Why do Atheists tend to Despise People of Faith? Part II

This is an important topic and I have definite feelings about it. I stated earlier that I believe most of the hostility comes from the political atheists. These people are mostly on the left and despise the Christians especially on the right.

I think specifically many do not understand Christians and what Christians stand for.

1. Many times in radio debates or written pieces I hear and read that Christians force their views through government. They cite that President Bush is a devout Christian and cite further his faith based initiatives. This of course is ridiculous since the President cannot make law by fiat. He needs a willing congress. They pass bills and he signs or does not sign them. In the last few sessions of Congress there were willing participants but they were Republicans, elected by the people, not appointed by the President. They campaigned before the people and won. When they did not make the electorate happy they lost and a Democratic Congress was ushered in. No secrets here.

2. Christians force their views on others. It is part of their mandate of their religion. I have a couple of points here. First it is part of 'The Great Commission' to spread the good news of Jesus. Jesus never told us to wear out our welcome. Some do. It is part of being human. It can be a fine line. Spreading the good news in the wrong way can turn people off. Is this any more widespread though than other groups spreading unwanted messages? I certainly don't like to have environmental activists visiting my house telling me the earth is about to come to an end because of some local business. I also don't like walking down a downtown street and seeing PETA activists, or Sierra Club, or some other left wing activist group staging demonstrations. These offend me, but then again I understand the Constitution never granted me a freedom to not be offended.

3. Christians are crazy. They want the world to end so they can be with God. This one is used so often it is predictable. While it is true that the end reward for a life of faith is not here but in heaven, unlike the islamo-Nazi brand of Muslims, Christians trying to end their life to being on heaven is rare. For the most part Christians live in the world with families and friends and don't really want to see that time ended prematurely. Going back to the Great Commission, we can't spread the good news if we are dead! Logic must reign here.

4. Christians want all of us to live by their rules. This is not unique to Christians. Al Gore wants us to all live by his carbon standards. Animal rights groups want everyone to be vegan. Socialists want us to abolish capitalism. Interest groups by definition want to make their ideas law, or part of the societies mores. Here is the big difference between the faith based right and the secular often atheist left: The right seeks to do it through legislation. The left seeks to do it through judicial proclamation.

The great theme of all of my writings since day one is that politics or faith or whatever you are interested in can be fun to debateand discuss. Debate is not the same as shouting or twisting others positions. We could use a little more discussion.