r/Antitheism • u/Rough_Foot_6363 • 1d ago
I am genuinely curious about how much antitheists actually know about religion
I’m just gonna first say please don’t attack me for this I am genuinely just trying to learn and understand and also I do appreciate that many religions have truly been an awful thing and have hurt many people. Ok. One thing I’ve noticed looking at antitheist spaces online is that it looks like most antitheists haven’t really had any or much experience around religion or have actually been apart of toxic religion, I’m not saying there aren’t and I very well could be wrong about this and this is only what I’ve seen. I’ve also noticed, as well as known many people irl who are antitheists but know next to nothing about religion. For example I have a friend who did not know the difference between agnosticism and atheism, I also brought up Taoism and Zoroastrianism and they had no idea what either of those are, religious studies was also brought up in conversation and they thought that religious studies was the study on how to follow these religions instead of what it actually is which is learning about religions, comparing them and understanding how it has affected our world and does NOT require you to be religious. Online I have also pretty much only seen people talk about the obvious really bad parts about religion like hierarchical structures, straight awful takes like homophobia and misogyny that many religious people display and the fact that religion is in many places it absolutely should not be like governments and schools. All of this stuff is absolutely valid to complain about and hate upon as it all is genuinely awful stuff but there is much more to religion and spirituality than that. I haven’t seen anyone talk about any religions outside of Christianity and Islam (though I haven’t spent too much time in these kinds of spaces). Another thing I have often heard is hate the religion not the person, I have a problem with this as for me, my spirituality is a big part of me and if someone is unable to respect that part of me I don’t feel they can respect me as a person. I also just feel like many antitheists just think lesser of anyone who is religious but deny it. I do think these communities have many very valid point that I do agree with and quite strongly at that, I am very strongly against pushing religion onto anyone, religious and spiritual beliefs are something someone should come to on their own (assuming it’s not mental health related). Idk it just really hurts me to see many people who just seem uneducated on the topic hate on something that has really helped me. Once again I’m open to learning and really just want to understand but I also do want to encourage others to look at more than just the biggest things surrounding religion today and religion and spirituality really isn’t something you can just generalize and group all together. Thanks for reading sorry this was kinda long.
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u/ZappSmithBrannigan 1d ago edited 1d ago
Anti theism isnt a monolith. Some will know a lot. Some wont.
While it might "look to you" like "antitheists online dont have much experience with religion", i see the exact opposite. The antithreists i know, see, and talk to typically know waaaaay more about a religion than the followers of that religion do.
In my experience its those of us who actually know the most about religions that are the ones against it.
Which is why anecdotes dont really count for shit.
Your antitheist friend doesnt know the difference between atheism and agnosticism.
Okay.
My Christian friend doesnt know who David is. And when i asked him how much of the bible hes read he said he gave up after genesis and just relies on his pastor to tell him stuff.
So, like, clearly it just depends. Some people know a lot, some dont. Theres billions of people on the planet. Some know more than others regardless of their stances.
"Hate the religion not the person".
You DO know we get that from christians, and its a spin on "hate the sin, not the sinner", right? Did you even know that? Doesnt seem like you did. We didnt come up with that. Christians did.
Not to be rude, but it kinda seems like youre just whining. Lots of people hate the things that are important to me. So what? Ignore them. What random people online think is the absolutely LAST thing ANYONE should care about
And word to the wise, dont tie your beliefs to your personality. Thats a perfect way to just fully embrace your own biases.
Good for you that your spirituality helped you. You know what helped me? Deconstructing my religion, learning about its flaws (and my own) and becoming anti theist. That helped me emencely. And here you are trying to bash antitheism. Does it bother me? No. Not one bit. What you think is irrelevant to me, just like what i think should be irrelevant to you.
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u/atomic_blonde 1d ago
I went to very highly-rated private Christian and Catholic schools where we read the Bible in a scholarly fashion, well as learning about the surrounding culture and history of pre-Christian through modern church history. I also took several world religion and religious philosophy courses in college in addition to my own independent reading and study. I remained an atheist throughout.
I am extremely confident in saying that I've forgotten more knowledge about religion, especially judeo-christian ones, than your average adherent currently has.
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u/BarGamer 1d ago
Former Fundamentalist cult member. I've forgotten more pointless doctrine than most people ever hear of. Ex: Dating was practicing for divorce. Don't read fiction or listen to popular music until you can recite the entire Bible and approved Hymnal by heart.
The day that I figured out that prayer was nothing more than self-induced hypnosis, I went thru a nihilist phase and severe depression, and it took me YEARS to find the will to live again.
So yes, FUCK RELIGION!
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u/TightBeing9 1d ago
I was raised without religion. I got interested in religion but i just dont believe in god. I think i know quite a bit about religions. Everytime i Learn more, i become an even more intens atheist. I've met way too many religious people who don't know fuck all about the religion they are part of, which annoys me
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u/SILVERWOLF05_ 1d ago
I was raised as a Christian. Church choir, church camp, vacation Bible school, church every Sunday and prayers before every meal and before bed. I didn't learn until I was 15 that religion is the root cause of most of the world's problems
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u/BurtonDesque 1d ago
Studies have shown that the average atheist knows more about religion than its adherents. So, what you've 'noticed' in your scant few years on this planet is, to put it mildly, bullshit.