Atheist???

Question

What is your opinion on this thought. I am confused as to what it is that atheist believe. They claim to believe that God does not exist however that statement is contradictory. By denying His existence, you are acknowledging Him. What does everyone else think?

Answer 1

I am an atheist. I don't believe in God.
An atheist is defined in two senses: Someone who says he believes there is no God, and someone who simply lacks belief in God. An atheist cannot say he knows there is no God, because he would have to know all things in order to know if there is or isn't a God. If he says he believes there is no God, ask him why he believes that way, and begin there. If he says he lacks belief in God, then ask what he does believe in, and start there. I always get around to the question of, "How did we get here?" Since creation and evolution are the only options, I have something further to work with.
Evolution has a lot of problems with it. It seems to me that it takes a lot of faith to believe that you developed out of ocean slime, simply by chance. At least as a Christian I have the evidence of the resurrection of Christ from eye witnesses as recorded by them in the gospels. Evolution or not, Jesus rose from the dead, said He was God, and forgave sins. I'll put my faith in Him instead of evolution.
An agnostic says he doesn't know if there is or isn't a God. (Usually after saying this I challenge them to explain the prophecies of the Old Testament fulfilled in the New. I state how the Bible is unique that way, and that only God can make prophecies that are 100% accurate. Then I ask him to explain how that could be done if there is no God.)
If there is no God as you say, then in the end I lose nothing. But if there is a God like I say, in the end you lose everything.
Why don't you believe in God? Is there any reason for you to intelligently reject His existence? Or, do you simply desire not to believe in Him?
The Bible doesn't attempt to prove that God exists. It simply speaks as though He does. Maybe I can't prove to you there is a God, but I can introduce Him to you through His Son Jesus Christ, and you can judge for yourself if the Words of Christ in the Bible convince you of His existence.

Answer 2

Life isn't a book of Mad Libs where those that don't believe are forced to leave some spots blank. That is a very black & white viewpoint, and if we are all to discuss something it needs to be named.

Have you ever read a book about or seen a picture of a fairy? How about a troll? Read any science fiction books? Have you ever seen a leprechaun at the end of a rainbow? Have you seen any Superman or Batman movies? Did you see any of the Alien or Predator movies? Do gremlins and E.T. really exist?

They are an easily recognized part of our culture, but do you believe in them? You can talk about them, make them up, see them, hear them, learn all about them, and talk with others that have also seen and heard what you have, but WILL THAT MAKE THOSE CHARACTERS REAL? Even if BILLIONS believe in them, will that make them come to life?

Maybe there should be a disclaimer in the Bible like you see at the beginning of some movies: Based on a True Story. There may be some glimmer of reality within it, but it's basically been exaggerated and changed for over two millenia into what it is today, and you're asking Atheists to swallow the entire story.

To reverse the situation, Atheists are confused why you would give up every ounce of yourself for the words in this exaggerated storybook simply because everyone else told you it was true. Have you ever considered the Bible a fairytale?

Answer 3

They are claiming that God is just a concept, not a real thing. Not believing he exists is not acknowledging his existence. You have it backwards - your statement is contradictory. If someone invents the idea that there is an evil presence lurking about and I say I don't believe it, I don't see that as acknowledging it but you, by your "logic", say that it does. Your question makes no sense.

Answer 4

I learned in a philosophy class the logic you are using: by saying something doesn't exits, you make that something come into existance just by it's mention. Some people do not think that by talking about, let's say, unicorns, that they actually exist. They might have read about them in stories, but it doesn't mean they actually exist. Well, that raises a question: How do we know if anything exists? In my opinion, we do not. In my opinion, there is no way to prove the existance of God or unicorns or nine-eyed monsters. Esentially, my opinion makes me Agnostic, which I prefer to being called Atheist or whatever religion I am supposed to be. That is the definition of Agnosticism. I hope you find this helpful.

