10 Myths about atheists debunked

[Luddly Neddite]

10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.

By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet

April 14, 2015


In a regular poll conducted by political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell on American political attitudes, atheists recently lost their spot as as the most disliked group in America to the Tea Party. Still, number two is simply way too high in the unpopularity rankings for a group of people who just happen to spend Sunday mornings in bed instead of in church. Polling data shows that nearly half of Americans would disapprove if their child married an atheist and nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t see atheists as sharing their vision of American society, numbers that outstripped similar prejudices toward Muslims and African Americans.

Of course, the real reason atheists are so hated has little to do with jealousy for all their free time, but largely because most Americans are better acquainted with myths than with the realities of atheists' lives. Unfortunately, atheists often have these myths tossed in their faces, usually by believers who would rather talk about what they heard atheists are like rather than uncomfortable subjects such as the lack of proof for any gods.

These myths do more than hurt atheists. They also harm the basic religious freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Religious freedom and tolerance don’t mean much if they can’t be expanded to include those without religion. With that in mind, here’s 10 of the ugliest myths about atheists, debunked:

I had no idea that some people feel this strongly about atheism or that atheists are hated BECAUSE they're atheists.

Read the list at the link.

 

[Dr Grump]

The only reason atheists were at the top of the list in the US was because the God-botherers put them there. Because we all know the Jesus Freaks are the only ones with empathy, a moral compass yadda, yadda, yadda. Us heathens can't possible know right from wrong without some fantasy-driven omnipotent being showing us the way....

 

[Delta4Embassy]

For all intents and purposes I'm an atheist and the nicest guy you could ever hope to live next door to.

At the grocery store this last Thursday a lady behind me notiicng all the chocolate chips for the cookies I bake every week asked if they were for baking cookies. "Ya, I bake em every weekend." - "Oh for your church?" "No, for my neighbors and apartment's maintenance team, and whoever walks by my apartment."

Why is it people assume if you do something nice if has to be for your church? Can't people just be good neighbors because that's what you're supposed to do?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

The only reason atheists were at the top of the list in the US was because the God-botherers put them there. Because we all know the Jesus Freaks are the only ones with empathy, a moral compass yadda, yadda, yadda. Us heathens can't possible know right from wrong without some fantasy-driven omnipotent being showing us the way....

Remember that vile fantasy of Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson where he preached about raping and torturing children and and adults, that his belief stops him from doing that while allowing atheists to do the worst. That same disgusting fundie monster preached that children should be forced to marry adult men.

 

[amrchaos]

Oh come on

Every Atheist is a rude, hedonistic god hating white guy that is trying to destroy christmas!!

I just thought of something--not one of those descriptors fit me! I guess I am an exception.

 

[BluePhantom]

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.
.

Yeah....cause one need only browse through the posts by Sealy, Huggy, Guno, and yourself to see evidence of the love you fill the boards with on a daily basis.

 

[PratchettFan]

10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.

By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet

April 14, 2015


In a regular poll conducted by political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell on American political attitudes, atheists recently lost their spot as as the most disliked group in America to the Tea Party. Still, number two is simply way too high in the unpopularity rankings for a group of people who just happen to spend Sunday mornings in bed instead of in church. Polling data shows that nearly half of Americans would disapprove if their child married an atheist and nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t see atheists as sharing their vision of American society, numbers that outstripped similar prejudices toward Muslims and African Americans.

Of course, the real reason atheists are so hated has little to do with jealousy for all their free time, but largely because most Americans are better acquainted with myths than with the realities of atheists' lives. Unfortunately, atheists often have these myths tossed in their faces, usually by believers who would rather talk about what they heard atheists are like rather than uncomfortable subjects such as the lack of proof for any gods.

These myths do more than hurt atheists. They also harm the basic religious freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Religious freedom and tolerance don’t mean much if they can’t be expanded to include those without religion. With that in mind, here’s 10 of the ugliest myths about atheists, debunked:

I had no idea that some people feel this strongly about atheism or that atheists are hated BECAUSE they're atheists.

Read the list at the link.

I agree with all but number 5. That one's true.

 

[amrchaos]

10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.

