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Christians and atheists, oh my!
A Christian on Askville asked why atheists always answer their questions about Christianity.
It's quite natural for atheists to respond to questions about Christianity, and not just yours. If you think Christianity doesn't have an impact on the lives of atheists in the United States, you obviously haven't had the experience of being an atheist in the USA. We're widely despised and distrusted by Christians; polls indicate that we are the most hated group in America, even more loathed than Muslims and homosexuals. So it should be understandable why many of us want to represent our position online.
Christians in the US tend to assume that virtually everyone else is Christian, too. Some of them are quite arrogant about it; they seem to envision God as some sort of invisible big brother whose mere existence gives them license to abuse any non-believer with impunity. These arrogant fanatics represent only a tiny fraction of the Christian community, I believe, but they have a voice and impact which is vastly out of proportion to their numbers.
Speaking of which, it's also worth noticing that the most extreme Christian groups also wield disproportionate influence politically; look at the Christian Reconstructionist movement (aka the Dominionists). They advocate turning the USA into an outright theocracy, with death by stoning as the penalty for heresy, adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, failing to keep the Sabbath, failing to honor your father and mother...and, of course, disbelief. The Dominionist movement has great influence in Washington DC among our nation's leaders. Why wouldn't atheists be concerned about that?
Also, what makes you think that atheists cannot contribute meaningful answers to a religious discussion? I've read the Bible many times, and know it better than most Christians that I've met. I've been mistaken for a Christian many times, online (and was then screamed at by the same Christians who previously thanked me for my "Christian" advice, when I noted that I wasn't a believer). When they thought I was a Christian they admired what I'd said; when they discovered that I wasn't a believer, suddenly my advice was worthless and evil.
[Another user] also makes a good point: to be an atheist in the USA is not a casual thing. Most US atheists have probably spent a lot more time thinking about religion than most US Christians!
It's quite natural for atheists to respond to questions about Christianity, and not just yours. If you think Christianity doesn't have an impact on the lives of atheists in the United States, you obviously haven't had the experience of being an atheist in the USA. We're widely despised and distrusted by Christians; polls indicate that we are the most hated group in America, even more loathed than Muslims and homosexuals. So it should be understandable why many of us want to represent our position online.
Christians in the US tend to assume that virtually everyone else is Christian, too. Some of them are quite arrogant about it; they seem to envision God as some sort of invisible big brother whose mere existence gives them license to abuse any non-believer with impunity. These arrogant fanatics represent only a tiny fraction of the Christian community, I believe, but they have a voice and impact which is vastly out of proportion to their numbers.
Speaking of which, it's also worth noticing that the most extreme Christian groups also wield disproportionate influence politically; look at the Christian Reconstructionist movement (aka the Dominionists). They advocate turning the USA into an outright theocracy, with death by stoning as the penalty for heresy, adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, failing to keep the Sabbath, failing to honor your father and mother...and, of course, disbelief. The Dominionist movement has great influence in Washington DC among our nation's leaders. Why wouldn't atheists be concerned about that?
Also, what makes you think that atheists cannot contribute meaningful answers to a religious discussion? I've read the Bible many times, and know it better than most Christians that I've met. I've been mistaken for a Christian many times, online (and was then screamed at by the same Christians who previously thanked me for my "Christian" advice, when I noted that I wasn't a believer). When they thought I was a Christian they admired what I'd said; when they discovered that I wasn't a believer, suddenly my advice was worthless and evil.
[Another user] also makes a good point: to be an atheist in the USA is not a casual thing. Most US atheists have probably spent a lot more time thinking about religion than most US Christians!