What is the point of being atheist?

Question

I just don't see the reasoning. What do you lose by believing in a God. Whereas, if you are atheist, and there happens to be a God after death, you lose out on the going to heaven thing. Its a gamble not to but win-push scenario to believe in something.

Answer 1

It's not about "a point". I'm not an atheist because I prefer it or because there are perks. I'm an atheist because I acknowledge reality. I'm an atheist because the god concept is logically impossible and I couldn't force myself to ignore that truth even if I wanted to.

By the way, telling us to "bet on God" is something called "Pascal's Wager". It's a faulty, crummy argument. You shouldn't use it.

Answer 2

Pascals wager I assume. Well firstly one cannot feign belief in something crazy, infantile and immoral (such as a belief in the christain sky god) just to hedge bets. Secondly you assume that giving up on truth and reason are a suitable sacrifice for this bet.

Well perhaps you should worry that you hedged your bets on the wrong god, perhaps allah will have you burn in hell --- worried yet.................no..............your not. That's precisely why I am not worried about any god.

You ARE an atheist to thousands of gods, I am an atheist to only one more than you.

If you ever want some knowledge - read one of Richard Dawkins books - it would do you a world of good.

If you don't change your mind, at least you'll ask more intelligent questions next time.
PS Atheists do believe - in things we can prove,eg I believe in love, family, friends, good food, good wine, caring for the environment, be an activist, truth and justice as a right for all. If this isn't enough for you - you're just greedy

Answer 3

I agree with Eri. There is no evidence for any God, so should I spend my life worshipping them all just in case. If so, the benefit of being an Atheist is Iactually having a life.

At this point in time, I live in the warm glow of enlightenment of knowing that there is no God. I don't live in false hope that when I die I may have an eternal life and do everything I didn't do when I was alive.

I live life for the today, not the hereafter.

Answer 4

OK. You convinced me. Now tell me something. Which god should I believe in? Should I be a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim or a Hindu or something else? If you want to talk about odds, the odds say that no matter which one I pick I'm going to be wrong.
One more thing. Either a person believes in something or they don't. If there was a God and I acted like I believed in him or her when I didn't, wouldn't that God know I was faking?

Answer 5

I see it as neither "win" nor "lose". I cannot make myself believe something just because I think it is to my advantage to believe it. I am an honest man. I simply choose not to lie - or make a false claim - saying that I believe something, when I do not believe it. To try to get this across to people who just cannot understand that someone might think differently than they do, I will try to restate this;

I do not think I am gambling anything. I am willing to accept that maybe you are right and there is a god, but maybe I'm right there isn't - either way I know that -I- personally don't believe in my heart that there is one; and I am just not willing to be a fake, or try to lie to myself, or pretend to think other than I do. Can you get that? What you believe is your business - regardless of what I think and likewise whether or not it makes a difference after I'm dead or not - I cannot force myself to believe in something that doesn't seem real to me.

Answer 6

You lose nothing at all. Rather you gain freedom - to be able to enjoy life for what it is; To enjoy nature, art, music, food, wine, love, and friendship - all things that are real and tangible.

Edit: Life-after-death - It's a chance I'm willing to take. If there truly is a God, then I imagine He would do the right and noble thing by allowing a good person into Heaven regardless of his or her religion. If He doesn't, then it would only serve to confirm the lack of honour of your beloved god.

Answer 7

Wrong. Religions cause violence. People who practice any religion believe they are right and that anything promised to them by their imaginary god is rightfully theirs. This causes problems when multiple religions promise the same land. And since each group of people practicing their religion think they're better than the other guy's because they're right, violence is a holy act and their gods' will. To an atheist none of this unnecessary bloodshed makes any sense. Atheists believe that since their is no afterlife everything we do in this life is extremely important. We don't believe in incomprehensible gods, instead we put our faith and love in the people around us and use our brains to think for ourselves. We don't like morals dictated by someone else and forced upon us. Judging by the wording of your question it seems as though you have doubts of god's existence also as everyone should otherwise faith in god would be meaningless. And as I understand it, to have any doubt of god's existence won't get you into heaven.

Answer 8

How can one believe something real when there is no evidence to prove it does? Atheism is a lack of belief. I needs no point. All one needs to believe is a clear thinking brain, capable of logical reasoning.

We atheists don't lose. Why would we want to go to heaven and be with the evil psychopath god of the christian bible? Why would we want to be around the loser scum that refused to give us the proof we required in order to believe in him. When we use the brain he gave us to make the rational conclusion he isnt real, he sends us to burn in hell? We lose nothing pal.

Answer 9

I would like to know what your Religious Sect is.

I myself am a Christian and would like to know what you are.
Thank you.

If you are a person of the Christ-like belief I would like for you to read the following for it will answer your question.

At least in my perspective. (Is this Bashing)?

Matthew 7:1- “Don’t criticize. And then you won’t be criticized. 2-For others will treat you as you treat them. 3-And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? 4-Should you say `Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? 5-Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother.”

Have a nice Sunday, and may My Heavenly Father watch over and protect you.

A Christian

Answer 10

What do I win? Looking at myself in a mirror with a straight face, for example. I just hate lying to myself.

Lying is a sin in your Bible, btw. I figure lying to oneself doesn't count?

You don't win anything either. Which god did you pick out of the 10,000 available ones? So, you won a change of one in ten thousand. Huge gamble.

Zeus will probably smite you in the end for believing in the wrong god.

(your argument is called Pascal's Wager, look it up)

Answer 11

Whats the factor of believing a fairy tale? in simple terms because of the fact each physique is afraid of demise? i don't have a faith. So i'm no longer believing in something. i'm in simple terms residing existence. no longer all religions would be appropriate. because of the fact of this maximum religions (yet one) are relatively made up. they'd't all be appropriate. So if some have been previous a lifelike doubt made up why is it so complicated to have faith that all of them are. i'm sorry i do no longer have faith we are here via magic. in case you have faith in god you may no longer have faith in technology. you may no longer have faith in some information and then have faith interior the impossible. because of the fact then whats the factor of proving something while there are "miracles." I by no ability make exciting of people for his or her ideals yet you're making exciting of what i've got faith. you elect to bypass there i will bypass there. the authentic heaven is existence itself. Why shrink your self with the guidelines spoke of as "sins". i might rather stay and be satisfied and not concern if i bypass to burn in an eternal fireplace or no longer. i do no longer choose a bible to tell me that taking somebody's existence is erroneous. I actual have a feeling of appropriate and incorrect with out that. And if the bible says being gay is a sin i do no longer choose something to do with it! look at your guy or woman ideals earlier you criticize mine.