• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Why are “some atheists” so intolerant of religious believers?

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
In December 2017, I left a forum I had been posting on for about four years to come here because of a falling out with the atheist forum owner. I was here for about a year and then that atheist forum owner saw me posting on another forum in that forum group and invited me back to his forum. I went back in December 2018, reticently, and since then I have only been posting here on RF on a limited basis, because I do not have time for both forums. I am now very sorry I ever went back there and I hope I never make the same mistake again.

That forum pretends to be a forum for believers, ex-believers and nonbelievers but it is inhospitable for believers of any kind, particularly for believers of the Baha’i Faith. That is putting it mildly. We are discriminated against because the forum owner has a vendetta against my religion. Christians and Jews are tolerated as long as they do not talk too much about God or their religious beliefs. Mostly what they talk about on that forum are politics and social issues. So they really should not call themselves a “religious forum.”

My most recent academic background is in psychology, so I wonder why people think and do what they think and do. It seems rather obvious to me that if the atheists on that forum are hostile towards me it is because they are threatened in some way. Of course, they would never admit that. It is not as if I am a bit pushy about what I believe, and in fact I only discussed my beliefs if someone else posted to me about my beliefs. Then I responded and I got blamed for proselytizing. This is wholly unjust.

This last falling out was precipitated by the forum owner having a hissy fit for what he considered me mentioning my religion too much and then he put me on moderation. I sent him a private message that I will not post on his forum while on moderation because that is unjust, since I broke no forum rules, and I told him I was leaving his forum. Of course most of the atheists are glad I am gone. I am also glad I am gone because now I am back here and the atheists on this forum have been so different. They are mature adults, not little children acting out.

There is no reason why those atheists would act out that way unless they were afraid of what I have to say. They do not react to the other believers on that forum that way because they do not dare talk much about God or their religion, because they are too afraid of being insulted. But I never cared about being insulted; I stood right up to them, but I was always polite. And I never told them that they should believe in God, as I am very well aware of the reasons atheists do not believe in God and I respect those reasons. Why can’t we all just get along? Is that too much to ask?

Imagine that! I dare to talk about God and my religion on a “religious forum.”

The forum owner just wants to control everything I post, it is so obvious. Why can’t other people see this? It is psych 101 stuff. I know atheists are intelligent, but the atheists on that forum seem to wear blinders regarding the reasons for their fearless leader’s behaviors.

Finally, they call that forum a “free thinkers” forum and I find the very ironic, because nobody has changed the way they think since I went there five years ago. They are not free to think anything that contradicts their atheism and they don’t want to hear about it. Then they rank on believers and say we are not free to think because we have a religion. They say we are just “brainwashed believers.” It is comical that they cannot understand their own behavior, but it is also rather sad.

I understand that a lot of atheists are ex-believers who were hurt by Christianity but it is not fair to take that out on me. I did not do anything to them except try to be their friend. But they cannot be friends with a believer, all they can do is tell me I am wrong about what I believe. They say there is no God, no soul and no afterlife but they have no proof of that. I readily admit believers have no proof either, but there is evidence. By contrast, atheists have no evidence that there is no God, no soul and no afterlife, so they should just admit that, instead of insisting they know. I guess it makes them uncomfortable to have to think about these things, but if they are so sure they do not exist they would be able to just blow me off instead of getting antagonistic. This is psych 101 stuff.

I am interested in what the atheists on this forum have to say about this, but I am also open to hearing the opinions of believers.
 
Last edited:

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
All atheists are people and some people are intolerant idiots. Why would you expect there not to be a negative proportion of any generically defined grouping of people?

There are intolerant individuals in all groups, I think. In my personal experience, most certainly I've met more intolerant theists than atheists. Of course everyone's mileage varies. In short, it's complicated, and individualised.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I am also glad I am gone because now I am back here and the atheists on this forum have been so different. They are mature adults, not little children acting out.
Our atheists are also gluten & GMO free.
There is no reason why those atheists would act out that way unless they were afraid of what I have to say.
There is another reason, & it afflicts people of many different religious orientations.....
They get angry if people don't acknowledge them as having The Truth.
I experience that here from liberals, conservatives, believers, non-believers, etc.
Disagree with them, & they get vicious.
Tis best to mostly avoid them.
 
Why cant all groups of people just be free in discussing and make the discussing about the subject and not eachother? Is that too much to ask?

