Comments on: Open Thread: What Do You Admire About Atheists?

By: hoverFrog

hoverFrog — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 01:39:00 +0000

What I really like about my fellow atheists is that we can justify our beliefs (or lack of them) with logic and reason. We never have to pull the “faith” card. Plus when we get things wrong we are usually happy to reassess our position.

By: MikeClawson

MikeClawson — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:00:52 +0000

While I always hesitate to make such broad generalizations about any group, generally speaking, I admire the willingness among many atheists to question what they’ve been told and think for themselves.

I also admire the way many atheists who convert away from religion often do so out of a desire to become better people, rejecting much of the bigotry and close-mindedness they found there. Those are good things to get away from IMHO.

By: Dawn

Dawn — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:44:15 +0000

Not a damn thing. Now if the question was, ‘What do I admire about this particular atheist or that group of atheists’, then my response would be different but I see nothing in just being and atheist that’s admirable.

My answer would be the same for the question about Christians. I’m a letter of James kind of Christian though I think, call yourself what you want, believe what you want I don’t care. It’s what you DO that matters.

By: Life before death :: On the Lack of Mutual Admiration :: December :: 2007

Life before death :: On the Lack of Mutual Admiration :: December :: 2007 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:24:49 +0000

[...] and Questions for Atheists, Hemant posted the topics What Do You Admire About Christians? and What Do You Admire About Atheists?. The results are slightly [...]

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:58:24 +0000

Qualities I admire in an athiest;
- someone who is willing to listen to another viewpoint without resorting to swearing or calling them an idiot, I think it’s important to respect another person’s beliefs…even if you totally disagree with them.
_ i admire an atheist who is willing to back up their beliefs with an educated and researched argument, not just “but anything God related is stupid”.
- I appreciate athiests who understand that I do not need to be rescued from Christianity, I am not deluded or crazy… I just believe in something different than you do.
- I love it when athiests don’t assume they know you, how you think and what you are about to say in answer to every question. Who knows, maybe I will have a different answer than the other Christians you talk to.
- I love an open honest debate as much as you do, but as much as you don’t want to be converted… neither do I.
- I love an athiest who understand that not all Christians base their faith in God entirely on the bible or how they have been raised by their parents, some look for proof in real life and science as well.
- I love an athiest who is prepared to answer hard questions from christians

By: Valhar2000

Valhar2000 — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:30:26 +0000

I feel more at home when I’m with you than when I’m with my people. Isn’t that crazy?

Well! Looks like we haven’t made enough fun of you, then!

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:52:36 +0000

I feel more at home when I’m with you than when I’m with my people. Isn’t that crazy?

Bwah, ha, ha, ha … rubbing my hands together maniacally: “Come over to the Dark Side, Linda!”

(Just teasin’. We need more Christians like you who have contact and credibility with other Christians and can tell them that we’re not all EvilDoers.)

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:46:38 +0000

What I really I admire about atheists is that they tend to be thinkers and seekers of the truth beyond religion. They are not afraid to think, discuss, and discover. They are generally open to new ideas and new ways of thinking. They are not afraid of evolving thoughts. I love that. I don’t get this so much at the Christian camp. Christians are generally reluctant to think new thoughts. They only like different variations on the same theme, the same old thoughts, which gets very stale for me. How can you think for yourself and choose if you don’t allow yourself any real choices?

The atheists are willing to explore the secrets of the universe with a child-like wonder.

I feel more at home when I’m with you than when I’m with my people. Isn’t that crazy?

By: vjack

vjack — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 19:29:12 +0000

I admire our willingness to reject a popular falsehood. That we are willing to put truth above popularity shows our courage.

By: Karen

Karen — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:22:40 +0000

I most admire the commitment to honesty, reality and objectivity that I find in atheists. Atheists tend to insist on doing the research for themselves before they accept anyone else’s conclusions or claims. This is a huge change for me, coming from a fundamentalist Christian background where everything is taken “on faith,” and faith is the highest virtue.

Atheists are committed to searching for the best answers to the big questions, even if those answers aren’t comforting and even if they are along the lines of: “we don’t know (yet).” I find that courageous and admirable.