Seems like most of the questions here are a battle of trying to prove one side or the other. When they asked Buddha about God, he remained silent. Why open THAT can of worms, I can just hear him saying to himself. Don't we all pretty much know how things work by observation? Me personally I think some people reject the concept of an omnipotent God because then they can't get away with things. Like being mean to people here on this forum. Without an omnipotent God that sees them when they're naughty, they can just be selfish, mean, vain, or any old way they want to. Isn't that really why atheists don't believe in God? :-)
2007-06-27 00:55:01 · 28 answers · asked by Jameskan Video 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Hi,
So many questions within a question, so many different thoughts to answer.
God or no God? - it's all a matter of personal belief. I believe in God but I cannot even begin to explain who or what God is. It's a term I use to describe this spirit, essence, energy that I feel just 'is'. My belief may therefore conflict with established religion's concept of God. Does that make me an athiest?
I've just asked a question about God's children being kind and good to others. My next question was going to be: should we have to rely on Scripture's command to 'do good unto all men?' Can't we just 'do good' because that's what, in our hearts, we feel compelled to do?
I have known Christians who are hypocritical, insensitive, hard-hearted and who seem to convince themselves that because they're Christians their sins will be forgiven no matter what. I have known Christians who have seen my goodness and sensed my caring spirit, who have been interested in my philosophy but fearful of changing theirs because the bible insists that there is only one 'path' to God.
I also know many atheists who are wonderfully selfless people.
There's also the question of many people, many cultures, many beliefs, many religions. Which one is the right one? Perhaps they are all paths that lead to the same destination.
I don't believe for one moment that for anyone who has led a loving, caring and giving life, when they get to those 'pearly gates' wherever they might be God whoever it might be will turn them away because they didn't follow the right religion!
Polly
2007-06-27 01:34:41 · answer #1 · answered by pollyanna 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No that is not why Atheists do not believe in God. They do not believe in God because of their own personal beliefs about life, earth, creation, etc. It is quite presumptuous of you to assume that all Athiests are "naughty, mean, selfish, or vain." That's like saying that all Christians are "cheap, arrogant, hypocritical, and judgemental." Both can be true for some, but not all. And when you said, "don't we all pretty much know how things work by observation?", the answer is no. People observe and interpret things a thousand different ways. I am neither Atheist nor Christian, and quite frankly I'm tired of seeing both sides put each other down. Let everyone believe in and practice whatever makes them happy.
2007-06-27 01:02:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
That's a very simple minded point of view. How many atheist go flying planes into tall buildings? I have never heard of an atheist yelling "Science is great!" then blowing his car up in a crowd of religious people.
I have yet to see of an atheist organization that harbours child molesters. Speaking of the Vatican of course.
I'm not saying that it's not possible for an atheist to be a bad person. What I'm saying is your statement is false from start to finish. You are accusing atheist of being mean. Yet you are doing that exact thing yourself right now.
Believing in your God or not does not dictate the will of a person. You are only upset because atheist don't agree with you. You want to validate your beliefs. Why? Because you feel safer among large numbers. Either way you can believe what you choose. So can I.
Your God tells you not to judge others and you just did. I don't do the right thing because of your God. I do it because it's the right thing to do. My choice not your God's.
I don't believe in God because God doesn't exist. You have to be delusional to believe in God and the bible. A book based on ancient ruthless laws, myths, lies.
2007-06-27 01:10:46 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
God is the force that binds everything together! Everything was created by God, and God was not created by anything. And if you look at the theory of relativity it says that matter will always fall to a lower state of energy... the lowers being simple atoms. This theory is pretty solid, and in so being proves the existence of a creator and sustainer (i.e. God). As something is going against the basic laws of nature and holding all together. Or else there would just be a lot of nothing everywhere!
2007-06-27 01:15:49 · answer #4 · answered by Red Dragon 2007 {Free Palestine} 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
My atheism doesn't determine my behavior here.
I act the way I want to, but it isn't mean, selfish or vain. I have a motto on Y!A of: "if you bite the bunny, the bunny bites back." so sometimes I can be snippy.
Ultimately my atheism is an idea, and what determines my behavior is a personal viewpoint. Neither are related, and my behavior does not leave a negative effect on society. I'm the kind of person that would give the shirt off his back, but you didn't know that.
2007-06-27 00:59:15 · answer #5 · answered by Southpaw 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
Sorry Donald, but no. People are people. Some people are gonna be mean, period. Even some of the most cruel people in history have been devoutly religious. Cruelty knows no religion. Human cruelty would exist in a vacuum.
God or no god, humans will be mean, cruel, nasty and disgusting. Religion does not make a person good.
2007-06-27 01:02:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
No.
Atheists don't believe in god because we have not succumbed to the brainwashing that results in that delusion.
Any free-thinking person can easily see the fact that religion is a fairy-tale.
There are 2000 religions in the world, why is YOUR'S the REAL one?
Why is your religion the same as your parents?
(Interesting that, with few exceptions, everyone's religion is the same one as they were raised in?)
If ANY religion is real, why is there not ANY observable benefit for ANY religion's followers?
If religion was real, would you not expect different laws of probability for those who pray, and those who don't?
(It doesn't happen)
There is so much evidence, for those who have not been brainwashed, to see the absurdity of religion.
Science, physics, biology, astronomy, ALL support the fact that relgion is 100% imaginary.
2007-06-27 01:05:17 · answer #7 · answered by No Chance Without Bernoulli 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The best reason for not believing is just the sheer implausibility of god.Why would someone worry about being caught out by something they don't think exists?Sometimes it's very hard not to be mean with people who write silly or illogical things,but we should try.
2007-06-27 01:06:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
You are not asking whether god exists or not, you are asking why do people believe in god or not, and you are making your own assumptions about atheists. So let me point out that godbelievers believe in a god because they are afraid to be alone, they are afraid to die and decompose, and they do not understand the world and do not really want to. Isn't that why godbelievers believe in a god?
2007-06-27 01:03:11 · answer #9 · answered by NaturalBornKieler 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
"Isn't that really why atheists don't believe in God?"
That's slightly contradictory. How you not want to be punished by something you don't believe exists.
Seriously, that's like saying that Santa exists but we just choose not to believe in him because we still want to get presents at Christmas despite how "naughty" we've been.
2007-06-27 01:02:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