Why Do People Become Atheists?

There is no part of the Bible that is based upon or steeped in myth IMO. Some people believe religion to be no different from mythology, however I am not one of them. Additionally many people have sought to combine myth and scripture to suit their own ends, however that does not change my belief in the authenticity of the Bible. Based upon your beliefs, atheism appears to be a good fit. I think it's all about finding what works for you, and hoping everyone else does the same.

 

Astrotheology Refuted and Debunked

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I think its easy to get wrapped up in the authenticy of the bible and disregard the important message. How about we just love each other and forget about whether or not Jonah actually lived in a whale. It can't be proven and really doesn't matter does it?

 

:smt008 Sounds good to me.

:smt060 :smt060 :smt060

 

:smt054I'm loving Espy a whole lot right now. You speak for me.

Everyone has some fascinating contributions on this thread. Great dialogue.

 

:smt058 Thank you Intrigued.

 

No reason to believe

I'm an agnostic because there is, for me, no logical reason to believe in God. Ask most beleivers enough times for proof and they'll tell you to have faith. Mark Twain said Faith is believing what you know ain't so.

The only reasons, specious ones IMHO, to believe are the bible, and false christian apologetic vehicles like Pascals wager, and the watchmaker argument.

None of which are sufficient proof (for me anyway) that there is an all powerful, all knowing being that created everything.

Think about that claim for a minute. This being created EVERYTHING that exists. Everything. That's an incredible claim. Shouldn't the evidence of that claim be equally incredible?

Is wanting this being to show up in ones life in a clear, unambiguous, unimpeachable manner too much to ask for a lifetime as this beings servant?

I don't think so.

So until this being shows up, I'll seriously doubt his/it's existence.

 

My take on the whole "atheism" thing is a little different. Although I am not an atheist, I can completely understand why someone else would be.

Most people are indoctrinated into religion by other people, so in other words they have to start out by taking the word of another human being. I don't know anybody who passed over and came back, yet I do know of people who will tell you (with conviction) what happens after we pass on. So for example you have people who have never witnessed heaven or been there, and who were likely taught by others who had never been there either, telling you what happens in the afterlife.


Some people just don't get past this credibility gap. Since I was a child when I was first introduced to Christianity I pretty much just accepted it. I was told the Bible was divinely inspired. But it's not something that was ever proven to me in any way, I just took my elders' word for it that this was how it it was. And i'm pretty sure it was similar for these same elders of mine when they were children.

Of course, those who have had some kind of "divine or paranormal experience", such as a miracle will likely have strong faith, that's a whole different thing. Aside from that it seems to me like a choice, either you believe what the PEOPLE behind the pulpit (or whoever is teaching you) or you don't basically. Either you believe the PEOPLE who wrote the bible were divinely inspired or you don't. At the end of the day it's people who are the messengers.


I can't really fault someone who chooses not to believe in ANYTHING that is unproven. And while I may choose to go by faith, I do realize that my choice has little to do with logic.

 

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I think people turn to becoming Atheist because it is very hard for us as humans to wrap our minds around something existing that is absolute. Not just being absolute, but bringing along with it absolute truths, like what is right and what is wrong. It can be difficult for a religious person to follow the rules and/or walk the straight and narrow when they do believe, let alone a person who in general does not. So when approached about a being that is bigger than themselves with all the answers to their questions, with those answers often remaining mysterious and mostly unbeknownst for most of his life, it is often easier to go with what can be explained, what can be generated and sustained by the self, rather than succumbing to the idea that God is as real as the air he is breathing.

I think of Nietzsche that had the saying that "God is dead", he didn't mean this in the literal sense, but in a way that we as humans have manipulated and twisted God's ways to be in favor of our own and in actuality it has been done so much so that people not only DO NOT believe in God, but they have a hard time believing in any absolute morals, the same absolutes generally found within Christianity (or other religions).

Now the average person, athiest or not, will believe in being faithful to one's spouse. Where the differences start to appear is when you ask a question like 'What is the definition of being faithful?' to someone who may not believe in God (including the way of life that comes along with that belief), being faithful may just be NOT having sexual relationships with a person that is not his spouse, as also things like sharing a level of emotional intimacy. Now, for the person who is religious, it goes a little further. Being faithful would mean not just physical and emotional loyalty to his spouse, but also sexual loyalty on the mental plane, which would mean not lusting after someone who is not his spouse. This doesn't mean developing an inability to admire someone's beauty or handsome features, what it means is to not develop thoughts that turn into sexual content with someone who is not one's husband or wife. Not giving into lustful thoughts and the like, apart of the sub-generes of moral absolutes found within Christianity.

