Why do some people prefer to be atheists?

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tonyrey said:
It is better to be positive rather than negative. In fact evil is the negative aspect of life… Truth, goodness, freedom, justice, beauty and love are all aspects of reality whereas a void is devoid of everything! 🙂
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What’s that old hedonist motto?

“Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”

Might as well add to that:

“Sin all you like, for there is no final reckoning to fear.”
 
Charlemagne_III said:
The claim to God’s existence is not the issue, since the claim to God’s non-existence also cannot be proven. If you would stipulate that convincing demonstrable proof does not exist in either case, you are left with making a choice: a philosophy of hope in the ultimate Something or a philosophy of resignation to the ultimate Nothing.

Then the question to be asked is this: why does anyone prefer Nothing to Something?
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I think what you’re missing is that some people never experience any kind of faith, and do not feel as though they need a faith.

I’ve never been religious. There’s never been anything for me to “resign” myself to.

So I guess my answer to your question is: I don’t prefer nothing, but I see no reason for me to want or need a Something.

Lou
 
I think it is very important that we ask Atheists themselves why they are Atheists, and not ask Theists. Most Theists don’t understand, and are not very good listeners; we tend to want to make the reasons fit into our theology rather than be accurate.
 
GracieRuth said:
I think it is very important that we ask Atheists themselves why they are Atheists, and not ask Theists. Most Theists don’t understand, and are not very good listeners; we tend to want to make the reasons fit into our theology rather than be accurate.
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I get the feeling that most theists have a hard time with a world view that doesn’t “need” a God. Some language used here suggest atheists are actually theists whom pretend God doesn’t exist for whatever reasons.

I “prefer” to be atheist (agnostic by some definitions) because it seems more plausible to me. In my case God and religion in general just stopped making sense to me in my early teens. The “need” for an ultimate justice, a master plan, or order to chaotic events isn’t a “need” for me to happily live my life. Also, various flavors of immortality doesn’t appeal to me either. I rather enjoy my mortality.
 
HerCrazierHalf said:
I get the feeling that most theists have a hard time with a world view that doesn’t “need” a God. Some language used here suggest atheists are actually theists whom pretend God doesn’t exist for whatever reasons.

I “prefer” to be atheist (agnostic by some definitions) because it seems more plausible to me. In my case God and religion in general just stopped making sense to me in my early teens. The “need” for an ultimate justice, a master plan, or order to chaotic events isn’t a “need” for me to happily live my life. Also, various flavors of immortality doesn’t appeal to me either. I rather enjoy my mortality.
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My beliefs are much like yours…I just happen to think that there is a greater, yet impersonal deity that initiated creation. Beyond that, the specifics, like us, took care of themselves through natural development. I definitely don’t see any thing that indicates a master plan.
I also find mortality to be a comforting notion and will freely admit that I could be wrong about all of it.

John
 
oldcelt said:
My beliefs are much like yours…I just happen to think that there is a greater, yet impersonal deity that initiated creation. Beyond that, the specifics, like us, took care of themselves through natural development. I definitely don’t see any thing that indicates a master plan.
I also find mortality to be a comforting notion and will freely admit that I could be wrong about all of it.

John
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Don’t you think an impersonal deity would be inferior to us? In what sense would it be greater?
 
HerCrazierHalf said:
I get the feeling that most theists have a hard time with a world view that doesn’t “need” a God. Some language used here suggest atheists are actually theists whom pretend God doesn’t exist for whatever reasons.

I “prefer” to be atheist (agnostic by some definitions) because it seems more plausible to me. In my case God and religion in general just stopped making sense to me in my early teens. The “need” for an ultimate justice, a master plan, or order to chaotic events isn’t a “need” for me to happily live my life. Also, various flavors of immortality doesn’t appeal to me either. I rather enjoy my mortality.
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You don’t mind being separated from your loved ones forever? I don’t think they would be very impressed!
 
Lou2U said:
I think what you’re missing is that some people never experience any kind of faith, and do not feel as though they need a faith.

I’ve never been religious. There’s never been anything for me to “resign” myself to.

So I guess my answer to your question is: I don’t prefer nothing, but I see no reason for me to want or need a Something.

Lou
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Do you see any reason for living? If so what is it?
 
tonyrey said:
You don’t mind being separated from your loved ones forever? I don’t think they would be very impressed!
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We cherish our time on earth together. I don’t see how my option on the matter would change it.

It is almost like you are suggesting that one starts from their desired outcomes then pick (or adopt if you will) beliefs towards that end.
 
tonyrey said:
Do you see any reason for living? If so what is it?
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Why would I not want to live? I have family and friends, I have stability, I have things that make me happy - why would I not want to live?

I can understand why you’ve asked me this. I have no reason to believe in a Something whereas your Something defines everything you do, and is your main reason for living. As I’ve said, I have never believed in anything so the implication that there is no reason to live without a Something isn’t true for me.

That, and on a very basic level, everything we do is to survive. We eat, sleep, earn money, procreate, form social groups ect. As humans, our most basic instinct is to survive. Even those who attempt suicide later say they regretted it and realised they wanted to live.

