[Christianlady]

(Original post by facdroit)
I absolutely look down on religious people in fact I feel religious people are less intelligent for believing in such nonsense.

Fellow atheists do you also feel the same way?

Helo Facdroit,

You are of course entitled to your opinion. Thankfully, there are highly intelligent Atheists and Agnostics who do not look down on others or insult others, but rather strive to understand others even when they don't agree.

I am curious if you look down on "religious people" who have made remarkable contributions to society?

As a believer in God, i do not look down on Atheists, but rather appreciate, respect, and admire those who contribute positively to society, emphasizing helping others and using their talents to make the world a better place.

Intelligent people are diverse. They don't all fit into one box. To stereotype and look down on people is a mark of intolerance against that group of people and shows a heart that is proud and uncaring towards others.

Thankfully, today in most Western nations, freedom of religion is a right that all people can enjoy. There have been and are to this day many religious people who strive to make the world a better place, whether in the medical field (Clara Barton and Florence Nightingale for example) in technology (the Wright Brothers, Samuel Morse for example) science (Max Planck, William Thompson, Michael Faraday, Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle, Galileo) in helping those in need (William Booth, George Williams) in human rights (William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jr.) ... and there are many not religious people who do the same. By the way, was Gandhi a religious person? I think he was a Hindu, yes? It is wonderful to work together, despite of differences in beliefs, to make the world a better place.

Albert Einstein, by the way, believed the following:

"A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it is this knowledge and this emotion that constitute the truly religious attitude; in this sense, and in this alone, I am a deeply religious man. (Albert Einstein)

I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it. (Albert Einstein, 1954)

I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings. (Albert Einstein)"
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/albert...n-theology.htm

Do you look down on him?

Peace and God bless you

[brendonbackflip]

Slightly offended by this post tbh.

I label myself an athiest, and have done since I was 13. Before then, however, I was pretty religious. Went to church every sunday and twice on Christmas Day, prayed before meals and before bed, didn't even say things like "Oh my god" because of the blasphemy and so forth. I stopped this because I stopped believing in God as I got older. My family are still very religious, and I know quite a few people through the church community. So I guess this is why I don't think myself as 'above' religious people - because I've met so many intelligent, fantastic, kind people from the begining of my life.

When you have been brought up religious, it is very easy to feel like it's right; you're in a community where everyone believes in the same thing. It's sort of like school - you believe everything your teacher tells you, because why wouldn't you? Religion is a way people use to deal with problems in their life, and it's nice to feel like "there's something out there". It's a big part of people, and just because it's probably not real doesn't mean it's wrong to celebrate it.

Anyway, we wouldn't have the Christmas holidays if it wasn't for them

Also, it's possible to believe in science and religion. Science doesn't prove religion wrong.

And I've never met a religious person who disagrees with homosexuality, or thinks people of other religions/athiests will burn in hell, or anything else that affects political issues. The only homophobes I know are athiest, funnily enough.

[Sbapu]

As a religious person, i feel sorry for atheists.

[Moontoon]

You mean, as an atheist do i look down on fully grown adults who still haven't grown out of their imaginary friends?
Yes of course!

[tomclarky]

I don't look down on anyone who follows their religion after having make an informed choice to do so.

I do feel sorry though for people who were brought up in a strict religious family, who were brainwashed (for lack of a better word) into that way of thinking.

[Aeyuin]

No, since religious people usually have a understandable reason for believing in God. The most common being because they were brought up to believe that. If you're in an environment where everyone, including the people you trust and look up to are saying something, you will believe it and it won't seem impossible. Realistically, there is still a possibility for it to be true, and if you've lived your life around this fact, it would be hard to convince you otherwise. And then you have people who choose to believe because of reasons like it's impossible to imagine an absence of existence after death or because they are fearful of it and are then more likely to believe in an alternative where it doesn't end.

[05sykesd]

(Original post by Freddy12345)
I don't believe that humans originally happened to be apes. But the other species which seem to adapt and appear different from how there used to be well I believe that, but not apes into humans.

I heard that the devil is one of the most deceptive being around, it says in the religous books that he can put out a silly idea out there and make people believe it.

the idea: apes evolving into humans, silly idea some people out there believe it.

So your saying that evolution was put forward by the devil to stop people believing in god?

you also seem to be saying that you believe evolution apart from the fact that humans evolved from apes? You cant say (as part of a cohesive argument) that the laws of nature applying to the evolution of all other species simply do not apply to humans.

Evolution by natural selection does not even suggest that humans 'happened' from modern apes, it states that we had a common ancestor which was subject to different environments and so some adapted to a grassy planes environment by standing on 2 feet (to see above the grass) using tools to hunt, tails became vestigial, all over millions of years via natural selection etc whereas the ones remaining in forests continued to evolve into this niche and became modern apes and monkeys. It is a well known fact that homo erectus (who we are descended from) was in competition (and won) against neanderthals; another 'species' of human, (just as there is more than one species of ape) who were slightly genetically different (stronger, bigger foreheads + noses etc) however homo erectus evolved with higher intelligence and so humans were removed from natural selection.

