Why are people afraid of atheism?

[Wheetsin 714]

NPR was doing a segment this morning on a very large Christian movement to have the new movie, The Golden Compass, boycotted. Of the three Pullman (a professed rejector of organized religion and atheist), this one (based on Northern Lights) has the least occurence of "anti-religion" themes - the last having the most. He is seen as being anti-Christian and anti-Catholic, but if you're familiar with him, he is much more anti-religion in the most general sense.

People are trying to stop their children from seeing this movie, out of fear that interest in the movie will generate interest in the books and *gasp* expose their children to themes of anti-religion.

I really don't understand this.

Why would someone be afraid that their child might learn that there's such a thing as atheism or agnosticism?

Why does the Harry Potter series terrify parents? Is it horrible if children know that there's a fantasy world of magic, or IF they can make the more cognitive connections, that witchcraft is out there?

As an atheist, I would not prevent my child from reading books which presented religion or a diety as a good thing, or books that presented atheism as a bad thing, or books that taught about ideas outside of whatever. If my child wanted to go to church, I would not prevent it. If they wanted to read the bible, I would buy them one. I would hope that my child understands there are different things that are right for different people, and eventually gathers the information needed to make the decision that is right for them... whether it aligns with my personal beliefs is irrelevant. What's right for me isn't right for everyone, and everyone includes my own family.

[transformer 1]

In general, if people don't agree with the views included in this movie, they shouldn't go see it, not hold protests and get all crazed about it.

As for me, I never happened to read the book (not for any religious reason). I'm just not interested in the story so I probably won't see it. I wouldn't stop my son from seeing it if he wanted to go. That particular film doesn't appeal to him at all either. He's more of a "Bourne Identity" or "Need for Speed" kind of kid.

[Daisalana 33]

People are trying to stop their children from seeing this movie, out of fear that interest in the movie will generate interest in the books and *gasp* expose their children to themes of anti-religion.

Well.. yeah.

If you're a christian, you believe in heaven & hell. I would imagine it's a horrible feeling knowing your kid is going to hell.

Thus, you wouldn't want your child exposed to other ideas of thinking, because you want them to be christian.

I don't believe you can pick your child's religion, but I can see the theory, and why so many people would be against their children seeing it.

I am christian.. and I plan to raise my children in a christian environment the way I was raised, but it's ultimately up to the child to pick. I wouldn't forbid them from seeing an anti-religion movie, just because I want my kids to have their own thoughts. I want my kids to form their own opinions.

[Daisalana 33]

I am against the protests though. There's no reason to cram down anyone's throat what YOU believe..and how what YOU believe is the ONLY way. That stuff pisses me off. If you don't want your kid to see it, don't take them. If they go on their own behind your back, get over it.. kids do far worse than watch movies.

The extreme example is that Arkansas church group that goes around saying 9/11 happened because of the fags, and they're glad it happens.. then they go to the funerals of soldiers and say it has to do with the fags too.

[DonHoll1 0]

I am agnostic and i will go see the movie because i like Nicole Kidman. The protests will only help the movie. People seem to be afraid of anyone who does not believe the same thing they do. I don`t really care what anyone else believes , as long as they are not out to hurt me. Donna

[green 6]

Thanks to laura's posts I think I am finally getting it (after 58 years)! We atheists often view religious belief as being merely another option in life's buffet of philosophical and theist options. We are logical folk and certainly there are no feelings of passion or emotion involved in our inability to believe in the existence of a deity or in our inability to value one specific set of religious beliefs over another.

On the other hand, those folks who do believe are deeply emotionally committed to their own belief system and truly do believe that all individuals who do not adhere to the same belief system will inevitably suffer. This is why they are anxious to block exposure to all influences which they see as being destructive to that belief system. This is why what some of us may see as a good thing, that is to say exposure to new and different ideas, others may see as being damaging, possibly destructive, to those system of beliefs which are a source of aid, joy, and succor to the one who believes. I think that it is difficult for the atheist to understand the passion of the believer. To us this passion so often seems to manifest itself in irrational, silly, and at times sinister ways.

[phyllisc 0]

Some people can't take rejection of any kind. As in "if you don't think or believe the way I do", then you must think I am stupid. In the case of faith, there is no way to prove one right or wrong so people just get very possesive of their beliefs because they feel they are threatened and have no "real defense". Of course this is not the case with everyone and I think that a majority of believers are accepting of others beliefs because they realize that is such a personal thing. Most people know that nothing is written in stone and one should be free to believe or not believe in any way they wish. We all need to give each other wide latitude in the area of faith and religion. The world would be so peaceful if everyone would be so tolerant of each other. But we know that this is just not so.

[skyeblu79 0]

<p>I don't really seeing anything shocking about it. There are always going to be a group of nuts out there complaining about something. That's just how it is. A lot of people don't like things different from themselves i.e. race, sexuality, social economic group, religion etc. </p> <p> </p> <p>It they don't want their kids to see the movie, that's their perogative. I'm sure it's going to make the kids want to see it even more. I 1/2 read the plot summar on IMDB and I was bored. </p> <p> </p> <p>I don't know if it's fear that their kids will learn about something else. Some people feel really strongly on censoring what their kids watch. Think of how many calls were made over Janet Jackson's flashed boob on tv.</p>

[joe7777 1]

People being afraid of atheism is cultural. Some countries that are rated higher than north american countries as the best places to live (ex: norway & sweden) These countries are largely secular. It's actually strange for someone in these countries to admit they are religious.

