Main Reason For Atheism

[Gilbert_Keith]

MAIN REASON FOR ATHEISM

What is the main reason atheists are atheists?

(1) Is it that they cannot believe God would create a world with so much evil in it?

(2) Is it that they find the idea of God intellectually unsupportable?

(3) Is it that God presents an authority figure which they are by temperament unable to submit to?

(4) Is it that they find God (especially the Christian God) an obstacle to charting their own moral code?

(5) Is it that they are conformists to the fashionable mode of 20th century thought inherited from Nietzsche and others?

(6) Is it that they have inherited atheism from their parents?

(7) Is it that they have inherited atheism from the media and/or academia?

(8) Is it a combination of any or all of the above reasons?

ARE THERE OTHER REASONS?

Thanks for any interest in this thread!

 

[Shadowcry]

Religion isnt a big part of their life- there many people in the world to support this statement from my experience

They have had bad experiences with religion

They have found morals in another place rather than religious organizations

 

[Fox]

Atheists are frightened that something is bigger then themselves in the universe, so they simply dismiss it. Still it doesn’t change the fact that there is.

 

[Gilbert_Keith]

SHADOWCRY

They have had bad experiences with religion

So if they have a bad experience with atheism, might that tend to turn them back to religion?

They have found morals in another place rather than religious organizations

It would be interesting to know what places they have found morals other than from religion, or from those institutions that have been influenced by religious morals.

 

[Shadowcry]

So if they have a bad experience with atheism, might that tend to turn them back to religion?-Possibly

It would be interesting to know what places they have found morals other than from religion, or from those institutions that have been influenced by religious morals.- family i doubt that you could find morals anywhere if first ur family didnt introduce morals to you first

 

[Singinbeauty]

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today… is christians… who acknowledge things with their lips and walk out the door and deny it by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

This is a quote that I have heard many times. Even in a song. I don’t know who said it but it is very wise…

 

[Monarchy]

Gilbert Keith:

MAIN REASON FOR ATHEISM

What is the main reason atheists are atheists?

I’ve never come across anything that proves to me that God exists.

(1) Is it that they cannot believe God would create a world with so much evil in it?

From the xian perspective, I do have a real big problem with a ‘loving’ god punishing people infinitly for a finite ‘crime’, whether it is with torture or not.

(2) Is it that they find the idea of God intellectually unsupportable?

The xian God, yes.

(3) Is it that God presents an authority figure which they are by temperament unable to submit to?

I have never had a problem summiting to athourity figures.

(4) Is it that they find God (especially the Christian God) an obstacle to charting their own moral code?

I find many aspects of the xian moral ‘code’ to be repugnant.

(5) Is it that they are conformists to the fashionable mode of 20th century thought inherited from Nietzsche and others?

Never read him. or philosophy in general.

(6) Is it that they have inherited atheism from their parents?

nope.

(7) Is it that they have inherited atheism from the media and/or academia?

I wouldn’t say so.

(8) Is it a combination of any or all of the above reasons?

ARE THERE OTHER REASONS?

Lack of evidence

Thanks for any interest in this thread!

You’re welcome

 

[Shadowcry]

Could you explain to me what the xian perspective is ?

 

[Monarchy]

Shadowcry:

Could you explain to me what the xian perspective is ?

That god will punish you with hell for unbelief.

 

[aurora77]

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today… is christians… who acknowledge things with their lips and walk out the door and deny it by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

This is a quote that I have heard many times. Even in a song. I don’t know who said it but it is very wise…

That’s in a DC Talk song; I can’t remember the name, but the song is brilliant–it’s on their Jesus Freak CD.

Honestly, I can’t imagine how anyone could be an atheist; to me it’s obvious there has to be a God. But, my best guess is fear that we’re not totally in control of our lives, that man isn’t the measure of all things.

 

[elwedriddsche]

Gilbert Keith:

MAIN REASON FOR ATHEISM

What is the main reason atheists are atheists?

The main reason for theists to turn atheist or for atheists to remain atheists?

