Believers: What made you believe/know there is a god? Nonbelievers: What made u know there wasnt?

Question

For me, it was watching so many people suffer senselessly that made me question it. Reading up on various sciences reinforced my atheism

Answer 1

the way people believe in god convinced me that god is imaginary.

Answer 2

I've been in many places and situations and SOMEHOW, NOT LUCK, COINCIDENCE, CHANCE, but, SOMEHOW I lived to see another day. When that happens enough times... I have some stories! I've had my share of suffering and will endure more I'm sure, but I have learned it is all for a reason. That reason may not be known to the person going through it, but, there is a reason. People suffer senselessly? I used to feel the same way. I used to have all these questions:

Why this?
Why that?
If God is real...?

I would get answers I didn't understand or agree with, but then, six months..., A year..., Two years later things would start to happen, and, those questions would come back into remembrance, and I would receive knowledge, in other words, I understand the answers I received. Not only that, I understand WHY I got the answers that I did. I wasn't ready at the time. I mean I have a long way to go, but, I'm thankful I'm not like I used to be. That is why I chose Christianity to be my Foundation to build upon. Don't get me wrong, I embrace all information and have read some articles that question this and that, is hell really paradise, etc., and some pretty interesting points are brought up! They make their cases very well. But, at the end of the day, when it's all said and done, I know what i've been through, I know what I've seen, I know how my life has changed, and I attribute that to my faith.

Answer 3

Christian -

Raised in a home with little or no religious background, at age 15 I began to question and search. My search led me to the Bible. Having no background, I knew very little about the Bible, and so, in an attempt to find Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd), which was about the only thing I had ever heard about Christianity, I came across Psalm 22.

The Psalm is a depiction of Jesus' death through crucifixion. It was written before that form of execution was invented, before Jesus was born.

After researching, and reading, I came to the realization that somewhere, some when, someone had foreknowledge - something I, in my logical existence, did not believe in. That was what God used to bring me to the 'door'. But it is by faith, through grace, that I knocked.

As far as senseless suffering - it is a question that has plagued mankind - why? It comes down to free will. Mankind has caused the sufferings of this world. Mankind continues to do so.

Science, on the other hand, is a debate that would take too long for this forum and would end in neither party being swayed. I could cite many reasons science is fallible. 500 years ago, scientists thought the earth was flat. 50 years ago, science thought that the electron was the smallest particle of matter. The standards under which most science is held, empirical evidence, does not seem to apply to evolution. No other branch of science allows for 80 per cent of a theory to be disproved, and goes on blindly trying to reconcile the other 20 per cent. But that is a discussion that would simply end on discord.

I can only say for myself, I have no doubt, I know for fact, of the existence of God. I know for fact that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. But it is an individual decision, not one I can make for anyone else. I hope your thirst for knowledge and truth allows you to explore with open mind the possibilities.
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Answer 4

The gods worshipped by the popular religions of today can be disproven. The holy books describing these gods discredit themselves, so therefore, they are simply not an accurate description of any god that could possibly exist.

With that in mind, one must ask the question, if the Abrahamic god (for example) does not exist, and I'm not going to hell or anything for being a nonbeliever, then what SHOULD I worship?

The answer is rather obvious, after you get over the fear instilled by these religions. You don't need to worship anything. There is no reason or evidence that would lead one to assume that ANY god exists.

Just as I don't go around wondering whether or not magic elves steal my socks when I put them in the dryer, I also don't wonder about whether a god exists or not. I have no reason to. Until a reason to wonder whether a god exists presents itself, I will remain... an atheist.

Answer 5

devil is after your soul, little question approximately it. The very concept which you're affirming a time table I DEA drug is evidence of in simple terms how far into the PIT you have fallen. careful, sooner or later you won't be waiting to upward push up and you may wish a Med Alert bracelet yet instead of a Med Alert bracelet it relatively is going to be a Soul Alert bracelet and once you call for help there will be no one there on the different end of the Soul Alert line because of the fact the Demons of the PIT could have cut back the lines (no longer in assessment to how the Arab tribesmen cut back the Turkish telephone lines in Lawrence of Arabia in case you remember). Straighten up and FLY good, Linz. GOD isn't purely observing, yet he's weeping too. GOD bless you, Captain paintings Griego

Answer 6

So many things to list. Growing up in religious surroundings, graduating from a Baptist College in Middle Georgia, I have spent years in search of something to prove the existence of a God or Gods. Like you, the violence, hunger and starvation in the world does not help in anyone's understanding that an all powerful supreme being is watching over this planet. I am a complete and committed Atheist.

