Are Atheists Hate-Filled?

Well, of course you would expect me to answer No to this question.

If you spend half an hour on "YouTube" browsing the videos and comments - you will soon see that religious people characterise ANYONE who disagrees with them as "Hate-Filled" or as "spewing hate".

Atheists are against religion because they love reason, peace and free thought, none of which is the fruit of religion.

I certainly don't hate religious people.  I disagree with them.  I respect people as individuals - in other words if I find YOU worthy of respect I will respect YOU.

I certainly don't respect your beliefs if you are religious - but that is a different thing, surely? It is not an obligation to respect a belief.  If you told me you believed you could fly off tall buildings I would laugh, then (if I saw you were serious) I would plead with you not to act on your beliefs.  I would plead with you precisely because you are a fellow-human being and your life is being affected by erroneous beliefs.

To quote Pat Condell: "Please don't ask me not to mock your beliefs.  That's like telling me not to mock your toupée - it just makes the whole thing even more ridiculous."

The fact is - most of my friends and family are still Christians.  I like my friends and family.  It is embarrassing when Christians/Muslims say I am hate-filled, because I'm not!

What about arrogance? Are atheists arrogant?

Well, that's like saying "Are all white people arrogant?" Atheists are not united by any common belief or personality type.  Everyone on the planet was born atheist - a person only becomes religious by absorbing the beliefs of those around him/her in early life.

I try really hard not to be arrogant, or to sound arrogant.  I don't like arrogance. So I try to back up ideas and views with hard facts.  And most of the time (on this website) I'm trying to show Christians the ridiculous nature of their beliefs by referring to their ancient text - The Bible.

Wherever possible I try to mention the fact that I myself believed the myths of Christianity for a long time - because I was raised in it by my mum and teachers - not to mention "English culture".

I cannot act superior or arrogant, because I was in it myself for most of my life.

Still, it's fun to hear someone on YouTube criticising Muslims for believing in magical winged horses, then seeing a Muslim comment back: "Islam is the only logical way". Then to see a Christian reply with: "No it's not, Jesus is the only logical way, Jesus could definitely walk on water and walk through walls."

Ah... religion.  Why does it inspire such controversy and emotions?  I'll tell you why! Because it ruins lives.

Was my life ruined by religion?  No! I'm not saying it ruins every life it touches - just some.
Was my life tainted - dirtied - by religion? Yes!

Why? Because basing your thoughts and actions on ancient superstitions is never a good idea. It twists and limits your thinking.  It makes you blinkered, afraid of science and new knowledge.
It hampers your ability to see people as human beings because you are constantly seeing them as potential converts.  You see others as "sinners", when in fact sin is a word made up by Bronze Age scribes.  People are just people, good, bad, a mixed bunch. 

Religion tends to make you easily offended by natural human behaviour.  For example, it is natural to have sex.  Religion imposes its own prudish laws on to sexual activity - it limits freedom and pleasure.  It says things like - "Stone to death anyone who has sex with a person to whom they are not legally bound FOREVER."   It incites violence and prejudice around the world, dividing nations, tribes, families, communities, parents from children. It makes you constantly feel guilty, for having normal human desires, feelings, thoughts, failings. (There are, of course, valid reasons for feeling guilty too, if you've hurt another person.  But Ethics is a science that has come a long way since 2000 years ago.)

And so on.....

In a way, my life was enriched by religion.  In lots of other ways, my life was twisted and tainted by my beliefs. I do regret ever being exposed to those teachings.

That really is the rationale behind this website.  I think that if I'd seen a site like this before Christian adults were allowed into my High School - I would have been immunised against their well-meant but false preaching.

Geoff Mather 2007

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