Why do Atheists always compare God to the tooth fairy?

Question

I know in their eyes they are the same, both myths, but that is a ridiculous argument, come on....actually there are many historical documents that describe the tooth fairy and many cultures have some form of belief in a magical fairy that exchanges coins for unwanted teeth...people worship her all over the world.

Oh that's right, none of that is true. All the religious books, beliefs and thousand year old traditions of numerous cultures give more credibility to God or some form of higher power, especially when compared to some fairy parents made up to make their kids happy about losing teeth...so do you Athiests think you are "unconverting" anyone by constantly comparing God to the freaking tooth fairy? Can't come up with a reasonable, intelligent defense for your beliefs except to associate God with some irrevelant, obvious myth? God isn't that easy to disregard, the tooth fairy is, you can't compare the two.

Answer 1

As soon as you understand exactly why you reject all other myths, fairy tails and other religions you will realize that there is no excuse not to put your own religion under the same scrutiny.

Once you do, you will come to the conclusion that your belief in a god is as irrational as believing in the tooth fairy.

Just because a belief is popular does not make it true.

Answer 2

You wrote: "God isn't that easy to disregard, the tooth fairy is, you can't compare the two."

Where did you get such a crazy idea as that? Yes... god is that easy to disregard. Yes... the two make for a very good comparison. If you think about it, you would realize that there is actually a lot MORE concrete evidence to support the 'Tooth Fairy' idea (coins under pillows) than there is to support the idea of god (nothing).

The only real difference is that the one myth is simply a lot more elaborate than the other.

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"Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This is, of course, a mistake. If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time." ~ Bertrand Russell, "Is There a God?" commissioned by, but never published in, Illustrated Magazine (1952: repr. The Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell, Volume 11: Last Philosophical Testament, 1943-68, ed. John G. Slater and Peter Köllner (London: Routledge, 1997), pp. 543-48, quoted from S. T. Joshi, Atheism: A Reader

"We are all 'teapot atheists'... I just happen to believe in one fewer teapots than you do." ~ Richard Dawkins, commenting on Bertrand Russell's 'teapot' vignette

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~ Seneca the Younger

Answer 3

If the tooth fairy is too complicated for you to understand, then there are many other comparisions like Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Loch Ness Monster etc etc., which may be easier for you to grasp.

In a more scientific vein, then perhaps the following might help ease your pain. If we assume the universe was created, then it’s reasonable to assume there was a creator. That’s as far as science has progressed today, but just look how far religion has progressed.

Religion states (fact) there was a creator called God, that God still exists, God also created places called Heaven & Hell, God wrote an instruction book called the Bible, God will banish evil people to Hell, God will send good people who follow the Bible to heaven, that people referred to in the Bible (like Jesus) will return to Earth, and a whole raft of other statements of fact. That’s right, religious fact, not assumptions.

Now tell me truthfully, if science doesn’t even know yet whether the universe was created or not, but religious believers state: “not only was the universe created by God, here’s a whole lot more proof and facts to go with it, what do you think?

Either religious believers just have vivid imaginations or suffer from a common mental illness. I think commonsense and logic would suggest that religious believers are mentally handicapped.

Surely you can see the analogy, that the believers breakdown of God is nothing more than a tooth fairy prediction.

Answer 4

God IS that easy to disregard, to some people! That's our whole point! I understand you don't feel the same way, but to me (and others obviously) the idea of a supreme higher power makes as much sense and has as much evidence backing it as the other fairy tales - tooth fairy, santa, etc.

For me, thousand year old traditions do not equal evidence. There are many ideas from thousands of years ago that we laugh at today (eg. earth is flat??).

Answer 5

I think one thing you are missing is that most atheists could care less what you believe. The comparison is not intended to sway your beliefs but to explain theirs. Many religious people find within their own doctrines the need to profess or spread their religion. Atheists simply choose not to believe and generally could care less what you believe as long as you respect their beliefs or lack their of. however when we are condemned for are beliefs as many Christians do often we get defensive. You have your beliefs I'll have mine there is no point in debate.

Answer 6

The point of the comparison is to demonstrate how theists hypocritically hold two different standards.

One standard for god: Even though there is no evidence for it, we must conclude that it exists.

One stanard for the tooth fairy: Hey, there's no evidence for the tooth fairy, so she doesn't exist.




it's called hypocrisy

and the tooth fairy analogy demonstrates it nicely.

Answer 7

The Tooth Fairy and God are both gay, just like you.

Answer 8

You generalize. I have never compared god to the tooth fairy.

Answer 9

I think it might be, that as children, they were led to believe that there was a toothfairy. They may have also been taught about God. When they learned that there really is no toothfairy, they then assumed that God must also not be real. If we want our children to believe in God we should never mislead them in believing in something or someone that is not real.

Answer 10

In my opinion,i do not worship or believe in a god,i believe we are here,just to inhabit this place,i like to think that we are not alone, in the universe.like other humans,we were put here to live then die.why do you believe in a god,do you Need it,just to live?there is an answer for everything,you just have to leave your mind open for new things.if there is a god,that's fine,if there wasn't a god,that's fine also.all i'm saying is i do not believe in a god,we are all here to live and do what makes us feel good...ty.