Why do religious people look down on Atheists?

Tolerance is key. If you are intolerant of religious believers from every group, most of them will reward you with intolerance.

I too have been persecuted... for being a Christian. Not going to give my life story, though.

It's sad that there are SOME Christians that attack others. Just like there are SOME Atheists that attack others. They are extremists. Both groups have them. All groups have them. You are perpetuating the problem by making it seem as though all Christians do it. Yes, speak out. But I will not ever put you down for your views/beliefs/morals/etc.

And no, there has been crimes committed in the name of Atheism. Sorry. But that's irrelevant. EVERY group has committed a crime. Not every person.

Edit: Yes, that would be an example of a fundie. Wouldn't commit a crime in the name of God, but certainly hates non-Christians. And old people tend to be pretty close-minded.

Edit: I don't think any non-extremist/fundie know how they got that way. It's sad, but it happens. My guess is that Atheist = bad is because their belief is that to be moral you have to be Christian. That's the common thing I've heard.

Religious people are basically arrogant. They consider themselves to have found the ultimate lifestyle and think no one can challenge them; and even if they do, it only results in quotations from the Bible to illustrate just how superior they are.

If any human being spits at another, or calls them worthless then the first thing they are not, is a religious person. Proper religion teaches tolerance even in the face of evil, and intolerant people may think they have the right to call themselves religious just because they attend a church and believe that some holy figure is constantly supporting everything they do, but they are very misguided.

Unfortunately, religious people hate having their faith qusetioned, because after all that is all it is - a faith. No one knows what happens to the soul after death, and even an infinite amount of so-called holy scriptures on the subject will not prove anything. The decision is an individual one, either you believe it or you dont. It is no one else's business but yours.

However, most religions preach that their followers should go out and convert non-believers, and this is misinterpreted as a license to abuse anyone who refuses to be converted, or prefers their own interpretation rather than the sheep like following without question.

Not all religious people would treat you that way, and I'm very sorry that you have been. There is no excuse for someone who claims to be following Christ to be unkind to another simply because he's an unbeliever. While Jesus did order his followers to go and make believers of others (which may be the sorry excuse those who mistreated you might use), his true followers were always taught to behave with dignity and kindness toward all other peoples, whether those peoples agreed with what was being preached or not.

There is a group that would never treat you, nor any other religious group, that way. When you find them, you'll have found the truth. I sincerely hope you do.

<<<since I live in the bible belt>>>

There you go, you live in the bible belt. That answers your question as to why you've encountered hostility for being atheist. You're the strange one there, so the majority will discriminate against you. But generally, religious people don't discriminate against atheists.

Edit:

<<<Tolerance is key. If you are intolerant of religious believers from every group, most of them will reward you with intolerance.>>>

Yeah, "Unsolved", take your own advice. You need it, too. That;s a very good advise by the way.

@BLHylton:

<<<I'm basing this on experiences outside of this area as well, I just wanted to note that a lot of my experiences have happened here.>>>

Hmmm... Here in this section? LOL, everyone receives hostility here! No one is an exception.

By the way, as much as it is true that no one declared war in the name of atheism, there are lots of people declaring war in the name of ideologies. There are bad people and they can use any means to start violence to advance their personal agenda, but that doesn't make religions, or ideologies, necessarily bad. You have to be fair and realize that just as much as many people have used religions for their own gain, there are also people who used them to help others. Don't be biased.

2nd Edit:

Well, to answer your question as to what the reasoning behind it lies on the people doing the act of judging a person. I guess they're not happy about themselves and they want to put others down to make themselves feel better.

I don't agree with the way you've been treated, I don't know how a Christian can do that. I live in Canada and that kind of treatment here would constitute assault. I absolutely would never consider an atheist subhuman or anything of the like. It is {their behaviour} disgusting and wrong, and certainly goes against what I would consider our universal beliefs. Those people do not warrant an apology from me to you as they are not followers of Christ.

As for being atheist, I feel that you are entitled to your belief as am I, I don't see what makes us different so much. I feel really bad that you have been treated that way, they should know to treat all Gods creatures with respect but since they don't I'm afraid you're dealing with irrational hypocrites.

I certainly don't look down on atheists, or anybody

"not fit to live"....?!

That's a disgusting thing to think or say about someone

Look, athiest, like me : ) explain that all this religious stuff is complete nonsense, religious people believed this nonsense all their lives but when they here our explanations of what is the truth they see the truth, they just try to lie to themselves.

Other religiouns are just more nonsense, there is no proof of hinduism.... but we have proof that religioun is nonsense, so they mostly hate them that their 3rd parent is imaginary

atheism is the antithesis of theistic religion. its powered by critical anlysis. the opposite of blind faith

that is an interesting question I hope you get valuable answers