Should you believe in religion because the alternative is worse?

[Druidus]

I've read a lot of posts detailing how people believe in a religion rather than atheism because the alternative is worse. How is this logical? Should you do this? For instance, Victor posted:

I personally do. Not because I don't get any sleep without me believing in God, but more importantly because in the atheistic world view, justice will never be served in it's totality. Hitler's, Stalins, Mao's of the world will get away with murder. Justice is minimized to neuro physical energy of a group of people. No thanks.

How can this line of thought even be thought of by the thinker as rational?

I'm not against religion, it's just that you can't believe in it because the alternative is worse. Even if you have other reasons, this reason doesn't deserve to be called one.

 

[cardero]

Well for one thing Victor did include the word “personally” so I did not fault or debase his feelings.

It is not a matter of the alternative being worse or better it may just be a matter of the alternative going back into the unknown. When one has acquired a faith and receives a strong understanding to the contrary one eventually has to start back from the beginning and view some things differently again. Faith was (or is) supposedly supposed to assure someone that this was (or is)not supposed to happen.

 

[Atheist_Dave]

I think many people truly believe for beliefs sake, just because they need something to help them not feel so helpless, it's human nature I guess, we all like to feel special in some way. I, however, feel very happy being just another creature, it really isn't as scary as many religious people seem to think it is.

If I had a pound for everytime someone has said "Don't you feel scared, being alone?", I wouldn't be sat here talking to the likes of you! (No offense)

 

[Bastet]

Concerning atheism...I was watching the tv show 'House' last year, and someone made the comment to House (the main character) about death/afterlife that went something like "Do you find comfort in believing that after death, that's it - there's nothing?", and his reply was "I find comfort in believing that this [life] isn't just a test." I don't think it's a difficult concept to understand or relate to. Surely even those who are deeply religious should be able to at least try to understand that POV. I would think that that concept would make atheists value and cherish the life they have now, because it's the only one they have - surely not a bad thing?

 

[Atheist_Dave]

Couldnt have put it better myself, even though I did try.... Being how I am makes me so happy, it motivates me to get all i can from life that's good, and avoid crappy stuff, I can't imagine how poor my life would be if i thought it was just something to be endured before eternal whatever. If I end up rotting in hell as a result of being a good person but not believing a certain god, then so be it, at least I was never afraid....

 

[Ormiston]

Is it possible some of us atheists are using the same reasoning implied by Victor's post? The thought of following a religion is enough to keep me without one, personally.

And, Queen of Tetris, "What's your problem....Einstein?"

 

[Sunstone]

On the surface, the fact that Marxism and its variant ideologies led to horrendous attrocities during the 20th Century might appear to condemn atheism as leading to attrocities. But this is false reasoning. The flaw in Marxism might be any number of other things besides its atheism. For instance, Marxist ideology promoted dictatorship as a form of government. Maybe there is something inherently dangerous about dictatorships, whether atheist or theist.

 

[Ormiston]

On the surface, the fact that Marxism and its variant ideologies led to horrendous attrocities during the 20th Century might appear to condemn atheism as leading to attrocities. But this is false reasoning. The flaw in Marxism might be any number of other things besides its atheism. For instance, Marxist ideology promoted dictatorship as a form of government. Maybe there is something inherently dangerous about dictatorships, whether atheist or theist.

Maybe there is something wrong with ideology...?

 

[Mister_T]

I've read a lot of posts detailing how people believe in a religion rather than atheism because the alternative is worse. How is this logical? Should you do this?

Ignorance is bliss as they say. If you believe in something based soley on the fact that it cures your fear of death, then IMO you have a poor faith and you're participating in it for the wrong reasons. I, for one, try my best not to live in ignorance. Of course I want there to be something after this life. But I'm not going to chase fairy tales and Dogma and trick myself into believing. That's foolish.

But this is a 2 way street.

On the other side of the coin you have people who simply don't want there to be an afterlife for one reason or another. People don't like the idea of having to anwser to someone other than themselves. People don't like the idea of not having control over things.

Another thing that discourages people from believing is all of the negetivity that comes from religious dogma. Organized religion as a whole draws a lot of negetive attention to themselves. These are people who are supposed to be representing God, and most of them act in a manner that turns people off. Representives of religious organizations preach about Heaven and how good it is and how they're 100% sure that God is real and how they're 100% sure that they're going to Heaven; and then follow up that message with how everyone who's not like them is going to Hell for eternal torment. And they do it with a smile. Would you want to believe in/like a God that worked that way? Probably not if you've got somewhat of a strong mind. It's examples like that, that make you want to tell these people to go screw themsleves and if your God works that way then the same for him. Thus people who are "Hellbound" choose not to believe because the alternative is worse: spending an eternity with these kind of people. People faced with this situation feel they have 2 choices: believe in the Devil or believe in nothing. Atheists are generally good people and since the Devil represents everything that is evil, the choose not to believe in anything.

