Atheist can you try?

Question

to believe in God one day. Pick a day and forget your're an atheist. talk to God he does not bite. tell him to show yo something for you to believe his existance..
let's see what happens??

can you do that?

Answer 1

may be

Answer 2

I already have, several times in the last fifteen years.

My family is Lutheran and most are devout. I was raised in a small Midwestern town of less than 1500 people where everyone knew each other and everyone was Lutheran or Catholic. Where I was raised, being of another faith, let alone having NO belief in God(s) at all was NOT an option.

I was raised with the lovely stereotypes such people here have about atheists being devil worshippers, hedonists who like to drink, smoke, do drugs, and screw a lot, selfish folks, Communists, you name it. I was raised with people who thought atheists burned Bibles and were part of whacked-out Satanic cults.

As a result of hearing that crap for twenty years, when I started doubting my faith in God, I fought heading towards atheism. I fought it and I fought it hard. I didn't want to be associated with those stereotypes people in my area had. I knew that even if I gave up my faith, I'd still be the same person, but I knew people around me would think I was different if I stopped. I didn't want to think I might change drastically and become this wicked delinquent-type who took up a permanent residence in the local jail.

I forced myself to go to church and read the Bible in hopes of soothing my doubts and fears and finding even the SMALLEST reason to cling to my faith, to tell myself that I was full of b.s. and that God existed and loved me despite what I was told at the age of SIX by my grandmother that I was getting bullied because it was God's plan for me to live a tormented life. Oh, I tried to believe, I tried to find a reason, begged for a sign that it was ok.

I even tried other faiths in a desperate attempt to find God elsewhere if Christianity wasn't doing it. I tried to find something else that worked, to say that a belief in something would be enough. I lived in denial of what I felt for a LONG time, fearing the stereotypes that I now know are FALSE, fearing the fallout and yes, I even feared letting down God if he did exist.

It didn't work. So no, I don't have to sit here today and pick a day next week and try to be a follower. I've already tried and it failed. It failed then, so there's no point in wasting my time trying to be something I'm not.

Answer 3

I don't know that I'm a strict, by-the-books Atheist, but I've done this before, to no real results. I think that this sort of test doesn't work, because should God exist, He/She/It doesn't work that way-proof isn't provided until you actually believe. That's like a holdup-hey, I won't put any faith until you prove yourself. And that is, well, science, right? Not faith? Not to mention that if you are tuned and waiting for signs, everything suddenly becomes a sign-people who believe in God and divinity and universes where there are no coincidences will see an act of God every moment; the skeptical will dismiss every one of them.

So I just don't see this working, on God's end or on the atheists'. Sorry!

Answer 4

I used to be a Christian that believed in God. But then I began to doubt things I heard from the bible that I felt shouldn't be. For example, I'm not saying I'm gay, but, unlike what the Bible says, I believe that a man is allowed to lay in bed with another man as he would a woman. I don't want to believe all other religions are heriticy, and if "god" truely exsists and made such great things happen, why doesn't he do anything anymore? Is he on hiatus or something?

Answer 5

Already did that.

For far more than a day.

It isn't possible for me to believe in the Christian god.

I had an amusing batch of years where I thought God was talking to me. I realized that the little voice in my head was just myself. I was seeking wisdom from God, and when there was none to be had, I helped myself.

And that batch of years was also filled with guilt and anguish. It didn't dawn on me how ridiculous it was to give love to a being that would torment my loved ones just because they weren't Christian. So, the contradiction of a loving god and the existence of Hell shot that out of the water.

Now, I haven't given Islam a shot. Or Hinduism. I suppose I could give them a chance, as you suggest.

Then again, if a god wanted my worship, he would have said something by now, no? Either there is no god, or there is no god who wants my worship. In each case, my life is not changed at all.

Answer 6

It's really sad to see how many people have lost faith. True, faith is faith. There is no proof; that's why it's called faith. But how can you prove just about anything that matters. I mean, how can you prove that your partner, your kid, your parent, your best friend loves you. How can you prove that the sun will come up tomorrow, or that you won't step off a curb and be hit by a car and die in the next 24 hours? How can you prove that people who say they want to help you are telling the truth? How can you prove that truth is really truth and not some theory or opinion?

If one really has faith in something, one is willing to take that leap, no matter what anybody says. And that faith will come through for you. My world is more meaningful and interesting because of faith , not necessarily a religious faith, but a spiritual faith that makes me want to be a better person. I consider myself a seeker, on a journey and it's been great so far!

Answer 7

Could you just, for one day, consider the possibility that there is no God? Your religious indoctrination keeps you from doing that though. They've sucked you in there is no more free thinking. All that wasted potential. You could really make an effort to understand things. That pesky God delusion wouldn't be getting in your way anymore.

Answer 8

Been there, done that. I used to be Christian, even. Sorry, but it doesn't work.

If you don't believe that a god exists, you can't just, one day, choose to believe there is one. You can entertain the idea. You can study information about it. You can even think about what it would be like if there were a god. However, if you aren't convinced you just aren't convinced. It's not a choice.

I happened to believe God existed when I was younger, because I was indoctrinated to believe it. I suppose you could use some brainwashing techniques to convince yourself that a god exists, but even that would be difficult. Now that I'm an atheist, and I have been for over 20 years, I can't just believe that a god exists. I would need some heavy evidence that would convince me that a god exists.

Here's an experiment for you. Right now, just believe the moon is made of green cheese, for real. Believe deep down that it is really true that the moon is made of green cheese. Difficult, isn't it? Impossible even.

Answer 9

I was raised Catholic, and I believed in God until I reached an age where I could objectively view Christianity and decide for myself whether or not it holds any merit. I decided on my own, after years of analyzing all available information, that God does not exist. It's nice that you have your faith, but that's all it is - faith. Why don't you take a day to examine your own beliefs and see if they hold up.

Answer 10

To late. I was a believer for more years than you have been alive. It was only with age and experience that I finally got it through my thick head that religion in general in the greatest con every played upon mankind. You to will come to that realization eventually on your own.

Answer 11

Well, OK.

But even if I believe that god exists, he's gonna have to come with some reason why I should worship him, grovel before him, and follow his contradictory rules.

Meanwhile, you have to spend a day believing that the Flying Spaghetti Monster exists.