Can a person hate something that they don't believe exists?

You can also not believe in something but love it.

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to see or hear it, does it make a noise?

Without a doubt unfortunately!

No, but they can hate the people who say it does. And this cuts both ways. Some atheists hate believers, and some believers, say there is no such thing as a true atheist, but they hate those of us who say we are. Either way it's wrong, and hurtful to our society.

It is possible to hate a world view, a dogma, an ideology, a meme, or a religion. It is also possible to have a strong adverse reaction to all symbols and icons associated with this meme, and go off on a rant as soon as one encounters such a symbol.

I used to feel that way for a while after I deconverted. Now I've made my peace with the fact that spirituality is a normal human trait, and that religions can serve a valuable regulatory purpose in society.

But it is irrational to do so.

One cannot "rationally" hate something that they don't believe exists. That is logically impossible, but we all know that there are millions of irrational people walking around (just read the Huffington Post sometime, just for the fun of it).

Or newsmax.

I can't see how.

somehow...
they pull this off-

i find atheists commonly do similar-

rejecting god's existence...
because he allows evil things to happen-

uhhh???

What is it about that, that you don't get? I admit that the wording is awkward, but if there is a god who is both omnipotent and absolutely good, how is it that such awful things are allowed to happen?

free will...asswipe-
free will-

awkward wording...
lmcao

try illogical-

you can't resent deity...
if deity does not exist-

I can certainly feel the love of your god, coming from you. Free will has nothing to do with hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, plagues, birth-defects, or starvation. I don't resent your god because of these things. I just feel that if he existed, and he was good, he would want to prevent these things, and if he was powerful, he would have the ability. He doesn't prevent them, so either he isn't good, or he isn't powerful, or he isn't real. How's that for logic?

a simpleton's view-

Yeah, you can insult me, but you apparently can't answer a very simple question, or refute my logic. So, to a reasonable outsider, guess who looks like the "simpleton"?

i refuted you-
my initial comment pre-refuted you-

you just have an unteachable spirit-

the creator is not a puppet master-
nor is he a micro-manager-

apparently...
you think in terms of authoritarianism-
a common human flaw-

in the main...
i hear your theorys...
espoused by my son's ...
teenage friends-

You refuted my first point, which you assumed was about what PEOPLE do. You did NOT refute ANYTHING about the catastrophes of nature. Your god is either evil, weak or false; unless you can present SOME evidence to the contrary. Come to think of it, can you produce any evidence of his existence at all?

if i am wrong...
i lose nothing-

if you are wrong...
you lose eternity-

now piss off...
with your tired hackneyed ...
lameness-

Ah yes, Pascals Wager. Classic, followed by the old "piss-off" line. Tell ya what, I will piss off. Clearly, you've brought a knife to an intellectual gun-fight. I'll let you go, but don't think for a second that you've said ANYTHING that isn't utterly foolish. I can refute every word you say, and you have refuted almost none of mine. Enjoy your ignorance. I hear it's bliss.

I am a reasonable outsider who has been reading this conversation, and rocat looks like the simpleton in this exchange. Free will has nothing to do with natural disasters which occur, so god must be either not omnipotent or not absolutely good if he exists and still permits those things to occur.

agenda...
is desire on steroids-

good may spring from bad...
bad from good-

danger and adversity...
are teaching tools-

bad things happen...
a mature person...
sees the potential in this-

i prefer not to limit myself...
with narrow possibilitys-

were i to decide the universe...
it would be limitless-

were you to decide...
it would be boring-
and no one would grow...
under your nanny mentality-

now run along ...
and put on your crash helmet-

It's pretty arrogant of you to tell me about how my universe would be boring (you don't even know me)! The universe is just fine the way it is, and it is limtless according to the laws of physics and chemistry which govern it. And as far as nanny mentality goes, I am totally anti-nanny mentality and advocate individual freedom and liberty according to the philosophy of Locke and Burke.

I was just pointing out that if this concept of a god that most people believe in was all-powerful and also all-good, it wouldn't allow innocent people to be harmed by natural disasters.

And since I am in favor of individual freedom, I don't need you or anybody else to tell me when I should wear my crash helmet!f

but a god that agrees with you...
is a bad god???

you speak out both sides of your ass-

What are you talking about?

A god that agrees with me would be a good god, not a bad one, but it's a moot point because there is no god.

there is no you-

oh wait... you exist-

see how that works???

Exactly, "cognito ergo sum", according to Descartes.

Hate put you in pain. Become slave of such feeling is just waisting your time.

There are many people hateful to God, who they CLAIM, they don't believe exists. I think they're just pissed that he does, and they can't make His word fit what they want to in order to justify their life choices.

What they hate is the concept of that thing. They hate what it would be, if it were real.

Your God reference is offensive. He is great and good, but also just, and whether you hate Him, or ignore Him, you will regret it in the end.

I wouldn't have thought it possible, but judging by the level of hatred and intolerance some atheists seem to have towards God, I guess I could be wrong.

It's a free country we can do anything we want but wisely!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

u believe that it d0esn't exist,,but perhaps 0thers d0 believe,,,,,,s0 i think that it will surely mke u hte it!!!!!!!!!

I just love that proposition. Its just causes me to laugh out loud shake my head with an incredulous expression and think to myself...WTF???.

"Santa didn't bring you gifts because you hate him"... LOL

"The Sikh Temple shooting happened because atheists hate god"... LOL

Morons, ridiculous ones at that.

Hate is a strong emotion, intellect is not an emotion.

How does anyone get wisdom or lack of it confused with hate?

Sure. Look at the evil Socialist Muslim Obama that the right wing hates so much. He doesn't exist. They made him up because the real one is too moderate for them to properly hate.

Normally people hate and fear that which they don't understand. I hate and fear the right wing nutjobs because I came from that. I was a Goldwater boy and registered Republican until Bush drove me out with his incredible arrogance and then his idiot son's stupidity.

Of course Goldwater, Reagan and even Nixon would be considered too left-wing for the Bircher nuts who took over what used to be a legitimate party.

Even an insane believe that his nightmares are real!

As an atheist I feel the need to clarify a misrepresentation. The atheists I know and myself don't hate God, For us God is an imaginary friend to those who need him. What we don't like is having to accept your imaginary friends as if they were real. If people need God to get through life that's okay it's better for you than drugs which many people also need. I don't dislike religious people but I don't need to be forced to accept any Gods as real

As I have said on other threads now, the recurring theme of God related posts, questions and comments by professed atheists shows a clear cognitive dissonance in their supposed disbelief. Hate can be directed at something you wish didn't exist, claim not to believe in, but at the core are deeply afraid does in fact exist.

When you add the word stupid

biblical scripture and reasoning

At least you wouldn't think so