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A thought crossed my mind and I'd like the input/opinions of others on it.
Are the Theists/Religious, etc, envious/jealous of we, Atheists/Agnostics, simply because we are not bound down/regulated/controlled, etc, by the same dictatorial laws, etc, of their beliefs as they are.
We are free to think as we wish, free to associate with anyone we so choose with no fear of retribution from some Supreme Higher Power, is that the one of the reasons for their animosity?

Triphid 9 Oct 24
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34 comments

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0

Any theist that I've engaged on the topic is rather in fear of our soul, and in fear that we can't possibly determine how to live morally without supernatural guidance.

If they were jealous of our freedoms, they could convert also. So it's probably a selection issue.

And if they feel strongly about both having the freedom but aren't willing to suspend their belief, they will simply be lapsed or bad at their religion.

How one can reconcile that in the same mind I have no idea. It seems to me like if you had any belief at all in an omniscient omnipotent sky fairy, that the only reasonable course of action would to be to prostrate oneself before their power and comply as much as humanely possible with their dictates. If I thought at all that it was true, I could only be a monk.

Could it not be, perhaps, that they disguise their envy, etc, with this ' fear for our souls?

8

I'm sure it's a contributing factor.
I also think they're really pissed at us because we haven't spontaneously
combusted. I think that really disappoints them.

6

I don't think I have ever interpreted their reaction as jealously. Some family members who are still believers seem surprised or disappointed. Older relatives sometimes seem angry, I think because my rejection of their beliefs is insulting, and I must think they are wrong. Random comments from ardent believers seem to show they consider non-believers to be Satanists, or at least immoral, as if without a supreme being constantly monitoring our action and thoughts we could not possibly be good, kind or thoughtful.

6

I really doubt it. I was a fundamentalist Wacko due to indoctrination. I believe it is more that they are threatened to consider their beliefs and know they do not have the answers to questions that we have. This is simply unsettling for them.

5

It may be more simple than that. Maybe they think if they have to suffer so should we.

Betty Level 8 Oct 25, 2018
5

I think they're scared. I think they genuinely believe that only the thought of a deity father figure prepared to smack you down is the only thing preventing more mass murders, cannibalism, chaos, basically rampaging Ids. They're worried one or more of us could snap at any moment and run around with their entrails for hats.
Doesn't seem to occur to them that there is good without god.

They meet with a hard sell that they have the only way to morallity every week, because that is what makes power and money for the people who control the churches. It is like someone going into your garden, picking the apples of your trees, and then ringing your doorbell to sell you some fruit.

4

It is unknown to them that is why they reject atheism. People tend to "hate" that which they do not understand.

I would replace "understand" with fear.

@HankSherman people have long feared what they can't comprehend. It's why they created gods in the first place. It gave them some sort of comfort although i really don't understand that anymore than they can umderstand my belief

@maxhyde I keep in mind that religion is all about organized manipulation and control.

4

no. they're not envious. they're truly brainwashed and consider us anything along a spectrum ranging from evil through misguided and in danger of going to hell. envy doesn't enter into it.

g

4

I believe it is raw fear, rather than jealousy. They feel safer in this big, scary world comforted by the thought that is a higher power who has their back. It is disconcerting to encounter others who apparently are just fine without that omnipresent figure.Thinking about my Southern Baptist relatives.

4

I think they feel sorry for us because nobody is telling us what to do. The may be jealous, but it is repressed and projected .

3

Xtians that I grew up with and have encountered in Kansas are vain and self righteous. Their opinions of atheists are not positive in any way. They have bullied my daughter and tried to do the same with me. Pitiful fools.

@Byrdsfan True. Their behavior does nothing but reinforce her secular upbringing. My daughter has also seen a Westboro protest in person. Kansas.

@Byrdsfan she was not pleased at all.

3

That and it creates doubt in their own beliefs. How can you be so sure when many of them have doubts, because as they have gotten older, they see the holes in the whole concept. IMO.

2

Speaking for myself and those I observed when I was an evangelical, we did not envy atheists even subconsciously. We felt relieved that we weren't so deluded, hateful, angry, and so forth.

