How can people believe there is no God?

Question

I just don't understand that. If you are an atheist, please tell me why you believe that. I won't criticize you or anything, I just want to hear the atheist's side of the story.

Answer 1

Because there is no evidence of one -- not the slightest bit. I will believe in nothing without at least some evidence. Noted Catholic theologian Hans Kung, in a huge book entitled Does God Exist?, examined the matter in excruciating detail, and concluded that neither the existence nor non-existence of god can be imputed from either logic or evidence. I agree. For much more on this, see:

Answer 2

The word "believe" and atheist do not coexist. An atheist does not believe in 'no' god, rather an atheist accepts the fact that there is no evidence that there is. 'Belief 'has nothing to do with it. Some are better at defining their approach to this, others just get rude and impatient - much like 'believers' do.

Do not assume that because atheists do not 'believe', or are not convinced of the Invisible Man in the Sky, that they are not moral people. Most are educated, intelligent and articulate individuals, not the immoral monsters as proposed by many R&S posters. Indeed, atheism is probably the most tolerant of any 'belief systems'

What's to criticize?

Answer 3

Very easily.

People have dreamed up thousands of gods; you have no trouble understanding all except one are made up, but for some reason you think one is real - and this happens to be the same god that almost everybody around you believes in. Coincidence?



Nobody can prove any gods, much less a specific god, exist; many people will tell you their god exists but no others, but will never be able to prove it, even if they think so. Some will threaten you with eternal pain or promise eternal joy to get you to believe in their god; these are all stories, created for people who were scared long before we understood the universe. Now we have no more reason for these superstitions.

How terrible the bible in particular is:
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/
http://www.evilbible.com/

Did Jesus really exist?
http://www.medmalexperts.com/POCM/getting_started_pocm.html
http://nobeliefs.com/exist.htm
http://www.inu.net/skeptic/exist.html

How silly and horrible religion in general is:
http://godisimaginary.com/
http://whywontgodhealamputees.com/

The alternative:
http://www.religioustolerance.org/
http://www.infidels.org/
http://www.positiveatheism.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_Universalism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism

Answer 4

I used to be agnostic and let me tell you it not difficult to believe there is no God. Faith in Him, which is willing acceptance of Him without the proof you may see in a book, is the difficult part. That is the glory of Him once you do accept Him.
As I said, I've been there - I couldn't believe. That does not mean an athiest or agnostic cannot lead a life more in line with God's laws than those who professes to believe in Him. Is the consistant church goer who does believe in God but cheats on his wife a better person than the athiest who is devote to wife and family? I think not.
Christianity is believing in God but it is also living life as he would have you.

EDIT:
chancelikely: maybe those ancient gods were the manner in which God revealed himself to the people of that time. They too would have been his children.

Answer 5

If you REALLY want to understand why probably a majority of atheists are atheists try reading the book by Richard Dawkins called "The God Delusion". It expresses it so well, as fully and completely as it probably can be expressed. That is, if you really want to know.

Answer 6

Most humans are indoctrinated, practically from birth, to believe in one or more gods. Young humans believe whatever their parents tell them, which was probably a good evolutionary trait when we lived in caves: "Don't go out alone at night or you might be eaten by a tiger." Those who didn't listen might not have survived to breeding age (the aim of all species is self-perpetuation).

That said, when I was young I recognized the contradictions, and downright silliness, of religious beliefs. At about the age of 16, I read the entire christian bible, front to back (I skipped over a few pages of "begots" because it was just too tedious). That confirmed, for me, that those writings were done by primitive, violent, ignorant humans.

It was just ridiculous to believe anything in that book, just as it was ridiculous to believe in Superman just because someone wrote about him.

Then, too, I began to read about the history of religion, in general, and christianity, in particular, and learned that just about every story in the christian bible was stolen from earlier religions and philosophies. See http://www.entheology.org/POCM/

I also questioned so-called miracles, and found that they were either false or easily explained by natural means. See http://www.whydoesgodhateamputees.com/

So, all in all, I'd say that I don't believe in any god or gods because there's no reason to.

Answer 7

What created the big bang? If A created the big bang, what created A? If B created A, what created B? There won't be an end to my question. Atheists: would you help me out, before you come back to R&S section.

Wayne: Hi, I am a 3C (Chinese Christian in China), but I agree with you 100%. Keep coming back:))

Answer 8

Why don't you believe in Thor? Perkunas? Marduk? Ahura Mazda? Zeus? Osiris? What makes the storm god of the Hebrews more believable than the storm god of the Norse, or the Egyptian god of the dead?

Answer 9

In the same way that you don't believe in the Gods of any religion other than your own... I just go one God further than you.

PS: That is part of a quote but I don't know the person who said it.

Answer 10

If God doesn't exist, everything is permissible. That is the reason why SOME are so hateful in the idea of God, it prohibits something they want to do.