Has anything shaken your choice of atheism?

[Humanistheart]

Has anyone ever presented an argument that forced you to question your choice of being an atheist?

In the four horsemen this was asked and it was presented that perhaps it is because of the way the west has respected faith and religion that you dont see what is happening on the other side of the pond. That is interesting if you support a milatant or more active atheist argument but has anything ever caused you pause in your beliefs?

Athiesm, at least for me, was neither a choice nor is it a belief. I started as a christian, but it never felt real, the theological concepts were ethicaly wrong, and the evidence against the bible's 'truths' were too great. I tried to believe for years, for some reason I can't understand anymore, but never truly could. So, I don't think belief is a matter of choice, it's a matter of what makes sence to you, or what touches you personally. Choosing to look into the truth's of your religion, obviously your choice, but the conclusion you draw, well, again, I don't think that's a choice.

And no, since accepting my identity as an athiest nothing has tempted me back. Although I did spend time is several religions and other christian denominations, and had a few years of agnostic thought before settling in athiesm.

 

[SoundBrain]

NO.

Even though I am an Atheist, I don't hate religions.(In Brief) Religions/Gods were created to give comfort to the weak-minded in times of despair. When I understand the concept behind the religions/gods, no argument could ever shake my beliefs.

I have become stronger and stronger after I became an Atheist from being a Hindu.

 

[evolved yet?]

The argument that water was designed to be heavier than ice because if it weren't for that we wouldn't have survived the precambrian...
But I'm back to being an atheist.

 

[McBell]

Has anyone ever presented an argument that forced you to question your choice of being an atheist?

Nope.
But I have seen some atheists who have.

 

[Revoltingest]

Has anyone ever presented an argument that forced you to question your choice of being an atheist?

It wasn't really a choice. It has always been obvious that I shouldn't believe in something
for which I see no evidence. No evidence has ever presented itself to shake this view.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Has anything ever shaken your choice to breathe?

 

[Revoltingest]

Has anything ever shaken your choice to breathe?

Being underwater.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Being underwater.

Excellent analogy.

 

[Revoltingest]

Excellent analogy.

It was an analogy?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

It was an analogy?

To me it was. Then again, I often find more cleverness in what people say than what they meant.

 

[McBell]

Has anything ever shaken your choice to breathe?

Well, there are a few members of RF that really test my faith in breathing....

no, you are not one of them.

 

[FlyingTeaPot]

Well, a choice seems to imply that there are good reasons to take one course or the other. I have yet to see a good reason to believe in a supernatural entity. Therefore, it was not a choice but an inevitability for me not to believe in god. And no, I have never been presented with a convincing argument for existence of god.

 

[Tathagata]

Well, I didn't necessarily choose Atheism, it's just what I became.

Nothing has shaken my affirmation of no-God nothing will because he is logically impossible. And even if God were proven, I'd still be Anti-Theist.



.

 

[Smoke]

So you can "choose" whether or not to hold a belief in a deity?

To a point. Not just like flipping a switch, but you can so immerse yourself in a religion that you start to believe things you'd never have believed otherwise. When I was baptized, I didn't really believe in the Resurrection, or the Virgin Birth, or that the Mother of God was bodily assumed into heaven after her death. But I did eventually. Of course, when I started questioning my religion for other reasons, those beliefs fell pretty fast. But if you had asked me when I was in my late twenties whether I believed in those things, I'd have said I did, and I'd have meant it.

 

[dogsgod]

I've had a few anomalous experiences and I'll probably have more but don't see why I would ever go back to describing such experiences in supernatural terms. If the causes of such experiences can't be explained, then I'll have to accept the ambiguity of not knowing the causes.

 

[Starsoul]

Since I reasoned myself out of my faith I've never looked back. The more I learn and the more I question the further I am taken from a belief in god.

Having said that, If it wasn't for my understanding of evolution I don't think I would have been an atheist.

As far as militant atheism goes, I don't think it's a good idea. I think the world would be a much better place without faith, but trying to eradicate faith from the world will only cause division and suffering.

Fairly old thread, but caught my eye.

Without meaning to sound condescending, I think humanity will grow out of faith in it's own good time.

Such a time has been predicted in one of the religions, and it states that in such a time, A person will come to earth, claiming to be God and all athiests will believe in him to be god then, but he will not be the Real God.

The real God will just send him to test the better reasoning of Humans.. Some will realize that he's a fake, most will fall to his charms, and then he will be defeated, and so his followers, infront of everybody...

And well, the doomsday shall then begin which will suddenly awake the fear of the Real God in the non-believers and atheists, but at that time it will be too late to believe..

 

[Penumbra]

To answer the OP, since letting go of theism, there has not been any argument to lead me in the direction of theism at all.

If there exist gods, they're so well-hidden that I'd wager an experience, rather than an argument, would be necessary to convince me.

Fairly old thread, but caught my eye.

Such a time has been predicted in one of the religions, and it states that in such a time, A person will come to earth, claiming to be God and all athiests will believe in him to be god then, but he will not be the Real God.

The real God will just send him to test the better reasoning of Humans.. Some will realize that he's a fake, most will fall to his charms, and then he will be defeated, and so his followers, infront of everybody...

And well, the doomsday shall then begin which will suddenly awake the fear of the Real God in the non-believers and atheists, but at that time it will be too late to believe..

That's quite an unethical and unappealing god concept. You have my best wishes that you will one day develop a more ethical and reasonable god concept, or leave theism behind.

 

[Sententia]

The real God will just send him to test the better reasoning of Humans.. Some will realize that he's a fake, most will fall to his charms, and then he will be defeated, and so his followers, infront of everybody...

Hmmm.... Your god doesn't trust us.

I was at the crib, sittin' by the fireplace
Drinkin' coca cola on the bear skin rug
The door bell rang. Who could it be?
Thought to myself then started to shrug
Got to the door. Ding Dong. Who is it?
My girl's best friend had payed me a visit.
Fly as can be, tight dress and all
She knew that I was taken. I really didn't have the gall.
I tried to chilll. She made the move.
Now I know my girlfriend wouldn't approve.
I didn't realize my girl was settin' me up
Yo, my girl didn't trust me. No!
Yeah, but she lost control I wouln't take the bait.
I said chill baby baby chill baby baby wait
My girl bust in, Caught us creating a boom
She said "Girlfriend"?

Things that make you go hmm

And well, the doomsday shall then begin which will suddenly awake the fear of the Real God in the non-believers and atheists, but at that time it will be too late to believe..

Doomsday eh? Where have I heard that before?

 

[ButTheCatCameBack]

My mother recently died from leukemia. During the time while she was in the hospital and during the days up to and including her wake. I had many relatives go on about praying and heaven and so forth. In the end the sad situation if anything, reinforced my stance. There was something deeply insulting about people around me then going on with fictions instead of honoring her life.

 

[King Salmon]

Such a time has been predicted in one of the religions, and it states that in such a time, A person will come to earth, claiming to be God and all athiests will believe in him to be god then, but he will not be the Real God.

I'm really curious how all the atheists in the world will come to believe some being as a deity unless he displays really awesome powers that defy the laws of physics at every turn. After that, what would god do that would make others believe him to be the real god, and why would we not just believe him to be a separate god rather than a real one?

Kind of going to the topic (I'm new here ) nothing has shaken my non-belief in deities, though I did grow up religious and had a nice crisis several years back that shook me awake.