Athiests - How is it possible not to believe in a higher power?

Question

How can you see the earth and the universe, so perfectly placed so that it doesn't all crash together and create a huge mess, and not believe SOMETHING or SOMEONE other than a giant explosion put it there? How can you see how magnificently we have evolved in our studies in science, math, literature, art, and so many other areas and not believe that something made that happen? I am not asking if you believe in God or not, because there are other theories - including athiesm - which i completely respect, but how can you see these things and not believe that there is something placing it there for a reason?

To everyone that responded so far: thank you. Just because I am not athiest doesn't mean I can't respect it. And as for looking at the negative things and asking the same question - without suffering there would be no compassion.

Answer 1

Exactly. Not only does it take a huge imagination to think everything JUST appeared out of nowhere or that it JUST always existed, it is delusional.
But see, if there's no higher power, then they don't have to be accountable to a higher power. It's their belief of choice.

Answer 2

Mmmm, the age old question that has been debated since the beginning of time. My opinion is that since we cannot explain something we look for a higher power. What if it were all just a great set of amazing circumstances that created all this, random chance if you will. Yes, it is truly remarkable and wondrous. I think that something did make all the things that you talk about happen, mankind made it happen. If you believe in a higher power making it all happen then we are all puppets and there is no such thing as free will. I do not believe that to be the case. It is an excellent question and one that is fun to look at from all sides. This is only one possible explaination and people will have different opinions and that is great.

Answer 3

I wonder how magnificently we would have evolved in our studies in science, math, literature & art if it hadn't been continually hampered by Christianity. If there was ever a philosophy that is to blame for us not having cities on the moon, cures for cancer, diabetes, heart disease & incredible supercomputing power for every person it's the Christian philosophy. It's a tragedy considering how much farther ahead we could be were it not for such stupid thinking. From the fall of Rome to the Renaissance very little progress was made because of the direct intervention of Christianity. If you *really* see the divine in nature as you claim to, then maybe you Christians will have some respect for science instead of trying to destroy it and make the next generation stupid & ignorant.

But Christianity thrives in populations of stupid and ignorant people, of that we can be sure.

But getting to your question, there's no proof of God's existence. Whatever's been provided has been pretty flaky evidence at that. How can you believe in an entity that is supposedly omniscient & omnipotent when such a being left zero evidence of itself?

Answer 4

It is interesting how some atheists describe God to be like Santa. Possibly they were so disappointed as a child when they found out that Santa was not real (at Christmas time), that they chose not to believe in anything else including God.

This happened to me as a child (my parents told me that Santa existed) and then when I found out, I was totally disappointed and questioned if God was real (including the birth of Jesus).

I finally got over it, however, there was a long period of time I did question my own faith.

I vowed that I would never put my children through that, and so, when we celebrate Christmas, it is about Christ, and NOT Santa. I do not ever want any child to be confused like I was.

Santa is a big distraction for children during Christmas and can be a life-long battle if you feel you were lied to, especially by the ones you trusted (your parents).

I am a believer of the theory of Satan=Santa.

Answer 5

The argument from personal incredulity again. Just because you cannot see how these things came to be without the intervention of a higher power do not expect everyone to have that limitation.

You actually have to do some pretty deep thinking to work it out, its taken our species a few million years to come this far. Once you start down the journey of real scientific enquiry it is amazing how much more intellectually satisfying the world becomes, try Unweaving The Rainbow by Dawkins to start.

Answer 6

Let me give you an allegory.

Imagine a lottery. Every week, random numbers are drawn, let's say six out of a total 49. The chance for any one combination are terribly low, but anyway, one combination is finally drawn and there's nothing special to it. It just happens, you see the result on TV and think what the heck, not my numbers again. But you would not think that the numbers drawn were special or that anyone from outside had his fingers in the drawing.
Now, imagine you are the winner of the lottery. Wow! Chance and luck gave the jackpot to you! Wouldn't you make a big poster with your lucky numbers on it, a fat golden frame around it and hang it in your doorway? Wouldn't you think "those were special numbers", "I'm a lucky guy", "I must be special", "I'm born lucky", "I am chosen" or any similar nonsense?
And there you are. Earth, life on earth, and humanity including you and me simply are the winners of a very, very big lottery. Many people, when they think about it, simply cannot believe it all to be pure chance. But that's natural - if you strike it lucky, it's natural to believe that you are somewhat "chosen" or "special". But this leads to nowhere. We better should consider how me make the best use of our big jackpot.

Cheers!

Answer 7

I'm not even athiest, but it is easy to see these things and not believe, because believing is irrational. Is there any hard proof that a god exist? Pretty easy to not believe if you look at it that way. Religion is not really just the belief in god, it is a community of people with similar views and such, so they feel comfortable and don't worry about the "unknown". If you have a reason for the "unknown", you have less to fear.

Answer 8

Very easily. Atheism is the ground state. If the universe 'crashed together and made a huge mess', then either live wouldn't have been able to evolve, or you would think that was the normal state of the universe. I don't think you really understand big bang theory based on your statements - you might want to look into it.

Answer 9

Just as you believe that God created everything you see....I don't believe there is such a "Being". You believe because you have faith...I don't.

For me...it doesn't seem logical that there is a "Being" that on a whim just sits around creating things and making things happen.

If everything starts somewhere...where did God come from? Who created Him? And what's the purpose?

That's just one reason I don't believe...but I respect the fact that you do believe but except when I'm on YA I don't think very much about it.

Answer 10

The first girl who answered this question is obviously mentally retarded. Secondly anything could be a higher power...i mean for all you know we could be living in some kind of Computer...or there really is no reality its just all like the matrix....All your ideas of God have been disproven...its not like we wouldn't believe in something higher...we just go with the evidence we are given...unlike Christians who believe in what ever myths they are force fed as children.

Answer 11

In my case I plead "common sense".

I have never been a superstitious person, I have never been able to accept a belief in something supernatural.

When I look around and travel around this planet I see the death and destruction not blamed on man. I am dismayed and it further proves to me that no god exists. The starving the ravaged from all matter of natural disasters.........if there was a god he would not be the loving - caring deity I've been told he/she is.

To find comfort in a myth (superstition) is your business but not mine. Of all the gods in recorded history you claim yours is the only true god............well look at this way........you have denied the existence of all other gods but one....and I don't believe in one less than you.