Mayby it is. But thats incredable that it maybe too much to ask.

So, if its too much to ask, MAYBE the answer is just love instead of debate. Mayby.
 

bobhikes

Nondetermined
Premium Member
My most recent academic background is in psychology, .

Psychology should be able to provide your answer but its seems your bias is in the way.

People are people, there is intolerance in all types even you. I have stopped asking why a christen that believes life is sacred can blow up an abortion facility, Why a policeman sworn to protect the innocent can kill an innocent and frame them for something they didn't do, Why a religious leader can do the most vile of evils.

It is never all of a group and usually only a small portion of a group that is intolerant (with some exceptions KKK). We need to learn to deal with there intolerance and not be intolerant back or its never going to be solved.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
In December 2017, I left a forum I had been posting on for about four years to come here because of a falling out with the atheist forum owner. I was here for about a year and then that atheist forum owner saw me posting on another forum in that forum group and invited me back to his forum. I went back in December 2018, reticently, and since then I have only been posting here on RF on a limited basis, because I do not have time for both forums. I am now very sorry I ever went back there and I hope I never make the same mistake again.

That forum pretends to be a forum for believers, ex-believers and nonbelievers but it is inhospitable for believers of any kind, particularly for believers of the Baha’i Faith. That is putting it mildly. We are discriminated against because the forum owner has a vendetta against my religion. Christians and Jews are tolerated as long as they do not talk too much about God or their religious beliefs. Mostly what they talk about on that forum are politics and social issues. So they really should not call themselves a “religious forum.”

My most recent academic background is in psychology, so I wonder why people think and do what they think and do. It seems rather obvious to me that if the atheists on that forum are hostile towards me it is because they are threatened in some way. Of course, they would never admit that. It is not as if I am a bit pushy about what I believe, and in fact I only discussed my beliefs if someone else posted to me about my beliefs. Then I responded and I got blamed for proselytizing. This is wholly unjust.

This last falling out was precipitated by the forum owner having a hissy fit for what he considered me mentioning my religion too much and then he put me on moderation. I sent him a private message that I will not post on his forum while on moderation because that is unjust, since I broke no forum rules, and I told him I was leaving his forum. Of course most of the atheists are glad I am gone. I am also glad I am gone because now I am back here and the atheists on this forum have been so different. They are mature adults, not little children acting out.

There is no reason why those atheists would act out that way unless they were afraid of what I have to say. They do not react to the other believers on that forum that way because they do not dare talk much about God or their religion, because they are too afraid of being insulted. But I never cared about being insulted; I stood right up to them, but I was always polite. And I never told them that they should believe in God, as I am very well aware of the reasons atheists do not believe in God and I respect those reasons. Why can’t we all just get along? Is that too much to ask?

Imagine that! I dare to talk about God and my religion on a “religious forum.”

The forum owner just wants to control everything I post, it is so obvious. Why can’t other people see this? It is psych 101 stuff. I know atheists are intelligent, but the atheists on that forum seem to wear blinders regarding the reasons for their fearless leader’s behaviors.

Finally, they call that forum a “free thinkers” forum and I find the very ironic, because nobody has changed the way they think since I went there five years ago. They are not free to think anything that contradicts their atheism and they don’t want to hear about it. Then they rank on believers and say we are not free to think because we have a religion. They say we are just “brainwashed believers.” It is comical that they cannot understand their own behavior, but it is also rather sad.

I understand that a lot of atheists are ex-believers who were hurt by Christianity but it is not fair to take that out on me. I did not do anything to them except try to be their friend. But they cannot be friends with a believer, all they can do is tell me I am wrong about what I believe. They say there is no God, no soul and no afterlife but they have no proof of that. I readily admit believers have no proof either, but there is evidence. By contrast, atheists have no evidence that there is no God, no soul and no afterlife, so they should just admit that, instead of insisting they know. I guess it makes them uncomfortable to have to think about these things, but if they are so sure they do not exist they would be able to just blow me off instead of getting antagonistic. This is psych 101 stuff.

I am interested in what the atheists on this forum have to say about this, but I am also open to hearing the opinions of believers.
Are you posting in a appropriate forum? I mean if you post in debate forms and such, you're going to end up putting your religion through the crucible where people are going to do anything and everything to tear it up into shreds to see how well the arguments stand up to scrutiny and stress by putting the proverbial axe and hammer to it without quarter.

