I am curious and want to understand other. One thing that MANY religions tell us is to respects others. To me that means their religious views too.) But instead of doing what SHE did to me, I have suggested we come to an agreement that we do not discuss religion. Works for me, works for her.
Post pictures on FB if it is significant to YOU - screw what they think. THEY DO NOT have to like everything you post, nor do YOU have to like everything THEY post. It's JUST Facebook. What they say will tell you something significant about them too, don't you think?
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