By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet

April 14, 2015


In a regular poll conducted by political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell on American political attitudes, atheists recently lost their spot as as the most disliked group in America to the Tea Party. Still, number two is simply way too high in the unpopularity rankings for a group of people who just happen to spend Sunday mornings in bed instead of in church. Polling data shows that nearly half of Americans would disapprove if their child married an atheist and nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t see atheists as sharing their vision of American society, numbers that outstripped similar prejudices toward Muslims and African Americans.

Of course, the real reason atheists are so hated has little to do with jealousy for all their free time, but largely because most Americans are better acquainted with myths than with the realities of atheists' lives. Unfortunately, atheists often have these myths tossed in their faces, usually by believers who would rather talk about what they heard atheists are like rather than uncomfortable subjects such as the lack of proof for any gods.

These myths do more than hurt atheists. They also harm the basic religious freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Religious freedom and tolerance don’t mean much if they can’t be expanded to include those without religion. With that in mind, here’s 10 of the ugliest myths about atheists, debunked:

I had no idea that some people feel this strongly about atheism or that atheists are hated BECAUSE they're atheists.

Read the list at the link.

I agree with all but number 5. That one's true.

Well, they did say agnostics will support this myth.

However, I wonder why many would claim atheism is a religion but theism is a category for anthropomorphic god-based religions?

 

[Agit8r]

The one I hear the most is that atheists are all gay. I assume that this means that the purveyor of said myth would be so if not for their faith's prohibition on said feelings/behavior.

 

[amrchaos]

The one I hear the most is that atheists are all gay. I assume that this means that the purveyor of said myth would be so if not for their faith's prohibition on said feelings/behavior.

Disbelief in the Christian/Judaic God leads to Homosexuality?

Boy, those Fundies don't even try to make sense any more. I mean, it is one thing to forsake logic, but it is entirely different to establish correlations between two distinct and unrelated concepts.

What is next, Atheist eat the flesh of aborted fetus in order to appease their 'NoGod'?

 

[PratchettFan]

10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.

By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet

April 14, 2015


In a regular poll conducted by political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell on American political attitudes, atheists recently lost their spot as as the most disliked group in America to the Tea Party. Still, number two is simply way too high in the unpopularity rankings for a group of people who just happen to spend Sunday mornings in bed instead of in church. Polling data shows that nearly half of Americans would disapprove if their child married an atheist and nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t see atheists as sharing their vision of American society, numbers that outstripped similar prejudices toward Muslims and African Americans.

Of course, the real reason atheists are so hated has little to do with jealousy for all their free time, but largely because most Americans are better acquainted with myths than with the realities of atheists' lives. Unfortunately, atheists often have these myths tossed in their faces, usually by believers who would rather talk about what they heard atheists are like rather than uncomfortable subjects such as the lack of proof for any gods.

These myths do more than hurt atheists. They also harm the basic religious freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Religious freedom and tolerance don’t mean much if they can’t be expanded to include those without religion. With that in mind, here’s 10 of the ugliest myths about atheists, debunked:

I had no idea that some people feel this strongly about atheism or that atheists are hated BECAUSE they're atheists.

Read the list at the link.

I agree with all but number 5. That one's true.

Well, they did say agnostics will support this myth.

However, I wonder why many would claim atheism is a religion but theism is a category for anthropomorphic god-based religions?

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based. The reason agnostics support the "myth" is because it's not a myth.

 

[Hollie]

10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.

By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet

April 14, 2015


In a regular poll conducted by political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell on American political attitudes, atheists recently lost their spot as as the most disliked group in America to the Tea Party. Still, number two is simply way too high in the unpopularity rankings for a group of people who just happen to spend Sunday mornings in bed instead of in church. Polling data shows that nearly half of Americans would disapprove if their child married an atheist and nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t see atheists as sharing their vision of American society, numbers that outstripped similar prejudices toward Muslims and African Americans.

Of course, the real reason atheists are so hated has little to do with jealousy for all their free time, but largely because most Americans are better acquainted with myths than with the realities of atheists' lives. Unfortunately, atheists often have these myths tossed in their faces, usually by believers who would rather talk about what they heard atheists are like rather than uncomfortable subjects such as the lack of proof for any gods.

