Question for atheists?

Question

First I'll state I believe in God but am not religious. My question is have you stopped looking? I have no problem with you not believing some of the crazy stories that many religious people do. But I was wondering if you even look for a god anymore? Not a religion and not looking in a book but inside yourselves do you think about it? If not isn't it a mistake? Im not saying its a mistake to believe what you believe but a mistake to accept that there is no god as an axiom? Just as its a mistake for religious people to say there religion is "fact". In a sense sometimes your non-belief in god is as strange to me as a religious person believing some of the more hard to believe parts of religion. Im not putting anyone down here just wondering your thoughts

kerrigan, Tim c: I asked my question in a respectful tone. You should have answered in kind!


Also im not asking about God. I understand you all belive there isnt one. But do you even ask yourself anymore or is it a dead issue to you?

yy4mesymphon: I still look and ask questions all the time. I don't have a religion and maybe I believe in god is a strong word I'm pretty sure there is one.

Answer 1

What do you mean by "looking"?

If God shows up, of course I'll believe in Him. So far, nothing.
It's really that simple.

Being atheist does not imply taking the fact that there is no god "as an axiom". It's not an assumption - it's the natural conclusion to draw from the available evidence.

I do appreciate your respectful tone.

Answer 2

I spent the first few years wanting to be wrong. And even after I got over it I looked for things that were supernatural out of plain old curiosity.

I've gotten over it. I joined a ghost hunter group for a while, and everything stopped working as I made suggestions. They finally didn't want to play with me anymore because it ruined the fun. That is pretty much how it all went. I don't look for god, leprechauns, faeries, ghosts, or Santa anymore because I know they aren't real.

If someone really gets some real evidence for any of these things it will pass peer review and be big big news. I would reconsider things then, but in the mean time there just isn't any point.

It doesn't take any faith not to believe in a story that there is no evidence for. You really would never be able to dismiss anything with that approach.

Answer 3

I haven't stopped looking. I'm not an atheist in the lack of spiritual sense. That sense never stops seeking.

I just don't project it out to a diety. The purest sense of godliness to me, is nature. It was always like that. Even when I had God beliefs. What reflects back to you, it's perfection on a regular bases?

It's funny, but that sense doesn't change just because it becomes un-namable.

I have found that when I don't place structures around things and they remain nameless that a different, deeper instinct begins to emerge.

I never had words to give to God that could encompass how I felt. Now I know that it is in the smile.

Answer 4

I think many atheists reflect on the nature of our own being and are also intrigued by a lot of the research that goes into it. Neurology has begun to explain a wide range issues pertaining to our perceptions. As we dig deeper into our feelings and values we see that the source is based on our brains having adopted language as a tool. We don't realize how limiting language really is and how poorly it really reflects reality. Language has produced many delusions including religious beliefs. Many atheists don't see any proof for God so they don't believe. It isn't a case of believing first then hoping to find it later. As we fill in the gaps of our understanding of the nature of "self" scientific approaches seem to be producing far more concrete proof for what we are. The belief in a god is just not popping up as a contender in the minds of those who truly value rational observations of both the world around us and even deep within ourselves.

Answer 5

I don't continue to look for things for which I can find no evidence, and indeed for which no person has found any evidence. That would be an exercise in futility.

Considering the amount of evidence we have to support the existence of all kinds of complicated things, I would think there'd be an abundance of evidence for such a complicated thing as a deity.

All that said, I remain *open* to whatever discoveries come our way. If the existence of a god or gods was supported by a good amount of scientific evidence, I'd be happy to accept that.

Answer 6

isn't it sad that I cannot provide one example you could understand.... i.e. you ask about believing in a god wondering if it is a mistake not to.... but ok here are a few examples right back at ya

1. why don't you believe in the easter bunny. he gives us eggs every year and never hurts anyone

2. Why don't you believe in santa claus? He will bring you xmas presents every year just so long as you keep believing

3. If there is a god he will not let anyone down by showing himself and proving it. Those who follow him are really totally wacked out and you seem to understand what that is all about so why can't you be at peace with that knowing if there is a god he will stick his head through your computer screen and smile big for you. Not some plagurized sunset or sunrise he never stepped up to take credit for natural wonders

Answer 7

You say you believe in a god, but which one? Have you stopped looking? Maybe you picked the wrong one. Have you ever thought of that?

I will believe in any god that proves it exists, even if there are a hundred of them. Until then, I'm happy being an atheist.

Answer 8

Have I stopped looking for what, exactly? I know that there is nothing there to find. I don't need any special super-friend to hold my hand in life.

Do you spend your time looking for things you know don't exist, like pink fluffy unicorns? If someone did spend their time looking for something that you knew didn't exist, and can be demonstrably proven not to exist, wouldn't you think them foolish, deluded or stupid?

You seem to be arguing from the standpoint that a god exists, yet you can offer no evidence. I'll no waste my time searching for non-existent creatures when there is so much reality to learn about.

Answer 9

At times I do but I know that he is not there. The reason why I give into this idea of looking for god is due to being conditioned that he exists due to attending 12 years of catholic school. I never felt comfortable with going to church and following the rules that they say we have to follow.
If he does exist he either is deaf and can not hear me and other people or he has selective hearing and only listens to people that he wants to listen to. Same could be used as looking.

Answer 10

As a parent, I believe it is critical for parents to spend quality time with their children and communicate clearly with those children. That's what a loving parent does.

God is welcome to come spend some quality time with me. Truth matters more to me than anything else, and with this open mind I hope that God, if there is a God, will find a way to communicate with me.

Trouble is, God doesn't act like a loving parent, because he/she/it doesn't communicate unambiguously with his/her/its children. The "instructions" we get here on earth about developing a relationship with God are contradictory and utterly unclear, and he/she/it has so far refused to clarify them even though this could lead billions of his/her/its children into a better relationship with him/her/it.

Should I believe in a divine delinquent parent or should I admit that he/she/it probably doesn't exist? Hmm...