Then again, most of us didn't know any actual atheists, we only "knew" the caricature we had been spoon-fed.

The main reason for our animosity toward atheists, in retrospect, was that they were unimpressed with our beliefs or arguments in favor thereof.

Think of it for a minute. To engage meaningfully with an atheist, a believer would have to acknowledge the possibility -- however remote -- that an atheist could have a sound argument. To defeat an atheist in debate, one would have to be armed with actual facts and evidence, of which theists have neither.

On top of all that, atheists are so damned certain that they aren't afraid of hellthreat.

No wonder they hate us. We're living rebukes to their absurd beliefs. We feel we owe their ideas no unearned respect, and we demand of them things they can't provide. Just as brazen as you please! The very idea!

2

I don't think it's jealousy on their part. They are afraid or hostile, because the fools can't understand that we don't need control by fairy tales,etc. I'm glad to free from the control of religious bs.

2

Possibly jealous. Needing to justify their choices and beliefs. Fearful of non-conforming others or anyone too different from themselves perhaps.

2

They take an easy way out. No real courage. ?

2

I have been an Atheist for many years and I really have not experienced animosity to a degree where I would see it as impacting my life.

But then I am no an evangelical Atheist that wants to convince theists that they are deluded.

I leave hem be.

2

It's probably in there somewhere, buried down deep under so many layers of justification, projection, and whatnot that it would take years of therapy and devastatingly incisive self-inquiry to uncover.

2

Perhaps they've been conditioned to equate atheism with evil?

1

I’ve wondered about this too, especially if the theist feels restricted or repressed by the religion. Perhaps it has something to do with the authoritarian personality and wanting everybody to think/look/act the same?

1

I doubt it. They're all mostly brainwashed and convinced we're all morally depraved and evil. At least in my experience.

@Antifred Did not this mythological Jesus also claim, " I am the Light and the Life, no-one comes to my Father except through me."
I'd be interested in seeing your response to that one.

@Antifred Well, scientifically speaking, LIGHT is just Photons travelling from a source to a point where it impacts an object to either be reflected or absorbed.
Considering the LIGHT encompasses ALL the colours of the visible and invisible 'light' spectrum, i.e. Infrared right through to Ultraviolet and it can be fully absorbed by an object thus giving the visual impression of that object have a ' black/dark' hue or partially absorbed thus giving the impression of being one of the other colours/combination of colours, then we see the written word simply because light striking it has either been absorbed fully by the ink used, i.e. black ink = no reflected light, or from the light being reflected by the paper, i.e. white paper reflecting the entire spectrum, the retina of our eyes then detects the light via the layer of rods and cones contained within it, thus creating minute electrical signals that travel along the Optic Nerves to the area of the brain that can decode them and tell us what we are seeing and learning It is a simple explanation that I am putting across here I know, but being unsure of your Anatomical Knowledge and Understanding I thought best that I should adopt the K.I.S.S. principle anyway.
As a further note here, I should mention that LIGHT is known, scientifically, to be a part of the much wider Electromagnetic Spectrum contain such as Long Wave, Medium Wave, Short Wave, Micro-wave, etc, radio signals, Low Frequency High frequency, Very High Frequency, Ultrahigh Frequency signals, etc.
Also, radio signals ( waves) are measured in TWO ways, i.e. by Frequency = simply put, by the number of waves to pass a given point in a given amount of time, 1 wave in 1 second to pass the given point = 1 cycle or 1 Hertz, and,
by Wave length = the distance between the crest ( amplitude) of each wave to pass the same given point in the same given amount of time, ergo we get Low Waves, Medium Waves, etc, etc.
Similar is used to describe the action and travel of Sound Waves which are merely pulsations ( waves) of compressed and expanded peaks and troughs of air caused by the vibrations of an object such as the human larynx for example.

