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 Mason Myatt on February 10, 2010 at 12:28am
I understand why some people want to believe in a god. Life is incredibly hard and it is frightening as hell---so to speak. They are so incredibly frightened by the notion that we really are alone in the universe and that life has no meaning beyoind what we give it that they have to believe in something "higher" and "better." They revel in telling us that we "have to believe in god" or an old stand by, "there are no atheists in foxholes." When we demonstrate to them that we can live without those millenia old myths and that we can face life just as easily as they do, it scares them to death. They want to define us out of existence. Our existence proves they are wrong in their notions that belief is essential. Atheist is a negative word to them because it negates their entire world paradigm. I am sorry as hell that they are so scared. I am too, sometimes. That's life.
Permalink Reply by Brian Tani on February 10, 2010 at 7:54am
I don't know if the people already mentioned this, but in antiquity being atheist was just believing in the wrong god.

Christian were called atheists too.

Furthermore, apologists of the various religions (at least of Christianity that i know of) engaged in such confabulations. I was reading Bart Ehrman's book Lost Christianities in which he points out that the proto-orthodox church fathers mis-characterized Gnostics (for one) of being licentious, and depraved. This view held of a long time, until they discovered the Nag Hamadi library when the Gnostic texts were quite different from the portrayal of those church fathers. They were ascetic and shunned reproduction.... quite different from the ritualistic orgies told by Irenaeus.

So, I think the bad rep was a consequence of this name calling back-and-forth theists had throughout history.

In the Portuguese dictionary we see evidence of this, one of the synonyms for Atheist is Impious, and impious, contrary to the English entry also have as synonyms: unforgiving, insensitive, whom offends moral and justice, inexorable...
Permalink Reply by K on February 12, 2010 at 10:58am
skimmed, didn't see this, so thought I'd post it.



New Living Translation (©2007)
"Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me." Matthew 12:30


Jesus specifically says if you don't worship him, you can't be neutral, but are working against him.
Of course the opposing team leader is Satan, so, by default, not being xian means being a satanist.

We have no choice in the matter....Jesus said so in the bible, and the bible is never wrong.

So grab the neighbor's toddler and fire up the baby-cue!
Permalink Reply by K on February 14, 2010 at 2:51pm
that sounds delicious! I'm gonna try a variant of that on my nuggets...(raw tomatoes instead of cooked)
Permalink Reply by Cyril Manthorpe on February 19, 2010 at 12:02am
Your existence confuses them. As far as they have been told, you should not even be alive. Your life is meaningless to the devote religious. If your continue to live and profess you non belief then your mere existence is a threat.
Permalink Reply by gabriel nunez on February 23, 2013 at 10:57am

It challenges their power.  Religion empowers religious leaders to hold power over their congregations.  This relationship allows these leaders to create a society that most benefits religions (through laws, money supply, and war).  When you question the existence of God, you threaten this power.

This power takes many forms, but it is mostly about money. Just because religious leaders say they don't care about money please don't believe that.  If that were true... then why is the Catholic Church the second largest land owner in the WORLD?!?! Why do the Masons control the world banking system?(the Masons require a belief in God). Why are the richest oil companies in the world owned by "conservative" Muslims? I try to avoid Jewish stereotypes, but they have long been associated banking. Why do Mormons pay 10% of their gross income as tithing (gross is not the "Take-Home-Pay", it is the amount prior to all of the deductions in your paycheck for FICA, etc.)

Permalink Reply by Darren Jackson on February 23, 2013 at 12:09pm

As a British person atheist are a significantly large growing community, we are at heart though a cynical people I think with most religious british Christians visiting a church for a wedding, funeral etc only. I did visit new mexico in January and while religion seems more prominent did not investigate if people actively visit churches on regular basis ?

In the UK though to be atheist is cetainly not to be looked down on people actively religious seem novel and quaint.

Permalink Reply by Grinning Cat on February 23, 2013 at 12:25pm

Maybe because people who see their god as the entire basis for morality can't imagine how we're not heartless, amoral beasts.

Some relevant satire, delivered absolutely deadpan by Edward Current: "What if God disappeared?"

Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on February 23, 2013 at 8:15pm

indeed. seems to be a clik'd light switch from mind'control put in place by Koch bros. and the like imho

Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on February 23, 2013 at 8:15pm

imho again. it's the 'freedom' of thought thing that scares the assholes the most. . . irony being the land of the free n all. peace

Permalink Reply by Karl on February 27, 2013 at 2:23pm

This is really a very good question.  I've noticed, for some reason religious people have more of an aversion to Atheists than any other "religious" (Yes, I know calling Atheism a religion is like calling bald a hair color) group.  I've had conversations with very devout Christians who think Hindus, Jews, Mormons, Catholics, Muslims, you name it are all going to Hell because they don't believe a certain version of Mythology.  But there is always a special place in Hell reserved for Atheists.  When asked, these Christians will say "of course there are no multi-armed Hindu deities floating around or that the Pope is really Satan".  When really pushed they will admit that believing in something even something they don't believe in is much better than an Atheist who believes in nothing.  

The logic seems to be you need to believe in something to comfort you when things get tough and give you a reason to behave well in an orderly society.  I think the concept that their deities are just imaginary is very threatening to their sense of worth and self.  It's much easier to argue that my imaginary friend is better than yours but exposing them to the fact that the emperor really has no cloths blows their minds.                 

Permalink Reply by Timmie on February 28, 2013 at 11:40am

Here's a joke: 

What did the brown hamster say to the white hamster? 

You're not from around here, are you?

Atheist gets the negative connotation because it is the diametric opposite of the belief systems of the majority.  We ain't from around here.  Atheists, quite plainly, eschew the notion that some things just cannot be explained without magic - which means we have to either think harder, or worse still, say "I don't know".  Something the egos of most cannot even begin to do. 

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