(1) Is it that they cannot believe God would create a world with so much evil in it?

In the case of a theist turning atheist, perhaps. Otherwise, no.

(2) Is it that they find the idea of God intellectually unsupportable?

Depends on the god.

(3) Is it that God presents an authority figure which they are by temperament unable to submit to?

Interesting choice of words. But no, this would be a reason to refuse to worship a god, not a reason to not believe in that god.

(4) Is it that they find God (especially the Christian God) an obstacle to charting their own moral code?

No. Theism per se is not an impediment towards charting one’s own moral code. Being a member of an organized religion is another story.

(5) Is it that they are conformists to the fashionable mode of 20th century thought inherited from Nietzsche and others?

No. Atheism predates Nietzsche.

(6) Is it that they have inherited atheism from their parents?

Put this way, no.

(7) Is it that they have inherited atheism from the media and/or academia?

Put this way, no.

(8) Is it a combination of any or all of the above reasons?

Perhaps.

ARE THERE OTHER REASONS?

Less than true Christians.

Comments like #3.

A lack of spiritual needs that theism satisfies.

Being generally unreceptive towards religion.

Questionnaires like this one

Realizing that the world remains the same, whether they are theists or not.

The lack of questions to which ‘god exists’ is the rational answer and the only answer at that.

 

[severinus]

Monarchy:

That god will punish you with hell for unbelief.

Your belief that the Christian belief is that God punishes you for unbelief is the reason for your unbelief?

Just curious: Have you ever tried writing out ‘Christian’ instead of using the chi? I promise that your keyboard will not burst into flames.

 

[Singinbeauty]

aurora77:

That’s in a DC Talk song; I can’t remember the name, but the song is brilliant–it’s on their Jesus Freak CD.

It’s for “What If I Stumble” but the quote goes far beyond that… It was originally said by someone, I don’t know who, and they used that in their song.

 

[Gilbert_Keith]

MONARCHY

*I’ve never come across anything that proves to me that God exists.
*
And if you are talking about proof positive, you never will.

 

[Monarchy]

severinus:

Your belief that the Christian belief is that God punishes you for unbelief is the reason for your unbelief?

No, It’s just one of the big problems i Have with christianity (yes I can spell it out, it’s quicker the other way though.)

 

[Monarchy]

Gilbert Keith:

MONARCHY

I’ve never come across anything that proves to me that God exists.

And if you are talking about proof positive, you never will.

I know. He can’t be proven to exist or not to exist so I don’t worry about it.

 

[Shadowcry]

When we die we will find out , that is why it is called faith.

 

[Singinbeauty]

When I think of the need to PROVE God exists I just love the analogy of wind. You can’t see the wind physically but you see the effects of the wind, right? That is the same with God. You may not be able to see Him physically (yet ) but we see His effects everywhere.

 

[Gilbert_Keith]

Originally Posted by Shadowcry
Could you explain to me what the xian perspective is ?

MONARCHY ANSWERED:

That god will punish you with hell for unbelief.

---

Technically, this is not true. The atheist chooses separation from God, not the other way around. The atheist chooses Hell over God.

 

[cheddarsox]

Gilbert Keith:

Technically, this is not true. The atheist chooses separation from God, not the other way around. The atheist chooses Hell over God.

And technically, this is not true. If you don’t believe a thing exists, then it is not a choice. If you don’t believe in God, or Hell, then there is no choice.

When discussing with people of other life perspectives, sometimes it is useful to step outside of your own, at least enough to see how they might see things, just for the sake of understanding.

Atheists “get” that theist really believe in their gods. But often, in discussion, theists fail to “get” that atheists really don’t believe. They keep thinking that they believe, but are angry, or in denial, or being contradictory for the heck of it. Try to “get” that they really don’t believe there is a god. To them, god is like the boogie monster, a concept some people think is real, but not something taken seriously by those who know it is not real.

They know there is no god with the same certainty that you know there is one. Their godless universe is as real to them as your god filled one.

cheddar