@Antifred Firstly, WHY must anything, including the ' birth' of the Universe need to involve a God Concept of any kind?
Secondly, since my mind and thought processes have never been saturated by religion/religious doctrines in any shape nor form, Science and Theology, or Theosophy as I prefer to call any religion since actually achieving my Doctorate in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions, have been at odds since the Sciences were recognized as being something more than Hocus-Pocus and the realms of Alchemy, etc., have they not to some extent, especially on the subject of which are speaking.
As for Science ' hi-jacking' from religion, I ask you this, Why would something based upon research, rationality, knowledge, proof positive need to bother with 'hi-jacking' from something that requires, little more than faith and trust in a mere book that can offer up NO evidential Proof Positive in its own veracity and existence?
One could easily say that ANY book of fiction, i.e. Harry Potter for example, is on exactly the same level as the bible, simply because the analogies are the same.
Basic forms of the Sciences were being studied long, long before the original form of the Judeo-Christian Theosophy of Monotheism was ever invented/created in the minds of the Hebrews, in fact the FIRST idea of there being a FORMAL SINGLE God Entity was conceived in Ancient Egypt by King Akhenaton ( Amenhotep IV) which resulted in the Armana ( Akhetaton) ' experiment' coming into being.

@Antifred I have NO concept of there being or ever having been a God/s Goddesses other than those invented in the minds of humans themselves to give them a modicum of control over those of feebler minds who will listen to them.

@Antifred A) it has been proven Archaeologically and Historically that the biblical Exodus from Slavery in Egypt NEVER happened,
b) there were NO Israeli peoples until 1948 when the lands belonging to Palestine were STOLEN from them and given to the Jews.
c) the name 'Israel/Israeli' is derived from both the Ancient Egyptian and Assyrian languages word "Ishraeli/ Ishimraeli"meaning " those who are not to be trusted," "those who are reviled by all who meet them," "those who war amongst themselves and ALL others," and also as the" Hebruum" meaning "the filth from the lands of snakes and scorpions."
The only historical mention made of anyone with a name closely resembling ' Moses' was a Hebruum Mercenary Leader called Moseh who led a band of Mercenaries employed to guard the Border region of Goshen, Egypt, against Raiders of Trade Caravans, his 600 men, women and their children were EXPELLED from Goshen by the King of Egypt, Tutankhamun, for crimes such as Extortion, Slave Trading and wanton disregard for duties for which they were employed.
Yes, I do have quite some knowledge of the Histories of Ancient Egypt and the lands, peoples and cultures around the Mediterranean, I also can read, write and transcribe Latin, Ancient Greek, Aramaic, Hieroglyphs, Cuneiform, etc. quite well.

@Antifred Religion is nothing more than a Philosophy, a Theosophy to put it succinctly.
But it has become a 'pseudo-science' of a type since it is the SCIENCE of 'How best to Convince People to do as you say and believe every word you utter.'
I.e. the Science of being the best Scam Artist you can possibly be.

@Antifred Not according to ACTUAL Historical Records it didn't, maybe according to Biblical records, which as with the bible are very doubtable to say the least, it may have been BUT in Historical Records there were many distinct 'Nations' i.e. Canaan being one of them, later there were Judaea and Galilee, with both being later under the Roman Empire and Galilee also being under the rule of Puppet Kings of Herod Antipas and Herod the Great.
Please try reading ACTUAL History rather than the doubtable Biblical History for a change.

@Antifred Biblical Prophesies are just the same as the prophesies made by Astrologers, i.e. virtually meaningless except to those who are gullible enough to want to believe them.
The Semitic peoples have been at each others throats for centuries, if not Millenia, Arab tribes versus Arab tribes is really nothing new and the Hebrews( modernly called Jews) are nothing more than Semites themselves since, IF you were to research the definition of the word ' Semite' you'd already know that.

@Antifred the combination of Biblical and Archaeology are just another account of the irrational usage of Oxymorons since anyone with a Biblical bent can simply dig up a stone, bit of wood, etc, anywhere and without scientific testing or substantiating evidence claim, falsely I might add, it to be PROOF that Israel, the Bible, etc, etc, ad nauseum, are historically and factually correct 100%.
That is precisely why anyone with a wee bit of intelligence and knowledge starts to doubt ANY claims put forward by these 'revered' Jewish Archaeological Scholars, for example, How many of them have ' claimed' that that natural outcrop in Turkey is the remains of Noah's mythological Ark?
It has proven numerous times over by Tried and Trusted Scientific methods that it is NOT what these Biblical Scholars have repeatedly claimed it to be, just as has the Shroud of Turin, etc, etc.

