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Do you find it offensive when theist think without a belief in god/gods, it’s impossible to have morality?

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77 comments

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1

Yes

9

I must live in a bubble because no one spouts to me about their religion and yes, I do have Catholic, protestant, Jewish friends. If someone outside my group or people I don't know are ranting on Facebook or editorials about how Christians are the only people with morals, I ignore them. I am not going to waste my time dealing with their illogic logic. Why try to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person. At this stage of my life I pick my battles wisely.

9

I think honestly many of those folks haven't really thought about it, but are just parroting something they heard from their clergy or something. I've had conversations with some devout people who were surprised to find I'm atheist. I like to think they change their thinking after realizing I'm nice, ethical and moral, without a belief in god/s. I do feel that as more of us nice atheists come out and create awareness, that myth about atheists being evil will evaporate.

You nailed it there. So few people are introspective enough to examine what they believe and why. Its so easy just to go with whatever they heard from the pulpit without any analysis. Thinking is hard! Religion is easy - they actually encourage you not to question or think. Its paradise for the lazy brains.

8

I find it far more stupid than offensive. Just another of their delusional assumptions.

7

yes, but it really is a judgement statement about themselves. Without their religious rules, threats and promises they are immoral.
ps. Many/most of them remain immoral even with/despite or because of their religion.

6

I find less offensive and more idiotic. It always makes me almost feel pity that someone can be so gullible. They hate when you point out that the god squad has some of the most corrupt and immoral people alive at the head of its ranks.

True talk! Well said!

6

Not offended, no. However, it does bother me that, Christians especially (or maybe I think primarily of them since they are so influential and there are so many of them in the US), feel they own the moral high ground. I believe there is a small fraction of Christians who truly believe and who honestly try to live a "godly" life, following the commandments, etc. That said, I believe the majority of them are complete hypocrites. The spew their "morality" and then break all their own rules. The reality is that everyone has morals. Everyone has their own moral standard. There are bad people in the world with "bad" morals, who don't respect the general, common-sense behaviors of society, many of which are enshrined in law (murder, theft, assault are all illegal except in self-defense). Christians and Atheists exist across the spectrum of morality (good & bad). I feel that the percentage of actual "good" Atheists might be higher because Atheists at least give thought to what they are doing. Many religious people are kept in check by their fear of divine punishment. Morality is a subjective thing and the religious do not have a monopoly on "good morals."

Well stated.

@jlynn37 Grazie!

6

I sure do! I guess they only behave right so they won't go to hell & will go to heaven. We do it for no reward....

Carin Level 8 May 30, 2018
5

Not really, but I'm a behaviorist. I try to fully own my own emotions, thoughts and reactions, therefore I understand what others think and do is on them and out of my control.

A few theists are toxic, but sometimes it's funny instead of offensive. There was fellow supervisor (thank goddess he barely impacted my work) and there had been a little tension, but nothing big. He found out I'd performed some gay weddings and angrily asked me, "you're just an unrepentatn sinner".

I said, yeah man. Strangely that worked for him, he just needed to put me in a box and that decreased our tension.

I still smile when thinking about that exchange.

5

I do object to the "holier than thou" attitude some theists hold over non-believers because it is so obviously unfounded. Morality finds many of its tenets in the foundations of the biological blueprints for survival of whichever species. Just because someone wrote it in a book doesn't make it their property alone. Indeed so many immoral acts have been committed down the centuries in the name of theism that they should perhaps apologise instead of berate?

Just Level 4 May 30, 2018
5

I don't care what they think. I know that I have a strong moral code -- and that is all that matters.

5

Nah, I don't care what those idiots think.

Lol

5

Yes! It’s as if they are calling us immoral when the evidence leans towards the reverse.

5

To a small degree I feel offended.
Mostly I feel a great disappointment in their close mindedness.

5

Very much so. The ones that scare me are the ones who freely admit they would do horrific things without their belief that they will be punished for it after death.

5

It does offend me. I have seen more morality from atheists than many christians.

4

Let's see now, I get my morality from life experiences, family, friends, innate sense of empathy and compassion for others, books, schools, the golden rule of society, etc. When I'm faced with a decision to do right or wrong, I immediately know it and it has nothing to do with scoring points for Big Daddy in the sky.

4
4

It's hugely offensive. I'm a very moral person. In fact some of the theists I've encountered during my lifetime have displayed a shocking lack of common, basic morality.

Many are hypocrites, yet they look down on us, patronise us and claim the moral high ground. To dismiss an atheist's morality is to invalidate the whole person.

4

If a theist requires the fear of damnation to prevent them from doing immoral acts, then that is more offensive (scary) than what they think of me.

3

I find it incredibly arrogant and smug and it can really disgust me at times. So yes.

3

Honestly it shocks me.. especially when the comment comes from someone I've known for years..

3

No, they exist inside the bubble of their traditional paradigm. Unless a person expends the personal effort to expand and try to burst that bubble you cannot really expect them even to see out of it.

That is part of why it is important to speak up, it is like sticking your head into that bubble and letting them know the world is bigger than they currently think.

But the bubble is their refuge...

3

I just roll my eyes. Good and bad. Hopefully you're raised to figure out the difference and choose to be the best you can. You don't have to be a brain surgeon or even smart.

3

Actually I feel sorry for those that believe they have to have a god to have good morals! Being a good person has nothing to do with some made up mystic being! A lot of bible thumping church goers are the most immoral people on earth.

3

What I find offensive is when they say that I must have learned morals when I was still a Christian. It's like, even now that I'm an atheist I still am brainwashed and secretly wishing that I was still a believer.

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