These myths do more than hurt atheists. They also harm the basic religious freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Religious freedom and tolerance don’t mean much if they can’t be expanded to include those without religion. With that in mind, here’s 10 of the ugliest myths about atheists, debunked:

I had no idea that some people feel this strongly about atheism or that atheists are hated BECAUSE they're atheists.

Read the list at the link.

I agree with all but number 5. That one's true.

Well, they did say agnostics will support this myth.

However, I wonder why many would claim atheism is a religion but theism is a category for anthropomorphic god-based religions?

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based. The reason agnostics support the "myth" is because it's not a myth.

Your religion of "atheism is a religion" has been debunked repeatedly. Conclusions have no requirement for religion. Fact based conclusions survive independently of any requirement for faith because the conclusion derives from reason and rationality.

You religious zealots have an agenda to associate reasoned conclusions with your irrational religious beliefs as a means to gain credibility for your beliefs in magic and supernaturalism.

 

[zaangalewa]

... 10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists

The 11th myth: Atheists don't believe in anything what they don't know; they are building a hypothese, while expecting the hypothese will not be wrong.

 

[PratchettFan]

10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.

By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet

April 14, 2015


In a regular poll conducted by political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell on American political attitudes, atheists recently lost their spot as as the most disliked group in America to the Tea Party. Still, number two is simply way too high in the unpopularity rankings for a group of people who just happen to spend Sunday mornings in bed instead of in church. Polling data shows that nearly half of Americans would disapprove if their child married an atheist and nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t see atheists as sharing their vision of American society, numbers that outstripped similar prejudices toward Muslims and African Americans.

Of course, the real reason atheists are so hated has little to do with jealousy for all their free time, but largely because most Americans are better acquainted with myths than with the realities of atheists' lives. Unfortunately, atheists often have these myths tossed in their faces, usually by believers who would rather talk about what they heard atheists are like rather than uncomfortable subjects such as the lack of proof for any gods.

These myths do more than hurt atheists. They also harm the basic religious freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Religious freedom and tolerance don’t mean much if they can’t be expanded to include those without religion. With that in mind, here’s 10 of the ugliest myths about atheists, debunked:

I had no idea that some people feel this strongly about atheism or that atheists are hated BECAUSE they're atheists.

Read the list at the link.

I agree with all but number 5. That one's true.

Well, they did say agnostics will support this myth.

However, I wonder why many would claim atheism is a religion but theism is a category for anthropomorphic god-based religions?

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based. The reason agnostics support the "myth" is because it's not a myth.

Your religion of "atheism is a religion" has been debunked repeatedly. Conclusions have no requirement for religion. Fact based conclusions survive independently of any requirement for faith because the conclusion derives from reason and rationality.

You religious zealots have an agenda to associate reasoned conclusions with your irrational religious beliefs as a means to gain credibility for your beliefs in magic and supernaturalism.

You reinforce my point every time you do this.

 

[Hollie]

10 Myths Many Religious People Hold About Atheists, Debunked

Atheists are moral, loving and multicultural.

By Amanda Marcotte / AlterNet

April 14, 2015


In a regular poll conducted by political scientists Robert Putnam and David Campbell on American political attitudes, atheists recently lost their spot as as the most disliked group in America to the Tea Party. Still, number two is simply way too high in the unpopularity rankings for a group of people who just happen to spend Sunday mornings in bed instead of in church. Polling data shows that nearly half of Americans would disapprove if their child married an atheist and nearly 40 percent of Americans don’t see atheists as sharing their vision of American society, numbers that outstripped similar prejudices toward Muslims and African Americans.

Of course, the real reason atheists are so hated has little to do with jealousy for all their free time, but largely because most Americans are better acquainted with myths than with the realities of atheists' lives. Unfortunately, atheists often have these myths tossed in their faces, usually by believers who would rather talk about what they heard atheists are like rather than uncomfortable subjects such as the lack of proof for any gods.

These myths do more than hurt atheists. They also harm the basic religious freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their beliefs. Religious freedom and tolerance don’t mean much if they can’t be expanded to include those without religion. With that in mind, here’s 10 of the ugliest myths about atheists, debunked:

I had no idea that some people feel this strongly about atheism or that atheists are hated BECAUSE they're atheists.

Read the list at the link.

I agree with all but number 5. That one's true.

Well, they did say agnostics will support this myth.

