Hey everyone,
First let me introduce myself. I'm a agnost and raised in the Netherlands in a atheist/agnost environment. Sorry if I make any grammar mistakes, english isn't my native language. I've been an agnost in the sense, that I accept that there is a possibility that God(s) may or may not exist. Many Atheïsts cannot explain why, for example, there are physics laws and what created the first atoms. These can only be explained by accepting that there are concepts in this world, humans cannot comprehend. I accept the fact, that there are things that cannot be explained. One way of explaining how these 'unexplainable' events happened is religion.
I've always been fascinated by religion. However there are certain 'issues' that prevent me from believing in (your) God. Is there any chance you could try to persuade me from these following issues? Possibly one by one.
1. Many religions tell me that when I don't believe in their god, I will burn in Hell (or get punished). They tell me I'm denying Gods Love and that I'm unthankful that Christ sacrified his life and that I'm selfish for doing that. If I turn a Christian, all other religions say I'm ignorant and will burn in Hell. And if I turn Muslim many christians will tell me the same. How would a agnost know which 'God' is the real one? What makes Christianity the truth and Islam (or any other religion) not the truth?
My problem point is: It's not fair to punish agnosts and other believers, while they WOULD believe in the true God if they knew which one was real. Every theist is saying that "you have to keep searching and eventually you'll find that X is the true God!". The fact is, very religion says this epeople who keep searching and up being Pagan or any other religion. How is it their fault when they honestly believe they are believing the right God? It's not like their actively trying to be evil.
2. It's a fact that the religion you believe in is highly dependent on where you've been raised. Most people in the US are Christians and most people in Iran are Muslims. Knowing that the religion you believe in is highly influenced by your parents and surroundings, how can you blame a Muslim for being a Muslim? And how can you blame a Atheist for being Atheist, when they have been told all life that what they believe is the truth. I just seems unfair of God to 'punish' these people.
3. Similar to 1, what makes you think the Bible is the truth and Qu'ran isn't?
4. Why does God thinks it's so important we believe in him? Why can't we be good people and go to heaven, regardless of whether we believe in Him? Many Christians seem to think that when atheists/agnosts don't believe in God, that they also actively OPPOSE Him. That isn't true, we don't 'oppose' God. The primary reason they don't believe in God, is just because they don't see enough evidence. Not because we support Satan (we don't believe in Satan either).
5. Why doesn't God make it more clear which God is the REAL one? This is the REAL issue for me. If God thinks it's so important, why doesn't he just SHOW himself.
Right now I see God as very cruel (sorry if this may sound offensive, feel free to correct me when it's not true). He's allowing multiple religions on this planet, each very similar to each other. All religions claim they are the 'right' one. There are many religions with very large numbers of followers, so number of followers can't be used to see which religions is the real one. He could EASILY (since he's all-powerful and all-knowing) clarify to the humans which religion is the correct one. Yet he decides to TORTURE every single nonbeliever/false believer for ETERNITY, after he knowingly kept all these persons oblivious. Some Christians/Muslims say he doesn't keep us oblivious and all the signs are around us, but ALL religions say this. How could a agnost possibly know which is the real one? Trust me, if he would give me more evident 'signs' that He exists, I WOULD believe in him. I just want to choose the right religion if it exists, but he has to make it more evident. Many people do NOT know they are choosing a wrong religion. They might have been persuaded by the devil or their surroundings, honestly thinking it is God and honestly thinking they are doing good. Why punish these people for eternity when this mistake has been caused by the Devil or the people surrounding you?
First let me introduce myself. I'm a agnost and raised in the Netherlands in a atheist/agnost environment. Sorry if I make any grammar mistakes, english isn't my native language. I've been an agnost in the sense, that I accept that there is a possibility that God(s) may or may not exist. Many Atheïsts cannot explain why, for example, there are physics laws and what created the first atoms. These can only be explained by accepting that there are concepts in this world, humans cannot comprehend. I accept the fact, that there are things that cannot be explained. One way of explaining how these 'unexplainable' events happened is religion.
I've always been fascinated by religion. However there are certain 'issues' that prevent me from believing in (your) God. Is there any chance you could try to persuade me from these following issues? Possibly one by one.
1. Many religions tell me that when I don't believe in their god, I will burn in Hell (or get punished). They tell me I'm denying Gods Love and that I'm unthankful that Christ sacrified his life and that I'm selfish for doing that. If I turn a Christian, all other religions say I'm ignorant and will burn in Hell. And if I turn Muslim many christians will tell me the same. How would a agnost know which 'God' is the real one? What makes Christianity the truth and Islam (or any other religion) not the truth?
My problem point is: It's not fair to punish agnosts and other believers, while they WOULD believe in the true God if they knew which one was real. Every theist is saying that "you have to keep searching and eventually you'll find that X is the true God!". The fact is, very religion says this epeople who keep searching and up being Pagan or any other religion. How is it their fault when they honestly believe they are believing the right God? It's not like their actively trying to be evil.
2. It's a fact that the religion you believe in is highly dependent on where you've been raised. Most people in the US are Christians and most people in Iran are Muslims. Knowing that the religion you believe in is highly influenced by your parents and surroundings, how can you blame a Muslim for being a Muslim? And how can you blame a Atheist for being Atheist, when they have been told all life that what they believe is the truth. I just seems unfair of God to 'punish' these people.
3. Similar to 1, what makes you think the Bible is the truth and Qu'ran isn't?
4. Why does God thinks it's so important we believe in him? Why can't we be good people and go to heaven, regardless of whether we believe in Him? Many Christians seem to think that when atheists/agnosts don't believe in God, that they also actively OPPOSE Him. That isn't true, we don't 'oppose' God. The primary reason they don't believe in God, is just because they don't see enough evidence. Not because we support Satan (we don't believe in Satan either).
5. Why doesn't God make it more clear which God is the REAL one? This is the REAL issue for me. If God thinks it's so important, why doesn't he just SHOW himself.
Right now I see God as very cruel (sorry if this may sound offensive, feel free to correct me when it's not true). He's allowing multiple religions on this planet, each very similar to each other. All religions claim they are the 'right' one. There are many religions with very large numbers of followers, so number of followers can't be used to see which religions is the real one. He could EASILY (since he's all-powerful and all-knowing) clarify to the humans which religion is the correct one. Yet he decides to TORTURE every single nonbeliever/false believer for ETERNITY, after he knowingly kept all these persons oblivious. Some Christians/Muslims say he doesn't keep us oblivious and all the signs are around us, but ALL religions say this. How could a agnost possibly know which is the real one? Trust me, if he would give me more evident 'signs' that He exists, I WOULD believe in him. I just want to choose the right religion if it exists, but he has to make it more evident. Many people do NOT know they are choosing a wrong religion. They might have been persuaded by the devil or their surroundings, honestly thinking it is God and honestly thinking they are doing good. Why punish these people for eternity when this mistake has been caused by the Devil or the people surrounding you?