Why do atheists seem to obsess over something they don't believe in?

PsychoSarah said:

Wouldn't that literally translate to god being a figure of your imagination?

These sorts of things... I almost consider them the bible equivalent of fanfiction. Or head cannon

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God is beyond the borders of creative imagination but imagination can help in conceptualizing God. Its like the realm of values, morals, truth, beauty and goodness. we experience or realize these things, we aren't imagining them, they are real.

Colter said:

God is beyond the borders of creative imagination but imagination can help in conceptualizing God. Its like the realm of values, morals, truth, beauty and goodness. we experience or realize these things, we aren't imagining them, they are real.

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Imagined experiences can seem very real. Think of how often it is that dreams contain events that are outright impossible, compared to how often during your dreams you realize you are dreaming.

PsychoSarah said:

Imagined experiences can seem very real. Think of how often it is that dreams contain events that are outright impossible, compared to how often during your dreams you realize you are dreaming.

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You are stuck on God being an imagination. Dreams seem real but after wakening up a bit and sorting things out you KNOW it was only a dream. Same with God.

But if God were merely my imagination, it saved my life and has been enriching it for 29 years 7 months and 21 days. What I'm imagining is so much greater then what I had before.

Colter said:

You are stuck on God being an imagination. Dreams seem real but after wakening up a bit and sorting things out you KNOW it was only a dream. Same with God.

But if God were merely my imagination, it saved my life and has been enriching it for 29 years 7 months and 21 days. What I'm imagining is so much greater then what I had before.

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Ok... As a person that lacks faith myself, I don't see your point here. Also, dilusions can last for years.

Never said that faith has never helped anyone. It certainly does help some people. It also can drive people to atrocities. Overall, I think religion has a neutral impact. In a sort of chaotic way

PsychoSarah said:

Ok... As a person that lacks faith myself, I don't see your point here. Also, dilusions can last for years.

Never said that faith has never helped anyone. It certainly does help some people. It also can drive people to atrocities. Overall, I think religion has a neutral impact. In a sort of chaotic way

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Now its a delusion? Ok same thing applies.

Colter said:

Now its a delusion? Ok same thing applies.

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If you died before waking up, you'd never realize the dream wasn't reality.

PsychoSarah said:

If you died before waking up, you'd never realize the dream wasn't reality.

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They say that we dream all night long, but it's the dreams that we wake up in that we remember.

PsychoSarah said:

Imagined experiences can seem very real. Think of how often it is that dreams contain events that are outright impossible, compared to how often during your dreams you realize you are dreaming.

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Last night I had the strangest dream
I ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war

Opening and closing lines of Last Night I had the Strangest Dream by Simon and Garfunkel

They can dream the impossible.

MyLordMySavior said:

I am just surprisingly overwhelmed by the number of athiests and agnostics on Christian Forums. I'm not hating you for it, go head, do you! I was just wondering...why?

I don't believe in Buddha. But you don't see me arguing over him for hours, talking about him, thinking about him... I don't believe in Allah. But you don't see me arguing over him for hours, thinking about him, convincing others he's not true. I don't believe in Zeus or the other gods from mythology, but you don't see me on a Mythology Forum arguing why it's not true, spending hours debating over something I don't believe.

So why do atheists? I don't have any numbers, but from my observations over the years it seems like atheists are so... fired-up when it comes to disproving God. Why bother? If you don't believe it's true then why spend so much time, emotion, and energy convincing others you're right? To the point where you come to a Christian Forum? Why? What benefit are you receiving? Why not just be okay with it, "I don't believe in God, now I'm going to live my life." Why do you have to argue about Him all the time to the point to where it seems all you think about is how He's not real?

It seems so pointless. So, overall, why? Do you feel like it's your moral duty to try and convince the billions of people you're right? Is it the right thing to do in your eyes?

I just find it crazy how emotional atheists are over trying to debunk something they don't believe in, not specifically people on these forums but outside of it too.
Who are you trying to convince more, us or yourself?

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If there was an organized effort by the Buddhists or Muslims to try to impose their religious values upon me though the legal system, I'd be just as vocal in opposition to their religions.

In the case of Christianity, there is an organized effort to legislate religion, and that is a threat to someone like me who does not follow that religion. As such, the best way to lessen that threat is to openly debate and attack Christianity in an effort to show people why it's not truthful or believable. The less adherents there are, the less political sway the religion holds. The less political sway the religion holds, the safer my rights are.

That being said, if Christians decided to stop attempting to legislate their beliefs, then I'd be happy to basically leave them alone. I may still engage in the odd debate for fun, but I wouldn't feel nearly as passionate about the issue.

MyLordMySavior said:

I am just surprisingly overwhelmed by the number of athiests and agnostics on Christian Forums. I'm not hating you for it, go head, do you! I was just wondering...why?

