What is it like to be an Atheist?

Question

I mean, is it a religion, a feeling, is it how you live your life from day to day??!!

Answer 1

Well, since I was a christian before I became an atheist, I can tell you what I have noticed as the difference.

I feel more responsible for myself and how I behave since I don't believe there is a god to forgive my bad behavior. I feel more independent, and I tend to think things through more completely, since there isn't a god to rely on to save me from the consequences I set into motion.

I feel liberated and responsible. I feel like I am living life to the fullest, since there is no afterlife.

And I get to sleep in on Sunday morning.

Answer 2

Atheism isn't a religion. We don't have one. In my experience, its great I guess. I'm person personally a person who doesn't like to be held down or restricted to rules, so a plus there. I'm very open to the other people's religion and often curious about how their daily lives are. I'm a woman of science yet I love the old fairy tale, supernatural, and magistrate. They fascinate me.

The only thing I don't understand is the "feeling" people have with or towards their religion. What is that like? People try to explain to me but I still don't get it.

Answer 3

An atheist looks at everything in the world and all that is wonderful about life and can say "All this might not have been. I am lucky to be aware of the extraordinary quality of nature and being alive. I must make the very most of it I can because one day it will be over."

Answer 4

umm... Atheist means "without god" so no, its not a religion. A religion needs a god.

I live. I don't focus on there being "no god". I just live my life from day to day, just like you do. I just don't pray or go to church or in any way even remotely think about there being any god.

Edit: Check out Holly totally ignoring anything any Atheist said on here in favor of her very very very limited view on life. How very intelligent of her. Holly would be a reason why so many of us have problems with Christians. Because you're unwilling to see outside of your box.

Answer 5

Freedom of fear, freedom of ignorance, love of my ability to reason, to understand the uselessness of prayer, and lovingness of humanity. The value of my fellow man, each of us on this little grain of sand called earth. The certainty that the challenge of life is to do all the wonderful things that one wishes to do before one's time is up. The realization that no religion is any better than any other, and most are bad, yet atheists don't damn others to hell, since there is no such place. And the knowledge that anytime I hear anyone say he is an athiest, I know I am talking to a very bright, educated person.... super religious fanatics are generally not very bright.....

As an atheist, I gave up fairy tales, easter bunnies, santas, and sky daddies when I was in the third grade. So, I guess I've been one since I was 9. Supernatural stuff just seemed unreasonable, and for sure unprovable, as any minister I ever talked to confessed.

My parents taught me how to think, not WHAT to think, and I have been forever grateful to them for not forcing something down my throat. When I had a question about something religious, my dad would always say, "Well, what do YOU think?"

A professor of mine in Christian Ethics has on his door, "Oh, God....... Protect us from those who believe in you."

And then when George said that god told him to attack Iraq, I wonder why god didn't also tell him that there were no weapons of mass distruction..... So, someone is lying.... either god, or george. Either way, we're in trouble.

The supernatural just always seemed unreasonalble... and so egotistical.... here we all are, all 6.5 billion of us on this spec of sand in a universe bigger than Colorado. How smug of us to think some sky daddy would even care about our puny little lives thru billions and billions of years, and each life no longer than the blink of an eyelash.

So what is it like? Delicious to know nothing controls my life, but me. I am responsible for my own happiness, and that I have a moral obligation to leave this spec of sand a bit better a place for all living things than when I found it. That I owe other living things a right to dignity, and love, and that I owe to animals, kindness and respect, as much as I own kindness and respect to other persons.....And that obligation to respect all life on this grain of sand is powerful....and has nothing at all to do with a god, a heaven or a hell........

Answer 6

I wouldn't call myself an atheist, but I would say that it is probably the same as being a Catholic. the interpretation of your religion changes with time... to be interpreted in the way most useful for the times.

(for example: Limbo for babies has just been revised, the inquisition, Christians burning of "witches", Latino catholics who use curses and spells. It all suits the place and time, and has nothing to do with the original bible.)

Atheists believe what they want, when they want, and change those beliefs. It's the same all over the world.

Answer 7

Then only difference is that Atheists don't believe in god or pray to god for things to work out. Otherwise it's the same as for Theists. We live a normal life and whatnot. Anyway Atheism isn't a belief. It's simply the disbelief in any god or gods or whatever.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism

Answer 8

I feel to be an Atheist is not so bad. Probably less judgmental for sure. lol ~ Possibly more freedom from religion and openess to the things that are now before all mankind. It could also open one to more choices. lol It's a matter of choice what a person wants to choose to be his / her experience.

Answer 9

I live my life pretty much the same as I did when I was a believer. The belief has changed, but the person hasn't.

Answer 10

Live life day to day, walk one foot at a time. Life is great.