"Choosing 'no god' is actually choosing YOURSELF as god." Is this correct?

Question

Personally I've never regarded myself as a god - it would be rather ridiculous to do so as I don't believe in the existence of gods. I've never seen any other atheist claim to be a god either. So, can this claim from a theist have any validity?

Answer 1

That's a common one, that they must be teaching in Sunday School nowadays. Another one I hear quite often is how "arrogant" I am for being an atheist. The backward reasoning is that the atheist only cares about himself, and won't worship God because God won't let him do all the sinful things he really wants to.

Once again, this is presuming that atheists actually believe in God, but reject him, like Satan did. None of them seem to realize that to truly accept the non-existence of God is one of the most humbling experiences one can undergo. To actually have the courage and humility to admit that you're not important enough to go to "Candyland" when you die is a rare thing in this society for some reason. And they have the audacity to call us "arrogant".

But I believe the heart of the matter is that many theists quite simply do not understand the concept of atheism. They've never truly considered the ramifications of there not being a god. And they can't imagine (won't allow themselves to imagine) actually pondering and accepting the fact that there isn't one. This is why so many of them still think that atheists are "lying" when they say they don't believe in God. Amazing how the mind can be tricked, isn't it?

Answer 2

Neither true nor false. Some athiests just don't believe in God, and they don't think of themselves as God. Of course, they're free to do that, and even though I'm a Muslim I don't think it's fair for me to go and tell someone what he/she should believe in.
On the other hand, people like Hitler (not discriminating against anyone!) might have thought of themselves as God, or at least as superior beings. I mean, the guy thought that he would live for a 1,000 years!
So in the end, choosing no God doesn't mean that you're choosing yourself as God. That will depend on every person.
And just in response to a few previous comments: "being athiest = satan worshipper."
PLEASE! Grow up! If someone doesn't believe in the idea that a single entity created everything because there's no evidence of it, you immediately jump to the conclusion that he worships satan? And by the way, if you don't believe in God, then you don't believe in any of the religious books. So please explain to me how someone who doesn't believe in God and thus all religious books, how is he supposed to believe in Satan who is an intergral part of those religious books?
Stop talking for the sake of saying something, and actually THINK about what you say first!

Answer 3

Who says you choose anything ever. I know it looks and feels that way but consider this - you never chose to be born in the first place, never chose the color of your eyes, hair, to be fat or thin, smart or stupid, etc, etc. So actually, having not chosen even one tiny busy little cell that makes up your body and brain, how can you now sit there and think that you can now make choices. As to your question, you probably are God, but just saying it is not the same as being it. Maybe that's what life is all about, for us, for animals, for trees, even for those cells in your body - it's to search and become that which is there to find. I personally believe, I don't know why, I just do, that the search must be made inside the body whether by an athiest or a religious type.

Answer 4

I guess it depends on what they mean by god. I consider god to be a term used for a being that is claimed to have produced everything we see, the universe and all that is within it. So, I would find it rather silly to say that I am god. If the theist uses god to mean one in control of an individuals destiny...then ya, I guess I'd be a god under that definition..even though I wouldn't use the term.

Answer 5

I actually agree with the statement, but probably for a different reason that you would think. This disagreement between yourself and the theist stems from your interpretation of "god". Notice the statement is "Choosing 'no god' is actually choosing YOURSELF as god." rather than "Choosing 'no god' is actually choosing YOURSELF as a god." Your interpretation of “a god” is probably something like and 'all knowing all seeing higher being', or the equivalent. The theists definition of simply the word god, with no a in front of it, is probably something like 'the being that is most important in my life and controls my destiny'.

In short I absolutely DO NOT believe you are an all powerful being(a god). However I absolutely Do believe that an atheist is his own god. The most powerful being in his own life that, in short, is the only being he TRULY worships(god).

Answer 6

It can be true in a sense. I've heard discussions about this and it depends on what "god" is to the one telling you that.

1. As creator

Then no. You can't be saying that you're the creator of everything, can't you? Even those who believe in a god wouldn't think this.

2. As a source of all knowledge.

This is what those who believe in a god may imply of you. They might think that by rejecting a god to be a source of all knowledge, you claim to know everything. Of course not. Unless you actually do?

So next time, you could tell them that you don't claim to know everything, just not what they believe.

Answer 7

Hi Icarus,
While you may not believe in yourself as a god, or that there is one God, or any gods, by default, you have left only one source of authority in your life. You. Those who are inclined to spiritual thought, do so I think, out of a realization that we cannot control our lives. Too many variables. Few people are comfortable with the thought that we are a cosmic accident, out of control, and doomed to live a single, difficult life, and then be extinguished forever. Doesn't sound very cheery, eh?
If you cannot accept the idea of superior spiritual beings creating and guiding your life, that leaves only you to make the choices, according to your values, and nothing else. Thus, you fill the role that God fills in the lives of believers.

Answer 8

No.

Being an atheist, or more accurately, simply not believing in God does not mean you have made a choice at all.

It means to me that there just simply isnt any reason or evidence to believe in God.

There are different types of choices. To people who do not believe, it is not that they are turning their back on God at all, or elevating themselves, that is ridiculous.

Non believers do not have to justify their position to anyone! Maybe if God made an effort to show his face things would be different.

Its kind of like when someone says "who will win the world series". Would someone ask you to justify yourself if you answered I dont know? Of course not. If you said I believe the redsox will win, you would have to give a reason. I hope that explains the difference between a choice and non choice. <----------------IMPORTANT!!!


PS Isnt it strange how miracles always happen in secret or far away places and never in Times Square on the weekend?

Answer 9

No choosing no God means you choose no God and you also do not choose yourself. God is inside of everybody. He is like a spirit or energy. While no one has seen God it is safe to say he isn't a Jolly fat man with a beard looking down from heaven at us. Also just cause God is in everybody doesn't make us individual gods. If it did we'd all be millionaires or something.

Answer 10

Stalin, and Mao were atheists, and they set themselves up as judge, jury, and executioner, when they killed MILLIONS. That sounds a lot like someone with a God-complex to me. What were you saying about reality...?

It all boils down to reserving your judgement of the world, until your life is over. Then, you'll know more about life. Until then, you've only read the first page of the book. So don't judge, less you be judged. First the Resurrection, then the Judgement.