whats the benefit of being an athiest?

Question

i mean not to be insulting or anything, my opinion is that you would have more benefits on a religion..
for instance, lets say that all beliefs are bunch BS and when people die, they just vanish, well i guess people would have wasted their sunday morning on some dumb stuff..
what if lets say christianity was accurate what would happen to all the other none christians?

Answer 1

The Bible says "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God".

Christianity is not just about Sunday mornings, its a whole way of life. Abundant life. Jesus said, I have come that they may have life, in all its abundance.

Romans 1 v 18-20 says

But God shows His anger from Heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and the sky and all that God made. They can clearly see His invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.

Answer 2

I'm assuming you're trying to use Pascal's wager here... let me ask you this...

If atheists are right, then yes... Christians have wasted their time on Sundays.

If Christians are right... then everyone else, including other religions have wasted their time.

This sets up a false dichotomy... saying that Christianity is either right or wrong. Take a look around at all of the religions in the world. Could you say they are all correct? No... could you say they are all incorrect? Absolutely.

With all of the beliefs out there what are the chances that your particular belief system is the one and only way?

And if you do die tomorrow and nothing happens, no heaven, no hell, just nothingness, wouldn't you have wasted your life preparing for an afterlife that doesn't exist?

Atheism makes life much more precious because we acknowledge that we only get one shot at it, and that its much better to live life looking after your fellow man than trying to please an imaginary man in the sky because he will reward us if we do.

And no, it doesn't mean we get to Sin freely... there is a thing known as causality which means that every action we take will have consequences in life for us and for others, THAT is the true basis for morality not your silly book that states that you should stone unruly children and beat slaves.

Answer 3

I think atheism is generally a backlash against religion. No religion has it right or will ever- It says so in the Bible. Yet kids born into religious familes have all this mumbo jumbo shoved down their throats, and anybody who is honest with themselves has to admit that this stuff isn't true. I think atheists get so turned off by it that they just decide that they don't believe in God at all instead of thinking about it for themselves and trying to decide what the right thing actually is. Obviously there is a God- the whole "the world just accidently came to be" is just as much crap as relion is. That's like looking at the Mona Lisa and saying it was just an accident that it looks like woman sitting there with a weird smile on her face. Clearly, somebody put thought into that painting. And it's pretty clear that Somebody put thought into the world. But that doesn't mean you have to believe all the additional stuff other people have made their belief systems.

Answer 4

I don't believe there are any benefits. Loneliness, hopelessness perhaps. Hardly benefits. Maybe even a superiority complex. I believe everyone of us go through a time of discovery. It sounds like you are just beginning to ask the really important questions.

I think the most important of the questions you asked here is "what happens when we die?"
Well the bible doesn't support the belief of hell so thats out. It does support heaven but not all will go to heaven. Most will stay on Earth and enjoy it. You see God's purpose was for mankind to enjoy living on a paradise Earth. His purpose has not changed. We as mankind were meant to live forever. That will be restored. Right now every man woman and child is getting a chance to choose. Live by God's standars or follow Satan.. which do you choose.. your every day lifestyle often chooses for you...

happy in her faith
Sarah

Answer 5

Answering this question is quite difficult, as expressing an answer of the benefit of being an atheist would be a flawed generalisation. Not all atheists think the same. Some just don't believe in the existence of a god, while others don't believe in anything supernatural (such as ghosts, etc.).

I am an atheist-naturalist. I only believe in nature (the universe). I don't believe in free-will or any supernatural facts. I believe in science and evolution.

The advantage of being an atheist, in my opinion, is that the belief in the inexistance of a deity is being assumed by logical assumptions. However, not all atheists think that way.

One who tries to explain his beliefs with logical assumptions is highly sceptical and uses logic to solve any problem. This leads to the following advantages:
- instead of praying or waiting for a problem getting solved, action leads to change. An example is when someone claims his life is screwed.
- high scepticism leads to less cheating, such as never getting scammed or saving your personal possessions of friendly engineers (p.e. How to find out when a woman is after your money).
- use logic to solve a problem quickly. Eliminate all possibilities until one, major solution is left. We use logic all the time even if we choose to open a door or not. Will I open it or not? Eliminate one of two possibilities. Logic is the core of one's thinking.
- logic unbinds plenty of facts mentioned in the Bible, hence it is not illogical to assume that heaven and hell do not exist. Many religious people don't take literally anything mentioned in the Bible. Some believe only in the purpose of a Creator (of the universe).
- hold a vast belief that in theory any situation can be reversed. There is a solution to any problem. The question is: 'When will it be found?"

