Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you mock religious people? If someone makes an offhand comment about going to church (say on a Sunday afternoon, mentioning they just came from there), do you sneer? If so, why?

I'm another atheist and I would never do that. I have been mocked by religious people but very rarely. I don't expect most people to mock me if I tell them I am not religious.

Out of respect and love, I listen happily to the sermon at your wedding and observe all the rules at a funeral. It's not difficult to be a good person in those ways.

+1. Another atheist here, agreeing that there is nothing about either believing or not believing that should interfere with ordinary civility.

Anonymous wrote:I assume you're consistent and don't celebrate Christmas, right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume you're consistent and don't celebrate Christmas, right?

I assume you're consistent and celebrate Christmas in late summer/early fall, right? And not the co-opted Pagan solstice celebration in December?

Anonymous wrote:As an atheist who celebrates in December with a tree and gifts, traditional family foods, etc., I understand why Christians might prefer the rest of us celebrate these traditions with some name other than Christmas but you can't deny there is a cultural holiday in the U.S. that gets called Christmas and that even many jewish people celebrate as a holiday for children. I don't think it's correct to call those people inconsistent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an atheist who celebrates in December with a tree and gifts, traditional family foods, etc., I understand why Christians might prefer the rest of us celebrate these traditions with some name other than Christmas but you can't deny there is a cultural holiday in the U.S. that gets called Christmas and that even many jewish people celebrate as a holiday for children. I don't think it's correct to call those people inconsistent.

Or just accept that in the face of the complexities of life we are all inconsistent about some things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an atheist who celebrates in December with a tree and gifts, traditional family foods, etc., I understand why Christians might prefer the rest of us celebrate these traditions with some name other than Christmas but you can't deny there is a cultural holiday in the U.S. that gets called Christmas and that even many jewish people celebrate as a holiday for children. I don't think it's correct to call those people inconsistent.

Or just accept that in the face of the complexities of life we are all inconsistent about some things.

It's not a religious holiday to me. Thus, no inconsistency.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The Bible says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." So my question is, I know you're certain that there's no One out there, but if you're wrong, have you truly thought about what an eternity in Hell will be like?

I know this is why many don't believe, but that is why Christ said, "Repent, and believe the Gospel." (Mark 1:15)

Thank you for answering this. I ask this sincerely.

Not the OP, but also an atheist. I was brought up in a church, and the god I learned about there was forgiving and loving. If I am wrong, I don't actually believe I am going to hell. I think that if there was a god, the one I'd want there to be would be forgiving and judge me based on my morality and good works, not faith or lack of faith.

So I think I'll be fine, whether I believe or not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an atheist who celebrates in December with a tree and gifts, traditional family foods, etc., I understand why Christians might prefer the rest of us celebrate these traditions with some name other than Christmas but you can't deny there is a cultural holiday in the U.S. that gets called Christmas and that even many jewish people celebrate as a holiday for children. I don't think it's correct to call those people inconsistent.

Or just accept that in the face of the complexities of life we are all inconsistent about some things.

It's not a religious holiday to me. Thus, no inconsistency.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an atheist who celebrates in December with a tree and gifts, traditional family foods, etc., I understand why Christians might prefer the rest of us celebrate these traditions with some name other than Christmas but you can't deny there is a cultural holiday in the U.S. that gets called Christmas and that even many jewish people celebrate as a holiday for children. I don't think it's correct to call those people inconsistent.

Or just accept that in the face of the complexities of life we are all inconsistent about some things.

It's not a religious holiday to me. Thus, no inconsistency.

I think it is similar to showing up at a gay wedding reception and just dancing and drinking the night away while denying that they are legally married and talking the other 364 days/ Year about how much homosexuality is wrong

Perfect analogy? No. But that is similar to why it feels wrong to those of us who have faith in a way

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The Bible says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." So my question is, I know you're certain that there's no One out there, but if you're wrong, have you truly thought about what an eternity in Hell will be like?

I know this is why many don't believe, but that is why Christ said, "Repent, and believe the Gospel." (Mark 1:15)

Thank you for answering this. I ask this sincerely.

Not the OP, but also an atheist. I was brought up in a church, and the god I learned about there was forgiving and loving. If I am wrong, I don't actually believe I am going to hell. I think that if there was a god, the one I'd want there to be would be forgiving and judge me based on my morality and good works, not faith or lack of faith.

So I think I'll be fine, whether I believe or not.

This is actually a very Catholic thought process

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an atheist who celebrates in December with a tree and gifts, traditional family foods, etc., I understand why Christians might prefer the rest of us celebrate these traditions with some name other than Christmas but you can't deny there is a cultural holiday in the U.S. that gets called Christmas and that even many jewish people celebrate as a holiday for children. I don't think it's correct to call those people inconsistent.

Or just accept that in the face of the complexities of life we are all inconsistent about some things.

It's not a religious holiday to me. Thus, no inconsistency.

I think it is similar to showing up at a gay wedding reception and just dancing and drinking the night away while denying that they are legally married and talking the other 364 days/ Year about how much homosexuality is wrong

Perfect analogy? No. But that is similar to why it feels wrong to those of us who have faith in a way

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for the respectful atheist, however I am an atheist as well, so all are invited to answer.

Why do I resist telling my religious family members that I am an atheist? I never took my children to church, so that's a big hint. But we live far away from them, so it's hardly ever come up.

Why am I afraid of upsetting them, when they have no problem sending me religious books and talking to my now grown up children about religion?

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for the respectful atheist, however I am an atheist as well, so all are invited to answer.

Why do I resist telling my religious family members that I am an atheist? I never took my children to church, so that's a big hint. But we live far away from them, so it's hardly ever come up.

Why am I afraid of upsetting them, when they have no problem sending me religious books and talking to my now grown up children about religion?

Anonymous wrote:

Muslima wrote:How do you think we were created? Do you believe that everything that happens is random and jut a matter of chance? And finally, how do you cope? especially when there is so much injustice done, how do you rationalize that?

OP here. I believe that human beings evolved over millions of years from less complex organisms to what we are today. I do believe a that life is very random. I work a lot with statistics and numbers so I see this often in my professional life. Maybe it's biased my personal life as well but I doubt it. I think a lot of people aren't comfortable with randomness and the idea that there is someone controlling everything and looking out for them is incredibly reassuring. Is that reality though? I would argue no, it's not.

How do I cope? Injustice, sad to say, is a part of life but so is successful, beauty, love, friendship, etc. You've got to take the good with the bad. I'm very fortunate in that I have a lot of love from family and friends that's helped me in times past when things have been hard.