How many times have I heard the accusation from Christians, even liberal Christians that I am an Atheist because I'm angry with God?
An Analogy:
Lets hypothesise something Christians don't believe in:-
I assume Christians don't believe in my magical scorpions? They will think it's a ridiculous belief system and obviously false.
Now suppose I said that my magical Scorpions have just told me that you must stop listening to all music... because they find music offensive, an abomination. If you continue to listen to music, your own Magical Chromium Scorpions will cause you to have a brain hemorrhage.
What would you do?
1. Would you completely ignore my instructions because you don't believe in Magical Chromium Scorpions?
2. Would you rebel against the Scorpions in your earlobes and listen to more music just to irritate them and because you are arrogant enough to think you know better than the magical Scorpions?
3. Would you feel anger and hatred toward the magical Scorpions because they are trying to impose their will on you and prevent you from doing what you want to do.
4. Would you stop listening to music in case you offend your magical Scorpions?
You have no belief whatsoever in any magical invisible chromium scorpions so option #1 is the only viable option. It's an easy decision, You can't possibly rebel against something of which you have no belief. You can't be angry or wish to irritate something that does not exist. Likewise, Atheists can not possibly be angry with Zeus or Leprechauns, Tooth Fairies... or God.
How would you perceive someone who has a very strong belief in Magical Chromium Scorpions, someone who has committed their whole life to them and will not listen to anyone who denies their existence?... That is exactly how many Atheists perceive Theists.
I have tiny Magical Invisible Chromium Scorpions that live inside my earlobes. They sing to me and tell me absolute truths when ever they decide I need to know. They talk to me every day and they have never been wrong... ever.
Unbelievers can not see, hear or detect them by any means known to science, but science doesn't know everything and I know for sure they are there because I have a personal relationship with them.
All Christians have Magical chromium Scorpions in their earlobes too, but they can't hear them because their mind is closed when they choose to worship false gods.
I assume Christians don't believe in my magical scorpions? They will think it's a ridiculous belief system and obviously false.
Now suppose I said that my magical Scorpions have just told me that you must stop listening to all music... because they find music offensive, an abomination. If you continue to listen to music, your own Magical Chromium Scorpions will cause you to have a brain hemorrhage.
What would you do?
1. Would you completely ignore my instructions because you don't believe in Magical Chromium Scorpions?
2. Would you rebel against the Scorpions in your earlobes and listen to more music just to irritate them and because you are arrogant enough to think you know better than the magical Scorpions?
3. Would you feel anger and hatred toward the magical Scorpions because they are trying to impose their will on you and prevent you from doing what you want to do.
4. Would you stop listening to music in case you offend your magical Scorpions?
You have no belief whatsoever in any magical invisible chromium scorpions so option #1 is the only viable option. It's an easy decision, You can't possibly rebel against something of which you have no belief. You can't be angry or wish to irritate something that does not exist. Likewise, Atheists can not possibly be angry with Zeus or Leprechauns, Tooth Fairies... or God.
How would you perceive someone who has a very strong belief in Magical Chromium Scorpions, someone who has committed their whole life to them and will not listen to anyone who denies their existence?... That is exactly how many Atheists perceive Theists.
So why is it that you and I and the vast majority of Christians can see that #1 is the only logical response for a non-Scorpion believer and yet many Christians still use #2 and #3 as arguments as to why Atheists do not follow their own brand of deity?
If a Christian can understand his own reaction to 'Magical Scorpion believers' and why option #2,3 and 4 obviously contradict non-belief, why do they have a huge reasoning blind spot when they run into people who reject their own beliefs? Does an intense desire to believe override the most basic of critical thinking skills to the point where options #2, 3 and 4 seem perfectly rational and can be used to explain Atheism.
Why are they perfectly capable of recognising the absurdity of such arguments for all other belief systems... but see no contradiction when the exact same absurdities are manifest in their own arguments.
What is the reason for this mental blockage? Can anyone explain the psychology to me? How does it work?
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