If things get too sensitive for you I'm sure there's always protected areas or even forums based around your religion that you can dwell in that can accommodate your personal preferences and associations without all the gladiatorial combat .
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
All atheists are people and some people are intolerant idiots. Why would you expect there not to be a negative proportion of any generically defined grouping of people?
I understand that intolerance is to be found within all different groups of people, but I was just wondering why you think those atheists would act out that way unless they were afraid of what I have to say. Do you think there is NO reason, that they are just intolerant for no reason? That seems rather odd to me because there has to be a reason people think as they do and a motivation for their actions.

However, I do not believe we can ever know the reasons or motivations for what other people think or do unless they reveal them to us, and most people are not about to do that, either because they don't know them or because they don't want us to know.
 

InChrist

Free4ever
I used to post on a Christian forum back when I was a Christian but beginning to have doubts, and the amount of hate I got from these "Christians" simply for asking questions just pushed me away from Christianity even quicker. So, atheists are not the only group that can be hateful and intolerant.
That is sad because everyone has doubts or questions. I have seen that kind of attitude myself over the years. At first, it used to take me aback that "Christians" would act that way. Then I began to realize not all who profess to be believers really submitted their thoughts and actions to Christ and also that I had to stop looking at people to display perfect Christ-likeness and keep my focus on instead on Jesus alone . And to honest, though, I've not usually felt or expressed hate toward anyone, I have had to repent from my own self-centered attitudes.
 
Our atheists are also gluten & GMO free.

There is another reason, & it afflicts people of many different religious orientations.....
They get angry if people don't acknowledge them as having The Truth.
I experience that here from liberals, conservatives, believers, non-believers, etc.
Disagree with them, & they get vicious.
Tis best to mostly avoid them.

Gluton and GMO free? I have a hunch this is analogy? If so, whats the glutton and gmo stand for?
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
In December 2017, I left a forum I had been posting on for about four years to come here because of a falling out with the atheist forum owner. I was here for about a year and then that atheist forum owner saw me posting on another forum in that forum group and invited me back to his forum. I went back in December 2018, reticently, and since then I have only been posting here on RF on a limited basis, because I do not have time for both forums. I am now very sorry I ever went back there and I hope I never make the same mistake again.

That forum pretends to be a forum for believers, ex-believers and nonbelievers but it is inhospitable for believers of any kind, particularly for believers of the Baha’i Faith. That is putting it mildly. We are discriminated against because the forum owner has a vendetta against my religion. Christians and Jews are tolerated as long as they do not talk too much about God or their religious beliefs. Mostly what they talk about on that forum are politics and social issues. So they really should not call themselves a “religious forum.”

My most recent academic background is in psychology, so I wonder why people think and do what they think and do. It seems rather obvious to me that if the atheists on that forum are hostile towards me it is because they are threatened in some way. Of course, they would never admit that. It is not as if I am a bit pushy about what I believe, and in fact I only discussed my beliefs if someone else posted to me about my beliefs. Then I responded and I got blamed for proselytizing. This is wholly unjust.

This last falling out was precipitated by the forum owner having a hissy fit for what he considered me mentioning my religion too much and then he put me on moderation. I sent him a private message that I will not post on his forum while on moderation because that is unjust, since I broke no forum rules, and I told him I was leaving his forum. Of course most of the atheists are glad I am gone. I am also glad I am gone because now I am back here and the atheists on this forum have been so different. They are mature adults, not little children acting out.

There is no reason why those atheists would act out that way unless they were afraid of what I have to say. They do not react to the other believers on that forum that way because they do not dare talk much about God or their religion, because they are too afraid of being insulted. But I never cared about being insulted; I stood right up to them, but I was always polite. And I never told them that they should believe in God, as I am very well aware of the reasons atheists do not believe in God and I respect those reasons. Why can’t we all just get along? Is that too much to ask?

Imagine that! I dare to talk about God and my religion on a “religious forum.”

The forum owner just wants to control everything I post, it is so obvious. Why can’t other people see this? It is psych 101 stuff. I know atheists are intelligent, but the atheists on that forum seem to wear blinders regarding the reasons for their fearless leader’s behaviors.