However, I wonder why many would claim atheism is a religion but theism is a category for anthropomorphic god-based religions?

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based. The reason agnostics support the "myth" is because it's not a myth.

Your religion of "atheism is a religion" has been debunked repeatedly. Conclusions have no requirement for religion. Fact based conclusions survive independently of any requirement for faith because the conclusion derives from reason and rationality.

You religious zealots have an agenda to associate reasoned conclusions with your irrational religious beliefs as a means to gain credibility for your beliefs in magic and supernaturalism.

You reinforce my point every time you do this.

You attempt to reinforce your religious dogma with your reciting of slogans. You repeat your slogans religiously, as a function of your dogma.

There's no religious belief required to conclude that Nessie, your gawds or the gawds of others remain in demonstrated, unproven and legend building based on earlier tales and fables. There's no need for you to try and impose your religious beliefs on others.

 

[pinqy]

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based.

I'm not clear on your reasoning for this. How does it take faith to be unconvinced of the truth of a proposition?

 

[PratchettFan]

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based.

I'm not clear on your reasoning for this. How does it take faith to be unconvinced of the truth of a proposition?

In the absence of evidence, any conclusion is a belief - or faith if you prefer. Therefore, a lack of belief has to be a neutral position, unless there is evidence to support a position. I have never met an Atheist who was neutral and could provide evidence to support their position. Therefore, Atheism is based upon unsupported belief - which makes it a belief system. It is a belief system which is entirely god-based.

 

[Hollie]

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based.

I'm not clear on your reasoning for this. How does it take faith to be unconvinced of the truth of a proposition?

In the absence of evidence, any conclusion is a belief - or faith if you prefer. Therefore, a lack of belief has to be a neutral position, unless there is evidence to support a position. I have never met an Atheist who was neutral and could provide evidence to support their position. Therefore, Atheism is based upon unsupported belief - which makes it a belief system. It is a belief system which is entirely god-based.

It's silly to suggest that making reasoned assessments and then reaching conclusions about matters is gods-based. You're letting your fundamentalist beliefs color your comments. It's also silly and pointless to suggest that all conclusions are gods based.

In the absense of evidence, and in the absense of evidence for magical, supernatural entities, it is entirely rational to conclude that magic and supernaturalism are not elements of the natural, rational world.

You continue to hope to impose your religious beliefs on others. You need to work on that.

 

[pinqy]

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based.

I'm not clear on your reasoning for this. How does it take faith to be unconvinced of the truth of a proposition?

In the absence of evidence, any conclusion is a belief - or faith if you prefer.

That is untrue. "I am wearinging shoes right now." You have no evidence one way or another. So either conclusion as to whether my proposition is true is based entirely on faith? No. Belief and faith are not interchangable. If you tell me that a 3 month old child is walking and talking and playing professional hockey, I will not believe you because everything is contrary to things already known. Now, sometimes a new discovery will contradict previous knowledge. In that case, initial rejection until evidence is presented is justified.

Therefore, a lack of belief has to be a neutral position, unless there is evidence to support a position.

Next to me is the ghost of Richard Nixon riding on flying unicorn. You have no evidence either way, so are you neutral as to whether or not that's true? Not all propositions are equally likely.

 

[PratchettFan]

Atheism is a faith based belief system and, while negative, it is god-based.

I'm not clear on your reasoning for this. How does it take faith to be unconvinced of the truth of a proposition?

In the absence of evidence, any conclusion is a belief - or faith if you prefer. Therefore, a lack of belief has to be a neutral position, unless there is evidence to support a position. I have never met an Atheist who was neutral and could provide evidence to support their position. Therefore, Atheism is based upon unsupported belief - which makes it a belief system. It is a belief system which is entirely god-based.

It's silly to suggest that making reasoned assessments and then reaching conclusions about matters is gods-based. You're letting your fundamentalist beliefs color your comments. It's also silly and pointless to suggest that all conclusions are gods based.

In the absense of evidence, and in the absense of evidence for magical, supernatural entities, it is entirely rational to conclude that magic and supernaturalism are not elements of the natural, rational world.

You continue to hope to impose your religious beliefs on others. You need to work on that.

It would be silly. Except one cannot make a reasoned assessment or reach a conclusion without evidence. Do you have evidence?