Okay Atheists and agnostics.....?

Question

I have been thinking about this for a couple of days now and have refrained from asking because I was afraid you guys would think I was slamming you and truly I am not. I believe in God, but I am open minded to all beliefs. I have explored a variety of religions, but never the lack of one. I cannot imagine life without God in it. So if you would bare with me, I would like to understand the other side a little better. So here is my question, and please know I am really curious and not wishing to hurt anyone or disrespect any beliefs: When the chips are down, and there is no one left that you can depend on, who or what do you turn to?

Thank you for your comment St. Mike, But I truly only want to hear from the atheists and the agnostics.

Thanks for teaching me something me. I did not know that Buddhists were atheists. Nor did I know that atheists were not religious free.

Wow and you have all been so nice. I was afraid that I would get slammed. Thanks for sharing. I will look forward to more responses later.

Answer 1

When there is no-one to turn to, one struggle on alone.

When your dad wasn't there to hold the bike up, and there was no-one else around, did you simply stop trying to ride?

When a pilot is required to solo for the first time, they do so alone.

Perhaps Christians are quick t say they don't do anything alone (believing literally the footprints in the sand myth), but that's simply not the way an atheist sees the world.

The belief that , when one comes through a difficult situation, one couldn't have done something on their own, is not borne by careful analysis.

Many people have spontaneously recovered from cancer; this is a function of the body, and does not prove the existence of god.

I'm not saying that there is no god; only that it is quite possible to live life without feeling a need to attribute all good fortune, coincidence or escape from danger to some higher power.

Answer 2

I don't turn to anyone. I take care of myself. Times can and will get tough or depressing, but seeking for the truth is the most important thing to me.

I've just recently converted to atheism(NO it was not a choice in the same manner as choosing to go out on Friday night), and ill be honest, when i think about our existence in this universe, it depresses me. When im out with my friends, i feel good. I can be myself; the person that doesn't have to be restricted by a divine set of morals. That doesn't mean im some evil kid in any way, though.

I guess my problem is focusing on the negative side of our exsitence; i'm trying to change my view of the world into a positive and uplifting one-shot at existence, where i live the best life i can while im here.

Answer 3

I think you've answered your own question in a way. "When there's no one left to turn to" then there are only those ashen bits of mental and emotional fluff, beliefs, psychological habits, ideas, and rationale. What is faith but certainty? What's the difference between different certainties? Need one turn to anything in dejection or in conflict? Does it change anything to whom or what one addresses oneself in isolation from other people? I suppose only to the degree in which it works. Religion has time tested certification in this regard, and I personally think certain people are more apt towards religious sentiment than others, and, I suppose, it is a chicken and egg dilemma of which is the driving force the power of the religion itself or the power of a predisposition to religious sentiment. I know, personally, I lack the latter and, so, have really no appreciation of the former.

Answer 4

I hope that there will always be someone I can depend on and turn to. As a rationalist and agnostic my problem is that let's say I thought (as you do) that it would be helpful to turn to God in a time of need. The fact that it might be a nice thing will not let me rationally take that leap of faith. I see what you're asking, but even if I accept your hidden proposition that it's better to believe than not to believe, this won't convince me that God is real. And there may be some sort of higher power, I just don't know and don't see any real evidence of it.

Answer 5

We always have ourselves to turn to. Wouldn't we each be our own strongest ally?

I'm not sure why I would ever need more than that. When the chips are down, and something has to be done, I do it. It really isn't nearly as difficult as most people think. And I have been in some dark and lonely situations.

I honestly don't know how talking to something that may or may not be there, and from which I'd get no response anyway, would help me in the slightest. All you are really doing is turning to the strength within. Same as me.

Answer 6

Friends, family, my lovely girlfriend. If they all weren't there, I would have to depend on myself. And in the ends, that's what it all boils down to. I can handle myself pretty well.

Rationalising things always helps. I'm a lucky guy. I wasn't born in a poor country, I have a nice job, a beautiful girlfriend, a bunch of amazing friends around me, parents that love me. What possibly can I whine about?

Of course, bad things happen to anybody, also to me. But one look in a newspaper makes me realize I have no right to whine, about anything. In a world where 30,000 innocent children die every single day caused by starvation and Aids, what posisble can I personally complain about?

I'm lucky, very lucky. And I can better devote my time in helping the people that truly need it, than whine about my own problems.

May sound harsh, but it is how I live my life.

Answer 7

Myself. Believe me it would be great if there was an all powerful being watching over me and he had a magical utopia where I could go and live after I die. It would be nice. Unfortunately... I just have never seen any reputable proof in favor of god or an afterlife so I choose to be atheist/agnostic until I have a reason to believe which I doubt I ever will. There is plenty of pleasure and beauty in life without god.

Answer 8

Are you asking if I'll pray when I'm on my deathbed? I doubt it, but who knows. I can tell you this -- I separate what I know to be true from learned behaviors like praying. I have a friend who always knocks on wood. She doesn't believe that knocking on wood actually matters, but she does it anyway out of habit. If you were raised religious, you probably have an inclination to pray, even if you don't believe that it matters. The best answer I can give is: I would never "turn to god" in a meaningful way, even if I pray. Praying for me is like knocking on wood.

Answer 9

Like any human in distress, the biological and mental instincitve reaction is to retreat into oneself. It is in these times that theists simply use prayer as a proxy for actually having someone to depend on. Those who have no one to depend on and who do not believe in a god or gods, APPARENTLY depend more on their inner duality, their internal monologue, conversing with their 'conscience,' etc...all different terms for the same sort of thing. But the fact is that theists do the exact same thing, except that when they do it, they call it "prayer," and instead of addressing themselves, they address "God." (or Allah or Yahweh or whatever one chooses to name it)

With the same disclaimer of 'not trying to slam you,' prayer is the theistic equivalent to someone being more prone to talking to oneself/thinking out loud in such situations. They are temporarily comforted by the illusion of companionship that doing either provides, and even an illusion is more comforting than the reality of solitude. Many people who go through PROLONGED times of great stress, especially early in life, talk about one of their reasons for becoming atheist being that the feeling of comfort one may get from prayer, for example, simply 'wears off' with time. They pray, and feel good when they pray, but eventually, reality comes back around, and this 10 year-old's pet is still dying, for example.

I hope this has helped...I've tried to be both frank and sensitive, but it is difficult--theists tend to take strong offense at even the slightest insinuation that their beliefs are simply a product of their own imagination/biology, a mere defense mechanism against the realization of one's own mortality.

Answer 10

i know what your getting at. its the no way out, god help me thing, and if you have to say that, your probably screwed anyway. im agnostic, which means to me, i dont have the intellect to say one way or another about god, or what ever the term. it doesnt mean your not spiritual. i have native american heritage, and thats the way my spirituality goes. ive felt that ever since i can remember feeling anything at all on those lines. if i say god help me, its because its been planted in my brain for years. i had an experience a few years back that left me with no doubt about the existence of an afterlife.