@Antifred Yes, as a Doctor of Theology and Comparative modern Religions I am full cognizant of the Bible, perhaps even more so than you may be since I have read it line by line, verse by verse, page by page, chapter by chapter, book by book thoroughly innumerable times and have still remained the atheist I was when I first commenced my studies for my Doctorate.
You see Sir, the difference between an Atheist and a Theist/Religious believer is that the Atheist ACTUALLY has read the bible in its entirety whereas the Theist/Believer is very prone to ' cherry-pick' his/her way through it.
As the saying goes, " The roadside to Atheism and Reason is very heavily littered with the well worn and well thumbed through copies of the Bible."

@Antifred There is Abragam in the bible by the way, you'll find it is spelt Abraham in English and Abram in Aramaic ( the original language used in that region at that time in question.

@Antifred Precisely, ergo the Jews( Hebrews ARE Semites just as their brother Arabs are as well.
Hence there is NO genetic difference between them what-so-ever, just and on-going Tribal hatred.

Now please do yourself a favour, take a chill pill and go back to reading your bible, BUT, this time ACTUALLY read it rather than merely ' cherry-picking your way through it.

@Antifred Shit a brick, Antifred, (Oh, btw, 'shit a brick' is an Aussie saying similar in meaning to W.T.F., etc,), if there was an Olympic event for being ' Long Winded' you'd be the Undefeated Universal Champion in my opinion.
All I did was pose a simple type of question for EVERYONE to respond to/comment on and you've been playing, in my opinion, theological Ping-Pong and Verbal Merry-Go-Round almost for a week or more with it, what's up there my friend, is your life so boring and drear that you can't find other things to amuse and entertain you, isn't there a hobby you can involve yourself with?
Stone the Crows, I've been living by myself now for nearly 13 years, have hobbies, studies, read numerous books ( both fiction and non-fiction works), watch documentaries, keep my gardens going and all sorts of other things and only spend an hour two per day on this computer and on this site simply because I enjoy reading the comments, etc, posted by other members and enjoy the interaction as well.

@Antifred Not wishing in any way, shape nor form to appear derogatory/dismissive, etc, here, BUT, please Antifred, How about climbing down of off your personal Crucifix for a while and giving someone else a bit of a chance?

@Antifred Jeez Louise, Antifred, we have a saying here Australia that I reckon suits you to a "T", i.e. You are like British Paints, you just keep on keeping on.

1

I think that may be part of it, there’s also the theology they’ve been given that you’re going to Hell, and implied there is that you’re less than

1

I don't think so. They may talk about "free will," but it's like voting in a dictatorship: You can only choose an option they have given you. Our "option," our choice, is not on their ballot. A theist who takes our type of freedom seriously enough to be envious, is more than likely to join us!

Some less entrenched theists do actually shed their superstitious beliefs, however those who are so entrenched never will because they are probably afraid if the unknown, unknown to them that is, world of reality in which we live and I tend to think that they are envious of us because we possess the strength of mind and character to stride boldly into reality where they lack such strength.

1

I don't think most of them are jealous unless theyre already looking for a way out themselves. The true believers mostly either look at us with fear or pity.

1

Might be too big a paradigm shift for them to grasp the concept of being fine without faith in a God. If you were Muslim, Jewish, or some other Christian faith from theirs, they could claim that you were inculcated into the wrong faith, but to reject any God takes things up a notch, making you a willful anathema.

1

No, they have pity of us that don't know their superior lifestyle, and/or hate anything different because they are deeply rooted as their basic directive what is right and wrong.
It is not rational, for someone that has rooted deeply this directive, the rationality goes until a certain point. After that emotional mechanisms recognize the difference as threat and he is not arguing anymore, he is protecting his own existence.

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