Why do people not believe in God?

Question

I have a really strong faith but don't think I'm trying to push my opinion on people who don't have the same one (even if it sounds like it). I just don't understand why people not have faith.....it is so sad to me :( Its like they are missing out on A LOT. No matter what I keep having faith in God because I know that he answers prayers. And everything does happen for a reason. Its an AMAZING feeling when you have a strong faith.

Answer 1

IT IS THEIR OWN CHOICE.
THEY MADE IT JUST LIKE YOU DID.
YOU MUST LET THEM BE.

Answer 2

I believe that there is no point to be sad for people without faith. I went to Catholic school from K-12th grade, and learned how to exclude people who don't think the same way as you. I think organized religion is a big dissapointment to people because all religions have their beliefs, but believe that if someone thinks differently, they are automatically going to hell or something along those lines. If there is a God of any kind, he can't judge how and where you pray or if you cover your face, or if you wear pants if you are girl. I believe that everything does happen for a reason, and that there probably is some kind of divine power out there, but I also believe in Evolution and scientific fact. It is great that you find your peace with strong faith, others are spritual but do not posess those same beliefs.

Answer 3

Well if u read the first few answers up there you will see how easily Believers judge others. This is main reason a lot of people do not believe in god. we see as the only factual representation of god are in the followers and most of the followers are very mean spirited people who's goal is to damn people to hell for not believing in what they do. So when i see this i think to myself hmmm bad spirited person believing in a good spirit, doesn't make much sense.
Another reason people do not believe in god is because to some we had faith once and we had questions about that faith and when asked we were told you are not supposed to ask, again what sense does that make. I feel sorry for those who do have faith because they are waisting the life on something that makes them criticize and ridicule others. I do believe in god but by a christian or Muslim or Jewish or any Organized religions stand point i believe in evil. My belief is god is everything and nothing it is not intelligent but it is intelligence, it is not loving but it is love, it is everything and nothing. it is an idea. so when you ask why people do not believe in god you should ask yourself why should anyone believe in god and answer out of your viewpoint, answer with a view point of someone not form this world and looking at humans as animals. You might then find your religion is not so great.

Answer 4

It's a kind of spiritual sobriety...
I agree that having the certainty of faith is an amazing feeling, but essentially it's no more amazing than being really really drunk or high on ecstasy Faith makes you feel secure, and powerful, and special. Some of us simply have the hangover from Hell, having woken up the morning after and found that our imaginary friend who seemed so real and omnipotent the night before, was just an LSD dream of our own invention...We might be missing out on a lot, but we're dealing with the world as it really is, which gives a value to it all.

NB - this isn't intended to speak on behalf of all atheists by any means; it's just one answer.

Answer 5

Lack of evidence, contradicts reason. I don't feel I'm missing out on anything. I don't believe in Hell. I'm not Christian because I want to go around leading my immoral life, I think my life is as moral or more than a lot of Christians I know. Why does God answer your prayers and not those of the starving child? Is it possible that events in your life would turn out the same with or without prayer? Why if there is a God would it necessarily be the one you have chosen over that of another religion which is equally unprovable? I don't want to convert you, just want you to understand so that we can live in a more tolerant society. Don't feel sad, I think most people who don't believe in God don't believe for very clear headed well thought out reasons and are no more unhappy/happy than anyone else.

Answer 6

OK, first: If you're really interested in understanding this, listen to the non-believers, not what the believers say about us, because they are wrong. We know what we think; they don't.

(Do I, an atheist, understand why you believe better than you do? No. You understand your beliefs better than I, because they are YOUR beliefs, not mine. Similarly, believers do not understand non-believers as well as non-believers do.)

Second: Again, if you were really interested in knowing, why not look at the answers given to the several thousand times this question has been asked on this site? (Or -- gasp! -- read any of a number of books that explain it. If you wanted to understand, you could find out. Nothing stopping you but a little effort.)

Third: If you are sincere in this question, you will choose as Best one of the answers given by the atheists, not one of the believers. I'll check back to see what you choose (if any).

Finally: To answer your question: Belief in god makes no sense. Therefore, the burden of proof is on believers, not non-believers. Since no one has adequately proven god's existence, and belief in god makes no sense, I don't believe.

PS: Don't be sad for us, we're not missing anything we care to have.

I think you are missing a lot, and feel more sorry for you than you do for me.

It's an amazing feeling to have intellectual curiosity and know you have the means of understanding things better. Try it; you might like it.

PPS: If you really want us all to believe, and god answers your prayers, then you should pray for all of us non-believers to believe. Spend all of your time praying for each and every one of us. Don't stop praying (except to eat, and other necessities) until each one of us is converted.

