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Permalink Reply by Jim Scotti on June 21, 2011 at 6:02pm

Angry? They haven't seen us angry! :)

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Walski on June 21, 2011 at 6:03pm

People who live by an emotional response to life cant fathom a rational approach. Its not surprising. Atheists tend to make the same mistake when dealing with religious people in a rational manner when they are more emotionally motivated. Its one of the dividing points to the discussion of life.

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Permalink Reply by James Martin on June 21, 2011 at 6:42pm

Over at Quora, there is a question that attempts to find the answer to this question: Why do some atheists and agnostics spend so much time and energy be... with 19 answers as of the time of my writing this. 

 

Originally it read "Why do atheists and agnostics spend so much time and energy being angry at someone they don't even believe exists?" and it was under that wording that I submitted my own answer:

Because the only proper measure, by their standards, of their religiosity is their faith (literally, their willingness to believe without question), if we atheists didn't speak out on the numerous blatant hypocrisies that exist in the form of religious belief, no one would. They'd have faith that they are doing god's will, whatever sect they subscribe to, and thus can't do wrong. This is a very dangerous way of thinking, and it is that which we fight against. It is not god(s) we are angry at, but the people that subscribe to those beliefs and the circumstances that arise as a result of their predominance in our society.

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Permalink Reply by Chris on June 22, 2011 at 12:22am

I think this one is sort of obvious. God generally gives them a good feeling and the sense of belonging. Why would anyone reject this experience? Anger, fear, arrogance come easily to mind. We must hate being told how to think and act, or are terrified of coming under judgement. Or we simply think we are too good for a god. Rationalizing a different point of view when you are not really inclined to think things through usually follows patterns like that. The "other" is simply acting like a child. They will eventually either grow up and get over it or they will pay the consequences for childish acts. it makes perfect sense, again, if you aren't really thinking about it.

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Permalink Reply by Carol Foley on June 22, 2011 at 12:42am

Oh, I'm plenty angry.

I'm angry that my mother wouldn't speak to me as an atheist while I was deployed.

I'm angry that people do horrible things and they are sanctioned by their religions.

I'm furious that in America so many people abandon common sense for a book they haven't fully read.

I am pissed that I have been accused of serving the devil and hating a god I don't believe in.

 

And if I am wrong and a god exists, I am angry at him for allowing so many people to live in blatant ignorance while demanding unquestioning belief. 

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