Answer 5

An atheist does not believe in the existence of any god or higher being. I'm not sure how you can interpret not believing as acknowleding his existence, since atheists simply think that gods are figments of people's imaginations. Just like Christians do not believe in the gods of Hinduism, atheists do not believe in any god. By not believing in the existence of other gods beside the Christian one, are you acknowledging them too?

Answer 6

Religion is a choice and not a demand. So if there are people on this earth that do not believe in God, that makes them an atheist.

But when they end up in hell for not believing in the all and knowing God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, that is when they become true believers. But at that point, it is to late.

Furthermore, there is no one on the face of the earth that should stand in judgement of anyone. Believe how you want to believe. Because God is NOT sitting in front of a computer.

Okay, remember, I said religion is a choice not a demand. Everyone to their own opinion. If you don't agree with me, it's okay. Let me have it, I can take it.

Answer 7

You said: "They claim to believe that God does not exist however that statement is contradictory. By denying His existence, you are acknowledging Him."

That is an absulute absurdity, and provides a very good illustration for why many people say that religious people do not know how to think properly.

Answer 8

We don't acknowledge we DENY. Denial is LACK of acknowledgement:
For me and for many Atheists I know, the realization of our Atheism has been extremely freeing and has opened us to our own happiness.
Atheism helps us to see reality as it actually is, without the mental filters of superstition preventing us from directly experiencing it.
Atheism opens us to experience our selves, without the debasing idea that we are innately sinful.
Atheism allows us to experience true interpersonal love, without any imaginary supernatural intervention.
Atheism gives us the freedom to think for ourselves, to construct our own meanings. We each can choose what we think has value.
Atheism shows us that we can gain meaning by seeking to make our world a better place, for ourselves and our posterity.
Atheism teaches us to take responsibility for our behaviors in the here and now, not in an imaginary afterlife.
Atheism lets us see that we have to make choices about our future. No big daddy god is going to protect us from bad decisions.

Answer 9

That's skewed logic. Atheism is simply the lack of belief--none else.

Christians will often say the Pagan gods don't exist. Are they acknowledging that the Pagan gods DO in fact exist? I don't believe that is their intent.

Answer 10

To live as a atheist is to me to deliberately choose darkness instead of sunlight, ignorance instead of knowledge,and a spirit of fear instead of freedom.

If you doubt this then you tell me what else was the "bottom line" summation of Jesus ministry on Earth?

You may not be as old as me but I remember when public prayer was outlawed in U.S. public schools so long ago.

Madelyn Murray O'Hare, an avowed atheist and the only one many people have ever heard of ,was able to do something many people never dreamed could happen and certainly I think today, we're finally reaping the sickness, perversion and general disregard for the value of human life she herself deliberately caused through intentional social harm so many years ago.

An atheist not only claims there is no God but also sadly thinks even if one does exist they would only be a "great teacher" similar to how many now view Christ, Budda, and Mohammad to name only three "religious" figures.

All equally alike no one path different or better than the others.

But ask yourself this: Did either Mohammad or Budda climb a cross, get beated until unrecognizable, or even suffer public humilation so you one day would know inner peace, love and acceptance?


In some sense they do acknowledge God just not His place in their life as a "moral authority" or "spiritual guide". To them, God is more like Santa Claus or the Easter Rabbit.

I think you get the idea, and when you're ready to handle knowing mor about being an atheist and the consequences that follow this conscious decision to reject love, acceptance, wisdom, and everything Jesus did to make you feel part of His world - then - go Googling under Madelyn's name and learn the gruesome and hideous way she died along with her son and a innocent in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Remember this well, my friend: God will not be mocked!

Peace!

Answer 11

Do you believe in the Easter Bunny? No? Well, by denying his existence... etc...

That's just a semantic little loop you're caught in. There's no contradiction.

I don't believe that the percieved deity which you refer to as 'God'.
Or 'I don't believe in God', for short.