Finally, they call that forum a “free thinkers” forum and I find the very ironic, because nobody has changed the way they think since I went there five years ago. They are not free to think anything that contradicts their atheism and they don’t want to hear about it. Then they rank on believers and say we are not free to think because we have a religion. They say we are just “brainwashed believers.” It is comical that they cannot understand their own behavior, but it is also rather sad.

I understand that a lot of atheists are ex-believers who were hurt by Christianity but it is not fair to take that out on me. I did not do anything to them except try to be their friend. But they cannot be friends with a believer, all they can do is tell me I am wrong about what I believe. They say there is no God, no soul and no afterlife but they have no proof of that. I readily admit believers have no proof either, but there is evidence. By contrast, atheists have no evidence that there is no God, no soul and no afterlife, so they should just admit that, instead of insisting they know. I guess it makes them uncomfortable to have to think about these things, but if they are so sure they do not exist they would be able to just blow me off instead of getting antagonistic. This is psych 101 stuff.

I am interested in what the atheists on this forum have to say about this, but I am also open to hearing the opinions of believers.
Just keep in mind that you're not obligated to respond to anyone. If someone says something upsetting, you always have the option of ignoring them. And if they continue there's always RF's "Ignore" feature.
 
Last edited:

Neuropteron

Active Member
I am interested in what the atheists on this forum have to say about this, but I am also open to hearing the opinions of believers.


Apostle Paul explains it this way:
"They are puzzled that you do not continue running with them in the same decadent course of debauchery, so they speak abusively of you".1Pet 4:4

"Do not become unevenly yoke with unbelievers, For what sharing does light and darkness have... ?" 2Cor 6:15
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
There is another reason, & it afflicts people of many different religious orientations.....
They get angry if people don't acknowledge them as having The Truth.
I experience that here from liberals, conservatives, believers, non-believers, etc.
Disagree with them, & they get vicious.
Tis best to mostly avoid them.
But don't you think that is pretty arrogant? I mean why should I acknowledge that THEY have the Truth when I have my own beliefs? That would be terribly dishonest and misleading. I do not expect THEM to acknowledge what I believe as the Truth if they don't believe it but I guess not everyone is going to extend the same courtesy.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
We need to learn to deal with there intolerance and not be intolerant back or its never going to be solved.
I agree. That is all we can do. We can either come back with tolerance or avoid them altogether and it depends upon the situation which we choose.
My modus operandi is to try to understand them but I cannot understand them if they are not forthcoming, so I have to let it go.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
Are you posting in a appropriate forum? I mean if you post in debate forms and such, you're going to end up putting your religion through the crucible where people are going to do anything and everything to tear it up into shreds to see how well the arguments stand up to scrutiny and stress by putting the proverbial axe and hammer to it without quarter.

If things get too sensitive for you I'm sure there's always protected areas or even forums based around your religion that you can dwell in that can accommodate your personal preferences and associations without all the gladiatorial combat .
The thing is that I do not mind them attacking my religion at all or even attacking me for having it. What I DO MIND is being unfairly treated or being accused of doing what I well know I am NOT doing. I also mind being told what my motives are by others who do not know them, and then when I correct them they insist I am wrong and they know my real motives. I also mind being told I cannot respond to posts because I talk too much about my religion, when it is clear I was not the one who brought it up in the first place. This is all very unjust.
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
What forum? Give details, otherwise it sounds like random accusations against atheist.
I am not sure it is a good idea to reveal the forum name here.
I am trying this understand this, that is all. To do that I had to explain what happened. Of course there are always two sides to any story.

But evidence is evidence so if there is no evidence for what I was accused of doing, and he could not produce it when asked to. I went looking for the evidence myself and I proved my point, that I was being accused falsely. I posted that evidence to him in a private message and he still did not acknowledge it. Where do I go from there?
 

Trailblazer

Veteran Member
Just keep in mind that you're not obligated to respond to anyone. If someone says something upsetting, you always have the option of ignoring them. And if they continue there's always RF's "Ignore" feature.
Thanks, I know that. :)
The thing is that I never get upset when people attack my beliefs or even when they tell me I am stupid for having then. That is like water off a duck's back. What I do get upset about is injustice, being accused by the forum owner and moderators of what I KNOW I am not doing and of having motives I KNOW I do not have. Nothing is more unjust than that. Also, unless I have broken a rule, putting me on moderation is just a way to control what I post and I won't tolerate it because it is unjust.
 
Top