This question is not for Christians...?

Question

I am an atheist and feel that it is hard to find any really good questions on yahoo answers that are meant for people other than Christians.. so.. Do you think that people are religious because they truly believe or because they would like to and need the comfort of knowing something is out there? It is true that a lot of people who are in jail and on death roe have converted to Christianity, maybe because they have been faced with their own mortality and just in case want to be sure they don't "burn for eternity." Also, why do you think Christians ask questions directed towards atheists just so they can bash them?

Feel free to answer one or all of these questions...

By the way.. for those who want to be a smart a ss, I myself didn't produce that first question mark.. Yahoo Answers does automatically thank you very much!

Of course.. Christians can't fight the urge to not answer a question that wasn't directed toward them..

Answer 1

First of all, I do not feel that you are bashing Christians by your question.
I am a pagan and every time I post a Q, it has at least on sarcastic "Jesus Loves You" or something like that. I agree that human beings need religion. Most would go insane if the truth of their religion's fallacies were ripped away, and the fact WAS that there is no God. You live, suffer needlessly, then die, sometimes also suffering needlessly, to be buried in the ground and rot, so that your family has somewhere to cry, and eventually let you fade from memory...I agree that the person on death row is 'studying up, just in case'.

Many (not all) Christians like to bash non-christians for two reasons:They fear what they don't understand, and putting others down makes them happy.

Answer 2

Do you think that people are religious because they truly believe or because they would like to and need the comfort of knowing something is out there? - I think they are clueless and unable to see that what their "holy" books are really teaching is common sense and general wisdom. You don't have to worship anyone or anything to be able to learn what will "save you", make your life better and make you a better person. Worshiping just clouds their judgment, the same judgment their God gave them! What does God think about that!


It is true that a lot of people who are in jail and on death roe have converted to Christianity, maybe because they have been faced with their own mortality and just in case want to be sure they don't "burn for eternity."? No, being in jail or being on a death is harder than you and I can ever imagine. Desperate situations call for desperate measures – does that sound familiar? If I person finds out he has a terminal disease would you blame him for suddenly becoming spiritual? No, you wouldn't’t, but that is different. All this raving "Christians" do not suffer from a terminal disease, unless they see life as a terminal disease, ha-ha, I don't know ..

Answer 3

Do you think that people are religious because they truly believe or because they would like to and need the comfort of knowing something is out there? A lot of people believe simply because they’ve been exposed to a theology. Frequently, children reach adulthood, question the religion they were raised in, and move away from it. Thinking for one’s self is very demanding.


It is true that a lot of people who are in jail and on death roe have converted to Christianity, maybe because they have been faced with their own mortality and just in case want to be sure they don't "burn for eternity." It is true, I’d say, that many people attempt to conform to a religion out of fear… of condemnation, largely. Particularly as someone is faced with his/her own mortality. That’s understandable… even sensible, if you think about it. I think a recognition of one’s own divinity would serve better, though.


Also, why do you think Christians ask questions directed towards atheists just so they can bash them? Religions are divisive, not inclusive. Without judgment, that’s a simple statement of fact. You can’t enter the Golden Temple if you’re not a Sikh. You can’t enter Mecca if you’re not Muslim. You can’t walk freely in The Vatican unless you’re the Pope. We continue to kill one another over the remains of a foundation (large, though it is), upon which a temple once stood. Without exception, really… religions set up a dynamic of Us vs. Them. Yes, it’s a poor exercise of our religions. Religions are, after all, exercises in Spirituality. The practice of attempting to better know the transcendent being(s). What’s odd about religions is that, doctrinally, they know better… but, in practice, they serve only as points of contention. -- If this fact’s ever to change, it’ll be up to us to change it. Good luck to us, then.

Answer 4

I think people begin their search for religion, or study of religion or whatever experiences they seek to have, needing the comfort and wanting to know that there is something more. But as life continues, you learn one way or another whether or not your beliefs are true. Some people with strong faith continue to attribute their lives to what they've always believed because it works. Some people change their entire outlook on life. Because there are so many things left unanswered in life right now, there are so many possibilities that may be true.

So as your experiences either support your beliefs or question your beliefs, you either increase your belief in what you know or seek more to find that comfort again. Some people don't need this, but many people do. It's not so much a question of religion itself, but a question of finding the truth for yourself. Some people seek meaning, purpose or a higher power, some just want to know that death is not the end, and there are countless more reasons to believe in something you cannot prove to another objectively. But who is to say they are right if it cannot be proven?

