Why are some christians unable to understand that atheists really trully don't believe in God?

Question

It astounds me.

Some christians just can't seem to comprehend that atheists don't believe in any sort of God or "higher form" or "supreme being" or whatever else.

Why can't these individuals get their heads around the concept?

It is after all a pretty simple idea, when you die you're dead. How can it get any more straight forward than that?

Answer 1

I think the idea of nothing after life is scary to most people. The promise of an everlasting afterlife where there is no pain or sorrow is a pretty nice thought. I guess when comparing the two, they'd rather believe. Maybe they can't understand why we'd not take pascal's wager just in case. How many christians took pascal's wager? How many are true? Do any have doubts that they admit only to themselves?

I don't think we're as misunderstood as it seems sometimes. I think some are being intentionally obtuse.

Answer 2

The reason most Christians can't fathom the idea of there being no God or higher power as you put it is simply stated "faith". You see, faith is believing whole heartily in something you can't see. Most past religions (mythologies) create gods to explain the unexplained. Christianity does not do that it simply keeps the faithful walking the line so to speak. Keep in mind the oldest book in current circulation with the most sales in history is the Holy Bible. You must know that saying "rice can't be all that bad, a billion china-men can't all be wrong". Well if you think about it, that same saying can go for Christianity or Catholicism. I am not one to tell you or anyone else what to think or believe. For I am far from perfect. So in closing, you must understand that "Faith" is the driving force behind any belief. Any one with a strong faith in their beliefs will never understand why you or anyone else can believe that there is no such thing as God. Just have patience with anyone like that and maybe a little faith wouldn't hurt...lol

Answer 3

Nunoyvgvna, IF you really were an atheist, then maybe that was true for you, but it's not true for everybody. Don't presume that you know how all atheists think and feel because you thought you were one. To me, it's apparent that you were the one who wasn't a true atheist, because now you're a believer. (A true atheist almost NEVER becomes a believer.) And it's not true that atheists won't have ANYTHING to do with anything religious. That is usually only the case with very angry people who aren't true atheists, are only angry at God, and are not comfortable with their claim of atheism. ("I won't set FOOT in that church! I don't CARE if it's my mother's funeral!") A true and comfortable atheist has no problem being in a church when the occasion calls for it, (funerals, weddings, etc.) or being in a forum like this discussing the subject of religion, because we're comfortable in our beliefs. We're here because religion affects OUR lives, too. It affects them VERY strongly, and THAT'S why we're here discussing it. If we didn't have religion in our face every time we turned around, then we wouldn't feel the need to be on here discussing it. For as long as believers continue to make sure WE can't live without it, then we're forced to live WITH it, and that gives us the right to be here and talk about it.

Answer 4

probably for the same reason you can't fathom that they do.

>>"It is after all a pretty simple idea, when you die you're dead. "<<

personally, I know from first hand experience that this is not so. but on the other hand I "get" that you do not believe it, have not experienced things to lead you to that conclusion, and have no reason to believe what I say in such matters.

I am ok with that.
not everyone is.

its very natural, generally speaking, to assume everyone else thinks pretty much like you do. in fact I think this could be said to be the default assumption.

and theres also alot of variation within "atheists" some just do not belive there IS a God. and some belive there is *NOT* a God. while a minor word difference, the emphasis is a massive distinction. the belief that there is affirmatively NOT a God is as much faith-based as beliving affirmatively that there IS, for most people.

>>"They think that if they tell you enough times that there ideas and beliefs will subdue yours. "<<

you do realize that goes both ways, right?

>>"It astounds me too - especially considering how illogical and unreasonable it is to believe in a God/god(s). "<<

see what you need to learn is this little thing called perspective.
different people see the world different ways.
for example for me its infinitely more rational to belive in what I believe. I would find it easier to cease believing in gravity than many of the things I believe eventualyl.

>>" It's the Jews/Christians/Muslims who have the fear about not being "good enough" to get into heaven."<<

actually jews don't have that problem. we trust God to determine that, and thats that. no need to try to convince others that they are NOT going to make us feel like we ARE.