Evolution does apply to humans; we can prove this genetically, as we can do for the rest of the natural world (we can prove the theory of evolution irrefutably using genome sequencing)

In answer to the OP, i dont look down on theists, they can believe whatever the hell they want i dont care, only those who are extremist, refute fact with their belief (disbelieving evolution, believing that the earth is 6000 years old etc) or push their faith down other peoples throats (if say a religious person says 'ill pray for you to cure your homosexuality' >>http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show....php?t=1978624) who get my condescension

[f1mad]

(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I thought I was perfectly clear - I will not take anyone seriously if I find out that they are religious.

What an ignorant view you hold there.

No doubt if you should become a lawyer, you will not represent those that are religious?

.

[f1mad]

(Original post by okonomiyaki)
Indeed!

To be quite honest, I couldn't care less whether the people around me were atheists, theists, agnostic...all that matters is they're nice people. And not smug self-congratulating trolls.

Well said.

[Tinkle]

stupid question and poll

[Lydia1234]

It depends, if they are just blindly following a realigion or just picking and choosing which part of the religion they like and will stick to and ignore other parts then I do look down on them. They are then deemed ignorant to me. Those few who have the intelligence and a sound argument other than 'Just what the holy scriptures say" then I have utter respect for them but I will always be wary of their faith just as they probably don't like my lack of it.

[Aspiringlawstudent]

(Original post by f1mad)
What an ignorant view you hold there.

No doubt if you should become a lawyer, you will not represent those that are religious?

.

Commercial lawyers don't really represent people, so I doubt it

[Shawy89]

(Original post by Sbapu)
As a religious person, i feel sorry for atheists.

As an atheist, I feel sorry for religious people.

I feel that so many people waste their lives praying, going to church, and follow arbitrary rules (like not eating certain meats, not having sex before marriage etc) - all for nothing.

You only have one life, so why not enjoy it? On the off-chance that the afterlife actually exists? Because it doesn't.

[.eXe]

(Original post by Shawy89)
As an atheist, I feel sorry for religious people.

I feel that so many people waste their lives praying, going to church, and follow arbitrary rules (like not eating certain meats, not having sex before marriage etc) - all for nothing.

You only have one life, so why not enjoy it? On the off-chance that the afterlife actually exists? Because it doesn't.

And I feel sorry for your ignorance. Life isn't only about enjoyment. Go talk to those kids in Africa who haven't even tasted water and speak to them about enjoyment you close-minded fool.

[deuxchatsnoirs]

I look down on anyone who is extreme in their views, atheist, theist or otherwise.

For example, the man ranting and raving in the street with a microphone telling people they need to repent their sins or they will go to hell, I don't really respect him.

Similarly, the (many) people on my Facebook feed who post videos on religious festivals (Christmas, Easter etc) which call religious people stupid and say things like 'Happy Zombie Jesus Day', I have absolutely no respect for either.

The reason is this: everyone has faith. If you are atheist, you have absolute faith in the fact that science and factual evidence can explain your world and your existence. You live with this faith everyday and you are content with it.

If you are religious, you have absolute faith in the fact that there is a God up there watching over you, protecting you and keeping a place safe for you after you die. You believe he is someone you can talk to, ask for help and worship. This faith gives you personal happiness and you are content in your belief.

In these two cases, both parties are absolutely content with their faith.

So my question is this; why are people, atheist or theist, so desparate to take that away from others?

If you meet a person who is atheist, be happy for them, they have faith in something that they truly believe and are content to live their life believing. If you meet a religious person, be happy for them. They have faith in something that brings them contentment even if they can't prove it is there.

Don't try to take it away from them. And absolutely do not take the frankly disgusting attitude that you are better than them.

[Shawy89]

(Original post by .eXe)
And I feel sorry for your ignorance. Life isn't only about enjoyment. Go talk to those kids in Africa who haven't even tasted water and speak to them about enjoyment you close-minded fool.

Well, of course for those people life isn't about enjoyment, it's about trying to survive. I'm refering to the likes of people on this forum.

But while on the subject - if there is a God, then why does He allow them to suffer?

[cgraham15]

I'm not an athiest and yet I'm going to university. yeah........ I must be real thick

[Miracle Day]

(Original post by JollyGreenAtheist)
Just religious people? No, not at all. Everyone is entitled to their views, and everyone arrives at those views in their own way. I'm in no place to criticise them, nor can I categorically say that I'm right and they're wrong.

Religious folk that shove their views down your throat; involve their religion in politics; use their religion to govern their ethical views on issues like homosexuality, contraception and abortion; or ones that screw with children I do look down upon, because they're *****.

(Original post by ummdhibun)
Nah [LOL, i love Aragorn] i wanted to say - in a 'nice' way - that if you don't know and understand religion and why people hold certain views, then you tend to look down on them - i.e. become arrogant.

Like you do with atheism?

[05sykesd]

(Original post by Shawy89)
As an atheist, I feel sorry for religious people.

I feel that so many people waste their lives praying, going to church, and follow arbitrary rules (like not eating certain meats, not having sex before marriage etc) - all for nothing.

You only have one life, so why not enjoy it? On the off-chance that the afterlife actually exists? Because it doesn't.

It has been said that 'the worst bit about being an atheist is not being able to say i told you so'

[Profesh]

Not necessarily: my previous sexual partner was nominally Christian, and yet much to my surprise I eventually found myself contemplating a relationship with her. So long as they aren't pious, sanctimonious, brazenly hypocritical, mindlessly dogmatic or endlessly apologetic about it 'spirituality' as a pre-existing condition is something I'd probably be willing to accommodate – although conversion is an altogether different matter, and one liable to breed ill-will.