Why are you an atheist?

[HerDotness]

Mostly that there's no credible evidence for the existence of any deity although at times, the problem of suffering overcomes that, so it varies.

Organized religions I've been a member of or studied typically had such impossibly idealistic expectations of people that they smacked to me of placing the goal line so far out of reach that what was the point of trying to achieve any. Of course, that's why things like "Get saved and get out of jail free" came into being. So, those are often pretty much a dog's breakfast.

Which is why I'd qualify my choice as "Other--A-C."

 

[Nobody]

The absence of evidence is the only reason I do not believe in god.

If cold, hard evidence for the existence of god were available I would be shocked, but I would accept it no problem, so would no longer be atheist. However I would still not worship or submit to such a being for the second and third poll reasons.

 

[Prodeism]

I was an atheist because Christianity is too obscene to believe. This might qualify as the third choice but I chose other because religion is not just messed up, it is utterly disgustful.

 

[Bob L]

The absence of evidence is the only reason I do not believe in god.

If cold, hard evidence for the existence of god were available I would be shocked, but I would accept it no problem, so would no longer be atheist. However I would still not worship or submit to such a being for the second and third poll reasons.

Same thing with me. I don't believe in the existence of a God or gods due to lack of credible evidence, and by extension all religions as well.

 

[Hexagon]

There is no evidence for the existence of god. There is evidence that the scientific model of the universe is correct. There are two possibilities: that there is a god (or gods) which covers its tracks in some way, for an undisclosed and illogical reason, or that there is no god. I let logic do the rest.

I've met people which are atheists for the other reasons, and while they are valid concerns about religion, they don't have a bearing on it's truth (or more likely, lack of it). If a god existed, there would be no reason to assume it would want to prevent suffering, and any being that creates its humans in its image (as many religions claim) can be expected to be the type of god to want devoted followers (hence the messed up religions).

 

[InfidelRiot]

I am an atheist because I was born that way before I was taught religion. Everyone is born without a belief in a higher power, and then people choose to believe in god. When I went to college, I did some reading on Ingersoll's works and became a born again atheist.

 

[Jupimartian]

After a period of questioning due to emotional desires for an afterlife...I have settled on (for now) the idea that I have no reason to be pondering the unprovable. My best guess would be that the world is what I and others can perceive with our senses. I have no reason to go beyond that.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Funny. I thought believing there was no God was the only reason.

 

[Willamena]

Funny. I thought believing there was no God was the only reason.

You'd be surprised, then. :/

 

[Ouroboros]

If you are an atheist, what is the biggest reason?

I was Christian since very young age. I confessed my life to Jesus at the age of 7, spoke in tongues at 11, got baptized at 12, went to "Bible" school for a year at 22, went on mission trips, walked streets, knocked doors, evangelized, etc. Hardcore. Moved to USA. My wife and kids were in a big accident and it got tough emotionally. Things didn't get better and God didn't help me get through it. My faith was dwindling slowly and I tried to keep it. But one day the doubt was complete and I had no belief left. In a last attempt to save my faith, I prayed for more faith, and I'm still waiting for it.

For many years I was an atheist, and even though I'm still, I've become a little bit more "spiritual" in my view of the world. Not that I see a personal God anywhere, but I do use the word "God" to reference to the mystery of life and existence. We do have a consciousness, and it is strongly tied to the natural order of things, but it's also a little mysterious. So I'm kind of a spiritual atheist without any practices or rituals.

Maybe the world and reality is God after all, and finally it answered my prayer.

And this works for me.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Funny. I thought believing there was no God was the only reason.

It's even simpler than that - all it takes is to not hold the belief that god(s) exist.

 

[jmn]

Science proves there is no after life in any way.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

You'd be surprised, then. :/

I constantly live in a state of surprise
One of the reasons I joined here in the first place was to get exposure to points of view and thought processes I wouldn't otherwise.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

Science proves there is no after life in any way.

Actually it doesn't. It simply fails to prove the existence of an afterlife.

Though pragmatically, there's no reason to distinguish between the two.

 

[Willamena]

I constantly live in a state of surprise
One of the reasons I joined here in the first place was to get exposure to points of view and thought processes I wouldn't otherwise.

Well, if you can rationalize the point of view and thought process that allows for babies and rocks--and in fact the entire natural world--to be listed among atheists, go for it.

Edit: Referring to those who insist an atheist lacks belief.

 

[Penumbra]

Funny. I thought believing there was no God was the only reason.

That's a definition, not a reason.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

That's a definition, not a reason.

Hmmm...it's also my reason, albeit a shorthand version of it I suppose. I see no reason to believe in a higher power, higher powers, or whatever. There are a lot of things I don't believe in, simply because I see zero reason TO believe in them. My basic starting point on anything would be skepticism I suppose.

I'm not an atheist due to issues I have with religion, since I would separate God and religion. Even if I thought every religion in the world was ridiculous, I would still not be an atheist if I believed in a God. Likewise, whether the thought of a higher power is something I like or don't like is irrelevant. It's about what I believe to be true (or absent)...not what I want to be true.

[edit]It strikes me that my earlier post could easily be read as me saying my way of thinking is the only way, or the only true reason, or whatever. I actually meant it with all sincerity. Up to this point, I have always pretty much thought believing there was no God was the only reason.[/edit]

 

[MissAlice]

On the topic, I find much lack of evidence and personally find the most popular ones contradicting and personally offensive in some ways as a female. I know personal taste should never get in the way but after questioning my own personal beliefs and then really reading the bible, I found it like a couple of other religious texts much akin to human and their sense of wanting control over each other. I think for a long time I considered myself "spiritual" vs "religious". I still have yet to know why I did that except that perhaps I romanticized in my own imaginary beliefs a god that was nothing like the ones I read. Took me a long time to finally come to the conclusion after going through the state of agnosticism that I was an atheist (skeptic) of something that has not nor has never been proven. I prefer to remain on the side of being objective as opposed to being completely sure on either side but I remain heavily skeptic given what little religion has had to offer.

 

[jmn]

Actually it doesn't. It simply fails to prove the existence of an afterlife.

It proves there nothing but ideas or concepts, not based on reality, logic, reason or truth., that are developed with an organ called the brain, which will cease to exist at death.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

It proves there nothing but ideas or concepts, not based on reality, logic, reason or truth., that are developed with an organ called the brain, which will cease to exist at death.

You could say that about everything.