Why do atheists visit spirituality and religion?

Question

Just curious,I have my very own belief system,unique to me and me alone.

Answer 1

1. This question is posted many times every day.

2. I realize that no one reads this when I just link to it, so here is my response to a previous version of this question:

I believe that I have been nothing but courteous to the people of faith here. I openly deny their belief-system. They openly deny mine. That's fine. We have, however, engaged in some very respectful debate, much to the benefit (I hope) of both sides. I know that my beliefs have not changed, but my preconceptions about young-Earth Christians have been shattered by some of the people I have found here. I think that they are wrong, but I am thrilled to have the opportunity to debate with them without resorting to name-calling or rudeness.

Granted, this requires an openness on both our parts. I think that their faith is "wrong." They think that my lack of faith is "wrong." This is where most people get hung up and debate can go no further. If someone disagreeing with you is "offensive," you're stuck. Once you accept this disagreement, you are quite free to exchange ideas. This is what I have found here (for the most part.)

As for why I spend so much time in the religion and spirituality forum, I see faith as playing a huge role in the lives of everyone in the world, be they moderate Muslims, fundamentalist Christians, Pagans, or Atheists like myself.

In my supposedly free country I see gays discriminated against due to faith. People who would never think of using the N-word openly hate and criticize homosexuals for what they are, not who they are.

I see medical advances that could help millions of people stymied by arguments that have their basis in faith. Stem cell research could potentially ease the suffering of billions around the globe, but people of faith stand in the way.

We are currently involved in what may or may not be a holy war. This is an issue of faith.

Our current government supports "faith-based initiatives" in what may be a breach of The Constitution itself.

I know that faith helps people sleep at night. This doesn't undo the tremendous amount of suffering it has inflicted at every turn of history.

I see faith as a problem, and would like to encourage people to put aside their myths and embrace reason. However, I realize that this is futile. As Jonathan Swift said, "It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into."

That said, I think that Yahoo Answers provides a wonderful opportunity to try to see where other people are coming from. I disagree with the Christians (and Muslims and Pagans...), but I think it is very important for me to try to understand them. I would hope that they will try to understand me. Once we find some common ground and some mutual respect, we can truly start to talk about things.

I hate the name-calling. The largest problem I have with religion is that it is divisive. I feel that this is the most important aspect of faith that needs to be removed from the equation. Name-calling is also divisive and does not fit into my attempts to act reasonably.

I feel that I deny, but do not scoff. I embrace and enjoy open debate. I think that the things discussed here are important. I'd like to think that some of the things I have to say are pertinent.

If you want a place for only Christians (for example) to exchange ideas, there are plenty of places on the web for that. However, I think that this exclusion of other mindsets and worldviews does a disservice to those who would seek such a closed system.

That's why, as an atheist, I show up on the religion thread.

Answer 2

I think everyone secretly likes their contrast. Without this they cannot feel impassioned about their beliefs. In many respects it is really no fun preaching to the choir.

Ask yourself what is light without darkness? What is up without down? What is wet without dry? What is happiness without suffering? What is male without female? What is positive without negative? What is God without God? In other words you need to know what one is like to truly know the other.

Imagine a world in which there is nothing but happiness. Wouldn't you think after a while you would cease to feel anything. In time we would become more saturated till only the neutrality of nothingness would exist as our experience. This only makes sense to me. This is why I do not believe in eternal Hell, or Heaven for that matter. No one emotion can, or should be forever sustained. Life is organic and free flowing as it should be.

Has a theist ever considered their may be a truth to what an atheist thinks? And visa versa has an atheist ever thought there might also be a truth to what a theist thinks?

From a certain point of view there is a God. God is beyond what we can conceive. God is something more and beyond, and nobody can claim to know it all. To believe any other way would be solipsistic beyond any narcissism I can imagine.

And in the other sense God does not exist. God does not exist in the sense of who we think God is, or even might be. We project ourselves and the world with all its limitations onto the One That Is. We do so in spite of the truth that on the majority of levels, God is the unknowable, so much more grand, infinite, and beyond our conception that it is hubris to claim we know him/her/it when in fact we at best have seen but God’s coattail or even less, god’s shadow. That is if we can even call it that.

In essence the answer to your question is one of perspective. When you can understand this nuance then you can really see that atheists are just the opposite side of the same coin.

Answer 3

Awesome question. Atheists are a very interesting contradiction. I love atheists. They are actually very religious. Think about this for a second. If you say there are no absolutes - you're being totally absolutist. If there is no absolute God - then you actually hold to an absolute. Living a life devoid of God is a religion. They have to practice very carefully to remove thoughts of a higher power from their life and practice it everyday. They are more religious than alot of people who say they believe in God and go to church. They are actually thinking about the subject very often or they wouldn't call themselves atheists in the first place. If they weren't religious they would simply be secular life participants. Many atheists are acutally closer to an understanding of God than people who say they believe but are lukewarm about it like they don't think about it and it doesn't affect their life choices because they are reasoning this in their minds so that's an awesome thing. They are acutally taking spiritual things very seriously in order to make sure that they are living totally apart from those things.

Answer 4

I come here to see all the nonsense that is posted about atheists for example:

1. Athiests really believe (err...no we don't)

2. Athiesim is a religion (really?? where is our temple? who is our spiritual leader? Can I get ahold of that dirty money from the government that they are giving out to other religious groups??)

3. Athiests hate christians (no, I like lots of christians, jews, muslims, pagans, hindus, budists, scientologists, mormons..etc.. Some are annoying jerks, but there are some athiests who are jerks too)

4. Athiests hate [god, jesus, allah, kittens...you name it] (give me a break...)

The list goes on and on.

I really come here to UNDERSTAND whay people believe the way they do and not to pass judgement. But with these sweeping and immature generalizations, I wonder if it is only a one-way street.

Meet an atheist, talk to them. Rational believers and athiests have more in common than rational and irrational believers.

Answer 5

I'm not atheist- far from it- but it's a free country here in the USA where I'm at and I don't think anyone should be excluded for any reason- especially their beliefs or lack thereof. Maybe they're curious, maybe not, maybe they just enjoy their freedom of chat. I'm Mormon/LDS and I visit other boards. As long as we all respect each other and don't attack, we should be fine.

Answer 6

Though atheists don't believe in God and religion, some may have some spiritual beliefs. OR they just go there to break balls.

Answer 7

Because it's a free country? Some religious questions are also specifically for Atheists. I believe it's important to get answers from ALL sources, rather than a one-sided biased answer.

Answer 8

I'm curious too, when you posed this question didn't a box pop up and let you know that this question is asked almost every day?

I agree, somewhat, but if they are hanging out here at least we're keeping them interested. Some of them comb the Bible to stump us. Now we know(but we won't tell them. K?)that it's good for them to be cruising around in there("...not return to me void..").

So I say: "It's a free forum!"

Answer 9

It is still possible to be spiritual and an atheist. I personally come because I like to argue and debate, it's fun to mince words and see other people's perspectives and their reasoning behind it. But mostly because they lump it in with society and culture at large and I don't discriminate between questions.

Answer 10

Because atheism is a religion. o.o

"Just curious,I have my very own belief system,unique to me and me alone."
-I'd have to hear more, but I doubt that.