Good reason to be an atheist?(moved from Christian Appologetics)

[juvenissun]

I was an atheist when I was young. As far as I can remember, I did not have a good reason to be an atheist. Now, this question is becoming more puzzling to me than ever. Why would people want to be an atheist?

One does not have to be a Christian. But to my experience, one "should" have a religious belief. So, if you are an atheist, I would like to hear (and seriously consider) your reasons. I am not trying to debate you, but trying to understand you by a few questions.

So, please give me your best reasons of being an atheist. You may start with the most convincing one.

Thanks.

 

[JS-POG]

I was an atheist when I was young. As far as I can remember, I did not have a good reason to be an atheist. Now, this question is becoming more puzzling to me than ever. Why would people want to be an atheist?

One does not have to be a Christian. But to my experience, one "should" have a religious belief. So, if you are an atheist, I would like to hear (and seriously consider) your reasons. I am not trying to debate you, but trying to understand you by a few questions.

So, please give me your best reasons of being an atheist. You may start with the most convincing one.

Thanks.

I am not an atheist but I know plenty and feel somewhat entitled to share with you what they have with me concerning this issue. Namely...

1) They feel that religion is a lie and refuse to take part in that lie. Lie, in that, they don't feel that there is any imperical evidence to support some of the claims of the bible.

2) They see the destruction in the world and can't imagine that a God would allow such things to happen without intervening, yet in natural disasters, and one person is save, that family will thank God for saving their family member, yet thousands of others will have perished.

3) They view the disconnect of between the myriad of religions, yet one God as proof that there is no one intangible truth God that so many faiths profess to have. Christians think they possess the truth, yet members of other faiths believe so much in that they possess the truth, so much that they would be willing to make themselves martyrs for said belief. To them, this proves that there must be no God.

4) Some feel that religion frowns upon people who doubt or people who have questions. By not believing in God, they feel liberated to ask as many questions that they want, and to explore the universe in which they live. They feel more freedom.

5) The attack of religion on science is viewed by many as an attack on truth. Again, people don't want to be lied to and they want to be one with the truth. They only want to believe those things which can be explained through science. Much of God and religion cannot be proven through science.

...there are of course other reasons but these are by far the most common I'm confronted with when I talk with atheists. Good luck on your search for truth!

 

[Hentenza]

I was an atheist when I was young. As far as I can remember, I did not have a good reason to be an atheist. Now, this question is becoming more puzzling to me than ever. Why would people want to be an atheist?

One does not have to be a Christian. But to my experience, one "should" have a religious belief. So, if you are an atheist, I would like to hear (and seriously consider) your reasons. I am not trying to debate you, but trying to understand you by a few questions.

So, please give me your best reasons of being an atheist. You may start with the most convincing one.

Thanks.

You might want to consider posting this in E&M to get the atheist perspective since they can't post in this forum.

 

[juvenissun]

You might want to consider posting this in E&M to get the atheist perspective since they can't post in this forum.

Stupid me. I forgot this is a Christian only forum. Could you move this one to there?

Thanks.

 

[juvenissun]

I am not an atheist but I know plenty and feel somewhat entitled to share with you what they have with me concerning this issue. Namely...

1) They feel that religion is a lie and refuse to take part in that lie. Lie, in that, they don't feel that there is any imperical evidence to support some of the claims of the bible.

2) They see the destruction in the world and can't imagine that a God would allow such things to happen without intervening, yet in natural disasters, and one person is save, that family will thank God for saving their family member, yet thousands of others will have perished.

3) They view the disconnect of between the myriad of religions, yet one God as proof that there is no one intangible truth God that so many faiths profess to have. Christians think they possess the truth, yet members of other faiths believe so much in that they possess the truth, so much that they would be willing to make themselves martyrs for said belief. To them, this proves that there must be no God.

4) Some feel that religion frowns upon people who doubt or people who have questions. By not believing in God, they feel liberated to ask as many questions that they want, and to explore the universe in which they live. They feel more freedom.

5) The attack of religion on science is viewed by many as an attack on truth. Again, people don't want to be lied to and they want to be one with the truth. They only want to believe those things which can be explained through science. Much of God and religion cannot be proven through science.

...there are of course other reasons but these are by far the most common I'm confronted with when I talk with atheists. Good luck on your search for truth!

Thanks. What I am trying to do is to ask a few questions back to the person and see the response.

For example, to your first one: If religion is a lie so you can easily see it, they why so many people, all types of people, can not see it? Are you wiser than them?

 

[super animator]

The question that we should also be asking is, why atheists view god as a bully?

 

[Alhamdulilah]

Every one wants to achieve enlightenment, atheists think that it is the way to enlightenment, just like the buddhists think their way is right, when really it is the knowing of all belief.

 

[juvenissun]

The question that we should also be asking is, why atheists view god as a bully?

If the atheist thought that god is bully, for whatever reason, he is not an atheist. A bully god is a god.

May be you meant: An atheist thinks all (?) gods are bully. So he does not want to believe.

That is wrong too. Should a god be bully? I think a god should. On the other hand, in polytheism, there ARE very reasonable gods. So, why does the atheist believe those gods who are not bully.