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With the possible exception of a smattering of isolationist countries, religion has an influence on the history and culture of almost every society, and on the daily lives of virtually every occupant of this planet regardless as to whether or not they are religious. One of the commonalities with the majority of human civilisations throughout mankind is the establishment of some form of religion. Everyone has wanted to know how we got here, why we are here, the meaning of our lives, and what happens after we die. The same basic questions that were asked millenniums ago are still relevant today, and religions all have their own way of answering them. I think basic human curiosity could lead some people here, just to exchange viewpoints and perspectives and ruminate.

Since Christianity has permeated much of the Western hemisphere for centuries and is still a dominant force in many countries, I think it's natural to specifically want to talk about it if you live here. Christians have influenced laws, policies, perspectives, attitudes, and cultural habits that affects everyone, in small ways to significant ones. I was just in Germany where 95% of the stores are closed on Sundays, despite it now being a predominantly secular country now, because of longstanding traditions dating back to the Christian sabbath. It means that if you're an atheist, an agnostic, a Buddhist, a Christian, or whatever if you haven't stocked your fridge and gotten your prescription medications and all that jazz before Sunday, you're outta luck. Now I'm in the UK and apparently they had similar regulations for decades up until the 90s. In the US, the influence is more palpable with it reaching into science, public education at all levels, medical care, and even personal civil rights. I can understand wanting to offer insights and opinions on topics relating to religion when it's so relevant to so many facets of your life and those surrounding you.

I also think it's reasonable to want to provide counterpoints to many of the societal stereotypes about atheism. In your full OP you stated that you don't believe in Buddha, Allah, or other supernatural deities, but to what extent does your disbelief in them impact the culture where you live and how you are treated and accepted by others who live there? Your flag lists you as being in the US and a Christian Republican. You are going with the grain instead of against it, so you probably haven't felt the splinters many who are atheists in conservative Christian communities have gotten. One of my friends who has been an atheist her entire life recently moved to the South because of her parents' work, and suddenly began encountering all these hurtful misconceptions and attitudes that she never experienced while growing up in NYC. It became so relentless and distressing at her public school she switched to OSG (Online School for Girls). Others who've had similar experiences might be drawn to come here and discuss them, perhaps to vent, and perhaps with the hope that they can meaningfully alter some of the mindsets Christians have towards atheists. This site is publicly viewable, one of the largest forums on the web, is featured on popular channels like Real Actors Read and FSTDT, and therefore a logical place to address issues atheists have faced from Christians both online and in their personal lives.

It's also possible that people came here as Christians and over time their religious beliefs changed and they are now atheists. In the teen section someone who is now an atheist commented on a thread she created a couple of years ago when she was a Christian because she was stunned by how much she'd changed. When I joined here last June, age 16, I classified myself as a Christian, but am simply going with other-religion for now because my beliefs don't seem to fit within the bounds of the connotations for the labels here. Anyways, it's not like this is a site exclusively for Christians and atheists are just sneaking on here. The site is open to everyone, and atheists are honest about identifying themselves as such. Most I've interacted with actually seem to be nicer, more reasonable, and more reliably mature than Christians their same age. Personally, I'm glad atheists, agnostics and humanists are welcome here because I've learned more from them, especially in regards to science-related issues, and enjoyed their contributions.

MyLordMySavior said:

I am just surprisingly overwhelmed by the number of athiests and agnostics on Christian Forums. I'm not hating you for it, go head, do you! I was just wondering...why?

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Because religious beliefs are leaking into governmental policies and we can't have that in a secular democracy.

Relgion poisons a lot and, what some call, "the new atheism" is a response to that.

I don't believe in Buddha. But you don't see me arguing over him for hours, talking about him, thinking about him...

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Would you still not argue about him if buddhist doctrines that you don't agree with slip into your secular democratic policies?

I don't believe in Allah. But you don't see me arguing over him for hours, thinking about him, convincing others he's not true.

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Would you still not argue about him if islamic doctrines that you don't agree with slip into your secular democratic policies?

Let's take for example the shariah rules that make non-muslims pay special taxes? The punishment of death for apostacy? The harsh punishments for preaching your own non-islamic religion?

Would you still not protest?

Why not just be okay with it, "I don't believe in God, now I'm going to live my life."

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Because those that DO believe in said god are trying to tell us how we must live our lives, based on their religious doctrines.

Why do you have to argue about Him all the time to the point to where it seems all you think about is how He's not real?

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Why would you say such a thing? This is a forum designed for debate about religious matters. Do you assume we are on here 24/7 with no other interests whatsoever, with no lives, with no anything??

In my case, this place (and another dutch islamic forum) is the only place where I discuss these topics.

It seems so pointless.

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Scroll up and find the breadcrums of the site. You'll see the following:

Christian Forums > Discussion and Debate >

Pointless? It's the entire point of this forum...

I just find it crazy how emotional atheists are over trying to debunk something they don't believe in, not specifically people on these forums but outside of it too.

