God or no God, what does it matter?

Question

The quesiton of whether God exists has been one of polarizing division. I am a believer, myself. I have seen God make such amazing and remarkably positive impact and changes in the lives of so many people time and time again. That is people who have made such amazing accomplishments or improvements to themselves after making a proclamation of faith in Him. The question I have is why should those people (inspite of their accomplishments and/or improvements etc... simply because they give credit to God for what's happened in their life) be so ridiculed for holding that belief? While a non-believer will scoff and call them delusional as they are perfectly normal in every other aspect of their life, why would it bother them so much? I don't mean to be antagonistic here, I'm just genuinely curious.

I appreciate the answers so far! Balls of fire, belly button lint worshipers, the imposition of personal views, the history of religous persecution and the fear of it's resurgence, lunitic fringe "crazy's", had enough and we're pushing back... I love it! All are valid and worthy of due respect. While we have our freedom and liberties to exercise our respective "faiths", and the protection under the Establishment Clause, shouldn't our fears be allayed so long as these guidlines are adhered to? How do we bridge the gap and learn to agree to disagree?

Answer 1

I don't worry about someone's beliefs. I do worry about his actions. Specifically, I do worry about how his actions can impact innocent people (sometimes I even fall in this category).

Personally speaking, I couldn't care less if someone worships God, the devil, cows, or belly button lint.

If that person's worship causes him to harm other people or deny others their basic freedoms, then I do care. I care a great deal.

I personally don't take issue with the average Christian. The average Christian does mind his own business and speaks about religion in a polite manner. But, the bad Christians earn the most ire. The Christians like George Bush, Fred Phelps, and Pat Robinson, who contribute to the enslavement, harassment, and murder of non-Christians, are everybody's concerns.

Unfortunately, not every non-Christian shares my ideals. While I don't bother the average Christian, some people do. I cannot speak for them.

I suppose that, in short, I agree with you that it doesn't matter. But I did want to explain that my objections are to those who would try to hurt us. I'm sure that your objections were to similar people.

Answer 2

I think some, but not all, of the backlash from non-believers is due to how some believers present themselves in defense of their belief.

Judging by some of the believer’s written words, some self-professed Christians seem to have wandered away from the “love thy neighbor” reservation.

People are alienated when the enthusiastic for their faith violate the biblical admonition to share our beliefs in the proper manner:

1Pe 3:15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;
1Pe 3:16 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
(ESV Translation)

As I said above, not all of the backlash is due to bad-acting believers. Some non-believers are bad-actors as well. I would argue that Christians and non-believers are just like other folks; some are overly sensitive, insensitive, kind of spirit or not easily ruffled. In short, we are all imperfect people in an imperfect world. I believe charity of spirit is the most important quality one should strive to obtain. Such a benevolent goodwill enables a person to peacefully co-exist with everyone and make this imperfect world just a little bit more tolerable. We all have our inherent biases and flaws, but there is no reason we cannot strive to be better, no matter what our personal circumstances may be.

Answer 3

Listen, if everyone was like you, atheists would have no problem. But the fact is, that most believers (present company excluded of course) not only claim to have the absolute truth, but try to force that upon others. They argue back and forth, and we who do not believe are hated equally by all. I'm sorry, but all the pushing and pressure you feel from nonbelievers....thats them pushing BACK. Fundamentalists are trying to enter their faith into every facit of life and morality, and they push and push and dig at us and degrade us and for many years killed us. We're frankly tired of it. We've got a voice now, after centuries of trying to gain equality, we've found that in Western style democracy. We were willing to let that go for a few hundred years with a secular, reasoned, just government and society, untill religion again tried and is trying now to take over the society. We have long memories, and we don't quickly forget the lessons of the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Scopes monkey trial, the numerous cases of religious abuse. People have, in the name of religion, commited and continue to commit aggregious acts of hate and destruction, and many in the Religious fringe are calling for a return to just such mentality. Though you are more moderate in your faith, you allow those of your faith who are extreme to continue, and many are complicit of the "crazy's" in your own churches. Since Christians and all believers have a terrible history of policing their own, we non believers are compelled to stand up and say "No, killing, even for God, is wrong." You may stand with us in this, but most of you are silent when it comes to saying that "No one knows the Truth, so all should be respected." Religion demands that you believe in a greater truth, so will always be sectarian. Sorry, even if you don't see it in yourself, your faith and those like you are the one's who've fired the first shots, we're just firing back.

Answer 4

When you say "God make[s] such amazing and remarkably positive impact" it's really just your opinion that that is the cause. To a non-believer the results are just as amazing and yet...not caused by a god. I'm not sure there's any value in your seeing things any differently than you are but I am certain you have not.

Answer 5

Imagine if you where in a civilization removed from society. Your tribe believes the sun is God, and worship it, and praise it when things go good, and wonder why it didn't help when things go bad.

Then I find you, and let you know that the sun is just a burning ball of gas, much like the rest of the stars just a lot closer.

Yeah, it's that obvious.

Answer 6

But do you hide the 100 million killed in God's name? Isn't that considered a Holocaust? I wish that you could also see God getting the religions to agree on God, so the violence can end.

Answer 7

Maybe because once they believe they like to insists that everyone must believe and like telling people they will go to hell if they don't jump on the bandwagon?

Personally, I don't care what anyone believes as long as they keep it out of public schools and the laws of the land.

Answer 8

because he's God - our author, service, and so on, and so on He no longer basically benefits the note of that some do no longer discover the money for Him, yet also the honoring and worship..............God has finished what no one else has - given existence, provisions, and on and on to all in this international, and few even thank Him for what they have.............we were Created through Him to be perfect - as His Son is - yet because of the autumn of Adam & Eve, this international has been in decline on condition that..........the sturdy information is that Jesus will Rapture the Church quickly

Answer 9

IT DOES MATTER...
IF YOU (and those like you) BELIEVE IN GOD...IT MATTERS TO YOU (and those like you) THAT GOD DOES AND SHOULD EXIST...
AFTER ALL, YOU (and those like you) CLAIM YOUR WHOLE LIFE REVOLVES AROUND YOUR GOD.

TO US ATHEISTS, IT'S NOT ONLY THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE IN HIM AND ''THAT'S THAT !!''...AND YOUR CLAIM THAT IF WE DON'T BELIEVE WHY SHOULD WE GIVE A DAMN...IS IRRELEVANT...WE DO CARE ABOUT THE FACT THAT GOD DOES NOT EXIST.....OUR ARGUMENT IS THAT HUMANITY WOULD ADVANCE YET FURTHER IF WE COULD GET RID OF RELIGIOUS NONSENSE ONCE AND FOR ALL....WAR DEVASTATES WHOLE CONTINENTS...
WARS ARE CAUSED BY RELIGIONS........I KNOW THAT THE U.S.A. BOMBS OTHER COUNTRIES FOR PETROLEUM....BUT GUESS WHAT.....PETROLEUM IS THE NEW RELIGION....

Answer 10

It does matter when people begin to think that god is on their side, they then self righteously try to inflict their morals and values on others.