Is it normal to get mad when my father calls religion bullshit?

I hate the close-mindedness. I'm an atheist, but if I felt I truly could believe in a god I probably would. I despise people who try and take things away from people that make them happy just for kicks - there aren't many things more cruel than that. Regardless of whether it's bullshit or not people who call it that are generally looking for a fight.

you sound agnostic to me

That shows that you are a person that respects other people's choices. It's certainly not right of your father to use such derogatory words towards religions and religious people. And it would not be right for me to call all non believing people names either. So, normal.

My father was the exactly the same way! Although, it never made me feel angry to hear him express it. I was always intrigued by his dislike of religion and what it was about religion which would cause him to feel so strongly. When I grew up and left home, I spent a few years exploring several different religions to find out more about them and, eventually, I came to understand why he despised them so much.

Normal, I'm annoyed at close-mindedness too. I believe in God, but I believe he gives humans free will which includes the choice whether or not to believe in him. I'm not bothered by the fact that some people are atheist, I'm just bothered by the ones that say people who believe in God are stupid. Btw, you sound more agnostic than atheist; you said you don't think God can be proven either way.

He's entitled to his opinion, you're entitled to yours. It's good that you have respect for other people's contrary beliefs and can avoid using inflammatory words like 'bullshit' to describe them. However, I think there are worse things your dad could have said, and if he wasn't looking for a fight, then you shouldn't let it get to you. Why not have a mature discussion with him and share your views? Try and get him to hear your opinion, see if you can open his mind a little. But also hear his reasons, they might be valid.

One thing I've learnt from being on this site is that those who are most openly antagonistic, vehement and frankly obnoxious when discussing spirituality or science are not the religious people. They're a group of certain atheistic people who seem to live in a bubble of intolerance - small-minded and blinded by certain biased media sources - ironically almost cult-like in their idolatry of certain scientists. The rest of us 'non-believers' are more inclined to think deeply before we respond, to see things as more than black and white.

I'm not really religious either... If anything, I think I am agnostic. But even so, I become upset when people who are full-blown atheists try to call bullshit on every little thing and rationalize it with science. I think it's because even though I don't follow a traditional religion, I get a lot of enjoyment out of believing in supernatural/metaphysical stuff (particularly the concept of "soulbonding", as well as demonic/spiritual possession, which I guess is a similar if not the same thing). I have tried to become an atheist multiple times, but all it does is cause me a lot of anxiety and sadness. Believing in the supernatural gives me a lot of joy because I hate almost everything about the physical world that we live in, and if I were to stop believing in magic, I feel that I would have no motivation to keep going.

I agree with your dad.

But, but religion actually IS bullshit.

There's actually fairly substantial evidence that most religions are false. It's only a god that we can't prove or disprove, as it is generally defined beyond the scope of reason or science.

Is your father being a dick about calling religion bullshit? If he's actively seeking out people to destroy their worldview, I'd consider that to be a dick move, but if he's only doing so within his own home, it doesn't really seem all that terrible.

I believe the universe was made from the piss of a giant space dragon. Now respect my beliefs or else! That's every religion ever created, all of them are bullshit stories.

And OP, if you respect religion, then you're not an atheist. An atheist naturally comes to despise religions on examination.

You have the right to get angry when some steps on someone els. Now I know this is not on making some one a believer or not. I believe in The Creator God and if someone calls Him names I get angry to. If you choose not to believe in Him, that is your choice. So the same here. Just one question. What is atheism other than the believe that there is no God?, so that makes is a religion and then that is what your father think of his own believes.

Religion is like dr pepper! What flavor is it? It is neither root beer nor cola. Nobody is sure what flavor it is, and nobody can be sure! :P

You are no better than he is, you will both burn in the same Hell fire and brimstone.

Byt religion is bull shit

I'm on the same boat as you bud, I used to be religious until 4-5 years back, I don't really believe in anything but don't like calling myself an Athiest. I get pissed whenever people target religion because the accusers always complain about religion, and sometimes religious people criticize Athiest's. It's a big shit storm between the two and it gets really old... like two good friends fighting constantly.

Everyone has the right to choose for themselves, including you! And no one has the right to force their views or beliefs on another. A open conversation is good, and someone having concern for you is great! But most just need to relax and let others choose for themselves what is right for them. Good luck with your choices.

Thanks for the fast reactions... At least i know more 'bout it

I'm a practicing Catholic and think just as you have right to your opinion your father has a right to his opinion as well. But, you also have a right to inform him that you don't want to hear his unsolicited opinions. He'll probably still voice his opinions but you can choose to ignore him or try to distract yourself. I have to do that all the time with my family regarding their opinions on various subjects especially my mother and sister.

I understand that in certain ways my suggestion may seem counter intuitive but it's really helped me with my peace of mind. My therapist first introduced me to notion of not engaging with people on certain matters. In my case it was definitely a skill worth cultivating. I wish you all the best!

You won't turn into a religious person because your hellbound father has conditioned you since birth.
Sure, it's normal to get mad about that. Tell him to prove God doesn't exists and then when he says "prove he does" walk him outside and say "Look around,where did all of these miraculous things come from, accident?" If he gives you the Big Bang Theory then ask him this "Where did this enormous explosion take place? Where did the empty enormous space that the explosion happened in come from? That's a big bunch of accidents that just happened to be perfect, perfect distance from the Sun and other planets, perfect rotation, perfect tilt, perfect speed, a lot of perfect accidents."
what you're speaking is a miracle, the ability to communicate with each other is a miracle. Food is a miracle, water is a miracle. Accident, all of this just happened? It's funny Atheists today are spending a lot of time and energy fighting a God they claim doesn't even exist. My faith and observation of this miraculous world lets me know that God is real. Let me ask you this: If you knew 100% that God is real wouldn't you then question what is the point of us being here? Would there still be murderers, thieves, rapists, liars, sinners to judge? No. Because with absolute definitive proof it would render everything that we know in life pointless. We are here to be judged, to weed out the murderers, thieves, rapists, liars and sinners and unbelievers from entering the Kingdom of heaven. It's your choice to not believe but are you an unbeliever because your father conditioned you as an unbeliever? I think deep down you know the right answer and are questioning yourself. Follow your heart, take a look around- this didn't happen by accident. Your proof is laid out, it's up to you to see it.

YES! AT LAST SOMEONE WITH SOME SENSE! WE CAN NOT PROVE EITHER WAY SO FIGHTING SOMETHING NO ONE IS COMPLETELY SURE OF IS STUPID. Do aliens exist in some far off galaxy maybe. Do they exist somewhere we cant find in ours and we just missed it maybe. It is not like any of us have any definite evidence saying what started everything. We were not here. Even evolution is a theory. One I find very possible but we were not there.