Split Differences (Atheistic Myths #2)

All across the internet you will find battles being waged in written word, audio casts, video logs, and even graphical imagery. These are the same battles which used to take place exclusively on street corners, television, and news papers. Modern technology has enabled us to pass along ideas faster than they can be truly (or truthfully) expressed. As such, there are many myths and legends being created based on rumors, misrepresentation, and the previously mentioned battles. Nowhere near the outside of this fray is of course the constant debates between Atheists and Theists. In fact, a great deal of misrepresented information across the internet is usually presented by these two groups about the other.

As this is an Atheism centric blog, we will continue to focus on the myths generated by debates with Atheists. As such, let's get under way.

"All Atheists hate God."

While this can apply to all deities, the Christian god seems to be the most dominant with this statement. So, do all Atheists hate God? Of course not. However, there are some that do, for varying reasons.

Like any myth or legend, there is some truth behind it. If there wasn't, then it would not have become so popular. While personal experience tells me that most Atheists do not hate God, as it is literally impossible to hate something you do not even believe in, there are those that look at God, the portrayed character, and focus a bit of hatred onto him. These are the same people that proclaim proudly that they would rather join Satan's army than God in heaven. There are also people who declare themselves to be Atheists but still believe in God enough to hate him as a person.

People who fit the definition of Atheist (one who lacks a belief in gods) are not capable of hating God as a person. Hate of a character believed to be fictional is possible but hardly strong enough to be considered true hatred. As such, it is actually quite rare when you find a self-proclaimed Atheist that will also hate God or any other deity. They might as well make up a person on the spot and hate them.

If there is any real hatred there, then they might not really be an Atheist.

Atheistic Myths #1

It's probably fairly obvious by now, as I have been late on blog posts two months in a row, but it is fairly hard to write about Atheism without feedback month after month. We are almost two years in and I've already re-wrote topics and posted about nonsense. However, I still think this blog should continue. If any theist ever finds this blog and wants to learn about Atheism, I want them to have up-to-date information. On that note, I think we should look back on the old myths of Atheism and correct them with our modern knowledge.

"There are no Atheists in Fox Holes."

This has been around for quite some time. The problem is, while the strain of combat is enough to alter the mental state of any person, this does not guarantee that all Atheists, when placed into a combat situation, will instantly convert to one religion or another. In fact, it is not very often at all that anyone changes their religious views, even during the strain of combat. Personalities will drastically change before reasoning and logic.

On the other side, it is also possible for this to work on those who already have strong religious views. While it is just as likely as converting an Atheist, it is possible for anyone to change religions or lose their faith entirely. As such, not only are their Atheists who remain as Atheists while within fox holes, there are brand new Atheists being created because of them.

For more information, and actual letters from Atheists placed into such situations with their lack of faith intact, see this article:
http://atheism.about.com/u/ua/atheismmyths/AtheistsInFoxholes.htm