Answer 7

I was raised Evangelical but fell slowly into atheism beginning at age 15 after I discovered a book by Nietzsche left behind in a mall restroom, believe it or not.

I had always been taught "don't question God" when I would ask my pastor and other members of my church why certain things that were taught did not jibe with the very Bible they claimed to be their authority.

To put it simply, Christianity, as it was presented to me and as I interpreted it, made no sense at all to me.

I remained an atheist until my mid 30s and was very, very good at it. I had answers for everything. I looked at those who did believe as weak-minded losers who needed a crutch.

I had a very intense, St. Paul-like experience (very personal; would rather not go into it) one day and it changed my life forever. To make a long story short, I became a Christian and converted to Catholicism at age 35.

I believe in God; I do not know for certain He exists. God could touch down in the middle of Times Square right now and start tossing Bibles at everyone to prove He exists, but He doesn't. That is why it is called "faith." God said, "Blessed are they who cannot see, but believe."

As for suffering, I wonder why, when something wonderful happens to us, we never say "why me?" When one ponders the fact that we are born in freedom, in a country where we have plenty to eat, opportunity if we work for it, and in an era of advanced medicine and sanitation, do we ever think, "why us?"

Not usually. We only think that when something bad happens to us. I think the question would be "Why NOT me?"

You have basically asked a rhetorical question and sound like you are merely wanting reinforcement, which usually happens when one is questioning one's own way of thinking. I know; it happened to me once upon a time.

Keep thinking. :-)

Answer 8

Very funny, how everyone seems to use the same scenario to justify their non-belief. People suffering senselessly..
Majority of suffering comes from mans' laziness-- the failure to step up & taking care of each other! What have you done to take care of your fellow man?? Read a science book?? The bottom line is that God says we ARE responsible for each other!! and Non believers--just are afraid of the responsibility--so they choose NOT to believe --
I believe-- and I enjoy every opportunity I get to help my fellow man -you say are suffering senselessly! At least my choice is DOING something to ease some of that suffering. What if EVERYONE stepped up to the plate...??? A lot of that suffering could be gone!!

Answer 9

Finally a good question! I just hate those questions where believers attack and condemn non-believers, and then the question originator decides to pick the answer that better fits his/her beliefs.
As for me, I believe in the energy of the Universe, which it might be call as God, that interconnects everyone and all living things as one. I was bought up as a Catholic...watched my dad going to church every thursday for a quick pray, while my mom follow atheism due to some serious negative events in her life that made her believe that God didn't exist. The funny part of it was that at the same time my mom felt deeply inside that she was going to punished being a non-believer and for many years I believed that all non-followers were going to hell.
There is nothing worse than living under fear (specially of the unknown) and living under guilt....Then, I read a book that talks about the results of believing that sin doesn't exist and that living believing that one committed sins could cause some deep psysical and psychological problems like diseases, depression, etc. This book also mentions that we create our reality and we are in control of our destiny. Many religious people give that control to God, which in my personal opinion it's being irresponsible. it's absolutely easy to say: "my future is in God's hands!", and sit and flip channels...the sad part is that I see people in my own family doing this.
I personally think that everyone should respect everyone beliefs...I don't look down to those who follow a religion, I think it's a good think for some people that deeply inside need to have a meaning for their lives. I hate to see those religious fanatics blowing themselves up believing they are going to heaven. or seeing so many religious wars.

Our beliefs come from what we learn in our childhood...and as an adult, if the person doesn't use critical thinking to challenge their beliefs, then following a religion and accepting the rules of the religion is a much easy and convenient choice. I choose to believe in the energy of Universe because it would be sad to me to just live for nothing, and by believing in something I channel my own energy into creating what I want in my life.
just my thoughts!

Answer 10

The list of reason for my nonbelief is long, but let's start with the bible itself; I couldn't believe a so-called loving god could be so cruel or narcissistic. I saw dozens of self-contradictions in there. From there I studied other religions, and found them equally silly. I also looked at the world around me, and wondered why god created hurricanes and tornadoes, why mosquitoes and fleas and rattlesnakes and TV preachers existed, etc.

Answer 11

As I watch people suffer from hunger and brutality, and the wars that have be fought in the name of religion. That makes me question. "If our god" is truly a loving god and if there is such a thing as god. Why would he Let children suffer? No child should suffer. If as they say he can turn water into wine than why not dust into corn?