A Deep, Philosophical Question · 4:46pm Feb 25th, 2015
I'll say right off the bat, I'm a Christian. More specifically, a Roman Catholic Christian. I really have no hate for anyone of any religion (or lack thereof), be they Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Shontoist, Taoist, Zoroastrinist, Atheist or any other possible thing, be it a denomination or sub-genre of a religion. I don't hate terrorists because they are Muslim. I hate them because they are barbaric assholes that chop off people's heads and shoot up civilians: religion has nothing to do with it, as I would hate anyone else who would do the same, be they Christian, Jew, Atheist or "other". I don't like Westboro Baptists, but I don't hate them, and while I find Scientology and Kwanzaa somewhat ridiculous (both having been completely fabricated in the last 50 years), I really don't hate those who practice it.
However, I am in a quandary. The internet is filled with those who bash Christianity; just look through the comments on any Youtube religious video and you'll see what I mean. I can take the "heaven is fake" or "you are dumb for believing this, there is no proof, it's impossible", or at least, I like to think I can. It can get hard seeing so much hate towards what you personally believe when it does not affect those who spout such anger. However, over the years, I began to notice something, especially in the news.
When it comes to American atheists (or should I say, the really obnoxious ones, seeing as the vast majority of atheists aren't in-your-face assholes, just as the vast majority of Muslim aren't terrorists), I've noticed that they always criticize Christianity and the people who are a part of it. Yet, for all that apparent hate by so select few of a vast number of atheists who likely just want to live their lives in peace (a good goal regardless of religion), they only seem to target Christians like myself.
Not Buddhists.
Not Jews.
Not Hindus.
Not Shintoists.
Especially not Muslims.
Not pretty much any other religion, be it animism, shamanism or countless other examples across the world.
It's (seemingly) just Christians like myself.
So, I began to wonder why. Then, slowly, it dawned on me. Christianity, even with exponentially-growing populations of them in Africa, parts of Asia and the lower Americas (central and southern), it is viewed as a "white" religion. Seeing as, at least in America, only "whites" apparently can be racist, I began to realize that the really militant atheists only take pot-shots at those who cannot defend themselves without either looking like fools or being portrayed as intolerant assholes.
Pretty much anyone can say anything about whites (it seems) without being labelled as bigots or racists or intolerant, because, well, the victims are "white". White people are often blamed for most problems in the world at large, and in many cases, there is quite some truth to that. However, it is not an all-encompassing thing, and people need to realize this. Whites are not, in the words of some, the "cancer on the human race"; we're just people whose more recent history is not the "best".
So, when you see it on the news or the internet, militant (and Youtube comment-section) atheists try to use logic and rhetoric of sorts to say we're <insert descriptive insult>, but in reality, I've come to realize one thing.
They are cowards.
Why?
Because they don't (seem to) try and "call out" the same for other religions, likely for fear of being labelled that which they label Christians who try and fight back: racist, intolerant, Nazi, insensitive, bigot, bully, oppressor, etc. They care about their image of being "right" and "logical", but in the end, they only go after the "easy" targets. They (seemingly) have no interest or desire in trying to actually target any other religion, for the reasons I just stated.
So, my question to you is this: regardless of you or your stances on religion, be you a believer or not of any of the thousands of religions in the world today, tell me... am I onto something with this? Or am I completely wrong and this has all just been a big waste of time?
THANK YOU!!!! Finally someone else who understands.
Just look at the no longer aired episode of south park about the 'super best friends' where Mohammed was just another character in the show like Jesus and Moses and Buddha, but it was permanently taken off the air for making fun of Islam. Very few people blame all Muslims for the various free speech problems caused by this sort of thing, but if a Christian writes a letter complaining about atheists comments in a show, suddenly all Christians are bigoted neo-nazis.
We aren't the minority, so we're easy targets, and no one cares because we have it better than they do.
