From my experience, new athiest tend to be very angry. Their anti god stance comes from a wrong that they felt was dealt to them by a church memeber or the church as a collective.
My father was a preacher when I was a kid so I spent a lot of time studying christianity. I like to think that I arrived at my athiest belief through study and reason.
How can we best help those who are angry at "the church" so that their belief can be based more on reason than emotion?
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8 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.I think most of us arrive at our anti-god stance the same way we arrive at our anti-unicorn stance. The lack of evidence and reason lead us there. I don't think it's anger that turns people from a belief in a deity.
Being angry at organized religion is not, however, an unreasonable, unjustified position. Organized religion has done, and continues to do, great harm.
IntellectualRN
Level 6
Dec 16, 2017
0
I agree with you. I guess what I’m saying is that I think anger at “the church” shouldn’t be the reason to deny a god, reason and logic should do that.
I seriously do not think it is any of our job to invalidate their anger. Be the example, sure, and support positively, but allow them to work through it and heal. I was angry as well, but time has mellowed it.
Zster
Level 8
Dec 16, 2017
0
I hope that isnt the meaning you took. I truly don't want to invalidate anyones feeling. I only meant that logic and reason should be enough to disprove a god. I hate that so many people had to be hurt in order to examine the logic of atheism.
Sorrow at the hurt that religion has caused many is something we definitely have in common. I wish there was no need for it.
I grew out of my anger as well. Now I find it's stupid and funny.
Sarahroo29
Level 8
Dec 16, 2017
1
Can't say I disagree with you. There are too many athiests out there who would burn down every church, temple and synagogue on the planet and impail all their members until dead if they thought they could get away with it. Which as far as I'm concerned makes them no better than militant christians who blow up abortion clinics and shoot up night clubs, schools and church's.
webbew1
Level 7
Dec 16, 2017
3
I think allowing them to vent to understanding people and poeple who have had similar experiences is the only thing we can do. Eventually... hopefully... this will allow them to get it out of their system for the most part. Although I doubt they will ever be free of it, I do think that anger will be greatly diminished and usually only surface when the subject arises.
bingst
Level 8
Dec 16, 2017
1
I think anger is a partly a response due the fact that one feels lied to if they have come from a religious background
AtheistInNC
Level 7
Dec 16, 2017
1
Live and let live my brother. Time to heal will help them. Hearing others on this forum will say what they already feel and they want have to say what's on their minds.... my opinion my brother.
BucketlistBob
Level 8
Dec 16, 2017
2
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