Dealing with Angry Atheist Professors

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ServantofChristJesus

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I’ve been going to college since 2017 and I’ve ran into three openly atheist professors, them simply being atheist is not the problem, it’s when they go on long rants about how Christianity is bad even when religion or Christianity is not what the topic is about (honestly it comes out of nowhere sometimes). I’m afraid of talking to them about this as I know as a student I don’t have any power.

(Two of these professors rant against Islam and Hinduism also, one of them seems to have a weird vendetta against Christianity and Hinduism.)
 
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Why do you need to “confront” them?

You could simply ignore them or drop the class. Once you are out of their class you are also free to complain to the administration about them as they can’t do anything to you then.
 
I guess ‘confront’ them is a strong word, I meant to talk to them about it (I’ll edit) sorry this was a spur of the moment post. Dropping the classes aren’t and option after a certain time period, unless I have hundreds of dollars.
 
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Why do you feel a need to talk to an irrational person about his irrationality?

Unless you are somehow a good friend of the professor, or you work as his research assistant or something, the professor is unlikely to care what you think or how you feel. Spare yourself unnecessary headaches and just pray for the prof and ignore the silly ranting, which just shows you the problems that well-educated people can have.

As I said, once you are done with these profs’ classes you are free to go to the administration and complain about them as a paying customer of the school. One other thing to consider is if there’s any kind of anonymous “Rate the profs” system, which I know many universities have, you can leave a review indicating that the professor expresses angry atheistic views, which might help others choosing classes to decide whether they want to put up with that for the sake of taking the class.
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
Rate the profs” system, which I know many universities have, you can leave a review indicating that the professor expresses angry atheistic views, which might help others choosing classes to decide whether they want to put up with that for the sake of taking the class.
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As an agnostic, I don’t like ranting atheists either. If you do get to evaluate the professor(s), I’d point out that while you have no objections to his being atheist, you did have a problem with his rants against religion…including yours. By showing that you didn’t appreciate his bashing of Christianity and other religions as well, it keeps you from sounding like you’re just playing the Christian persecution card. No ones religion should be bashed in a classroom lecture. If it’s in an appropriate discussion where religions are needed to be discussed, he has a right to express what he finds wrong with any religion but not just spew hatred and complete disrespect. As an agnostic/atheist, I’d call him out on it privately after class but I understand why others wouldn’t feel comfortable doing so. It’s a bullying tactic where the student can’t really defend themself…and that’s the worst kind of bullying there is!
 
Many years ago, back in the 1970s, my best friend and I were in college together, and we had a professor who was atheist and didn’t hesitate to include his beliefs in his lectures (political science).

My first suggestion to you is above everything else, show your professors, ALL of them, love and respect. Respect because they are your superiors academically and you are paying them a great deal of money to give you knowledge. LOVE because Jesus first loved us, therefore we should love one another.

My second suggestion is to develop a friendly relationship with your professors, all of them, not just the atheists/liberals/anti-Christians. Take advantage of the opportunity to talk with and absorb all of their wisdom and knowledge, even if you think they are wrong (which they are about God!).

Go to their discussion sessions or help sessions (even if you don’t need help in the subject). I assume professors still post open hours—go to these, and if the professor isn’t already helping someone who needs help, ask if you can chat for a few minutes about some questions you have. Get him/her talking about their beliefs and try to find out WHY they believe as they do.

It’s possible that they had a horrific experience with a Christian, perhaps even a pastor, priest, Sunday school teacher, etc., or perhaps a Christian “friend” betrayed them, or perhaps their parents were professed Christians but were abusive or simply non-loving.

You might be used by God to show your atheistic professor that God really IS love!

Finally, when my friend and I were talking to our PolySci prof (and we liked him a lot, and he liked us because we were respectful, worked hard in his class, and got good grades on his tests), he told us that he thought it was really sad that people deluded themselves by believing in “god.”

At that moment, the Holy Spirit prompted my friend to quote I Corinthians 15 : 12-19, especially verses 19–“If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

She told our professor, “You are absolutely correct! IF we are deluded and God is just a myth, we ARE pitiable and you SHOULD feel sorry for us! That’s exactly what Paul the Apostle wrote in the First Century!”

This floored the professor–of course, he wasn’t at all familiar with the Bible and only knew what he had heard about it from atheist sources. He had no idea that St. Paul had run across the same atheist argument 2000 years earlier and had written about it.

This made our professor take us and “religion” much more seriously–he told us he would take a more careful look at the claims of Christianity.

Remember those verses.
 
Best idea is not to do anything. When you finish college you can make a complaint. There’s nothing really to be gained by confronting them.
 
If someone saying something that contradicts your beliefs upsets you this much, you’ll likely struggle in life. Follow that blonde Disney character’s advice and let it go.
 
I am college student in Computer Science so I don’t come across this much. However when I do come across nonsense like professors saying what their “pronouns” are or say something like they are part of the “Womxn” club I just roll my eyes and thank God I am not that stupid. Your atheist professors are angry people. They probably thought they were going to be great political minds and change the world, but their ideas were rejected as stupidity and the only job they can get is at a university. Because of their failures they must blame things like religion for their failures. Just pray for them and ignore them.
 
