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Why are you an atheist?

Smoke

Done here.
I've shared my story more than once on RF. Condensed version:

1) I was an Orthodox Christian. I came to see that the Church's teachings and policies on women and gay people were irrational and hypocritical.

2) I realized that if the Church was wrong about things that are so easy to figure out, the Church might well be wrong about the Mystery of the Divine.

3) I realized that apart from the teachings of the Church (and other notably fallible authorities) I really didn't have any reason to believe in God at all.

4) When I realized that I had no reason to believe in God, I realized very quickly that I didn't.
 

Penumbra

Veteran Member
Premium Member
There are a variety of reasons for why I am an atheist. For the poll, I picked that my largest reason was the lack of evidence in a god.

-I simply see no reason to believe in any sort of consciousness governing the universe. I am agnostic on the matter of the origin of existence, if there even was an origin, and some form of god may exist, but I have no reason to believe such.

-Some theistic claims are able to be demonstrated to be false, or are just inherently nonsensical, or out outrageously immoral.

-All throughout human history, humans have been creating gods in their image. There are pantheons of gods, several conceptions of omnimax creator gods, several attempts to explain how life works, and so forth, and they are a dime a dozen. In my opinion it's usually the method itself that is to blame, because most of these things are not determined through reason but instead through blind claims and eager followers.

-Religious texts that I've read tend to be very uninspiring to me. Some of the most widespread religions in the world, when it comes down to it, state that god once commanded genocide of random towns or called for the stoning of people for silly "crimes" like homosexuality, approaching the alter incorrectly, or picking up sticks on the wrong day. An exception is the Bhagavad Gita which I like very much.

-The problem of pain and evil, as you call it, is another big reason. I prefer to simply call it the problem of suffering, though. In my subjective and rather pessimistic opinion, the universe does not appear to be thought-through or designed. It appears as though I'd imagine it to appear if it existed without a god. Furthermore, the suffering was present long before humanity showed up. This doesn't necessarily mean that a god doesn't exist, but it seems a pretty big strike against the idea unless some sort of reason can be given as to why this is the case.

Well there are many Atheists here plugging away at it, day in and day out! BUT WHY?
Dont true none beleivers steer clear of religion instead of been obsessed by it?

Just curious.

Just how it apeers to me that non beleievers on any religious forums know more about religion than some religious people. So what is it then if not an obsession? not all atheists are trolls or are out to take the micky of religion etc but have a genuine curiosity. Or do Atheist hang out for hope, wanting religion to be true because of something that happened in there life!
When I was an atheist I just wouldnt entertain religion at all but when I started to seek it to try and understand it and to understand myself I was no longer an atheist.
Now I am the Messiah heh heh.

But why are atheists so into Religion? You are fascinated by Religion and thats a good enough reason for me lol
Not believing in any deities does not mean one does not find religion uninteresting. Many spiritual paths don't even include any deities.

Although I'm not a theist, religion interests me because it's basically a collection of all the answers (good and bad) that humanity has come up with to life's biggest questions over the last several thousand years. It's a story of us wrestling with our existence and condition. Understanding how someone feels about their religion often says a lot about them.

There are some religions and religious people that I respect very much. I also incorporate several philosophical and religious principles into my worldview and lifestyle.

My approach to religious discussion is more like an approach to philosophical discussion. I like to determine what people believe and why they believe it regardless of their particular stance.

-Lyn
 

Silver

Just maybe
There are a variety of reasons for why I am an atheist.

.....Furthermore, the suffering was present long before humanity showed up. This doesn't necessarily mean that a god doesn't exist, but it seems a pretty big strike against the idea unless some sort of reason can be given as to why this is the case.

-Lyn

& God is meant to be about Love!!!

:sad4: Silver
 

dogsgod

Well-Known Member
Believers have a peculiar way of describing personal experience. Applying what is assumed to exist, such as God, to personal experience does not prove the existence of God, nor does it explain the experience.
 
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Smoke

Done here.
Believers have a peculiar way of describing personal experience. Applying what is assumed to exist, such as God, to personal experience does not prove the existence of God, nor does it explain the experience.
That's what I don't get. It's one thing to explain why you're a Baptist if you start from the assumption that Christianity is the true religion. It's quite another thing to explain why you think Christianity is the true religion.

Most of the reasons people give as "evidence" of their faith come down to "I just know, that's how." I know that the Vedas are directly revealed. I know that the feeling I get when I pray about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon is the witness of the Holy Spirit. I know the Torah and the Oral Torah were given by God. I know the Bible is true. I know the Qur'an is true. I know that Bahaullah is the Promised One of all religions. I had a vision and I know it was Freya appearing to me. I felt the Holy Spirit fill my soul, I received the gift of speaking in unknown tongues.

People seem to be assuming a lot. They make obviously specious claims -- this scripture couldn't be as it is, this prophet couldn't have been as he was, I couldn't have been affected as I was, unless my beliefs are true -- but they don't see that their claims are specious. It seems that it's imperative, for many people, to believe that there is a set of known facts that correspond with their experience.

I don't think it is imperative. I don't believe a lot of things that other Buddhists believe, and I don't see the need for belief to accompany my practice. When I was a teenager I read all of Jess Lair's books. They helped me understand things better, and helped my live my life better. Now they seem simplistic in places and even naive, but at the time they were very useful. I didn't need to believe that Jess Lair was a prophet; I didn't need to believe that his words were revealed from on high; I just found his books interesting and useful. Isn't that enough?