Honestly, I think theres a misconception here. As an Atheist, and one of the I don't care what you practice just don't preach to me variety, the reason you see the asshole variety attack Christianity is because they come from a Christian background. Christianity would be considered the major religion in America, and while they're are a number of reasons to become an Athiest, the one that causes such anger and blind hatred is that they feel God or their religion has failed them and the world. So to put it simply, they hate on the religion they were or were born into, which essentially by way of odds is Christianity. Catholics coup quite a bit of the crap too, but that's another fairly large spread religion.
I'd say that you're right on a few levels, but it's not that white christians are "easy targets", it's because they're the ones that affect athiests the most; that try to force their religious beliefs on them the most, like trying to force their kids to only believe in young earth creationism.
I see MANY atheists acting strongly against muslims, whether it be bad-mouthing and insulting their beliefs, fiercely debating them, or participating in "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day" (May 20th) , but since an overwhelming majority of muslims here (in america) are peaceful and don't try to do the kind of things that get them that criticism, and the ones that do deserve that criticism are already getting it from just about everyone else in the entire world, we don't see it as often from them...
Arguing about religion is as stupid as the people usually doing it.
I really have nothing more to say.
...
Except that being agnostic is fun.
Although is it still being agnostic if I say that none of the religions and things in them that we humans have created are bullshit, but there's still a possibility of a greater being and/or life after death?
I think it is...
...or is it Apatheism?
Eh fuck it I'll just make up a new one on the go when I have time. Unless someone smarter (or rather someone who likes to use Google more) tells me.
You are absolutely right. you say anything bad about Islam, you are called a racist. You say anything bad about Christianity, no one cares. Some just want to feel better by pushing others down and if you go for the "oppressors" you will avoid criticism.
What this is called is hypocrisy
I'm a Deist.
holy shit! and i tought i couldnt like you even more
You dont know how many times i felt like that when comes to religion
i would actually say yes and no, due to the fact that i as much as all other atheists i know are "bashing" all religions, but due to Christianity being the strongest around us it's often that one that gets most of the flak, not out of fear of being called racists or other similar insult. If i could i would have a long conversation between the major religions and myself about religion and how it affects the world around us. Also on the point of Christianity being the most bashed (i presume in USA, due to me living in Sweden and we have about 90% atheist populace and we "bash" on all religions (maybe Christianity more due to the fact it's the major religion in the western world)) is because it's the largest religion in the west world and as such it has the largest influence on our life's. Whilst i personally believe that religion is something that should only be personal and communal and as such shouldn't influence government and society as much as it does right now. And before people might mention the increased popularity of "Sverigedemokraterna" (a very racist political party) their increase of this is because failure of information and those who vote on them are bigots who blames others for their misery.
2829706 This. It's not about cowardice, or about whiteness. Perhaps for a very small number of genuine bullies that's the case, but mostly what it's about is the fact that they've grown up with parents, teachers, and others all around them cramming Christianity down their throats at every opportunity, and the more they push back against it, the more people try to somehow make them believe. I saw it happening to my own brother, who just didn't like going to church, and who left it entirely, not really because of the initial dislike of boring meetings, but because of the way that made everybody jump all over a poor, bored kid and try to force him to do something he hated.
(I am Christian myself, but I have a lot of sympathy with people who've had religion shoved at them like that. I'm still religious very much in spite of how many people have been dicks to me within my own faith, not because of it.)
Also... there is a lot of Muslim-bashing out there. The thing is that nobody is Muslim-bashing at you, and if you should happen to see it happen somewhere, it doesn't feel personal, it's not going to burn it's way into your heart, so you may not even notice it, or if you do, you may have forgotten it by the end of the day. It's very natural to notice and remember hatred directed at you more than hatred directed at people you don't know.
I definitely do know some atheists who are specifically anti-Christian, of course, but there are plenty who aren't hypocrites about it. They're just not going to turn up on your radar. Just the way Christians who aren't hypocrites and actually follow Christ's message of love don't turn up on say... a gay person's radar the way the Westborough Baptists do. I've run into many people who insist all Christians are bigots, just because the only Christians they happen to notice are bigots, since those bigots are the ones screaming at the top of their lungs, while the rest of us are quietly going about our not-bigoted lives.
Atheists aren't going to be all the same any more than Christians are all the same.
