Why do some believe?

[madaz]

Which means they have stopped questioning and pondering.

Precisely, strong theists do not question and ponder the god(s) of their belief.

 

[quatona]

Obviously not that

Atheists here, including yourself, have your own reasons for not believing, and some may draw your own conclusions why others do believe. Seeing how others tick on such things is interesting, and an opportunity to gain perspective that is rare.

The reasons for people to selectively (i.e. contrary to their usually preferred approach) prefer faith as their approach are manyfold and individual.

 

[variant]

Personal hardship. Life disruption.

Well thats the answer to your question for you.

The answer to why there are believers and there are skeptics, is in how those people think, what religion is, and why it exists in the first place.

To speak only for myself I am a non-believer because I don't trust people who make claims that can't be proven or disproved and say that they should be the most important thing in your life.

To me it always smacked of a mental shell game and when people try to defend it to me they become hopelessly locked into some dubious justification or another.

I think that if people held religion to the same standard as they held any other new idea in their life there would be a lot less of it around, but it does something for believers psyche to affirm it.

 

[seeking Christ]

Precisely, strong theists do not question and ponder the god(s) of their belief.

Correction: perhaps some strong theists do not question and ponder basic things like the existence of God any longer, but that does not mean there hasn't been intense questioning in the past, neither does it preclude intense questioning in the present or future. (Hopefully no longer re-hashing such basic things, but developing in healthy fashion)

Which means they have stopped questioning and pondering.

No, faith means no such thing. That is merely your prejudice. We can see Jesus Himself questioning some things, and pondering others. For example, He expressed doubt as to whether there would be faith anywhere on the whole planet when He returned. (Hope I don't let Him down but there's no guarantee, He has high standards)

 

[seeking Christ]

The reasons for people to selectively (i.e. contrary to their usually preferred approach) prefer faith as their approach are manyfold and individual.

I think the same can be said for the atheist.

 

[kenvin]

What about people don't about and don't know and think it just doesn't matter.

 

[variant]

I think the same can be said for the atheist.

Atheists prefer faith to their usual approach?

 

[seeking Christ]

Atheists prefer faith to their usual approach?

Haha no.

The reasons for people to selectively (i.e. contrary to their usually preferred approach) prefer faith as their approach are manyfold and individual.

My point is not an inverse of what Quat stated, nor is it a converse, but it applies equally to atheists coming to their atheism, worldview, or what have you. I think.

 

[seeking Christ]

What about people don't about and don't know and think it just doesn't matter.

I consider that to be agnosticism. With all the "isms" around lately, somebody will probably correct me.

 

[variant]

Haha no.

What do we prefer to our usual approach?

The reasons atheists are atheists is definitely varied I can agree with that.

 

[madaz]

Precisely, strong theists do not question and ponder the god(s) of their belief.

Correction: perhaps some strong atheists do not question and ponder basic things like the existence of God any longer, but that does not mean there hasn't been intense questioning in the past, neither does it preclude intense questioning in the present or future. (Hopefully no longer re-hashing such basic things, but developing in healthy fashion)

I said theists not atheists.

 

[brightlights]

I'm not sure what you mean by "inclined to objective truth". It's more that some people are inclined to question and ponder more than others. I suppose one could say that they are more inclined to seek objective truth instead of being satisfied with the ideas with which they were raised.


eudaimonia,

Mark

So atheists are simply those who are more committed to finding truth no matter what it is? Atheists are more inquisitive and more thoughtful? Atheism is the thinking man's position?

This just doesn't agree with reality. There are plenty of thoughtful atheists and plenty of thoughtful Christians. Just as there are plenty of ignorant atheists and many ignorant Christians.

Thomas Nagel, an atheist and a world class philosopher wrote:

"I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers."

My own philosophy professor who was also an atheist agreed. It cannot be that the difference is intelligence or thoughtfulness.

 

[brightlights]

Questioning and pondering the existence of a deity is not a sign of strong theism.

Why do you say this?

 

[brightlights]

So what kind of insight are you hoping to get from me? An explanation why Calvinist believe that they of all are the elect?
Imo, "I am special therefore I am right" has never counted as "addressing" any issue.

This is not the Calvinist position and this thread does not hope to defend Calvinism.

 

[brightlights]

Which means they have stopped questioning and pondering.

Not at all.

 

[brightlights]

I will weigh in also:

My position is that the difference is emotional. Believers want to believe and non-believers do not want to believe.

 

[variant]

My own philosophy professor who was also an atheist agreed. It cannot be that the difference is intelligence or thoughtfulness.

It's not about intelligence, it has to do with how skeptical a person is when they approach religious ideas. Whether they hold them to the same standards as all ideas.

A more intelligent person can simply overrule their skepticism with more complex thought.

When I listened to Ravi Zacharias recently I can tell the man is very intelligent, but he simply doesn't apply the same skepticism he feels for other religions and other religious ideas or lack there of to his own.

 

[variant]

I will weigh in also:

My position is that the difference is emotional. Believers want to believe and non-believers do not want to believe.

I would rather believe.

For me though, religious faith would be wishful thinking, I don't think it holds up.

 

[seeking Christ]

Correction: perhaps some strong theists do not question and ponder basic things like the existence of God any longer, but that does not mean there hasn't been intense questioning in the past, neither does it preclude intense questioning in the present or future. (Hopefully no longer re-hashing such basic things, but developing in healthy fashion)

I said theists not atheists.

My mistake: typo, I wrote "atheists" instead of the theists that now appears in my own quote here. Sorry. My post is now corrected, thanks.

 

[elephunky]

*blind post*

I think that everyone has their own reality, how they view things. This is formed based on life experience, knowledge etc. If they come across something that doesnt seem logical or to make sense according to their reality then they are less likely to accept it than someone who feels that a set of beliefs or a religion resonates with their life or what they already believe. If that makes sense. Just my opinion though.