Atheists, can you answer this question?

I'm going to actually answer your questions.

1) Why do we come here? Several reasons I imagine. It's fun, amusing and interesting, we're bored at work, we like to laugh at horrible arguments, we might learn something new, or we might consider it entirely important to challenge ridiculous bronze age concepts and encourage critical thinking. Everybody's different, so I'm sure there are several motivations.

Me? I like to correct misconceptions and misguided beliefs about atheists and science. And I prefer to do this in a respectful, helpful tone. Imagine if everyone on here was always spouting off absurdities like "nonbelievers don't have morals" and nobody was here to stand up to it?

2) It's not forcing christian religion so much as forcing christian beliefs.

Christian legislators are (and have been since the 1950s) trying to codify their beliefs into law. The most recent and obvious example is the opposition to gay marriage, when neurology confirmed decades ago that in most cases it's not a choice and there are discernible differences in brain physiology and structure among gay people... Amusingly, most of the arguments against gay marriage are the exact same used by Christians opposed to "interracial marriage."

There are movements to promote abstinence only education (Which has never worked in our history), to completely ban all abortions (even if the life of the mother is at stake), to teach "intelligent design" as science (when it's nowhere close to the science method), to have mandatory christian prayer in schools (what about hindu/jewish/buddhist kids?), have the ten commandments in courthouses (even though several commandments violate our bill of rights), and so on... Nevermind history itself... just in America, christians have opposed freeing the slaves, women's suffrage, interracial marriage, civil rights, contraceptives, and so on.

Thought experiment to illustrate the point: Imagine if you're christian but the majority of the US congress was overwhelmingly Jehova's Witness. Let's say they were trying to pass legislation to ban Christmas and completely ban surgical life saving techniques like organ transplants and blood transfusions!! Their religion teaches them that blood transfusions are evil... Would you then think they are trying to force their beliefs on you?

By your statements above. You would be a "dumb christian" for thinking JWs were forcing their beliefs on you by legislating a ban on surgical techniques and medicine... You wouldn't be "dumb," you'd be right... thing is, we are too.

Many atheists come here to make fun because they're bored and they want something to do. You can agree or disagree with their sentiments, but it is what it is.

I do want to say that a large number of us do not come on the forums with the specific intention of "insulting those that are religious". When we are directly asked questions that we find foolish or necessitating a faith that we don't have in as a premise (such as something like "How can you say that god doesn't exist when the bible is so clear about it?"), then yes, we will call the questions what they are: idiotic.

Also, I'm glad to see that the world for you is so clearly black and white that you can distinguish "dumb atheists" from "smart atheists". How nice for you. In any case, the missionary aspect of Christianity or Christian proselytizing is more or less a form of "forcing" religion on others (think of the recent example where Brit Hume urged Tiger Woods to accept Jesus Christ as his savior, as Christianity is, in Mr. Hume's mind, better able to help Tiger than is Buddhism)

IF you haven't noticed, as evident by your question, a large portion of questions here in R&S are directed at atheist even though we make up a small % of the population.

What i find amusing is that christians here try to convert atheist to christianity by trying to prove our beliefs to be illogical and wrong. Yet, they rarely try to push their religion on other religious people here.

If you would like a short and simple answer to your first question, it's because i can.... and this is probably the most entertaining Q&A in Y!A.

I almost never see a christian trying to prove a muslim or a jew wrong. However, they will constantly try to prove an atheist wrong. Wouldn't you assume that is because they are trying to convert the atheist into their line of thinking?

I will leave the question of my intelligence to my betters to judge.

As to why I come here it is for entertainment and enjoyment.

As to what extent Christians are "forcing" me to believe in their religion, I would have to redirect the question a bit.

(Keeping in mind that I am a militant atheist, not a "lets all get along" atheist... Both exist in relatively equal numbers, but the militants are far more public and loud. Militant atheists want to end religious influences in public life. Some extremely militant atheists want to end religious influences in private life too. I am not one of those. "Let's all get along" atheists prefer not to have religious influences in their own life and would like less religious influence in public life, but they are not concerned about ending it all)

Back to your question...

I don't think "belief" is the point with regard to "force" and religion. I object any time religion is used as a bases for some action in public life or that it is in any way equal to or superior to the modern ways of explaining things or the way things should be. In particular I rejection the notion that religious belief is in any way the equivalent to scientific knowledge. Religion belongs in philosophy class, not science class. Just because some religious nut believes something does not make it "fact" or "true" in any modern sense.

Good question. :D Well... I guess I just like to think and talk about this kinda religious stuff. And part of the reason somebody may think that on here are the questions like: "Atheists, why don't you listen to your heart?" But those are rare. Outside Yahoo answers it's all over the place. Knocking on our doors to try and convert us. Beating us across the head with the metaphorical cross that is 'hell'. That kinda stuff, y'know? But on Yahoo answers it's very minimal and anybody offended by it is a little touchy.

1. I'm here because I want to make fun of people that ask questions like this. Thanks for the invite.

2. I never said I was sure- in fact I said "I don't know, and neither do you."

3. I don't "insult" religious people, I insult indignant people. I ridicule religion- if you're so hypersensitive that this bothers you then that's your problem, not mine.

4. Sodomy laws, blocking gay rights, blocking women's rights, and tampering with science education IS forcing Christianity on people, dumdum- you'll need a better argument if you want anyone to listen.

5. You guys are SOOOO cute when you're angry.

Beliefs lead to behavior. Theism is notoriously responsible for very harmful behavior. As an example, take the willingness of several men to fly jests into the Twin Towers on 9/11/2001, based on nothing but their faith. Why would any rational person not criticize that?

Nobody can force me to believe in that which I do not believe.

Fundamentalist christians in my country do however try to force other people to live according to their church's interpretation of bible verses. They do come to my house and attempt to recruit me, they do recieve money from the government when they are not supposed to, they have their little fingers in every governmental lobby I care about. They make their religious beliefs my problem by meddling in areas like my children's education and state marriage and adoption laws. If they'd keep it in church, I'd ignore them entirely.

This isn't the christianity forum anyway. It's not your special, just for discussing jesus forum. It is the public internet and we atheists have valid opinions on topics such as religions and spirituality, in part because the actions of believers frequently affect our lives in negative ways.

Oh and thanks for the *drink* It's almost happy hour here anyway, might as well start now!

I've answered this question before but it seems you guys only write, never read. Your precious question is in "Society & Culture" as well as "R & S". I have found them on the home page as well.

So you see, atheists can't avoid the religious nuts regardless of what we do...

BTW, you are welcome to your fairy-tales but I prefer non-fiction. Sadly, in your eyes, that preference makes me something less than human.

Cheers

GIMP

Answer me this; the people that came up with Xianistic belief had an excuse; there were no schools 6000 years ago, what's your excuse?