No. Thats not being nice. There lots of reasons people do not believe in god. they may have wonderful parents and want to keep up the tradition, or simply uninformed. Jim Jones, Hitler were believers. In short ethics is how we treat and expect to be treated as well except others way of thinking. Its hard at times but it will pay off in the end/ Look you can do what ever you want you could cut the sex organs off woman, dont eat this or that. Pray this way or that way. And yes I think your a bit nuts but please please please KEEP YOUR DOGMA OFF MY GRASS. I rather ilke that.

It would be a boring world if everyone had the same level of education and thought about every thing in the same way. But what ever you believe we are stuck with likes of Pol Pot, dogma,big bombs,human gas chambers, mirrors and the inability to laugh at ourselves not matter what way you choose to interpret you world. Because in the end it is of little consequence. The way humans treat the vary world we live in and the way we treat each other I am in no doubt that we are all insane. So eat drink and be merry because tomorrow???????????

My children believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. I dont think they are insane - they are just not grown up. I feel the same about those who believe in god(s). There is also some evidence to suggest that there are psychological factors that mean some people need belief systems and cannot function properly without them. We cannot really blame them for this. Its not their fault and it is our duty to help them.

They don't necessarily think that they're insane, just possessing a completely different worldview. There are a lot of beliefs out there that seem completely contrary to reality as I understand it... for example beliefs in aliens, or fortune tellers on TV, or that Taylor Hicks can sing. ;) Even if I don't buy in to those particular beliefs, it doesn't mean that people who do are crazy, they just look at reality in a very different way than I do. That's not restricted to religious-vs-non, because plenty of unreligious people believe in things I consider ridiculous. Marx said that religion is the opiate of the masses, but I think of it more as a placebo. It has no substance from my perspective, but for a lot of people it works wonders. I know plenty of nice, non-crazy religious folk whose lives have been enriched by it, and far be it for me to deny them something that brings them peace and happiness. I think most of us atheists can be humble enough to know that whether we "get" it or not is fairly irrelevant; we just like nice people whatever their quirks may be. On the other hand, there are a few folks out there who I do think are crazy (Fred Phelps for example, must have some sort of mental illness going on), but it's hard to tell whether outrageous religious beliefs made them crazy or if they were crazy to begin with... but most people don't seem that way at all.

I don't think they're insane- just wrong. the majority of people thought the world was flat, and smoking wasn't that bad for you for a very long time- they weren't all insane, its just that they weren't aware that there was any other way to think. A lot of people are brought up in environments where the existence of God is presented to them as a solid fact- the idea of non-existence isn't given as a possibility- its pretty sane and logical to assume that the things that the people around you tell you are true, are in fact true until suggestion or proof of an alternative is offered. I'm sure there are non-believers who think people who believe in God are insane, just as I'm sure there are religious people who think I'm insane. I'm also pretty sure there are some people who believe in God who are completely insane, but thaht's a different issue...

No, I think some people might think that way, but I am guessing that most people do not. I never thought someone was insane because they had different beliefs then I do. I never even thought of that except with very fanatical people who hurt other people that do not share their beliefs. That includes any belief.

From that perspective, it's more like they have not "seen the truth" regarding God's existence. They are in need of education so they can fully understand. Ignorance is not insanity.

No, it is not reasonably to think believers are "insane." The American Psychiatric Association does not consider belief in a supernatural being to be a criterion for mental illness. Officially, they do not even consider it to be delusional thinking. In fact many believers have achieved great things in fields of science, arts, and politics.

I wouldn't (neccesarily) say insane, perhaps deluded or just simply (in my opinion) wrong.

No, only that the believer is falling victim to one of various cognitive biases or hasn't been presented with enough alternative viewpoints.

There's a Catch-22 in the criteria for mental illness. If the majority believes in something, then you aren't crazy for believing in it, even if it's mad thinking. I suspect fundamentalism will be classified as a mental disorder early this century.

no, i dont believe in god, i believe in science, but that's not to say there isnt some '' greater being'' who am i to shit on peoples religion? faith makes people for the better, i can understand why people believe in god, i dont think anyone is under the impression that they are insane

There is a big difference between lack of sanity and lack of common sence. Some of the questions asked on here show so little sence it leans closer to insanity that thinking theres a big man in the sky watching us all. Anybody with half a brain can conclude that there is no god. I'm a strong supporter of faith and I would never tell a religous person what they believe is wrong regardless of how often they tell us "non-believers" we are wrong. It seems clear to me "God" was used as a scare tactic in the old days and its stuck for the majority. It's clear to see that as generations pass more and more people find it hard to believe

Not at all. I can't argue that it's a fact that god doesn't exist. They have faith that he's there and faith is a strong motivating factor.

IF THAT IS SO THEN THOSE WHO DONT BELIEVE IN GOD SHOULD BE CONSIDERED INSANE BY THOSE WHO DO BELIEVE. POINT OF REFERENCE I SUPPOSE.

No, not insane..... I'd say deluded is more like it. But if they're happy & not hurting anyone then what the hell eh?!

No. Why should they? Not every religious person believes that all atheists are immoral heathens. Anyway, "insane" is probably a poor word choice. You might get more affirmations with "deluded" or something that relates to a choice or teaching rather than an actual mental health condition. I don't think anyone would say that people disagree with them because they are insane.

I do not, nor do I think I should. Then again, I am willing to make the occational exception: "The best way to insure the earth is never over populated is for sensible and righteous governments to clear all forms of atheism and heresy." -- Robert T. Lee

And what makes you think we don't? I personally declare all the belief in invisible things to be a delusion of sorts

If you see a car and say to me "that car is red" but I say "That car is green." Am I insane? Not really no.

No.

Something seems wrong about thinking that everyone in the room except for you is insane. I'd tend to think the opposite was the fact. If everyone else believes one way and I the other, I'd look very, very closely to see if I'd missed something.

No. Just because atheists believe they have gotten one thing right, that do not mean that they think they have the total and absolute answer to life, the Universe and everything. We tend to leave that sort of fundamentalist arrogance to the fundamentalists ;-)) regards JakobA

Some certainly are. Other are in danger of becoming so. Many are deluded or fooling themselves. And many, perhaps the majority, don't, way deep down, REALLY believe in all that magic and mumbo-jumbo. They think they do, that talk the talk, but deep down they know it's as much nonsense as Santa. And it's these who get so touchy about it. Much like closeted gays being the loudest homophobes. +5

Sanity is a psycological term and has no bearing on religious belief or lack thereof. Loaded questions rarely lead to meaningful dialog.

No, that's crazy-talk!

There is a difference between subjectivity and objectivity. Most persons are unwilling to admit that science has the market on objectivity. Objectively, there is not sufficient evidence for the existence of god. Subjectively, I can choose to believe in god. I cannot choose to have objective knowledge about god. This of course relies on the fact that there is a big difference between knowledge and belief.