DHello all! I am brand new to this as of this minute. I realize that this may be trite, trivial, and banal to those that have been here for awhile, but for me being new to this as of 30 seconds ago, I am positing a basic question that I would like some fellow atheistic responses to. The reason I ask this is my neighbor tells me I am the first atheist she has EVER encountered in her life and cannot believe that I DONT believe in SOMETHING/GOD. I have my reasons, but would trully like to hear the reasons that others have for this belief. Not only your belief as to why, but your rationalization and “justification”. Notice justification in quotation marks, because I don’t need the justification, but I would like to hear other justifications. Also, on a side note, I have read many interesting and informative books on this subject but does anyone have any poignot texts they have read that I would like to as well?
Okay, if you want your welcome, so be it.
1# atheism needs evidence or reason; they are holding a position that has no evidence or rational basis? It is simply faith.
2# atheism is not supported by the lack of evidence for god; it is only their opinion that there is no evidence. You cannot know all evidence for or against god; therefore you cannot say there is no evidence for God. Personally I believe in God 100%.
3# How they can account for the laws of logic in a universe without God? The Laws of logic are conceptual by nature and absolute. Being absolute they transcend space and time. They are not the product of the universe or of people since people contradict each other. So, how can they account for them?
4# . Everything that was brought into existence was caused to exist. Can they have an infinite regression of causes? No, since to get to “now” they’d have to traverse an infinite past. It seems that there must be a single uncaused cause. Why can’t that be God?
5# If atheism is true: The universe has laws. These laws cannot be violated. Life is a product of these laws and can only exist in harmony with those laws and is governed by them. Therefore, human thought, feelings, faith etc., are programmed responses to stimuli and the atheist cannot claim to have meaning in life
i’m an atheist because
1 - There is no proof for the existence of god. reductio ad absurdum!
2 - The idea of a god is completely illogical and ridiculous
Here’s my justification for not believing in god.
-i’ve read many holy books that were poorly written with many mistakes therefore the work of man.
-i’ve seen what religion does to human beings. it’s impractical. it encourages humans to rely too much on god’s guidance and faith rather than logic.
-it’s clearly outdated and deals with the heart not the mind.
-it makes people of a certain faith think they’re superior to other’s who do not share their faith because they have GOD on their side.
-it descriminates against women and talks only to men.
I think people who believe in god are either
- followers: haven’t researched their religion and are just following the pack that they were born into
- weak/insecure/helpless: cannot handle things ie. death or failure so they turn to their imaginary god for guidance (like a parent to a child)
- stupid/naive: do not need reasons for believing things. Don’t do research and even if they do, the research is one sided.
I’ve gone through my “spiritual quest” a few years ago and spent a great deal of time reading theology books and philosophy books. I’ve also visited a few religious leaders and found them to be completely irrational.
Religious people always look down upon non religious people and always try to help them to “save their souls” because satan is going to take them to hell. Do us all a favour religious freaks. stop trying to help us live our lives, stop praying and go and do something about your problems.
Q-reus,
So where do those of us who suspend judgement belong in your scheme of things? Either/or may not suffice.
JT
I think being agnostic is the most rational position one can take.
Both extremes are merely faith.
Have you read my thread?
Tentative–that’s alright, I respect your position on being agnostic…but let me ask you this:
You’re saying that there might be a god and there might not be a god out there right?
If there was infact a god out there, and you’re not worshipping it, then aren’t you condeming your soul to hell? Do you think this god is going to forgive you for not putting your complete faith and trust in it? if your response is that you don’t care if it sends you to hell or if he doesn’t have power to send you to hell, or any negation that you won’t be punished for not completely believing in it then you are an athiest.
As an agnostic I dont know if there is a God. Nor do I think that anyone knows if there is a God. Therefor I believe God (If there is one) would not “condemn” anyone for “not putting their complete faith and trust in him”.
By the way, your last couple of lines are total bullshit.
i’m guessing that most of you who claim to believe in god, are actually jewish, christian or islamic. Am i right?