>>"I wouldn't worship the God of Abraham even if he did exist - all you have to do is read the first couple of chapters of Genesis to know that a God like that either is insane, evil, or couldn't exist. "<<
perspective! geeze man, at least try! God isn't some super-powered human in the sky. this is an entity of infinite infinitys in absolutely infinitely all that could ever possibly be or not be. its not cruel to not go to extreme lengths to stop a kid from touching the stove when its not such a way that it'd instantly severely hurt him. its just an infinitely more effective way of teaching NOT to do that.

>>"Who creates people who don't know right from wrong, then punishes them when they do something they were told not to? After all, if Adam and Eve didn't have the knowledge of "good and evil" (which is the fruit of the tree they ate from) how could they be held responsible for their actions?"<<

heres another word for you. "metaphor" its not literal. try this, the act itself was in itself the enlightening factor. they were as animals, that functioned simply as they were told, had no concept of independence, of rebellion or disobedience. they simply were.
the act of doing something against what they were told, alone, was its own enlightening "holy crap I can do something other than what I was told!" factor. and that itself being, inherently an automatic activation as well of the concience of "uh oh, I did something I wasn't supposed to!"
and to get the full effect of this childlike realization, requires the punishment following the realization of this wrongdoing.

tada! problem solved.

Answer 5

It astounds me too - especially considering how illogical and unreasonable it is to believe in a God/god(s). The other one that gets me is when Christians say that atheists are only "that way" because we are rebelling, like a teenager rebelling against their parents. *sigh*

At any rate, there are atheists in foxholes, and lots of us who have been near death have not suddenly looked for an escape clause or safety net! I've seriously considered my position on God and have no fear about my beliefs. It's the Jews/Christians/Muslims who have the fear about not being "good enough" to get into heaven.

The answer I do give when evangelicals ask me "what if you're wrong?" is that I will go to hell gladly if I'm wrong - I wouldn't worship the God of Abraham even if he did exist - all you have to do is read the first couple of chapters of Genesis to know that a God like that either is insane, evil, or couldn't exist. Who creates people who don't know right from wrong, then punishes them when they do something they were told not to? After all, if Adam and Eve didn't have the knowledge of "good and evil" (which is the fruit of the tree they ate from) how could they be held responsible for their actions? Even our modern day form of justice is more morally advanced than God by recognizing that people who don't know right from wrong shouldn't be punished the same way as those who do.

Answer 6

It's a 'foreign' concept. Not everyone is capable of understanding that which they have not experienced. (There's actually a psychological theorist who addresses this concept though I've seen it in people myself. For instance, I've encountered many people who could not fathom wanting to die or commit suicide. I'm not talking about actually doing it, just wanting to do it.) I also think that not everyone wants to understand it, either. Without the desire, why would a person use the mental power to figure it out?
I'm not saying that all Christians are fit into this mold. I also don't claim to believe in God myself, so I don't break the mold.

Answer 7

The problem is that most atheists make the absolute statement that there IS NO GOD. Well, to make an absolute statement like that, one would have to know this for a fact. If an atheist knows this as a fact, that would make him /her an all knowing entity.....in other words, GOD. Now he/she would be a contradiction of his/her own belief.
Why is is so hard for an atheist to at least acknowlege the possibility of a supreme being? After all, no one knows everything.
Atheism is just another form of religion, most people, however, just disagree with it.

Answer 8

Nuno.. what an incredibly ignorant thing to say. The fact of the matter is, athiests, tending to be more intelligent and certainly more rational than religious people, are fascinated with religion. It blows our minds that people can actually believe in invisible beings. They love a good debate. To say that they ALL avoid churches, etc etc is truly one of the dumbest things I have read in a while.

Answer 9

I'm Catholic and completely understand & accept that atheists don't believe that God exists. Fine. But then leave us believers alone and stop called us close-minded and idiots just because we choose to have faith. Why do you insist on coming to this religious section that is about religion and spirituality when you don't believe in God or having a spirit? Aren't you just wasting your time and ours?

If atheists come here they have to expect to hear about God, faith, religion,Allah, YHVH, Buddha, etc. And of course all you'd have to say is "there is no such thing". Just stop being rude and stop the name calling. We just merely have faith. There's nothing wrong with having faith and there's nothing wrong with not having faith. Live and let live.

Answer 10

Why do u argue that there is no God? To Christians God is real so it is hard for them to believe that someone would not believe in him. Just like atheists strongly believe that there is no God so it is hard to believe someone would believe in him. Beliefs can b really strong in people. It goes both ways.