My most basic reason for living is that instincts tell me to survive. Those instincts don’t change whether I believe in a Something or not. Obviously, my reasons are more complex than that for why I am still alive on this forum today 😉

Lou
 
HerCrazierHalf said:
You don’t mind being separated from your loved ones forever? I don’t think they would be very impressed!
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It’s not a question of wishful thinking but being realistic. To be separated from our loved ones forever is an unmitigated disaster by any standards and to assume it is inevitable is pessimism at its worst. “Abandon all hope ye who enter here” is a hardly a slogan to share with our loved ones! If you’re not prepared to say to them “Let’s enjoy our mortality!” there’s a flaw in your argument. It would be interesting to know their reaction.:)…
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Lou2U said:
Do you see any reason for living? If so what is it?
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My question didn’t imply that you don’t!
I have family and friends, I have stability, I have things that make me happy - why would I not want to live?
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I can understand why you’ve asked me this. I have no reason to believe in a Something whereas your Something defines everything you do, and is your main reason for living. As I’ve said, I have never believed in anything so the implication that there is no reason to live without a Something isn’t true for me.
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You are quite mistaken. I define everything I do and that is my main reason for living because I believe our ultimate authority is our conscience. That is what the Church teaches and I agree because it is eminently reasonable. Where I differ from you is that I don’t believe we invent our purposes. They exist whether we like it or not. We are not purposeless freaks of nature but rational beings whose purpose is to pursue truth, goodness, freedom, justice and love.
That, and on a very basic level, everything we do is to survive. We eat, sleep, earn money, procreate, form social groups ect. As humans, our most basic instinct is to survive. Even those who attempt suicide later say they regretted it and realised they wanted to live.
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My most basic reason for living is that instincts tell me to survive. Those instincts don’t change whether I believe in a Something or not. Obviously, my reasons are more complex than that for why I am still alive on this forum today.
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It is better to die fighting rather than live as a slave.
Survival without truth, goodness, freedom, justice and love is worthless - as many people have demonstrated with their courage, integrity, compassion and unselfishness. These are aspects of reality that cannot be explained by fortuitous combinations of molecules and random genetic mutations. Chance is a hopelessly inadequate explanation of the power and beauty of nature - and the nobility of the human spirit…
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tonyrey said:
It’s not a question of wishful thinking but being realistic. To be separated from our loved ones forever is an unmitigated disaster by any standards and to assume it is inevitable is pessimism at its worst. “Abandon all hope ye who enter here” is a hardly a slogan to share with our loved ones! If you’re not prepared to say to them “Let’s enjoy our mortality!” there’s a flaw in your argument. It would be interesting to know their reaction.:)…
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Yes, such separation is a disaster and in fact various failures and disasters are a part of life. Death is a part of life. But I fail to see how admitting the possibility or likelihood of disasters = pessimism. And no, I wouldn’t say to them “Let’s enjoy our mortality” because doing so does nothing joyful or helpful. As best I can tell they are believers.

Hmm, would I be correct in guessing that from your pov, where there is little or no hope there is despair? (Or whatever negative emotion) If so, must it be one or the other?
 
tonyrey said:
You can’t institute it but you interpret it! And you imply we are superior to the Creator - which seems rather unreasonable…
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I don’t see where I imply any sort of human superiority. We are so far removed from initial creation that such a state would seem to be irrational to me. Instead, isn’t it really comparing two entirely incomparable forms of existence.The creator creates(d)…we developed from and live within that creation.
Further, I don’t see what the human ability to interpret creations has to do with anything. When it comes to interpretation we could all be wrong. Since there are so many interpretations it is a logical certainty that most of us have missed the mark. Deists view the deity as unknowable and impersonal…theists think roughly the opposite…atheists have no belief in a deity of any form…and those are just three of the major philosophical views.
 
oldcelt said:
You can’t institute it but you interpret it! And you imply we are superior to the Creator - which seems rather unreasonable…
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They are not entirely incomparable because we are the products of Creation and as far as we know the only creatures with the power to understand the universe and transform this planet for better and for worse.
Further, I don’t see what the human ability to interpret creations has to do with anything. When it comes to interpretation we could all be wrong. Since there are so many interpretations it is a logical certainty that most of us have missed the mark. Deists view the deity as unknowable and impersonal…theists think roughly the opposite…atheists have no belief in a deity of any form…and those are just three of the major philosophical views…
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If the deity is unknowable there is no reason to believe the deity is impersonal! In fact there is no reason to believe in a deity at all…😉
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tonyrey said:
Even though they are not convinced atheism is true?
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ROFLMAO ROFLMAO ROFLMAO. Let it take someone like Matt Dillahunty who was once Christian. He was studying the Bible and was going to become a preacher. Well after studying it enough he switched to atheism.
 
NM505StKate said:
ROFLMAO ROFLMAO ROFLMAO. Let it take someone like Matt Dillahunty who was once Christian. He was studying the Bible and was going to become a preacher. Well after studying it enough he switched to atheism.
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The Old Testament by itself leaves people with a misleading idea of God…
 
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