It doesn't matter to me whether there's any such thing as paranibbana. It doesn't even matter to me whether Sakyamuni was enlightened, and it doesn't matter to me whether it's really possible for me to achieve full awakening. It suits me to be a Buddhist. I find it interesting and useful. If I ever stop finding it interesting and useful, I'll stop being a Buddhist. No big deal.

Of course, that attitude makes me a lousy missionary, and I can see how it's advantageous to the institutions of religion if people are more invested in belief, but I don't see how it's advantageous to the people as individuals.
 
I am an atheist because there is nothing else for me to be, I can't make myself believe in something I know does not exist.

As for the religion aspect, it isn't religion that facinates me, it's what I feel that religion is doing to society that facinates me. Also, as an educator, I find the literature of the bible very interesting.
 

MysticSang'ha

Big Squishy Hugger
Premium Member
I'm an atheist because I see what potential the power of the imagination has. That potential can be enlightening, useful, pragmatic, beautiful, and inspirational. Or it can be devastating, oppressive, destructive, and divisive.

Obviously I only described two opposing ends of the spectrum, and that there are a lot of grey areas, but my point stands how the imagination can affect people, perspectives, and policies (whether individual or societal).

I don't have anything against "God." In fact, I'd like to give the typical anthromoporphic "God" a Big Squishy Hug :rainbow1:. But I don't see any reason to offer "God" his or her own separate, independent, and all-powerful existence as a basis for meaning to life. If one's idea of "God" helps and inspires to become a better person, I'd say go with it. How could I, as one who has a great respect for imaginating (heh), have a problem with that perspective?
 

839311

Well-Known Member
No credible evidence for any god sounds about right. Thats not even mentioning the numerous other philosophical, scientific, and theological problems a determined seeker will come across, such as the other choice in the list - if there is a god, why is there pain and evil? Unfortunately, the reality of pain and evil does present a serious problem to the theory that there are god(s). But there is a lot more going against god theories, and really nothing going for them.

At this point, I don't take these theories seriously anymore. Theres no point. Theres no evidence at all. And there are far more interesting things going on. Genetic Engineering. Space Travel. Quantum Physics. Personally, I have faith in humanity. I think if we have enough time to develop, we will become immortal via genetic engineering. We will colonise our own star system, followed eventually by the colonisation of other star systems. We'll know more and more about how reality works by continuing to do research, such as in quantum physics. I think the reality of human advancement is far more interesting than the many thousand year old fantasies about god-like beings.
 

The Bright Beast

*Insert Witty Title Here*
Hmm, a lot of those answers fit my viewpoint, except the unwillingness to accept a higher power/authority.

Firstly, the answer I chose was the one about organised religions being messed up. The Catholic Church is one of the world's richest organisations. Yet there are people starving in poorer parts of the world, or dying of diseases that are curable in our developed countries. Not only do leaders of some religions live in complete luxury, (like some of the televangelists) they ask for MORE money in 'donations to their church' which usually ends up in the religious leader's pocket. They have more than enough money to significantly help, yet they choose to ask us to do it for them, when it clearly states in many religious scriptures to help the poor and less fortunate, and not to hoard wealth. If religions truly practised what they preach, then the Vatican would be a simple stone church, not a gold-plated paradise.

Furthermore, religions often have strings attached, such as tithing, or they can also be horribly discriminate towards members of other faiths and cultures, which leads to war, racism, xenophobia and hatred. Think of the Spanish Inquisition, The Crusades, or the Christianisation of the Nordic Countries. Think of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Centre, or the July 7th attacks on London Transport. Think even of the crucifixion of Jesus in Christian Mythology. This comes down to a difference and intolerance of other religious faiths.

Religion often has certain rules to abide by, which more often than not do not have any meaning in modern society. Rules such as not eating the flesh of a pig in Islam because it is 'unclean' or even the cruel method of slaughtering an animal for Halal meat, which causes unnecessary suffering in the poor animal. Or rules against sexual practises or positions, or what gender you love. If God was loving and tolerant, would he care who you love? Even if he did, surely he has better things to do than to go around checking who you have slept with so he can condemn you to hell for eternity. Even if you have found the cure for all cancers AND HIV/AIDS. (which seems to be the attitude of many religious groups.)

There is so much more I could write about this, but I do not have the time right now. I will answer questions however if you want me to :)
 

St Giordano Bruno

Well-Known Member
There is no credible evidence for any god
clear.gif

The problem of pain and evil
Organized religions are all messed up

I voted no credible evidence but if it was a check box choice I would have ticked the others as well for various reasons. Not only is there no credible evidence but any argument of deductive or inductive logic there is no logical argument for a god as well IMO.
 
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The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
I'm atheistic.


It's because God seems unimportant to me basically and also the fact of no credible evidence.
 

Luminous

non-existential luminary
I'm not an atheist because:

*** edited ***
what if there are many intelligent beings that have been there from the beginning?
why would one need to jump to the conclusion of lonely intelligent design?
 
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doppelganger

Through the Looking Glass
Because I consider belief in God to be a form of destructive magic and an idolatry that is actually the opposite of faith.
 

AntEmpire

Active Member
No coherent definition for god. So for me the question, "Is there a god?" is not a coherent question. Tell me what god is, then I can explain why or why not I am an atheist to your god belief.

As far as magical/supernatural persons go, thats just plain silly.
 
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