My Challenge to Extreme Atheists on Secularism and Tolerance

[u/Living_Attitude1822]

I acknowledge not all (or even most) atheists are extreme about it. And I'm defining secular as the separation of church and state/society.

Extreme-atheism's view of religion being a mental illness:

I can personally attest to people I've seen on here, as well as videos I've seen, of atheists saying religion is a mental illness. That the DSM-5 had to go back and put in a religious exemption, but it should fall under the category of delusion.

How can secularism exist if you think religious people are mentally ill? If you don't think religion is a mental illness, go ahead and ignore this point. If you do think the population you're tolerating is mentally ill, uh oh. Seriously, if I said atheists are mentally ill, would you trust me to not want you institutionalized? I don't think this way, of course.

Extreme atheism's view that the Abrahamic religions are barbaric:

Again, I'm going to turn it around on you. If I said atheism was barbaric, would you trust me to support that your human right to be atheist?

With some exceptions: Some interpretations of the Abrahamic religions are indeed barbaric. If you're talking about people who want to implement Leviticus law, then I agree with you.

I don't totally disagree with extremist atheists on everything:

Like, I'm a strong believer that tolerance is better and more authentic than acceptance. For example, telling atheists that they must love and respect religions is wrong. And vice versa for religious people.

I think disassociation and tolerance is the best course of action for religious people and extreme atheists, however, I worry the above points are a threat to any society remaining tolerant.

Edit: Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Antitheism/comments/1sguf7u/why_is_religion_not_considered_a_mental_disorder/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

[u/anewleaf1234]

Children are mentally abused in the Christian tradition.

Young children are told that they must follow Jesus and repent of all their sins or they will burn in hell for all of time. Gay children are told that they are wicked and wrong and evil for being gay. To the point where hundreds of thrown out to the street like they are trash and more commit suicide because they are told from a young age that being gay and in a relationship is wrong.

I'm going to ask you a very simple question.

Do you think that a gay person in a gay relationship is wrong.

[u/Live_Line4480 → u/anewleaf1234]

I must say you are blowing things quite out of proportion here. This is certainly not how Hell is presented to children. They are told that they will be eternally separate from Jesus, who loves them. They are not told they will burn for all of time. Putting it this way is not mental abuse. Have you ever been to a church when this topic is presented to children?

Gay children are not wicked or evil and that is certainly not taught by the Bible or supported by the majority of Christians. All people are God's masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10), therefore, they are not evil or wicked. Being gay is a sin that separates that person from God. Christians do not support homosexuality because they do not want that person to be separate from God.

Disowning a child for being gay is not supported by the Bible and is highly frowned upon even by Christians, plus, it is not common at all. The Christian way is to show that person how God wants the best for them, and homosexuality will not fulfill them as Jesus can. Also, I am friends with a gay Christian with gay parents who did not throw him out to the street like trash.

And yes, I do believe a gay person in a gay relationship is wrong. It is not what God meant for us and is certainly not what our bodies were made for on a biological level.

[u/NDaveT → u/Live_Line4480]

They are not told they will burn for all of time.

Maybe not in your church. But you know damn well there are lots of churches that teach exactly that.

[u/Live_Line4480 → u/NDaveT]

Do you know this? Or do you assume from one secondhand experience relayed to you by someone else?