I've always wanted to ask an Atheist this?

Question

If there is no God, why are Atheist necessary? Or maybe I need an explanation as to what it means to be an Atheist.

Answer 1

An athiest is "Someone who denies the existence of God". Your question doesn't really make sense. It's like asking "If there is a God, why are believers necessary?" You can have both athiests AND believers whether there is a God, many gods, or no gods at all.

Answer 2

Do you mean "why is atheism necessary?" - i.e., if something doesn't exist, why is a lack of belief in it necessary (as atheism is a lack of belief in God)?
Let me provide you with an example - please excuse me if it appears facetious.
Using the same line of reasoning as above, if Superman doesn't exist, a lack of belief in him might not be necessary, but it might be a sound idea...
However, Superman does exist to an extent - in comic books and movies etc. Very few people believe in his existence outside those media though - not enough people to have a social or cultural impact.
Likewise, God does exist in a sense in the religious books dedicated to him; BUT he also exists in the minds of believers.
Atheism is a rejection of this belief and of the belief that religions and their believers should have the right to impose their morals on non-believers. Atheists consider those morals to be human and not divine creations, based on superstition and supposition rather than reason or logic.
So in this sense it can be argued that atheism is necessary.
Many of the greatest philosophers from the 18th century Enlightenment rejected the idea of God's existence and of the adverse influence on reason that blind belief in religious doctrine can engender. They helped free our culture and science from the stranglehold of the Church and their work encouraged people to think for themselves and to express those thoughts, often to the great good of society.
In this sense too atheism could be seen to have been necessary.
It is also worth bearing in mind that not all atheists are mere nay-sayers; the lack of a belief in God does not necessarily mean that atheists do not consider any of "big questions" that religion purports to address - indeed, being an atheist can mean having to think very hard about those things precisely because they have not been provided with "ready made" answers by a religion.
Hope that helps - I'd write more but it's the middle of the night here!

Answer 3

Atheists are not necessary. However, the religious have seemed to like putting everyone into boxes. Those who believe and those who don't.

A theist is merely someone who believes in a concept of god(s). An atheist, by contrast is someone who doesn't.

There isn't an atheist club.

In fact, the actions of the religious against anyone who does not believe in their religion and over time has been quite horrific. The Inquisitions, for example, also include severe punishments for followers of other religions -- not necessarily for atheists.

True believers -- and death to anyone who doesn't believe. Quite a motivator in the old days.

Personally, I would advocate a round psychotropic meds for anyone insisting that gods exist. But that's just me.

Answer 4

I am an atheist. I do not believe in a Devine creator.

I believe there is a God simply because I can spell the word... I just do not believe in the idea of God as being a fact., I believe he is an imagined being and so is his Divinity, and his love , and all of his other implied qualities and virtues and his his wrath. . Like Fairies, and the Little People but not as much fun.

I believe Jesus walked the earth but I do not believe in the mans divinity. I do not be live in the creation was an intelligent and Divine event.

Because to embrace one faith or belief system is to reject all others I can not endorse anything so reject all.. ...but...

My options are open, its good insurance.
Einstein said, luck, as he understood it, worked whether you believed in it or not.

If God is like luck I think we should be frightened.

Answer 5

I think I see what you are asking.

Theists are given a reason why they exist - a god or gods created them for one purpose or another. But what if you don't have that reason? What would you think is your purpose, your reason for existing at all?

The rather straightforward answer is that many atheists believe that they are not here for any reason at all. They simply exist, and they have no mission in life other than just to make the best of their existance.

It is that latter point that some theists miss in understanding atheists. Atheists may not believe in a judgement or afterlife, but that hardly means they want to live in a world of chaos and greed either.

And just as theists usually believe that atheists are still obligated to serve a god they don't believe in, so too do some atheists believe that theists need to make the best of their lives in spite of their 'mistaken' beliefs. In other words, many atheists want EVERYONE to make the best of the life they have. Which can sometimes make atheists as moral as any theist, and can sometimes even drive them to 'missionary' work to convert as many theists from their 'delusions'!

All of which says something nice, I think, about the human spirit. Going in completely opposite directions, theists and atheists can come to some of the same conclusions.

Hope that helps!

Answer 6

An atheist is one who believes there is no god, and atheists are necessary to fight the idea of god.

Answer 7

Atheism is a disbelief in any kind of God. A better question might be why are believers in anything necessary? Each person carries his or her own personal faith in something. I personally do not believe in Religion as I believe it is the epitome of hypocrisy. I do believe in a Creator. So, am I necessary? I think so. To thine own self be true so as to be true to others.

Answer 8

Why are there atheists? Simply put, because a dogmatic belief in God harms humans as a species, holding them back from true enlightenment, creating a belief in magical thinking, starting religious wars and religious ethnic cleanings. Atheists seek to propagate the truth, destroying the delusions which many people live under.

Answer 9

Someone who does not believe in God or deities does not necessarily have no beliefs as to whence the world came. They simply believe that there is no man up in heaven telling people what they can or cannot do.

As for the necessity of atheists, maybe you should ask why do so many people need religions that are made up by men professing that God told them to do this, therefore it shall be done!

Answer 10

Good question. Let me give you an example:

1) The person who lacks belief in deities watched football Sunday morning

2) The atheist watched football Sunday morning

See how using a word showing antithesis and/or negation simplified the sentence? Creating words for "lack of" helps simplify our communication.