Organized religions make a lot of Atheists by convincing people that they are not worthy of making the cut IMO.

I can tell you that there is something more.

 

[Bastet]

People faced with this situation feel they have 2 choices: believe in the Devil or believe in nothing. Atheists are generally good people and since the Devil represents everything that is evil, the choose not to believe in anything.

Actually, you forgot the third option: come up with their own set of beliefs that don't necessarily conform to any one particular religion. A belief in a higher power is optional in this third group.

 

[Faint]

"I find comfort in believing that this [life] isn't just a test."

I agree. In my experience, the more concerned a person is with the afterlife, the less inclined they are to make the most of this one.

 

[fromthe heart]

Ignorance is bliss as they say. If you believe in something based soley on the fact that it cures your fear of death, then IMO you have a poor faith and you're participating in it for the wrong reasons. I, for one, try my best not to live in ignorance. Of course I want there to be something after this life. But I'm not going to chase fairy tales and Dogma and trick myself into believing. That's foolish.

But this is a 2 way street.

On the other side of the coin you have people who simply don't want there to be an afterlife for one reason or another. People don't like the idea of having to anwser to someone other than themselves. People don't like the idea of not having control over things.

Another thing that discourages people from believing is all of the negetivity that comes from religious dogma. Organized religion as a whole draws a lot of negetive attention to themselves. These are people who are supposed to be representing God, and most of them act in a manner that turns people off. Representives of religious organizations preach about Heaven and how good it is and how they're 100% sure that God is real and how they're 100% sure that they're going to Heaven; and then follow up that message with how everyone who's not like them is going to Hell for eternal torment. And they do it with a smile. Would you want to believe in/like a God that worked that way? Probably not if you've got somewhat of a strong mind. It's examples like that, that make you want to tell these people to go screw themsleves and if your God works that way then the same for him. Thus people who are "Hellbound" choose not to believe because the alternative is worse: spending an eternity with these kind of people. People faced with this situation feel they have 2 choices: believe in the Devil or believe in nothing. Atheists are generally good people and since the Devil represents everything that is evil, the choose not to believe in anything.

Organized religions make a lot of Atheists by convincing people that they are not worthy of making the cut IMO.

I can tell you that there is something more.

You said a mouthful in all that...I think a lot of people ARE turned off by supposed Christians who are acting so selfrighteous that they come off as unloving as it gets. I can see where a lot of people just aren't to the point of really deciding WHAT they believe and come across someone that condemns them in word by their beliefs.

Christians who are true Chrstians get NO joy out of believing some people are going to go to eternal damnation of the eternal fire...personally it grieves my heart terribly to think of some of the wonderful people who I know that I feel will perish forever JUST BECAUSE they refuse to do as the Bible says and accept jesus' blood to forgive their sins. I also have had times in my lifewhere I as well questioned the things that I didn't understand and was nearly convinced that religion is all man made...but I know better now in my heart. I've seen the power of prayer, I've seen miricles that seem to defy all logical sense and the Bible speaks of some of these as well but to see something for yourself does send things home to you real quick. I believe in my heart the things I believe and being a doubting 'thomas' for a number of years to the extent where I questioned some things has given me a sense of how one can decide to believe the whole religion thing is bogus...I'm just very grateful to have not chosen that direction. For those who have my heart aches...miricles have happened all around me from the age of 4 years old...but yet I doubted for a while but not for too long.

The hard thing is convincing these non-believers of what I view as the truth in God's truth's of scriptures via the Bible...when they have turned a blind eye to these things over one thing or another. There are times when I see how someone lived an evil life murdered dozens of people and at the few minutes prior to being put to death tehy get saved and end up in heaven...as a human sometimes you get to feel these types deserve what they get in going to hell...but that takes away the whole part of 'LOVE' that we are supposed to have. THIS was where my questioning came into play. But I always try to put myself in a godly mindset as to how God sees it...He doesn't see things as human in the way we do. Sure these bad people end up in heaven but the have no rewards to offer the Lord from their earthly life on judgement day...they will feel shameful for maybe the first time in their lives...perhaps these folks were demon possesed,mentally ill, or whatever...but all deserve to be forgiven...ALL no matter what the sin it's not too great to give it to God by the way of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Folks that lead a wonderfully kind life can still suffer the judgement of Hell...not because they were evil hearted but because they were self minded and chose to believe God doesn't exsist or that Jesus was 'just a man and not God in human form. There are all sorts of reasons many have used to take the stand of atheist...but for ANYONE to sit in judgement over tham is Biblically WRONG!

