Atheists: Why do Christians believe in God?

Answer 1

1 being raised that way
2 fear
3 feelings (they think that because they feel something to be true, that means that it cannot possibly, ever be false.)
4 interpriting things that could have happened anyways, to be from a higher power
5 they don't want to face having to do something in this world, and they want to just sit around,and do nothing, then get to Heaven, where, just for believing in him, God will reward them with infinite bliss.

(ok 5 was harsh... I take it back, but I'll leave it up, because 5 is a great number :) )

Answer 2

You don't have to be a 'christian' to believe in God. Many other religions also believe in an all powerful God. Agnostics also believe in a Higher Power - though not the 'God' that the churches want you to believe in. I find that most of those who call themseves christians do so because their parents brought them up that way. Sometimes a person has the ability to think for themselves and realise that 'christianity does not have the answers. And the so called worshippers do not even practise what they preach.

Answer 3

I took the answers above and boiled them down into categories to see what the atheist consensus here is regarding Christians.

Indoctrination: by far the most with 11 answers. Includes brainwashing, raised that way and peer-pressure.

Fear: Not as great but still a solid second with 7 answers. Includes fear of death and fear of hell.

Lack of Education: Tie with 4 answers

Superstition: Tie with 4 answers. Includes false promises’


All of the following received 1 Answer.

money

irrational ideas.

Sometimes it's to console them in a time of need,

a need to have someone to blame

the hope to see relatives who have passed before.

Because Christians need more than theories

They don't want to face having to do something in this world, and they want to just sit around, and do nothing, then get to Heaven, where, just for believing in him, God will reward them with infinite bliss.

As a Christian I have to say that you folks don’t have a clue. The last one above is really a hoot; Yeah, I’m just hangin’ out here on the third rock from the sun waitin’ to get into heaven. ROTFLMAO.

I’d give ya’ll some insight but I’d just be wasting my time and yours. It’s late and I think I will hit the sack. I really want to thank wd20x2 for that answer of his. It gave me the laugh of the day.

Answer 4

In my opinion, it is because we (humans) fear death. We don't like the idea that death is the end of existence. We feel too special, too important, to accept that death is the end. Death equals the unknown. The unknown leads to fear, and the cycle continues unless something, or someone, rescues (saves) us from it.

The story of God gives comfort to people who fear death. I believe this is the most basic reason why Christians (and people of other faiths that insist on an afterlife in heaven) believe in God.

This opinion is backed up every time someone poses Pascal's Wager (fear), or says atheists will be sorry someday(fear)... This tactic would not be used so often were it not the main reason why people are compelled to believe that if they *just* accept Jesus as their savior, they will live in eternity with God. Nothing more required. "Just believe and you will be 'saved'..."... saved from what? From death.

Answer 5

Athee nailed this answer. Christians believe in God for one primary reason.....FEAR!

Plain & simple. Fear of death, one's own mortality; fear that our lives are meaningless without god. Combined with the desire to worship something greater than himself

"Fear is the mother of all gods."
— Lucretius, (B.C.E. 94-55?)

"I will show you fear in a handful of dust."
— T. S. Eliot

"Assure a man that he has a soul and then frighten him with old wives' tales as to what is to become of him afterward, and you have hooked a fish, a mental slave."
— Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945)

"So long as man remains free, he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find someone to worship. But man seeks to worship what is established beyond dispute, so that all men would agree at once to worship it. For these pitiful creatures are concerned not only to find what one or the other can worship, but to find something that all would believe in and worship; what is essential is that all may be together in it. This craving for community of worship is the chief misery of every man individually and of all humanity from the beginning of time. For the sake of common worship, they've slain each other with the sword. They have set up gods and challenged one another, "Put away your gods and come and worship ours, or we will kill you and your gods!" And so it will be to the end of the world, even when gods disappear from the earth; they will fall down before idols just the same."
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky; (1821-1881)


Now if you had asked Christians for their reasons, you'd likely get something along these lines*:

• Religious experience or emotion, Spiritual and psychological benefits:
• Supernatural connection
• Belief in Afterlife
• Best Working Model
• Moral framework
• Majesty and tradition
• Community and culture
• Practical benefits: hospitals, schools, charities, feeding homeless

Answer 6

I would think for many reasons, one is the fear of death, another could be the hope to see relatives who have passed before. How am I supposed to answer this? You ask a question as if I can answer for someone else. That seems to be the issue on yahoo answers is everyone always answering for the masses. You can only answer what you think and believe not what others do.

Answer 7

Sometimes it's to console them in a time of need, sometimes it's because they were raised that way. Then there's the fun people who fanatically believe in God and if you don't we'll nail you to some wood.

Answer 8

Why would you ask an Atheist about what a christian believes? Do you honestly think you will get a true and non biased answer?

Answer 9

if we had all the answers there would be no question.

some people need to believe in a higher power, its what gets em through the day. cant see anything wrong with that...as long as it doesn't get forced on anyone else...ya gotta wanta i guess

Answer 10

Baaaaaaa