By only reading the first 5 pages of Genesis, the entire Bible loses credibility, as it contains contradictions and is in contrast with modern science (observations).

- The arc of Noah cannot have taken place, as there would still be traces of damage of the giant flood.
- The first ancients (men like Adam and Eve) that walked the earth cannot have lived more than 300-400 years, as our current life expectancy is lower.
etc.

Please, read this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/magazine/11ideas_section4-21.html?ex=1291957200&en=f1e61862c74472e1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Now you know why I don't believe in heaven and hell.

Why worry about death?
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3786

Answer 6

let me preface to say first that I am not an athiest, and neither am I a Christian.

A person doesn't join a religion because there are "benefits" - they join because they believe in the dogma of that religion. Note also that one can be spiritual without being religious. Religion is a code of behavior (rites and rituals as well as "rules for daily living") that can also encompas spirituality, morality and ethics.

However spirituality, morality and ethics can also exist apart from religion. And morality and ethics can exist without a supreme being.

There are many paths that insist the practicioner take personal responsibility for their actions.

In my experience, Athiests are highly rational people who don't appreciate being lied to, and they believe that purveyors of religion have lied to them. They usually want testable results to prove various theories, and that includes proof that a supernatural being exists and that it created the universe and eventually, man. Religion has not provided any scientific proof, hence their refusal to blindly believe that such a being exists.

The "benefit" to them, I suppose is the freedom to do as they choose by their own morality and ethical base, and the freedom from religion and the control of the followers by the religious leaders. It's also somewhat cheaper...

Answer 7

"An Atheist loves himself and his fellow man instead of a god.  An Atheist knows that heaven is something for which we should work now - here on earth - for all men together to enjoy.  An Atheist thinks that he can get no help through prayer but that he must find in himself the inner conviction and strength to meet life, to grapple with it, to subdue, and enjoy it.  An Atheist thinks that only in a knowledge of himself and a knowledge of his fellow man can he find the understanding that will help to a life of fulfillment.  Therefore, he seeks to know himself and his fellow man rather than to know a god.  An Atheist knows that a hospital should be built instead of a church.  An Atheist knows that a deed must be done instead of a prayer said.  An Atheist strives for involvement in life and not escape into death.  He wants disease conquered, poverty vanquished, war eliminated.  He wants man to understand and love man.  He wants an ethical way of life.  He knows that we cannot rely on a god nor channel action into prayer nor hope for an end to troubles in the hereafter.  He knows that we are our brother's keeper and keepers of our lives; that we are responsible persons, that the job is here and the time is now."  ~ Madalyn Murray (later O'Hair), preamble to Murray v. Curlett, 27 April 1961

Answer 8

Well, it gives you a whole outlook in life, it gives you an amazing sense of freedom from dogmas, it takes away the itrrational fear, it forces you to develop morally on your own and have a clearer outlook in life, makes the source of your choices rational instead of either religious or simpy superstitious

besides you stop reliying on something outside of yourself to support your happiness

you dont have to reinterpret your beliefs everytime a new scientific discovery comes along, and you adhere to whatever scientific theory you think its more rational instead of looking for the one that "checks" better with rour religion's standpoint

and many more..

Answer 9

And what if: Islam, Buddhism, the other sects of Christianity, Scientology, FSM, Taoism, Confucius, etc, or any others were correct? I know that there is no god, so I do not need a just in case plan. If I did what you say, would that make me a true christian? One who does not believe, but goes to church in case. There is no god, so I have nothing to fear. The benefit is that you can do what you want, and have no fear of god or hell.

Answer 10

Ever seen the Matrix? It's a perfect example. You can take the red pill, or the blue pill. There is the truth, and there is ignorance. And I can certainly understand why someone would prefer the ignorance. But you can't change your mind after choosing knowledge. You can't simply forget the truth.

If you were offered the red pill or the blue pill, which would you choose? Atheists chose the red pill. It's that simple.