Atheists - what do you get from browsing the religion questions on YA?

I see your point, but for every immature atheist answer about wiping your *** with a bible, there is an immature theist answer about atheists burning in hell.

I can't speak for anyone else other than myself, but I am here because I am genuinely intrigued by what other people believe and why they believe it. I am interested by the concept of belief. The sign on the door doesn't say you have to HAVE a religion to discuss things here. I can be interested in religion and spirituality without being religious.

Also, I like to serve as a counterpoint to certain arguments. Otherwise the other side would be woefullymisrepresentedd. In order for true discussion and debate, there should be a point and a counterpoint.

Now, I understand that there are a lot of people who troll, or post immature or downright offensive answers to get a rise out of people, but those people fall on both sides. They aren't all atheists, theyaren'tt all believers.

When I answer questions, I come in at the same level that the questioner is. If the questioner is fired up and offensive, I might use stronger language to get my point across, but that doesn't mean I dont respect their right to air their opinion. If the asker is more up for a calmer more rational discussion, that's fine too.

At the end of the day, what I get from browsing YA? is a greater understanding of the different types of believers out there. I learn a lot. I learn a lot about religion and faith, even though I myself have none. It's not a bad thing, it's just a way to share views.

Because it makes one feel superior. That's a pretty big part of our culture at present. Also, some people genuinely want to show people how to be more rational. There's often a combination of the two. And because hanging around there makes them feel intellectually superior, it takes their mind off of how irrational they themselves are being in other areas of their life that don't involve religion, for some atheists but not all. The areas of their lives in which they may be irrational could be anything from their personal relationships to politics to not wanting to have their physics theory proved wrong, etc. I'm an atheist and I don't spend very much time in the Religion and Spirituality section.

Because absence of religious belief is an aspect of religion & spirituality that's worth discussing. My views on religion are as valid and worthwhile as anyone else's.

Because those who espouse religious belief often have a tendency to want to project their particular belief out to everyone...they demand respect for their own belief, but very often refuse to give the respect they demand to anyone who doesn't agree with them. Pointing this out here can possibly lead to freedom for *all* kinds of religious thought, as the framers of our constitution intended.

I'm curious: if you don't normally "hang out" here, then on what do you base your assumption that "real, honest questions" get deleted? By your own admission you have little experience, yet you feel qualified to assume you have some great understanding of how this forum operates? Seems more than a bit disingenuous...

Peace.

This question won't get deleted. After all, if it hasn't been deleted any of the other 48,000 times it has been asked, why would it be now?

We have interest in religion as it can affect our daily lives. We have knowledge of religion as many of us used to be religious. We don't do it to hurt people, we do it to inform people of the truth. Sorry if trying to spread facts is now a bad thing.

But really, what are you using to come to the conclusion that we're the ones who are acting like a hate group? Please show me a single instance where an atheist told a theist that they were going to be punished for eternity because of their beliefs?

I come here because I don't get it, and it's a curiosity to me. I do agree that being purposely rude is unnecessary, but I guess we're all here for different reasons, both the religious and the non-religious among the posters.

And, by the way, most religious types aren't asking quesitons about their faith either....this seems to be more of a "my ideas are better that your ideas" board, in general.

Well, I define atheism as not believing in an external/transcending being. In this definition, I am an atheist. But I am also Wiccan. Which makes me spiritual.

I like to see what other people say on matters of religion and I like to give my input.

I get to answer questions, especially those questions addressed to atheists.

R&S isn't a forum "designed" for religion. It's a forum for questions and answers about the subject of religion. Obviously, I have information and opinions which are relevant to the subject, and I enjoy sharing them.

i came here by accident, or fate or soemthing, it just seems to be where im supposed to be in my stange in life

i was on the main page and answersd soem qs, came, left just as quickly, came back and stayed

why do i stay, the people, the atmosphere, the qs, the as, the knowledge and the learning

i woudlnt stay if i got nothing out of it

i am here to learn, not to hate on anyone,not to argue, to learn, and that i have done, and do

and its why i stay

A good time.

What do Christians get by prostelyzing in questions not aimed at them?

Good question... when I asked a very similar one a few weeks back it got deleted... All I wanted was some insight... all I got was angry atheists.