Athiests / Self Worshipers- Why do you not believe in God?

Question

If you don't believe in God, were you raised faithless,rejected faith because of being hurt, or just don't want to submit to anyone in authority bigger than yourself? I would like to know how you decided to reject God and why. Thanks for real answers to a real question.

Answer 1

Actually, I consider the rejection of god (or God) much less significant and important than the rejection of the church and bible. The combination of those two (religion! not god) is like an elephant balanced on a ball bearing (God). God may or may not exist, my belief certainly didn't cause that but he/she/it certainly didn't write that book or approve of what it seems to authorize (don't get me wrong Christians do good things - they do many bad things though, in the name of their beliefs). If I'm to find god in this lifetime I think I need to concentrate on that, the ball bearing, and not that ridiculous looking elephant balanced atop it (though the elephant is endlessly entertaining).

Answer 2

There is not a real "why" in not believing in something. It just is. Lack of proof would kinda be the reason.

If you truly wanna understand, you easily can. You are actually almost as atheistic (if that's a word) as I am. The reason why you deny Zeus, Thor, Mithras, etc, etc is the same reason why I deny your God. It's really that simple.

It has nothing to do with being hurt, or not wanting to submit to authority. It would be kinda silly for me to accept authority from a non-existing being.

Answer 3

Why do you believe in God? It is likely that you have faith because you have been taught to have faith; Likewise, I probably do not have faith because I was not taught to have faith. Is either position correct? It is impossible to say. We are products of the environments in which we were raised. The fact that I was conditioned to have a certain set of beliefs does not mean that these beliefs are correct, but your beliefs could be wrong as well.

I would assume that you do not have concrete, undeniable evidence of the existence of God (and if you do, please show it to us). Many do not believe in God because they have never had an experience that demonstrates to them that God exists. They do not have faith because their faith has nothing for a foundation. Furthermore, the beliefs of many follow science. In science, one must be able to demonstrate a fact consistently for it to be regarded as truth. Faith cannot be proven so it cannot be seen as truth from this viewpoint.

Personally I am not a true athiest and I certainly do not worship myself. My position is that there is no true knowledge about the existence (or non-existence) of God on earth. It cannot be proven either way. The only rational thing to say is "I don't know". Atheism itself requires faith. You cannot prove that there is not a God just as you cannot prove that there is one. To say "yes" or "no" to the question of God requires faith. The burden of proof lies in the hands of those who assert that the truth is a certain way, but no one, theist or atheist, can truly prove anything.

Answer 4

first i will say if you are genuinely interested in an understanding i respect that ..... but the wording of your question leaves me thinking you have prejudged us - i agree with the other answerer .... to me there is nothing to submit to - and to add to that i didnt decide to reject god ...i decided to consider the possibility that there was a god and came to the conclusion that (among other things) i cannot, and do not want to believe in the god of the bible (which, i'd bet almost anything, is the god your referring to - because no other religion would be so presumptuous as to ask the question as if there is no other god to discuss)

the god of the bible is not a god i can respect - if i met him on the playground i would consider him a bully and dismiss him - the god of the bible is childish and simple minded

i have spent most the years of my life (48) trying and wanting to believe in something like a god - but the bible god ....never

and i must add one more thing .... again i agree with the other answerer ..... to call us self worshippers not only shows an amazing lack of understanding and arrogance but is also insulting

and finally .... remember .... if you are truly seeking two way dialogue and / or understanding i respect and applaud that - and i thank you for it

Answer 5

I feel that if God exists then He's beyond my understanding like how an ant cannot understand philosophy. Modern religion seems like any other dead pagan religion trying to describe the indescribable. Plus religion revolves around freewill which is very easy to disprove. We all have the ability to make decisions, but we don't have the ability to choose what we want. I am only what the world has made me, and if I am going to Hell for that then I was already doomed from the start. God is something you desire. You do not choose what you desire.

Answer 6

Atheism and secular humanism are hardly self-worship. You're being catty by calling it so.

I am the son, nephew, grandson and cousin of Methodist ministers. After majoring in religion and attending a Methodist seminary, I divorced the Methodists, refused to return the Baptists' calls, fled abuse from the Catholics, & engaged in heavy petting with the Episcopalians & eventually the Unitarians. Each step led me closer to agnostic atheism.

I'm now studying secular Buddhism because in Buddhist practice, belief in God is unnecessary.

Answer 7

Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining -Judge Judy Uh.. well if you're not a troll, look there either is a God or there isn't, right? I don't need to trust Dawkins or Hitchens if their logic is sound. Time and again religious scholars debate the atheists, and they never win. It's just sad, at this point.

Answer 8

I was christian for 20 years. I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 8 years old and got more serious about Jesus when I was 15.
I loved Jesus so much that even if He sent me to hell, I would have loved him there.
After much study and prayer in an attempt to be a much more effective witness to get people saved, I discovered christianity was all rubish. Basic observation of the world around us, and total lack of historical evidence for the existence of Jesus, and lies upon lies taught by christian leaders made it all the more obvious that christianity is completly made up.
Now atheist, not by choice, but by realisation.
Peace

Answer 9

Religion killed God for me really.
The idea is pretty cool actually, having someone to watch over you and all of that, even if it's not true. But yeah, different religions, different doctrines pulling you here and there, I just realized God was man-made and not the other way around.

Answer 10

My parents were religious. I was drug to church as a child, then I reached the age of reason. I read alot and began to think for myself instead of having everything dictated to me. A belief in an omni-potent being became as fantastical as the book written about him. In short, I grew up.