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ConvertAllToCatholic said:
However when I do come across nonsense like professors saying what their “pronouns” are or say something like they are part of the “Womxn” club I just roll my eyes and thank God I am not that stupid.
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You might perhaps say a prayer for them instead. Saying “Thank God I’m not that stupid” sounds a bit like the Pharisee saying, “Thank God I’m not like that sinful publican over there.”
 
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Jharek… when you see people so offended by the word men that they put an x in women (womxn) and you are so delusional as to think normal people cannot tell your gender, then it is safe to say that many of these “academics” mostly in the liberal arts are not very smart.

I think it is great for those that actually want to teach in university. I am more talking about philosophy, gender studies, and political science majors that believe that the leftist ideology they peddle actually means something outside their liberal arts safe spaces. When they are rejected by the world they deter their hatred in the university where that is the only place their ideas are accepted. It is never their fault they have terrible ideas, but rather the power structure, religion, sexism, racism, capitalism, etc. that keeps them down.
 
Maybe they have a good reason behind it. Why don’t you ask them?
 
“Why do you feel a need to talk to an irrational person about his irrationality?”

So you think atheists are “irrational”? How so?
 
Give them a bad professor review, most colleges ask for you to review professors after the class ends.
 
ChocolateCake said:
“Why do you feel a need to talk to an irrational person about his irrationality?”

So you think atheists are “irrational”? How so?
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I think it’s more that people who can’t shut up about their belief or lack thereof when it’s neither relevant nor appropriate are irrational.

Rational atheists don’t go on unprompted angry rants.
 
AdamP88 said:
Best idea is not to do anything. When you finish college you can make a complaint. There’s nothing really to be gained by confronting them.
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Adamp88, I don’t agree with this.

College/university is a time of life when a student is attempting to acquire a LOT of knowledge and wisdom. One way that we acquire is to INQUIRE and challenge, politely and with respect.

College is the perfect time to meet, greet, and get to know professors, grad students, and others who are further along in their “wisdom journey.” That’s part of what college/university is all about–soaking up the wisdom of those who teach us! It’s not just about the lectures and the labs/lessons–it’s about getting to know these teachers and being mentored and challenged by them!

A good professor will WANT to meet opponents and those who disagree with him/her. MANY discoveries have been made, many plays and books have been written, many political changes have come about, because someone challenged the “establishment” and pointed something out that everyone had missed. A good professor is always looking for proof that they are incorrect about their conclusions. They WANT people to ask questions and voice objections! That might be the way the prof makes a world-changing discovery.

It’s also important for college students to start building up a “network” of people in their field of study. It could mean the difference between finding a paying job—or moving back home with the parents!

Professors are a source of information about positions and internships and also are the ones who will write a good recommendation for students–and the recommendation will be much more convincing if the prof actually KNOWS the student who is requesting the recommendation!

My older daughter started building up her “network” of theater people/contacts the day she moved into her college dorm! She’s been out of college for years now, but still maintains contact with many of these profs and professionals, and still does WORK (paying work!) with them!

I say that college/university students should take advantage of their 4 years to revel in study and discussion with teachers and professors, and not be afraid or “too polite” to challenge the establishment. Praying is great–but isn’t it better to actually approach a professor and engage them in meaningful dialogue when we think they might be in error?
 
Peeps said:
A good professor will WANT to meet opponents and those who disagree with him/her.
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The problem is that this individual may not be of the type of professor that you’re describing. Nothing wrong with engaging in conversation, but in my experience academics who have a personal hobby horse generally don’t want to be challenged on it.

I’m not saying the OP shouldn’t engage in debate and conversation, but professors do have power and the problem is that they may not turn out to be the fairest of people if they have a reason to dislike you.
 
AdamP88 said:
The problem is that this individual may not be of the type of professor that you’re describing. Nothing wrong with engaging in conversation, but in my experience academics who have a personal hobby horse generally don’t want to be challenged on it.

I’m not saying the OP shouldn’t engage in debate and conversation, but professors do have power and the problem is that they may not turn out to be the fairest of people if they have a reason to dislike you.
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I agree that anyone approaching such a professor needs to use a great deal of tact, speak less, and listen more.

When I was Evangelical Protestant, we often used a phrase to describe the way we should be when doing personal evangelism–“We need to EARN the right to be listened to.”

In other words, you don’t just barge in. You sit at the feet of the Professor and learn what he/she has to say, and after many weeks or months of doing this, you might bring up an objection–with great respect and kindness.

It might interest you to know that one of my daughters left a position at one of those 'liberal-leaning" universities (world-acclaimed!) where everyone is required to use the preferred “pronouns” of each person and professors have to guard every word they say and every activity they ask their students to complete. She left when she was offered a position at a smaller, more obscure university where she has much more freedom to be who she is, to say what she needs to say, teach what she feels her students need to know, and where she doesn’t have to stress out and worry every minute that she may had made some speaking error or worn some article of clothing or jewelry or participated in some off-hours activity (like church) that would result in her dismissal.

She loves her new position and enjoys being able to sleep again without fear!
 
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