You can't be an atheist. You must believe somewhere deep down.

[WillParkinson]

I got told this tonight by a co-worker because I helped arrange a surprise for a couples 45th wedding anniversary.

She told me because I was a good person I had to be religious somewhere down deep. She seemed to be under the misconception that 'decent' equates with religious.

I just don't get it.

[immoderate]

1. Marketing. That's what religions are.

--imm

[Deep13]

2. When I was religious, I was still a skeptic somewhere down deep.

Believing is the art of making oneselve forget that he or she has serious doubts.

[yellerpup]

3. You proved her wrong.

She doesn't get it. Hope it was a good party!

[realisticphish]

4. maybe if she just flips that logic.... nt

[PassingFair]

5. I've been told, many times...that God was USING me.

Many believers LOVE to thank GOD, but they're
not very good at thanking ordinary people
who go out of their way for others for no
reward.

They resent us, I think.

:crazy:

[onager]

6. The one that sets my teeth on edge...

"That's OK. Even if you don't believe in god, he believes in you."

:puke:

Talk about completely missing the point...

[Warpy]

7. They don't understand that sociopaths are the only people out there

who are completely amoral, that atheists have taken a look at the world and realized that sort of behavior won't get them very far and besides, it's not the kind of world we want to live in.

In addition, we don't get to delay judgment until after death. We are judged every time we look in the mirror.

It makes religious people look very small and limited, IMO.

[rexcat]

8. My favorite...

What made you hate god so much to stop believing in him?

[realisticphish]

9. Why do you hate God?

seriously, I've heard this several times. I explain to them that my lack of belief has nothing to do with experiences in life and Christianity, which were fine, but rather with a lack of evidence, and my rejection of unfalsifiable notions about the afterlife. They look at me for a second, then say, "So you worship the devil now? Are you a muslim?"

[rexcat]

11. There is nothing you can say to someone who asks you that question...

They just don't get it. The group, as a whole, have gotten a little better because most of them now don't call me a communist! I used to get that this one a lot..."if your are an atheist you must be a communist." These people are just don't have any critical thinking skills what so ever.

[FiveGoodMen]

10. Off by 180

I stopped believing in god partly because I have more respect for him than they do.

They paint a picture of a tantrum-throwing twelve-year-old with unlimited power and then worship that image.

My view is that if there really were a being capable of dreaming up and creating everything and who then desired our company, he wouldn't punish everyone forever over stupid things like saying his name at the wrong time.

I'd expect any god to be at least as good as I am. And I'd never sink to the lows attributed to their god.