 

[juvenissun]

Every one wants to achieve enlightenment, atheists think that it is the way to enlightenment, just like the buddhists think their way is right, when really it is the knowing of all belief.

Side point: are you a mathematician? My graphic theory friend loves those balls, sticks and colors.

Back to the point: My math friend does not believe any established god. He has his own god who is his only. I said he is an atheist. But he said he is not. His god has a system, which has many properties. He is satisfied with his god and is not eager to share his god with anyone else. Is he an atheist? I think he may represent a significant group of people with a similar recognition.

 

[juvenissun]

Every one wants to achieve enlightenment, atheists think that it is the way to enlightenment, just like the buddhists think their way is right, when really it is the knowing of all belief.

How could "no god" lead to any enlightenment?

Buddhism claims no god. But it pursues a personal status which is equivalent to being a god. If one recognized there exist something after this life, he is not an atheist.

 

[Alhamdulilah]

Sorry for the confusion, i tend to be very quick, especially when sharing these hard to come by spiritual teachings with others.

Any way i have said this before, learning science, obviously does make a person smarter, and is in fact good for christians, but many tend to go overboard, and come up with things like the big bang, to explain how the universe could be created without god,but in order for the big bang to be possible, something had to have created it!
Buddhism teaches devotion, devotion is good, and good morals, it is essential for a christian to be as devoted and and have standards like a buddhist.
There is also qualities in many other religions that should be applied in christianity, but to explain them all would take for ever.

Any way the idea of no god is interesting, even if it is not right, it gives you an open mind, and encourages one the learn more.

The two good things about being an atheist is you have an open mind and you can be smart, but at the cost of your faith, it is better to be smart and open minded, but with faith too!!

 

[TrutherAU]

Every one wants to achieve enlightenment, atheists think that it is the way to enlightenment, just like the buddhists think their way is right, when really it is the knowing of all belief.

Speak for yourself, an orthodox Christians only concern is to accept christ as their saviour and have faith in his word. Nothing more nothing less.
What you stating here is pure Theosophist come New age beliefs.
You need to ask yourself do i wish to serve God or Man as the Enlightenment you are speaking of is simply of Man not of God, lets not confuse the two.

Any way the idea of no god is interesting, even if it is not right, it gives you an open mind, and encourages one the learn more.

So why are you posting here ?

Btw are you fan of Madame Blavatsky or Annie Beasant how about Albert Pike you people are so easy to spot!

 

[manchambo]

I'm actually not sure that the question is particularly intelligible. Why do you want to believe in gravity or that the earth revolves around the sun?

Believing something is true has little to do with what one "wants" to be true. Most atheists probably interpret available evidence as either indicating that God does not exist, or as being incapable of supporting a conclusion that God does exist. I think that everyone wants all of their beliefs to not be false.

 

[Alhamdulilah]

Speak for yourself, an orthodox Christians only concern is to accept christ as their saviour and have faith in his word. Nothing more nothing less.
What you stating here is pure Theosophist come New age beliefs.
You need to ask yourself do i wish to serve God or Man as the Enlightenment you are speaking of is simply of Man not of God, lets not confuse the two.

Enlightenment can mean many things my friend, when i say "enlightenment" i mean great understanding.
One one understands, spirits, science, etc,etc, they come closer to understanding "god" the closer you are to understanding god, the closer you are to him.

 

[Gary51]

. Why would people want to be an atheist?

You make it sound like atheists make a choice not to believe in God.

Belief is not a choice!

Wanting something against your held belief is illogical.

 

[juvenissun]

I'm actually not sure that the question is particularly intelligible. Why do you want to believe in gravity or that the earth revolves around the sun?

Believing something is true has little to do with what one "wants" to be true. Most atheists probably interpret available evidence as either indicating that God does not exist, or as being incapable of supporting a conclusion that God does exist. I think that everyone wants all of their beliefs to not be false.

Because you want to know why "should" you fall to the ground after your leg is broken.

If you realize that something does matter to you, then you WANT to know it.
A person who does not feel the need of God does have a good reason to be an atheist, until he starts to sense that something else he does not know should also play a role.

 

[juvenissun]

You make it sound like atheists make a choice not to believe in God.

Belief is not a choice!

Wanting something against your held belief is illogical.

If it is not a choice, then why did I "choose" to become a Christian when I faced a choice 30+ years ago? I like Buddhism and Daoism too at that time.

 

[Gary51]

If it is not a choice, then why did I "choose" to become a Christian when I faced a choice 30+ years ago? I like Buddhism and Daoism too at that time.

Are you claming that you chose to become a Christian without believing the Christian story?

 

[Alhamdulilah]

Atheism is not really a religion one chooses, to them it seems right because they can prove allot with science, but if you study science enough you CAN prove god, of course you need to study everything else too.

 

[juvenissun]

Are you claming that you chose to become a Christian without believing the Christian story?

Yes. I chose first. Then I "gradually" believe. For me, it takes 25+ years to make my faith solid.

I believe this is not an uncommon experience for many Christians.