Taking this back to why a person becomes an athiest - well take a person who doesn't understand why it is bad to lust after someone other than their spouse and tell him to no longer lust after someone who is not their spouse, and to make it even more layered, if the person is NOT married, let us tell him not to lust AND not to have sex until he is married and then explain to him that it is because God knows what is best for us and wants us to have the best relationships we can while we're alive. What would be the appropriate response? Repent of one's sins, follow God and try your best not to do it again. Or, decide until this god comes and taps you on your shoulder personally, why should you stop doing something that really doesn't hurt anyone else? God does not exist. Or, If you want something more in the middle, how about, you decide there could be a god, but definately not one as rigid as that and any and/or everything could be right and there are no absolute wrongs, instead seekout the one that doesn't seem so judgemental.

I think that is the struggle that we have, it is being able to take us, the self, the individual, look to something that is supposedly bigger than ourselves, that supposedly created us and then say 'Your way or the highway' because in doing so we would be giving up what we believe is right, and what may have even worked well for us, for most if not all of our lives, then in turn make lifestyle changes that in some ways will shake the very foundations of our characters and force us to pick what side of the fence we want to stand on, in the black or white, instead of the gray. Having to essentially believe in one's heart what is right over what is wrong, based on absolute truths from a supernatural being and then allowing one's life to reflect that - welcome to the world of the human experience, folks!

 

:smt023Damn, that was pretty damn serious. I like that contribution. That definitely makes one contemplate.

 

What amazes me continuously is that many people seem to be incapable of even having these thoughts. It appears that most prefer to follow blindly without reservation.

 

Well, I personally am a Christian, though I think I confessed that in a different thread already. I tried to give a response that didn't seem bias and that leaves room to agree, disagree and provoke thought. I think it comes down to realizing that no matter what, we all have the freedom to believe in whatever we may choose, even if we disagree with a person's beliefs or decision not to believe. Man is the co-pilot of his own machine, whether he decides to partner with himself or something higher than himself, it is his own decision and it must be respected. If Optimus Prime were here he'd say "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings!", which includes free will to live their own lives.

 

Or

A person may simply want more proof than just faith.

 

Most of my friends who are Atheists were raised that way. I know no-one that 'became' atheists acctually.

I think its imperative that religion is a part of your education to allow you to make your own mind up.


My mother is an atheist - but she didnt want me to become biased by her beliefs so she put me in Sunday school just to give me the tools.

It was a Philadelphia Church (a Pentecostal church in Sweden) but they were very progressive and taugh all religions as a mean to get you to make your own mind up. There were no speaking in toughes or other weird stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewi_Pethrus

I thank her for that. If it wasnt for her adding that to my education (Sweden is a VERY secular country - only 23 % beieve in God, life force, of life after death) I would not have the strong belief I have.
I identify as a Lutheran, that is the religion in Sweden.
But I have strong influences of other religions as well.

The point Im making is that religiong must be taught.
But it must be taught in a fashion that dont instill fear, or we become religious out of fear of what the repercussions will be in the 'afterlife' - certainly not an easy task. Who to do it??
Strong believeres of whatever religion, I believe is NOT the answer. That will only instill the fears. I think it needs to be done by someone unbiased, but a believer. How easy is that???!!!

 

That would be correct, Nietzsche is responsible for the saying "God is dead."

Also correct, to the mind of an atheist God has never existed so he/she/it/them cannot be dead in a literal sense.

Not quite. Nietzsche's concern over God's death ("smell the divine putrefaction!") principally related to the possibility of nihilism filling the space left by the absence of a universal moral arbiter. As Ivan Karamazov stated, "If there is no God, everything is permitted." For Nietzsche, nihilism meant transposing dull and dreary Christianity with dull and dreary non-belief. Instead, we must celebrate the death of God by creating a set of life-affirming values (revaluation of all values) that enlivens our souls.

"Christianity makes a thousand promises but keeps none."

 

On that note - here you have a Nordic version of Wade in the water
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Then seek your proof its everywhere you just have to be willing to find it. That's another reason why I call atheism a lazy endeavor at least those who actively seek faith or to affirm their faith actually get of their asses and do something about it.

 

Some people who don't believe in God also do a lot of seeking, research, thinking and soul-searching to reach that conclusion too. It's a little unfair to say one is lazy for not believing.

 

In my experience its always researching thinking and soul searching to debunk Christianity and other popular religions in their most literal forms. I'm saying its lazy to not truly seek something out and then come up with a definative conclusion. I feel the same about popular religions too but the topic is atheism and I'm trying not to derail the thread.