I'm an atheist and still respect people of faith

So as the title states, I'm an Atheist.

That doesn't mean that whenever I see a religious person I feel compelled to go right up to them and tell them that GoD's NoT rEaL...

People are entitled to believe what they like, or not believe anything supernatural just like me. All I ask is that no-one forces their religion down my throat if they have one, or wishes me any harm for not being a believer.

Same with gay people. If you like to spend your time with people of the same gender as you that's your own prerogative and I won't criticise/insult/hurt you for doing so, just don't try it on with me personally if you're a gay guy.

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Based on 24 votes (22 yes)
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Comments ( 11 )
  • Somenormie

    I'm also an atheist who respects people's beliefs.

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  • techpc

    👍 It's normal to be a respectful person.

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  • Goomats

    I wish more Atheists were nice and reasonable like you. :-D

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  • Boojum

    I also can't accept that any sort of omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent being exists. I've never read, seen or experienced anything that leads me to suspect that could even possibly be true. However, I understand enough about people to know why some feel a need to believe in such a being. I also understand why some people find it useful - and very profitable - to try to persuade or even coerce others into accepting the existence of such a being.

    As far as I'm concerned, people can believe whatever they choose, no matter how illogical and ridiculous it might be. If someone has been convinced by a bunch of social media wingnuts that a vaccine contains nano-scale tracking chips produced by Bill Gates because he's an agent of Satan, that's fine by me. I respect them in the sense that I think they have the right to believe that utter BS, and I'm not going to waste any time trying to persuade them that their belief is groundless. But a large part of how much respect I have for someone is based on them behaving in at least a semi-rational way, showing that they have some understanding of the difference between fact and unsupported opinions, and apparently occupying the same universe I live in. While I can understand how childhood indoctrination, ignorance, fear and herd mentality can lead people to believe really stupid things, I find it very difficult to respect gullible people, and I have no respect at all for those who lack any intellectual curiosity.

    Similarly, if someone wants to believe that Mohammed literally rode to heaven on a horse one night and had a chat with God, that's fine by me, but I can't have much respect for someone who's stupid enough to believe that actually happened. And if someone asserts that the universe, the world we see around us and every living creature in it was created over a period of 144 hours 6,000 years ago, them believing that is fine by me. But that claim indicates that the person knows virtually nothing about just about any branch of science (and therefore knows little about the world), and is stuck in the woo-woo mindset that was most likely crammed into their head when their age was in single figures. It therefore strongly suggests they are - in the truest sense of the world - retarded, since they haven't developed much mentally since that age. Still, I understand how believing that makes people feel better about themselves and lets them believe that their existence matters in the cosmic scheme of things, so I'm not going to try to make them see reality. But the belief is a delusion, I find it very difficult to respect the views of delusional people, and if they start trying to bring others into their delusional world-view, I'm going to start asking awkward questions in what they'll probably see as a non-respectful way.

    What really pisses me off is when people of any religion start pressuring others to accept that their particular set of delusions is the only possible Truth about life, the universe and everything. They're free to say whatever the hell they want to each other in their clubhouse, treat others in their clique however they want (within the bounds of legality, obviously) and they should be free to seek new suckers to join their club, but they cross a line when they start trying to force everyone outside their club to comply with the arbitrary rules of their version of God.

    And of course the lowest of the low are those who exploit ignorant, gullible, fearful and intellectually challenged people for their own financial gain and ego-strokes. I have no respect whatsoever for any televangelist or the social media and YouTube wannabee versions of that breed.

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    • I think that just about nails it. The only part I disagree with is the debating them part. I just pay them no mind whatsoever.

      Don't cross my red lines and I won't cross yours.

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      • Boojum

        The omniscient YouTube algorithm tossed the following video my way this morning. I think the video covers the issue of non-believers not respecting religious beliefs in an interesting way. The video's creator highlights something I hadn't really considered: how the religious use psychological manipulation in an attempt to coerce non-believers into respecting their beliefs.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_5yUXjXizQ

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  • Tommythecaty

    You’re an Atheist, you are as much a person of faith as the religious.

    Belief in something you can’t possibly know or prove.

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    • The burden of proof is on the person who believes in the existence of whatever it may be.

      If I told you pies exist, and you said pies didn't exist, it would be my job to go and buy a pie, as opposed to your job to convince me that it's impossible.

      In my case, nobody has been able to buy me a tangible-enough pie.

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      • Tommythecaty

        It’s not a topic that can be proven or disproven, it’s beyond burden of proof for either side.

        If you believe there’s nothing there without being able to prove it, it’s faith.

        If you believe there’s something there without being able to prove it, it’s faith.

        Agnosticism is the only rational mindset, not claiming to know that which cannot be known.

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  • bbrown95

    Very normal, and a very good thing! I am religious, but have no desire to try to force religion on anyone, either. You're very correct when you say people are entitled to believe how they want!

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  • kelili

    That's what most of us atheist do. But I do admit that sometimes I can be caught posting something funny about Jesus on FB.

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