1. The atheist doesn't want God, because someone they know died a horrible death, and they blame God for it, and the fact that the person who died was a believer, they despise the faith, and anything that reminds them off suffering of someone they loved.
Actually...
People who stop believing in God after they lose a loved one often feel like God isn't watching them, or they feel betrayed by God. They wonder how an all loving God could allow someone to die under certain circumstances. This often leads people to question the existence of a God, and they generally conclude that there is no God at all.
These people don't choose to be atheist because they
want to turn from God. They begin to question the validity of an all loving God, and eventually conclude there are no gods at all.
You seem to think the line of logic is as follows: 1. How could God let this happen? I choose to no longer believe in him!
In reality: 1. How could God let this happen? I don't see how an all loving God could exist and allow this to happen. <Slippery slope - They begin questioning other aspects of God> I have concluded that there is no god at all.
2. The Militant atheist, different from the regular atheist. This one has had a hard time fitting into the world, or had a hard time finding a place for God in their lives of sin, so they belittle those who believe in God, as sheep, or people who can't think for themselves.
Often,
militant atheist refers to an atheist who is very outspoken. There are many different reasons people become militant atheists.
Your assumption about militant atheists is stupendously wrong.
Most outspoken atheists lead normal lives. They are not generally reclusive or lonely, nor does their lack of belief in God stem from feeling alone.
When you say militant atheists reject God because they can't fit him into their life of sin, I'm assuming you're suggesting these atheists choose not to believe in God because they want to continue sinning.
Nobody chooses to stop believing in God because they want to continue sinning. Choosing not to believe in something doesn't magically make that thing disappear. If a person says they stopped believing in God because they wanted to sin, then they don't really lack belief in him do they?
Imagine a few robbers standing around, "I want to rob this bank, but we'll get arrested... I know! Let's stop believing in cops!"
3. Then there is the high horse scoffer Atheist. They feel that they are so much more enlightened to the world and information around us, that it would be silly to waste their time on the ideas of a "higher power". That knowledge and materialism, and naturalism is able to account for all of creation.
You have this idea that these atheists choose not to believe in God because they feel they don't need God. However, this isn't the root of their disbelief. The root of their disbelief comes from logical conclusions they have drawn.
It is normal for atheists to talk about theism in a condescending manner. Generally, this is because atheists believe the arguments used to support the idea of God are foolish, fallacious, and/or contradict reality.
Some atheists come off as rude because they're frustrated with trying to explain what they perceive to be simple logic to theists, who just can't seem to grasp what they're saying.
And yes, sometimes there are atheists who are jerks. But we have jerks lurking everywhere under the guise of both theist and atheist.
Some are very sincere, and have come to a conclusion through much thought. However this is certainly the minority in my experience.
I find that most atheists, at least those who are outspoken, are very sincere and have come to their conclusions through much thought. I'm curious, where do you generally encounter the atheists you talk to for you to come to the conclusion that most atheists are angry or arrogant?
Most are upset and mad at a deep seated issue. God will mess up their plans to have sex before marriage.. to do whatever it is they want to do, to continue to do questionable things with their non-Christian friends.
Just to remind you, as I stated earlier, atheists don't stop believing in God because they want to sin.
If you sincerely believe there's an all powerful God who will send you to hell for all eternity if you sin, nobody is going to be stupid enough to stop believing in God thinking this will somehow prevent them from going to hell. If you know there's a God, and you simply "choose" not to believe in him, then you're just lying to yourself - and let me tell you, that's almost never the case.
Not meant to be mean or judge, just in my honest experience.
Like Cycel, I've had an entirely different experience talking to atheists.