I could go on but I won't...all should be treated the same by the fellow man despite our personal feelings...I believe in Heaven AND Hell the same as I believe there is day for night, heat for cold, down for up...you just can't have one without the other because the Bible says so.

 

[Mister_T]

Actually, you forgot the third option: come up with their own set of beliefs that don't necessarily conform to any one particular religion. A belief in a higher power is optional in this third group.

Nah I didn't forget it. I just didn't mention it. My point was that dogma turns a lot people off to any type of religion all together. The reason I say this is because religious groups such as "so called Christians" preach that any religion other than theirs is the Devil's work. And they do it very convincingly and with authority.When they hear that, they only have 2 options in because the dogma eliminated the 3rd.

For the record, I tend to fall into the third category.

 

[Bastet]

For the record, I tend to fall into the third category.

So do I, that's why I mentioned it. I get your point though.

 

[Maxist]

Well, I agree whole heartedly. This is not a valid reason for being a Theist.

 

[Booko]

I've read a lot of posts detailing how people believe in a religion rather than atheism because the alternative is worse. How is this logical? Should you do this?

imo, you should believe in a religion (or lack thereof) because you believe it is "true." That is, it provides the best explanation for the world you see around you.

Anything else is not likely to last for long, or mean very much to you.

I've heard people say things like you should believe in a religion because the alternative is worse, but I haven't met anyone who said that who ever spent any time as an atheist, so I'm not sure how they'd know it's actually "worse."

 

[Booko]

Is it possible some of us atheists are using the same reasoning implied by Victor's post? The thought of following a religion is enough to keep me without one, personally.

Well, you never know. You might just be doing the right thing by having "none" as your religion. Maybe God even says so. bwa ha ha ha :jester3:

"Thirdly: Bahá'u'lláh taught, that Religion is the chief foundation of Love and Unity and the cause of Oneness. If a religion become the cause of hatred and disharmony, it would be better that it should not exist. To be without such a religion is better than to be with it."
(Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 28)

 

[Mister_T]

not because they were evil hearted but because they were self minded and chose to believe God doesn't exsist or that Jesus was 'just a man and not God in human form.

But for some people, believing these things is impossible to them. And a lot of these people as you said are wonderfully kind. People live in cultures(most of them dirt poor) where if you believe in Jesus, you and your loved ones (children included) will be tortured and killed. I remember reading about a girl who's parents would force her to pray to God and then beat her. There are children who get sexually abused by religious higher ups. There are people who've been kicked around their whole life and the only luck the know is bad luck. Women who've been raped are shattered in every possible way imaginable. Especially if they wind up pregnant as a result. The list goes on. People can't help but ask "why would a loving God let this happen" For some, it is mentally and sometimes physically impossible to believe in a loving God. And then they hear someone like yourself say what I have put in quotes. Do you think that's going to help anyone believe in God? If anything it's going to turn them spiteful. You don't think God would extend his grace and forgiveness to these people? A lot of Christian say that God wouldn't. And that message is not helping their faith it's hurting it. You may not say it to them directly, but they know that you think it. They can sense it. And although you say you've not passed judgement on them, in a sense you have by having that quote come from your lips. Especially if you look at from their perspective.

I'm not trying to flame, I'm just trying to offer a perspective. Do you believe that a loving and merciful God would not extend his grace to these people because they find it impossible to believe such things? Because they find it impossible to take that leap of faith? If you believe that these people would wind up in Hell because they couldn't believe, then I'd say your wrong and that there's something wrong with that.

For the record, I don't believe everyone will go to Heaven and I do believe that people will wind up in Hell. But I believe those that wind up in Hell are truley evil people and people who hate good. People, like those I described above, are not evil and do not deserve such punishment.

 

[Mister_T]

I've seen the power of prayer, I've seen miricles that seem to defy all logical sense and the Bible speaks of some of these as well but to see something for yourself does send things home to you real quick.

Also for the record, I do read the Bible and I've expereinced this as well. And I've seen miracles. Although I'm still waiting for a few that are supposed to happen.

 

[Valjean]

The religious rarely examine their beliefs. They are untrained in ethics, philosophy or critical analysis.
Religion is an inhibitory mechanism for the morally retarded who have no well thought-out, internal principles to keep the from a life of self-indulgence and social parasitism.

The concept of a principled, socially conscious Atheist or intellectual is totally incomprehensible to them.