And as for the Christians asking questions so that they can bash? Perhaps that's for the same reason you labeled this post "not for the Christians". Some people fear what they do not know.

Answer 5

I am a buddhist, I guess that makes me a atheist :D .....

I guess why people are religious is because they find comfort in the words spoken to them. For some, however, it is the fact they are afraid of what comes after their death. Having a rift to cling on gives them hope of an afterlife.

I do not know if a lot of people converted to Christianity when they are in jail, but then it is highly possible due to the reason stated above.

Answer 6

People are religious because:

1. They truly believe.
2. They were born in their religion, so it is inheritance.
3. They just believe. Blind faith.
4. They do not believe in self-existence. A "made" has to have a "maker".

As for Christian vs. Atheist, they both bash at each other. Reason: Fear, arrogance, etc.

Answer 7

I'm sorry to hear that you have had negative experiences with Christians "atheist bashing." Historically, most people groups ascribe to some religion, even if the religion is agnosticism or atheism. I believe that all peoples have something inherent that causes us to ponder and want to believe in something godlike, whether it be internal or external. However, gods take many forms from occupation, to status, to organised religion, to self, to financial gain and so on. For some, religion is static, for others religion is dynamic. The jailhouse religion syndrome arises b/c it works for the time being, but it may be hard to maintain in another cultural setting. Religion serves different purposes for different people. One beauty of democratic life is that we are able to choose our own religion or not to have any at all. In my anecdotal experience, many people ascribe to religion or no religion because they truly believe in their religion of choice and or they find comfort in knowing "something is out there." Personally, I am a Christian. I believe that God loves us enough to allow us to make our own decisions regarding faith, but with all decisions there are consequences. We all must come to terms with what we believe, religiously speaking, and why we believe it to satiate the inherent desire to worship.

Does this make sense to you?

Answer 8

Dear lady bug ...

I'm going to give you a answer and i want you to think about it

Religion was created out of the idea that some one or something created us, even tho there is no evidence that god( a higher power) created us, human had all ways look for ways to prove that idea.

I can't say why people would believe in a religion. There are 120 different types of religions out there lady bug and you must ask yourself this question: if one group of people believe that there religion is right , then why are there so many religions?


if you look at the history of humans ( the middle ages) you will understand that countless wars were create because some body believed in a religion that they can not even prove if its true or not.

ow and for the other thing you asked about people that are in jail or on death row. they are not in the situation they are in because they don't believe in Christ ,

they are in that situation because they did something bad in society, after all , if people where going to jail because they don't believe in Christ , they all Jew in the US would be dead,or in jail, and every body who do not Believe in Christ would be dead. even you and me, but that's not the case.

Christianity is no better then any other religion because if you look at the past ( US history) you would see that Christian are the one inslaving people and causing pain to the black race . Christian are the one who are spreading there lie to other by force, trying to get people in there religion . if you watch fox news 3 days ago they showed a group of people on ty beating kids telling then that evil is in side of them and they need to be clean by god or something like that.


well i hope i asked all your questions .

Answer 9

I think it's a sign of maturity and wisdom to start on a journey for the truth of this thing we call faith. Growing up I knew nothing at all about it, yet I felt a desire my whole life to find out for sure if there really WAS a God, and more importantly, a God who would care about me and my life. You mention we need the "comfort of knowing something is out there". Well you're right, but I honestly believe that in the heart of EVERY single individual lies the same need. I just think some tend to explain it away because they decide if they cant have all the answers to THEIR satisfaction given to them on a silver platter, they refuse the truth presented. Perhaps it's because I was really looking for answers that when the Lord convicted my heart that I was actually hearing the TRUTH for the first time in my life at the age of 28, I put my faith into ACTION and BELIEVED. That is the ONLY thing we can do that will move the heart and the Hand of God to work in the life of an individual to PROVE Himself to you. You see, you get your answers on your silver platter once your faith is put in MOTION in the right HANDS! And of COURSE we don't want to burn for eternity; but that was secondary to me to searching for the truth of God!

Answer 10

the need to believe is human, every human culture has it's own beliefs, and I can be pretty accurate in assuming that the need to believe is a result of the large human brain and the ability to imagine, together with lack of facts and the need to explain every phenomenon.
it is a fact that the power of beliefs tend to attenuate with the accumulation of knowledge, which is the general direction worldwide, with few exceptions or throwbacks.
the aggression believers tend to demonstrate towards nonbelievers is a part of this trend, this is a defense mechanism when people feel that their faith is vulnerable and with it their way of life.