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Ow right, because theists speak with total indifference about atheists, right? There's no emotion at all involved there...

The topics get emotional, because in our atheistic eyes, the religious poison the secular democracy that we all live in. In case of the US, it also poisons public policy, international policy, education, etc. It also fuels bigotry.

Who are you trying to convince more, us or yourself?

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Theists. Obviously, what a question....

Colter said:

They say that we dream all night long, but it's the dreams that we wake up in that we remember.

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Unless you are on meds like me. Also, you only dream really during REM sleep, or at least, dreams one is capable of remembering.

Why Are Atheists So Obsessed with God? - YouTube

It's simple: I don't really care about God. But I care about the effect God has on other people. God influences politicians. God influences voters. God makes people believe things that aren't true. God can make good people do bad things. God ruins the lives of a lot of gay people and women. God makes some of my relatives really, really annoying.

So when I say I care about God, I'm really talking about the consequences that belief has.

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ranunculus said:

Why Are Atheists So Obsessed with God? - YouTube

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I am a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth and the Universal Father. This video from the Atheist is reasonable, he makes a valid point about why atheist would care or be concerned about a God figure and how the religions about him impact society and by default the atheist citizen. Certainly he would feel that religious people would have the same rights living under Atheistic regimes to question all of the same sorts of beliefs and the effects of the religion of doubt on human rights.

MyLordMySavior said:

I am just surprisingly overwhelmed by the number of athiests and agnostics on Christian Forums. I'm not hating you for it, go head, do you! I was just wondering...why?

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This question comes up again and again on here, and it really surprises me because I've never had this question posed to me "in real life." Never have I been asked "If you don't believe in [or agree with] it, then why are you discussing it?" In my life, it's always been expected that I will actively engage in discussion with people who have different views than my own and will try to learn more about the world through them. What's more, understanding Christianity is important to understanding culture, history, and politics, so it doesn't surprise me that various people find their way here.

Honestly? I grew up in Turkey, surrounded by Greek/Roman/Muslim/Christian works of art. I'm fascinated by all manner of myths. I'm fascinated by my subjective responses to certain places--the temple of Dionysus in Pergamum, the Blue Mosque, the Salisbury Cathedral. I'm fascinated by Bach's music, the order in it, where it takes me. Concepts like "music of the spheres" are beautiful. It's weird that all human groups have a belief in something they could not have seen, heard, etc., given our five senses.

I don't believe in the paranormal, btw, so that's not what I'm talking about. It's a purely subjective thing I wouldn't bother to justify.

Also, I now live in the US, and the power that conservative Christians hold over us is disgusting. Ditto for Turkey, and its conservative Muslims. If I were on a Turkish forum, I'd be railing against Islam. On a Christian forum, I'll rail against Christianity, while remaining fascinated by both religions.

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Eight Foot Manchild said:

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MyLordMySavior said:

I am just surprisingly overwhelmed by the number of athiests and agnostics on Christian Forums. I'm not hating you for it, go head, do you! I was just wondering...why?

I don't believe in Buddha. But you don't see me arguing over him for hours, talking about him, thinking about him... I don't believe in Allah. But you don't see me arguing over him for hours, thinking about him, convincing others he's not true. I don't believe in Zeus or the other gods from mythology, but you don't see me on a Mythology Forum arguing why it's not true, spending hours debating over something I don't believe.

So why do atheists? I don't have any numbers, but from my observations over the years it seems like atheists are so... fired-up when it comes to disproving God. Why bother? If you don't believe it's true then why spend so much time, emotion, and energy convincing others you're right? To the point where you come to a Christian Forum? Why? What benefit are you receiving? Why not just be okay with it, "I don't believe in God, now I'm going to live my life." Why do you have to argue about Him all the time to the point to where it seems all you think about is how He's not real?

It seems so pointless. So, overall, why? Do you feel like it's your moral duty to try and convince the billions of people you're right? Is it the right thing to do in your eyes?

I just find it crazy how emotional atheists are over trying to debunk something they don't believe in, not specifically people on these forums but outside of it too.
Who are you trying to convince more, us or yourself?

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For me it is a great way of clarifying my own thinking. I experiment with different approaches to explaining the ideas I hold and try each time to be more succinct and more clear in presenting them. It is a great way to discover inconsistencies in my own thinking and it is great practice in philosophical detection and thinking in essentials.

Besides that, ideas matter. What happens in the world is greatly determined by the ideas and premises that people hold. There are some really bad ideas out there that have been dominant in most of the world's societies for centuries and they need to be fought.

Colter said:

God is beyond the borders of creative imagination but imagination can help in conceptualizing God. Its like the realm of values, morals, truth, beauty and goodness. we experience or realize these things, we aren't imagining them, they are real.

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I'm not so sure about truth....

...but for the rest of your list, are you saying things like goodness and beauty exist independent of human perception?