Whereas in america, I think it is just a hot topic, it's like civil rights were in the 60s. It's a new dawn for atheism and secularism. Look at the NY times bestseller list...god is not great, the god delusion...etc. People are starting to come out of the atheist closet. It's no longer something to be ashamed of. And i think its that new sensation that, hey, there's nothing wrong with being atheist that is really scaring religion and religious people.

[lindaa 1]

It works both ways. What about the ACLU and their incessant attacks on Christmas? It seems to me that neither group is as tolerant as they want the other group to be.

[sfeiner 2]

Christians have something that is so awesome and undescribable that we just naturally want everyone to experience it. I believe though that faith is a gift from God and we are blessed if we have it. It's not anything we deserve any more than anyone else. I feel very humble to be chosen. I do believe that anyone can recieve this gift if they seek it. Maybe not. Saint Paul wasn't seeking it.........oh well, I guess all I can say is "what if you are wrong"?

[green 6]

It works both ways. What about the ACLU and their incessant attacks on Christmas? It seems to me that neither group is as tolerant as they want the other group to be.

I don't know why Christmas is under attack in the United States but up here in Canada it is the forces of the politically correkt, not the atheists per se, who have been attacking it. Their idiotic argument is that by celebrating Christmas we are disrespecting the beliefs of our Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and all other non-Christian fellow Canadians. A moronic argument for sure and spokespeople for these groups have often spoken up to say that they really are fine with the notion of Christmas.

And in fact, except for those individuals who are devout in their Christian faith, Christmas has long ago become a secular, a cultural holiday, something in the way of a shop and food fest with paid time off work attached to it. Santa and his little elves have nothing at all to do with the birth of Christ and yet this fantasy forms an important part of Christmas.

I personally don't like the season but this is because my own family always made a mess of Christmas; it conjours up bad memories for me. I also don't like the fact that up here the season seems to begin the morning after Hallowe'en and the mall music sucks. :tired However, Christmas is an important part of North American culture and must be allowed to live! :ranger:

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Somewhere along the way to here, I came to regard my own 'lack of faith' rather like 'color blindness' or 'tone deafness'....

I didn't realize you have a lack of faith. Don't you think it's unusual the sheer number of people in medicine that are atheist? At mayo Clinic (Scottsdale, not sure about the other locations) you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an atheist. Not sure if it is the focus on science or what.

I never told my "very Catholic" Dad I'm an atheist but my sister did. After he died the skank he was married to told me that he was really fretting over my going to hell.

I don't think he would have ever tried to stop me from seeing such a movie as a kid, instead I think he would have taken the opportunity to discuss it and see how I felt about it. He would have tried to sway me to xtianity but he wouldn't have disowned me like many I have come across.

I think that is one issue people have, their children going to hell. But many have never thought through their own religion. Heck, they don't even know the rules, the facts, the history of of their own religion. How many Christians do we all know that have actually read the bible cover to cover? They love their God so much but not quite enough to read ONE book. I think much of faith in a mean God is Pascal's Wager, much more is just ignorance of their own religion. Also, many believe that if we lack belief in a God that means we worship a devil. More ignorance of religion and atheism.

Wheetsin, you don't know I don't get? It's pretty easy to demonstrate that Christianity is not an original myth, it's copied from myths prior. I can see wanting to believe in a God, but why Christianity? Why not go to the original source of the myths? The stuff Christianity was copied from? Why not at least try to get the REAL religion? Well, assuming any are real. That's always the one issue I don't get.

[green 6]

It would be interesting to understand why some believe and others do not. I don't. I cannot. I was once befriended by a man whose belief in God was very passionate. He wrote me the most extraordinary letters about the nature of Christian belief, hand-written, some running as long as 50 pages. They were so beautiful that I wanted to believe but I could not. He finally became fed up with me and my persistant lack of belief and dropped me. I did save his letters. No one in my family believes. Perhaps we all lack imagination....?

[marjon9 6]

It works both ways. What about the ACLU and their incessant attacks on Christmas? It seems to me that neither group is as tolerant as they want the other group to be.

The ACLU is not against Christmas. The ACLU is against situations where Chtristmas appears to be endorsed by the state as the "official" state holiday.

The "prayer in school" people never seem to understand this point. Prayer-in-school advocates say things like, "we are the majority by a huge margin, why should a few members of minority groups be allowed to stop us from exercising our beliefs?" They also say that "people of other religious minorities can just ignore the prayer in the classroom if they are not interested," etc.

But what is not understood by prayer-in-school advocates is that this country is not about "majority rule." Rather, this country is about "individual freedom," and about protecting an environment that treats every single law abiding person as equal, and of equal worth in the eyes of society. That is what is special about our way of life in the United States. That is why the separation of church and state is so central to our core values.

When one group with its own particular beliefs acts like it has the "officially endorsed" version of the truth, then those who have minority beliefs are ostracized from mainstream society, and made to feel like outsiders, and less worthy in the eyes of society. I can tell you that I am profoundly offended by any hint of "officially endorsed" Christian prayer in a state sponsored environment. Of course, I am not the least bit offended by Christian prayer in a religious setting. Some of my best friends are Christians, as the saying goes.

The ACLU is about protecting religious freedom. Their actions have nothing at all to do with an "attack on Christmas."