Why do some come to the religion interest & denounce religious sentiments?

IMO...they are insecure in their atheism. It must be such a dreary life to have no faith in anything. I try to have patience with them, but sometimes I just have had enough. Our world today is in such need of faith and those who are so arrogant as to think such insulting things of people who are trying to sort it all out, angers me. Thank you for your response.

I once asked an atheist in a discussion if perhaps he was angry with God for some reason and is that why he no longer believed in him,? his abrupt answer was,no, "how can you be angry at someone you never believed in." Whether it's insecurity, anger,fear or just plain rebellion,to go out of ones way to insult or ridicule believers,makes me think there's a hidden agenda behind their fervent need to do this. what it is, we'll probably never know.

Adolecents have to rebell to some degree to finish becoming an individual entity. I think perhaps they've not grown out of this stage.

I posted this so perhaps they would exlain themselves, with more than a few words of insult.

You are not alone in this explanation. And it is an interesting one. I have not encountered discussions where 'preaching' and 'converting' were going on, though I sometimes am a little dense, or I just look at it differently. I don't feel threatened by someones honest explanation of their beliefs and I sincerely try to keep that tone out of my posts. I like to know what goes on inside other people's minds and hearts. It is just a jarring experience to have someone drop in an say, 'you're ignorant' and then refuse to explain why they feel that way. The idea that they are trying to redeem themselves is thought provoking. I know I went through some horrible things, made some bad mistakes and was able to pull myself up out of it. The desire to help others do so as well, I guess it is a sort of redemption to do so. Or perhaps it is just WHY we go through bad things, to pass along strength and hope to others. Just how that would explain what is happening when they insult others, is a mystery to me.

I have troubles with organized religion too. I go to a small non demominational church when I go. I read both sides, I study the Bible,I use a Strong's Concordance to get to the original meaning of words in the Bible. I read books that have opinions on philosophy and doctrine (some that don't agree with MY interpretation even). Like you I am a scientific person who sees no problem between the two, IF the science is truly science and not just twisted like you described. I've read Fransis Collins, one of the heads of the human genome project and he is a believer. The way he explained genetics was astounding and brought home the language and wisdom in our genes. I've read Gerald Schroeder, a MIT professer who explains modern physics and compares it to Genesis. You are very correct, people see what they want to see. I love confronting bullies.

That's true...as there are Evangelicals who are just as guilty of the same, and one of the biggest culprits is that Pat Robertson. The toughest for me, is that I am a true man of God, and of Science...but I do NOT believe in religion..and there seems to always be a clash for me. Some believe you can't be both of science and of God...I say and why not? God is the Creator of Science, and there is no greater scientific mind than the Almighty. Being of a scientific mind also helps me understand God's word much better, it really has! People of science who are the classic evolutionist, or seeing is believing type, have difficulty arguing with me and always end the conversation with me still making my point or asking them questions which they simply can not answer, and I've had many similar conversations with Ministers, Preachers, Priests, etc... I don't seek debate, but it usually ends up that way because most people would much rather tell you how wrong you are than be told how wrong they are. And it's not because I am right, but until facts can be presented, I refuse to believe something based purely on conjecture, twisted and polluted so-called facts..some people believe something to be true simply because that is what they were taught or told. We all believe our right hand is in fact our right hand because we were taught that, and it's an accepted truth by humanity, but no one has really ever proven that it is our right hand, how do you prove it's not really our left? At some point in time someone said this is your right hand and this is your left...it was never questioned. It is what it is, people are who they are, and rarely do people change. So people will always impose there ideas on others, despite the right or wrong of it, and they will try to make others feel inferior..it's a bully persona. Which you deal with in one of two ways, either ignore them or confront them.

I just hate being a tattle tale.

So do I, but there are limits to anybody's patience. And when somebody is really out and out attacking somebody, I don't have a problem with it.

Hello Bhurishrava, thank you for your response. I would hope that they could resist being rude or being hateful, but you are right. Maybe they just have to do these things to feel good about themselves.

But by staying away to avoid controversy, you miss so much and perhaps YOUR opinion might be positive in someone elses life? You are right about ego being involved, no one wants to admit being wrong, or even the rightness of others may make them look bad. Egos seem to be the driving force.

Mathewsir, I did the very thing you described, I was raised as a Catholic. As a teen, I read through the entire Bible one summer. Found a bunch of stuff that contridicted the cathecism I was taught, so went to priest and he told me NEVER read the Bible...that sent me off on a lifetime search for the TRUTH. I have members of my family who are very hard core Catholics and I love them very much and would never think of them as bad. So lets not go into a rant about how Catholics are all wrong. I don't think they all are. That is the beauty of Christ's message, God loves those who sincerely love Him and each other. Now do I think some of those sincere people are in error, yes. But I am willing to bet that if their hearts have reached out to God, He will lead them to truth. Maybe something I or you or another says will be the way He does it. BUT God can only use what we do for Him, if it is done in love. I've studied prophecy extensively. Thank you for the links. I do believe that we are about to find out that God is not to happy with the status quo. All the best to you my friend.

Then they would explain WHY, not just post insults. Don't you think?

Deep down inside everyone wonders if this is all there is.

Yes, sadly that is true. I find a good debate enjoyable and I have learned somethings from others who believe differently. Religion is very personal. But if you really believe your faith is correct and right, you can still be kind to those who feel differently. After all,we discuss our faith because we BELIEVE it to be true and useful to us. So, why not share it? Hopefully someone will find something useful too. If they choose not to, so be it. I do not feel it is disrespectful for an atheist to come and say, this is why I do not believe. But to post one sentence calling people ignorant or unintelligent is rude and unneccessary.

I heard a silly saying once, be open minded, but not so open minded your brains fall out. If I chose a religion to base my life on, and I truly truly believed it was good for me and improved my life, I would want to share that with others, in order to help them have better life. What happens is, some don't go into a religious discussion out of love for their fellow man, but to do as you say...prove their religion is better. That is sad. It does turn people away.

I have some of those in my own family. The ones who would give you the shirt off their backs, I mean.

There are insults posted in other discussions, religion is not the only one. It just seems different in that interest to me, kinda like coming into a church and being loud and rude. When people are discussing their spiritual beliefs I just feel like it is different than discussing their political beliefs. But that's just me.