Answer 7

Talking from an Atheists point of view: right, well it's because there is no truth in the bible its just an old book about a man who happened to be born in December and had a hard life, the bible is a horrible story of stoning people and prostitutes and the occasional miracle beh if you believe in miracles. you'll believe anything. if you look at the facts science the evolution makes sense the big bang makes sense the way life adapts makes sense the real miracle is how life around you grows each year and adapts to survive. i don't believe i missed out on any thing i believe that nature and life is my faith NOT A GOD but a circle a Chane of life.look at it like this if your god truly excised how was he made? from smoke? no from the imagination of people and a man named Jesus. i don't deni that Jesus existed i just don't believe what he was supposed to be in the bible.not only that why would someone want to be worshiped all the time I'd think he/she would be fed up by now, that could be why they don't answer any more???there are loads of questions i can think of but this is just my view so please respect it as i respect your view too, i have nothing against people wanting to believe in the bible and no offense.

Answer 8

I had strong faith for 20 years.

I then looked at my religion objectively and came to the conclusion I am at now.

There is no evidence - not even answered prayer. Studies were done on prayer that showed it did no good, and in fact had a negative effect on those who knew they were being prayed for.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2006/03/30/prayer-heart-surgery-20060330.html

A video about prayer...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk6ILZAaAMI

I am not any more unhappy without a belief in god. I appreciate life even more now. I treasure it even more now. It's also an amazing feeling to embrace atheism. I know you don't understand because I have seen the world through your eyes. But I encourage you to not be sad for me or other atheists. There is no reason to pity the lives we lead.

We divorce less than Christians and Jews both. We have a very low percentage of atheists in prisons compared to their religious counterparts.

There are studies that suggest that highly religious societies are worse off than less religious ones.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1798944,00.html

And, these are just a few indications among many that show atheism does not lead to a life of "missing out".

Answer 9

Your question makes you sound condescending and self-important. Good for your faith, but it doesn't make you a superior person and you needn't feel "sorry" or "sad" for people who don't share your beliefs.

God isn't at your individual call and beckon. This is a modern and infantile view of Christianity, entirely self-serving. Go read the New Testament again! The Jesus of the Bible didn't judge others, and you are judging people with your view.

Your lack of understanding indicates you are small-minded and can't comprehend or empathize with anything outside of your world-view. Some people have faith in other things like physics, and science! It's just a different kind of faith.

here is a quote from an interview with Karen Armstrong:
"Sometimes, I think the way monotheists talk about God is unreligious.

Unreligious? Like talk about a personal God?

Yes, people very often talk about him as a kind of acquaintance, whom they can second-guess. People will say God loves that, God wills that, and God despises the other. And very often, the opinions of the deity are made to coincide exactly with those of the speaker. "

Answer 10

I don't believe in god because there is no evidence of any kind that any sort of "god" exists.
There is also no evidence of any kind that "he answers prayers" -- and in fact, there is considerable evidence that prayers are NOT answered. If you very simply kept statistical records of the number of times people prayed for something, and the number of times they got what they prayed for, you'd find the success rate of "prayer" is extremely low, down around 10% or so. Random chance would produce a 50% success rate -- so prayer is less effective than flipping a coin :)

You say "everything does happen for a reason" -- what do you have to back that up? There is no evidence of any kind that anything happens for a "reason."

Look, we non-believers understand the "amazing feeling" you people get. We understand that it can be comforting to think there's some all-powerful magic sky guy who's looking out for your well-being, and is going to give you an eternal life in paradise after you die. That calms your fears of death, and can calm your fears about living in a world where you don't have control over everything that happens to you. We get it -- it's a nice, happy, fuzzy feeling. The trouble is -- none of it is backed up by any evidence of any kind. It's completely wishful thinking, a fantasy world you live in that has nothing to do with reality. If you're happy living in a fantasy world for which there is no evidence of reality, that's great. Enjoy.
I couldn't do that -- I have to be true to myself, true to reason, and true to what my senses and the scientific research of the human races shows me -- I can't ignore evidence and reason just to get a warm fuzzy feeling.

Answer 11

I feel I have a full life, lots of love, and a great sense of purpose without a belief in God. I have a faith. A faith in myself and the ones I love. That gives me an amazing feeling. It is a strong faith. Also, I have seen a lot of people in my life who have prayed to God and NEVER had their prayers answered. And they are very good and honest people who have a strong faith in God. I respect people who have faith in whatever religion they believe in, though.