Why does "atheist" have such a negative connotation?

Being an atheist doesn't mean you worship "satan" or kill babies. So why does the word that merely means a lack in belief in an, in my opinion absurd, God make people cringe as it does? 

Tags: atheism, biases

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Permalink Reply by qıƃ ɟ ǝıɔɐɹʇ on January 20, 2010 at 1:31am
Preachers make their living on the amounts donated by their flock each Sunday. Any in the flock who are wavering in their faith might be convinced to stuff those thoughts down whenever they witness the demonization of those who lack faith. Therefore, clergy will seek out every opportunity, large and small, to criticize, ridicule, and pity both particular atheists as well as the idea of atheism. This is done, sometimes, even to the extent of making false claims.
Permalink Reply by Objection on January 20, 2010 at 4:10am
Who are these 'people' you speak of that 'cringe'? Religionists? If so, I don't really care what they think.
Permalink Reply by Brittany A. Cox on January 20, 2010 at 12:40pm
These people that cringe...hmm...the majority of Americans that I have ever spoken to?! I just keep my lack of religion to myself, otherwise I seem to get slanty eyes or rude words spoken to me. This has come from, family, old friends, people at school. But mainly the family. They tell me that they are so worried about me because I am going to "Hell" I just look at them and say something like "really? Hell, a firely pit where you will forever be in pain?" It just bothers me because I find that most of the people who "cringe" seem like they would be intelligent people, how can they believe in such nonsense!
Permalink Reply by Objection on January 20, 2010 at 6:34pm
Well, the point I was trying to make was that the people who respond negatively are the very people you'd expect to. In regards to your question, "why does 'atheist' have a negative connotation with [religious people]?" It's because they're religious.

When I meet a apatheist/agnostic, that's when I care about their opinion, because it isn't biased to the extremity that believers have.
Permalink Reply by Shillamus on February 27, 2013 at 6:44pm

Objection:

Atheism is also a religion

Permalink Reply by Tom Reeves on February 28, 2013 at 4:17pm

If you equate religion to simply a worldview or philosophical belief, then yes, atheism could possibly be defined as a religion. However, I think most define religion as a group of people who worship the same supernatural deity or deities. That being the case, atheism is the antithesis of religion – quite literally.

Permalink Reply by bobh on March 2, 2013 at 8:26pm

no.atheism is not a religion in that it has no belief in the supernatural.

Permalink Reply by EJN on March 3, 2013 at 12:04am

Yeah in what way is atheism a religion exactly? There are no dogmas, rituals, moral code, no belief in the supernatural, or claims about an afterlife. You need an obtuse definition of religion to put atheism as a religion. If your definition lumps essentially all man made institutions or philosophies then it explains nothing and is worthless. 

Permalink Reply by Madhukar Kulkarni on March 4, 2013 at 7:05am

It is really surprising that anyone on this forum can think so. It would be good if he can define religion and show how atheism can be a religion.

Permalink Reply by Jez Smith on January 20, 2010 at 4:53am
It only has a negative connotaion if you allow it to, the more I read of some of the posts on here the more i see the 'oh I am only a poor ickle atheist and all these christains are bullying me' well you know sorry it just doesn't wash.Stand up to these people tell them to fuck off and stop being a victim.
Permalink Reply by Brittany A. Cox on January 20, 2010 at 1:14pm
T.A. Dahar is right. I don't really care if people are saying these things, like thinking we are immoral ect ect. I just do not understand why they feel this way. I am in no way a victim. I promise.
Permalink Reply by Tom Pandelaere on January 20, 2010 at 9:29am
It is logically impossible to worship Satan and be an atheist.
With us, atheism is regarded as bold, but not necessarily evil. The clergy are the villains who have exploited us for centuries, and atheism is therefore an assertion of independence. I always get the impression that America was founded by religious nutters...

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