Something i find rather interesting is that with all the ‘proofs’ and ‘reasons’ given by religous people for why there must be a god, they never actually relate in anyway to their chosen religion. So in essance they are proving that some form of god may exist. But what reason then does anyone have to be a christian, jew, muslim or whatever? People use a whole lot of hokey psuedo logic and metaphysical bullshit to prove that god must exist and then assume it is the christian/muslim god or whatever for seemingly no reason. In all likelyhood these people have chosen a religion first and then searched for the answers rather than vice versa. Does anyone actually arrive at religion AFTER they have had a really good logical think about it?
Sandsloth,
So you’re saying that all those religious people who practice their religion on a daily basis (ie going to church/mosque…etc.,) are just wasting their time? Didn’t it specifically say in their holy books that they should do those things or else they go to hell?
You can believe that this god might be lenient on you because you human being don’t have enough proof to prove his existence, but according to god, according to the holy books that i’ve read, people like you are going to hell. But you dismiss that completely. I don’t understand!
Unless ofcourse you are talking about a completely different god (not the monotheistic god) then that’s a whole different argument.
I have to ask you this though,
You say that no one knows whether god exists or not. What if I told you that I know he doesn’t exist because I see suffering around this world and people praying all the time with no answers and no miracles? It says in all those religions that god responds to those in need, I don’t see any response so I know he doesn’t exist. We’ll never see the scientific proof because god does not exist in human form. So the only way to know is by cause and effect. Go pray for world peace and see if he’ll ever respond.
I agree with Marx that religion is the opiate of the masses.
But there have been times in my life when I have gladly accepted a shot of morphine, for the physical pain s.
I wish I could believe that if I prayed to a god and aked for his intravention something would happen. but I can’t make myself believe that.
I am certainly not going to condemn those who are able to accept that dose of the opiate for their pain.
Hi everyone I am new also. My grammer is really bad, sorry. But I would like to comment on the current topic. I am an athiest but I believe as a society we can learn from the bible. Just as we learn from the constitution to obey the lands of this country. I think just because you dont believe in something or someone doesn’t mean you can’t learn from the material written about that person or thing. I have been told that because of what I believe I am an hipocryt. I have been told that I should not read about something I don’t believe in. But I accept knowledge in all of it’s forms. I feel I am a better person because of what I believe.
Q,
Yes. I believe all those people are indeed wasting their time. I believe no one knows if God truely exists. Nor do I believe that any man-written book holds the answer either.
I can understand how you could maintain your atheistic beliefs with the “If there is a God why is their so much meaningless suffering in the world” argument, but who says God responds to prayers? Who says God even looks over us? There is no point in giving God such characteristics when we don’t even have evidence that God truely exists.
it said that specifically maybe in the Qur’an but it says no such thing in the bible, the jews don’t have a hell, and the new testament doesn’t say that.
it’s all about fear control, tell the masses they’re going to hell unless they come to mass.
now I’m confused, are you religious or not? you start off by saying we’ll go to hell for not following strict dogmatic laws, then you end by saying their is no empirical proof for god, so just go pray and watch nothing happen. what?
as for “god not existing in human form” he felt compelled enough to talk to Moses, Elijah, jesus etc, why not talk to people anymore? maybe because he wasn’t “talking” to those people as we think about it? maybe because the stories of those people have become “legends” of sorts? who knows. Going to church every sunday is nothing but a waste of time.
It’s funny how today if you say you hear God talking to you they label you a schizophrenic.
But back then… well, you know.
Hmmm…interesting. Veeery interesting. I’m starting to see what you mean. I was thinking that a part of you believed in monotheistic religions but now i see that your idea of god (who no one knows if exists) is totally different, which is 100% credible 
I am an agnostic, or “weak” atheist any way you look at it.
Suppose I read the book called the Bible, and when I get through I make up my mind that it was written by men. A minister asks me, “Did you read the Bible?” I answer, that I did. “Do you think it divinely inspired?” What should I reply? Shouldn’t I say like a man: “I have read it, I do not believe it.” Should I not give the real transcrip of my mind? Or should I turn hypocrite and pretend what I do not feel, feign beleiving, and hate myself forever after for being a cringing coward? Personally, I’d rather a man tell me what he really thinks. Cannot God forgive me for being honest?
I want to heaven for which I must give my reason; no happiness in exchange for my liberty, and no immortality that demands the surrender of my individuality.
Being an atheist, is one step closer of being a true philosophier.