Reasons not to believe in God?

[1989 DX R]

What are some of the reasons people dont believe in God? Any religion counts, anything at all, not just Christianity. I want to see why some of you people dont have a faith.

[taranaki]

Because I gave up "imaginary friends" when I went to junior school.

[V.S.]

because I don't know. Its not in my nature to "believe" in things I know I can't know, etc.

I don't believe in tiny fluffy bunnies living inside my ears, and I don't need a reason for that. Its much easier to ask why you *do* believe in god.

[Towlie]

a) prove he exist
b) prove he doesnt exist
c) which came first the chicken or the egg
d) too political
e)gotta wake up early and put on a fake smile
f) old ppl
g) pricks try to scare u into believing
h) wasnt brainwashed as a kid
i) i dont like dressing up, cost too much money
j) i dont like the way ppl act in church
k) tithes and offerings
l) too much talk and not enough action
m) churches are based on one mans interpretations who started the church
n)who created god ?
o) why doesnt he just reveal himself and set us straight?
p) have u seen jesus today?
q) ill stop here

[texan]

1989 DX R- Before this thread goes an further, you need to revise your idea that someone who is not religious has no faith. Everyone has faith in many things, in fact all hard sciences are based upon the simple faith point that the Scientific Method is absolutely true. Where and why you place your faith is what you are after, or more specifically why you place it in a different place than others. Personally, my base faith point (that first thing you hold true above all others which guides everything else in your life) is that all things can be understood either by logic or emotion. Nothing philosphical in this world isn't meant to be understood at all, so anything I can't ultimately wrap my brain around is automatically false. But that's no why I am not Christian, I am not Christian because of the history of the faith. When one studies it's history, the creation and history of the Bible, the few glaring contradictions within it, one quickly realizes it is the work of Man and not God. But I supopse it's just more to the point to say I never felt it, never felt His Presence in anything I've experienced in my life. I believe this is the only thing that can truly make someone religious, and for whatever reason I have yet to experience any such revelation. Of all the world's religions, the only ones I currently hold true are Zen Buddhism and Daoism. Each holds special meaning for me, and each is in my own humble opinion a thousand times more advanced a school of thought as Christianity or even purely logical philosophy from the likes of Socrates and other famous Greeks. They also predate all these philosophies.





"because I don't know. Its not in my nature to "believe" in things I know I can't know, etc."

The only trouble here is that ALL philosophical thought deals with exactly these topics. To be cynical is one thing, to be purposefully ignorant of all things greater than what knowledge can be had at the corner store is another. I believe we find ourselves through thinking that is directly aimed at what cannot be known with any true certainty, what is it you believe?

[V.S.]

Originally posted by texan


"because I don't know. Its not in my nature to "believe" in things I know I can't know, etc."

The only trouble here is that ALL philosophical thought deals with exactly these topics. To be cynical is one thing, to be purposefully ignorant of all things greater than what knowledge can be had at the corner store is another. I believe we find ourselves through thinking that is directly aimed at what cannot be known with any true certainty, what is it you believe?

I worded that poorly, didn't I?

What'd I'm trying to get at is I just can't spend my time thinking about something which I previously know is circular, or otherwise completely beyond my understanding. If there is or there isn't a "god", it makes no difference how much I debate it, because I can't make any progress. Then again, maybe its just lazyness, in the efficient sort of way, that I see myself having everyday.

What do I believe? I can't think of anything of a spiritual nature that I believe in. I could list scientific/social stuff I believe, but I hardly think thats what you meant. The whole thing seems silly, as if parents had forgotten to tell their kids that santa didn't exist. I'm fine with other people believing in.. whatever, but I'd prefer they didn't think in terms of "why does that person not believe?"

[texan]

Originally posted by V.S.
The whole thing seems silly, as if parents had forgotten to tell their kids that santa didn't exist.

Damn that's a good qoute! Well said .

[1989 DX R]

Hmmm...yeah i think texan is right. Ok, here is the new improved question:

What is your reason for not having a religion? When i say that, it can be any sort of higher power. Basically, why are you an atheist. No, atheist is too narrow...arg...very complicated question. Ya know what, just ignore me for a while whilst i come up with a better question.

[91HBSi]

Just because something isn't tangible doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I believe in God because I know he's there, can't really be explained. I guess some people just have to experience God before they can believe. The only problem with that is God doesn't force himself onto people, you have to look for God.

No offense but I think the Santa thing wasn't a very good comparison. I mean, everyone knows that their parents do that. No one can just say, "God didn't bring me into existence, my parents did." I may not make sense but it is 2 in the morning over here :licker:

[V.S.]

Originally posted by 91HBSi

No offense but I think the Santa thing wasn't a very good comparison. I mean, everyone knows that their parents do that.

that's exactly my point. "santa" and "god" seem to be different, in terms of existing, only because everyone recognizes that santa was made up.

Like I said, I have no problem at all about other people believing in whatever they feel like believing in. But saying "The only problem with that is God doesn't force himself onto people, you have to look for God." does annoy me. Well, not very much, because those are just words. But the attitude and the actions that are associated with it are terrible. Assuming there's a "problem" with somebody not believing nor disbelieving the existence of god, or that people "have to look for god", etc.

[V.S.]

Originally posted by 1989 DX R
Hmmm...yeah i think texan is right. Ok, here is the new improved question:

What is your reason for not having a religion? When i say that, it can be any sort of higher power. Basically, why are you an atheist. No, atheist is too narrow...arg...very complicated question. Ya know what, just ignore me for a while whilst i come up with a better question.

let's see if I can help you make a better question

Why should there be a "reason" for being an atheist, agnostic, whatever? Is it assumed that people "should" have religion?

[MBTN]

Well, you all should know my reason by now why I don't beleive in this "God" character. I like most of towlies too.

My reason:

Science

That's all I needed to "show me the light".

[_W_]

Personally, I'm a pragmatic. If something doesn't matter for me, in the reality that I can observe, then I don't care if it exists or not. God is the idea that something non-human can dictate truth (moral, religious, or scientific, no matter) to humans. But when it gets down to it, no religion actually are able to do that in effect, each human got to figure out his own morals, beliefs and truths, whether he's religious or not. So I ignore religion.

Or atleast that's one way of looking at it. Another is the idea of wishful thinking. I've grown up, realized that whether I want something or not, believing that I can get it won't actually affect reality. I can wish for an afterlife, believe in an afterlife, but that won't change whether there is an afterlife or not.

[91HBSi]

Originally posted by V.S.


that's exactly my point. "santa" and "god" seem to be different, in terms of existing, only because everyone recognizes that santa was made up.

Like I said, I have no problem at all about other people believing in whatever they feel like believing in. But saying "The only problem with that is God doesn't force himself onto people, you have to look for God." does annoy me. Well, not very much, because those are just words. But the attitude and the actions that are associated with it are terrible. Assuming there's a "problem" with somebody not believing nor disbelieving the existence of god, or that people "have to look for god", etc.

Well, like I said... I was tired when I wrote it. Well he doesn't force himself, but he does sometimes show himself. Not phisically, but spiritually and in other ways too. Sorry to "annoy" you with my words or whatever.

[warrior4jc]

"If any man can prove to me as fact that there is no god, I will then defend god's existence as creator of the universe."

"Which came first the chicken or the egg, or the big bang......hum?


Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."