What are the cons of being an atheist? Why not take a chance at having an outstanding life after death? I just dont see why you would want to believe in nothing, when there is a possibility that you could go to heaven. If there is no God then what did it hurt? But ill tell you the best days of your life are not discovered til you have read the bible and got to know about God and his teachings.
2007-04-01 23:14:06 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I will be praying for you KIT F.
2007-04-01 23:51:09 · update #1
it is my view while not an atheist is that they are afraid of the consequences of religion and having to live a certain way. Also i feel that all organized religions today give bad examples the true Christians are those who follow Jesus and his message of love and peace.
2007-04-01 23:23:39 · answer #1 · answered by Cpt. Amazing 4 · 0⤊ 5⤋
I have read the Bible... It did nothing to influence my beliefs, rather it solidified them - have you ever read it? Unfortunately I only have a KJV Bible so the translation's a bit off but it contridicts itself all over the shop and, in the OT, really doesn't do much for God's reputation as a benevolent creator, more of a impotent vindictive dictator (paraphrasing: "Thou shall not have gods before me as I am a jealous god and do not like it").
Anyway, besides all that I don't really choose to be an atheist, rather I see no reason to believe in gods therefore I become an atheist by default.
2007-04-02 00:08:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because it's the only rational point of view. You could just as well ask why grown-ups don't believe in fairies or Santa Claus - after all, you might be missing out on something from them too, yes?
Thinking people don't believe in fairy tales.
Here's a similar wager for you:
Live as if there are no gods, enjoy life, and be a decent person. If there is indeed a just god, you will be rewarded. If there are no gods, you had a worthwhile life and that's the end of it. If there is an unjust god, then you're probably screwed anyway, whatever you do.
2007-04-01 23:19:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 8⤊ 1⤋
Religion is the biggest cause for most terrorist acts in the world. If people like you would just understand that everyone is open to their own opinions then the world would be a lot closer to the "heaven" that you talk about.
Atheism means not having to worry about abiding by someone's rules, and being free to make your own judgements. They dont want to waste their lives being devoted to something they dont truly believe in.
I myself am Agnostic, because religion overwhelms me. I believe there is something out there, but I'm not sure what.
2007-04-01 23:18:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
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This is YOUR detail. So, we see that you are new here. You must understand that this question is asked so many times by the uninitiated that we are getting fed up with the infantile nature of it.
However, as you are new, you get an answer.
1: God is an imaginary entity fabricated by some deluded men some 2000 plus years ago.
Gods have been imagined by men ever since men gained the ability to imagine. You may recall Thor, Ra, Zeus etc, etc.
2: Since god is imaginary, a fairy-tale if you like, then all things associated with it are also untrue and do not exist. Thus, there is no such thing as;
Heaven
Hell
Satan
Angels
Soul
After-life.
I realise that it is incredibly difficult for you to appreciate that this is the reality, as you were no doubt indoctrinated into your religion as an impressionable child and, so far, you have not been able to shake it off, as you MAY have shaken off the myth about Santa Claus.
There comes a time in most thinking humans' lives when religion just does not make sense. For those who arrive at that point in their lives, usually between 12 and 15 years old, questions start being asked; questions for which there are no valid answers. As more questions are not answered satisfactorily and as science shows us more and more, the god-myth gradually emerges as a total fabrication and the intelligent human dismisses the whole thing.
THAT is why we choose to be an atheist.
To be an atheist means that logic, reason and common-sense are no longer suspended to support a fabrication.
It does take strength of character to become an atheist; to come to terms with the fact that good civilised behaviour does NOT depend on the fear of being judged at the end of your life by some magical supernatural being but of being judged by your contemporaries here and now.
It does seem to us that religious people live in fear of hell but in the hope of heaven and yet convince themselves that they are so happy ... Fine, as I am all for you believing in anything as long as you shut up about it, keep it to yourselves, preferably NOT indoctrinate your children into the same way of life and ruin theirs also and, most importantly, stay out of government and education systems, where the archaic and deluded wanderings of befuddled minds are not appreciated.
Finally, look up Pascal's Wager and see that your question has been asked by many people over a long time period and realise that the suggestion is infantile in its concept.
The time has come to set aside childish things and join the adult world, where reality is grim and you have to learn to cope with it.
Also understand that not only have most atheists read the bible but have also read far more than that. We also have not 'cherry-picked' the bible, as we have read, understood and absorbed the bad, contradictory parts as well as the good advice contained. We thus reject the bible out of hand.
I will certainly not waste my time on a futile and childish pursuit - just in case. My mind was made up 53 years ago and no whining little pipsqueak who thinks that they have come up with an original and compelling question will come anywhere NEAR changing my mind. You are FAR too late for that.
I do not believe in nothing.
I believe in me, as a solitary human being, whose actions and decisions are entirely my own. I will use this one and only life I will ever get to better myself, my family, my friends and, where I can, anyone else who I can reach. Maybe you are one such.
Also see what icarus62 said. makes MUCH more sense.
2007-04-01 23:45:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why not use an argument other than Pascal's wager. If we atheists had a dollar for everytime this old chestnut comes up each of us would be able to buy Yahoo off eachother.
2007-04-01 23:19:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
The Christians gave me fire and brimstone. The Atheists gave me a toaster. So, I'm going to bank with the Atheists.
That's a joke, son.
2007-04-02 00:16:55 · answer #7 · answered by theoryparker 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have read the bible, and it certainly wasn't the best days of my life. It wasn't the worst either, but it didn't make me believe in god.
2007-04-01 23:19:01 · answer #8 · answered by murnip 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Most people are not going to choose to trust God. And most people, from what I gather from what the Bible says, are being chosen by Him.
2007-04-01 23:18:52 · answer #9 · answered by Christian Sinner 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because "someone" got and education and was able to make a difference between fairy tales inspired by bronze age middle eastern goat herders and reality.
2007-04-01 23:18:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Most are atheist till they are ready to die then make a quick conversion but since I believe all paths eventually lead home its more what they do then what they say that makes the difference. Love brings love and hate brings hate and we are far too stupid to judge others.
2007-04-01 23:22:43 · answer #11 · answered by stevemxusa 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