Do you ever feel bad for Christians and other religious buffoons’ who bought into religious theories? Why or why not?
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It depends.
I feel sorry for anyone who has been brainwashed and/or programmed against their will. I also feel sorry for the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses who die because they didn’t get a blood transfusion, if that counts.
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I think the question is too broad and unspecific to be answerable.
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I just find it hard to believe that a normal, functioning adult can believe any of the shit that they do. I recently had the chance to meet with our son for lunch last week before we saw the movie NOSFERATU, which is unbelievably well made, and we had a chance to get caught up.
He and his wife are both employed by their local church, and she has been taking college classes while working there on “biblical history”, whatever the fuck that’s supposed to mean. She’s been accepted in to a group of people who will be studying for their master’s degrees in this so she can become a reverend-pastor, whatever.
They will be paying for this through the nose of course for the next 2 years, and for what, a degree on a book of fictional stories, and instructions on how to worship/praise an imaginary deity.
I’ll never say a single word on this subject to any one in my family, but fucking hell, what a waste of time and money.
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For the indoctrinated, perhaps… sometimes…
Ultimately being in a specific religion is every bit as much a choice as adopting a specific political POV and every bit worthy of being critiqued (as is atheism, of course, although we’re pretty good at defending our stance) so no, not all that much.
UK Atheist
It depends, the average christian that goes to church every sunday and sometimes does charity? No.
The crazy-eyed bible thumpers who constantly try to convert other people to their religion and can’t shut up about it? Yes.
Fortunately, I live in a catholic country where the practice of evangelization is left to the church and not to some improvised Girolamo Savonarola.
I feel sorry for those who believe the Bible’s claim that most Christians fall short of the mark and are destined for eternal, unimaginable torture in Hell. What a fearsome thing to think is hanging over your head.
Yes, but since it has no basis in reality, all they need do is disbelieve it, just as they would any other entirely unevidenced claim. I am as scared of a vengeful deity using a posthumous torture chamber, as I am of an angry supervillain from a comic book, and for the same reason.
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IDekivering them from the fear Christian doctrine produces is up to us as realists who know that there is no verifiable proof that the Trinity or any God exists. Their beliefs are without epistemic warrant, and we must tell them that.
Must? I think it is a good idea to challenge poor ideas and beliefs, but I don’t know that I must do anything. I also have found that very few are open to hearing that their entire lives, are based on a delusion.
I examine ideas and beliefs, because I think it has value, and this of course includes my own. No one is obliged to do the same of course, and it is only when people claims to know what a deity wants from others, or how others ought to live their lives, that those beliefs become a very real problem.
Beyond that, they can believe the moon is made of cheese, if it makes them happy. When they start telling others what the cheesy moon wants, then others are free to point and laugh.
You are right that atheists are not obligated to oppose dangerous theistic claims, but doing so effectively is in our own best interest. The Christian Dominionists, with the help of the shadowy group, The Family, have established a frightening level of control of GOP policy. Their mission has for years been to gain control of world governments to bring about nuclear war on the Temple Mount, which they believe will bring Jesus back in the clouds.
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I never said that, you’ve added the word dangerous I think. I would argue that all dangerous or pernicious claims and beliefs ought to be challenged, including religious ones of course.
Sadly in the US, religion still holds far too much influence IMHO, and seeks more, over how people live their lives.
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And yet all the stats show that religion is declining? How the hell does that work? Are all the “leavers” voting for the GOP Christo nationalists because its comfortable? I dunno mate. I see the same here in Oz and and I am flummoxed…
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My guess is leaving the archaic superstition behind, doesn’t necessarily mean they instantly adopt a more tolerant liberal attitude across the board, and so their politics overlap with those of religious zealots in their conservatism. I would also guess that liberal Christians, fear the left might marginalise their religion further, with the usual erroneous hang-ups they have that associate the evil’s of the former Soviet Union with godless atheists. Forgive the tautology…
Generally people fear change, and what they don’t understand, and of course we should never forget… “people is dumb”. 
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I have asked myself the same question, and I think I may have an answer.
Americans–by and large–tend to be spoiled, apathetic, and ignorant.
During most election years, only about 60% of the electorate actually votes.
My hypothesis is that the decline in Christianity (which is a real thing) has frightened that portion of the electorate, so a much greater percentage of them voted.
Religion was a major selling point in many politicians’ campaigns, as we kept hearing about “traditional values,” the “woke policies” of the “radical left,” and the “liberal attack on the American family” to motivate people to vote in higher percentages.
So, I expect that there will be rollbacks on policies like gay people serving in the military, gay marriage, and no-fault divorce.
I also expect that Christianity will start to insinuate itself into our public school system. There has been serious talk about removing books that discuss evolution from our libraries, and Ron DiSantis (governor of Florida) has mandated that schools teach that slavery was often beneficial, as slaves were able to learn skills that could help them in life.
In an era of school mass shootings by disturbed children, Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida are trying to get rid of school psychologists and replace them with chaplains.
I am actually scared for our future.
Please see below:
I wonder if DiSantis would feel like he would benefit from picking cotton for 16 hours a day while an overseer stands over him with a whip.
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