Yes. You're absolutely correct. As one of the very rare atheists who actually focuses my ire at the most irrational, obnoxious and violent religions rather than the least ones, I've noticed this: most atheists are actually just anti-Christian.
There's an oblique insult here to non-Christian faiths ... it's obvious that atheists don't consider them to be "real religions" in the same sense as they do Christianity.
"OBITUARY FOR THE LATE MR. COMMON SENSE
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and Maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get Parental consent to administer Calpol, sun lotion or a band-aid to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 3 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing."
Common sense isn't so common today is it?
I was someone similar to what you described for a time. I'll tell you how it happened.
First I was raised as a Christian to believe that the Old Testament was literal, although that's just because I was too young to understand metaphors at the time.
I realized that the Old Testament was bullshit, because there's no way the world could have been flooded. It makes no sense literally. Because of this, I rejected all religion as false and became atheist. I then started participating in yahoo questions with rhetorical questions to try to convince Christians that their religion was false because I was angry at it for making me believe something false my whole life, and because it was the only religion I knew well enough to discredit. There were a number of other atheists on it targeting Christianity specifically, probably in similar situations to me. There were roughly as many Christians doing the exact same thing to atheists though. I then realized that religion was a whole lot more complicated after a few months though and am still trying to decide on my stance.
My time hating on Christians though had absolutely nothing to do with cowardice or race, rather it was because of ignorance and anger.
I see your point, but I'm not sure if it's true. Christianity is probably taking a lot of hits since it's one of the biggest out of them all. Your going to see a lot of slang against it in the states for sure. Though I doubt that the other religions don't take any hits. It's human nature to hate or disagree about something and religion is one of the biggest targets out their. You are going to have comments against any religion even if it is just because someone has a different one. Though I myself have no real alliance to any religion, I'm basically as neutral as you are going to get.
I respect all religions (within reason, I mean like the morally wrong and terrible religions that may exist in remote parts of the planet wouldn't be okay in my eyes because duh) although I'm atheist. I completely understand the belief of having a god(s), and I think religion is for the most part a good thing. I'm friends with religious people that I find amazing company (mostly Christian because I live in the west
) and I'm happy that we can coexist without much argument over the matter. Carry on, religious whomevers. 
2830020 I have to agree with this point. One example is when America, I believe while under McKinley, went to china and enacted the open door policy for free trade opportunity, but, of course, the first people who actually went over there right after this was a bunch of Christian ministers in an attempt to convert the Chinese to Christianity... The Chinese already hated the other foreign powers influence, and this didn't exactly make them happy, seeing as Christianity was being forced upon them, and they didn't even have a say in the open door policy to begin with.
I don't think it's the everyday believer's fault, just the freaking people up top who keep bludgeoning people with their constant and persistent attempts to convert everyone they see...
the main reason atheists go for Christians (sorry to say) is because they have a very bad track record and they spout the most bs in america and atheists and everyone else have been so long been persecuted by christians now atheists feel that we are not in major danger to be open so now the atheists are lashing out (kind of revenge) or because your sick and tired of being picked on (and most of the time we debunkor criticize the people that NEED to be criticized while my belief is don't shove it down other peoples throats no problems will arise but i will personally call out people that need to be called out
now sometimes you should thank us for "attacking" these people because they are a insult to christianity entirely just like isis,taliban, and alqueda are an insult to islam and you christians probably attack atheisom more than we we atheists attack christianity no anger im not attacking you just laying out a few things that i hope you stay up thinking about
2833060 Um... I think that whole thing was one sentence.
Regardless, I'm talking about on the internet. (Militant) atheists seem to congregate and attack those of other beliefs here because, in my view, they wouldn't DREAM of saying it to their face. I'm not saying Christians don't do it too, I'm just saying it seems to be more prevalent here than in the real world.
2833358 well there are always internet tough
people are going to insult and degrade you everyday of your life best thing to do is get some thick skin and don't let it bother you
that's my philosophy at least
Guys let's put it that way
I think that hating someone just because they are a christian is almost as bad as racism,
if you prejudge someone because they are a part of a religion race or fandom that's the root of racism.