What do atheists actually believe in?

Question

Please make it understandable for a 15 year old. Also, I heard that they believe they turn into trees when they die? o.o

Answer 1

First of all, atheists aren't part of a club or group that believe in the same thing. Each person who happens to be atheistic is an individual and will believe in different philosophies, etc.

The one thing we have in common is that we don't believe in God/god(s). We don't believe that there is a divine, all-powerful, unchanging creator being. Most atheists don't believe in the supernatural in any form, but not all.

I do believe that I'll become a tree when I die, but only in the sense that when I die, my body will decompose into the building blocks of other things and those elements will become other things, just as the elements that make up my body now were other things in the past.

To put it simply, I don't believe in God, I don't believe that I have a soul that will continue on after I'm dead, and I don't believe in heaven or hell.

Answer 2

Trees? I think you've heard a little too much Dane Cook :]

Hah, the trees idea is basically a "I will return to the Earth from whence I came" idea. It's very true, when you consider how the Earth works as an ecosystem. Of course, it's devoid of spirituality, which is why I guess it's shunned (Don't understand why, Humans suck to being with)

It basically is a disbelief in God. Personally, I have many ideas about the Universe and Life. There's no set doctrine or anything. It's kind of "Non-Denominational-Godless Spirituality".

Notice the spirituality. Just because you don't believe in God doesn't mean you can't have a spiritual life.

Answer 3

There are a lot of misunderstandings about who atheists are, what they believe, and what they don’t believe. People are or become atheists for many different reasons. Being an atheist is a choice or act of will — like theism, it’s a consequence of what one knows and how one reasons. Atheists are not all angry, they aren’t in denial about gods, and they aren’t atheists to avoid taking responsibility for their acts. It’s about refusing to embrace the God of the Universe or a Divine Creator or any god in their life so they do not have to be afraid of hell. They don't believe there is any life after death.

Answer 4

We DON'T believe in god, and have many different things we do believe in. I'm not sure about the tree part, but trees are beautiful,I wouldn't mind, and it sure makes more sense to turn into a tree, then...going to a perfect place were everyone loves everyone else.

Answer 5

Not god. And most don't believe in an afterlife at all. So if by turning into trees you mean becoming fertilizer, well, yes, that happens to everyone.

There's really not much you can say about us atheists beside the fact that we don't believe in god. It doesn't mean we don't have any other beliefs, just not the god one.

Answer 6

They believe in science; they are not religious in any way and only believe they turn to trees when they die if they are extremely drunk!

Answer 7

Atheist / Weak atheist - Do not believe in God(s).
Strong atheist - Believe there are no God(s).

Most atheists I know are strong atheists and also believe there are *no* supernatural or mystical elements at all - no Gods, no heavens, no hells, no demons, no gnomes, no Santa, no psychics, no leprechauns... nothing like that at all.

It's a largely WYSIWYG Universe, except for scientifically detectable elements like the sub-atomic world (quarks, etc.), the huge array of radiation, and similar.

So, no... "turning into trees" would be a supernatural thing.

Answer 8

Atheism, by the classic definition used by most philosophers, is simply the absence of theism, the lack of a god-belief. Therefore, any belief other than the lack of belief in god is, very likely, believed by some Atheists

Answer 9

We don't believe in anything, rather we lack belief in a god/gods. I suppose, in a certain way, I do believe I'll become a tree, or an animal... but it won't be my consciousness, it will merely be the matter that was me being converted into another phase or form.

Answer 10

being an atheist is like being a parent and watching kids get all hyped about Santa Claus on Christmas when you know that there is no Santa Claus, but you play along just to please them......an atheist like myself are tough on our life and death events, that there is no heaven or hell whatever, we, live and we die ,that is that , no hoping for more then that .........like we know there isn't going to be a fat guy in a red pullover going to climb down the chimney.