If an Atheist doesn't believe there is a God, what is their explanation to how man came to be on earth?

Question

I was on the website for American Athiests and found out what they believe in or don't believe in but can't find out how they believe man got on this earth. I am a believer in God so I know what the Christian explanation is, what about those who don't believe. Serious answers only please!

Answer 1

psalm 14:1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. Think ---if the atheist said there is no G-D,it implies that he is all knowing.But only G-D is all knowing. There fore he,the atheist, thinks he is G-D. New age religion thinking. Therefore they would go by evolution.

Answer 2

this atheist doesn't believe that the physical aspects of the christian 'explanation' explain anything, since it is based on nothing more than wishful thinking and leaves the nature and powers of the god largely mysterious. i don't know ALL the details although it is clear that humans evolved, and share common ancestors with all living things on earth, most recently with chimpanzees. this is not a view exclusive to atheists - most rational informed theists share it, although for reasons that i don't entirely understand they attribute some sort of inscrutable plan for the whole thing to a god.

"How do 4 elements, hydrogen, carbon, oyygen and nitrogen turn into the most basic form of life. It has never been done in a labortory."

this guy thinks that because it hasn't been done yet, it never will be. supposing that god did it is the end of exploration and discovery. the hypothesis can't be tested. meanwhile, various naturalistic hypotheses are being tested. and of course, the problem with the origin of life is far removed from the origin of the human species. that is actually a solved problem by comparison (although there are still a few details to work out), and the solution is not diminished by the fact that the origin of life is still somewhat of a mystery.

Answer 3

The Christian explanation is not an explanation at all, and Creation Science can't be used in medicine to do useful stuff like regrow limbs or, ahem, feed the world, unlike some of the genetic implications of evolution to medicine.

For the full answer, grow some brains and study science for 15 years.

The unknown doesn't scare me. Fine, it's just unknown. But people having no better theory than an invisible skypixie to answer the unknown, man, THAT'S scary.

Answer 4

I think that as science progresses, religious ideas recedes.

Take aboriginals for example...they have Gods of all sorts...God of Trees to explain why trees grow...God of the Skies to explain the change in weather, etc....but through science we know that trees grow because it breathes in carbon dioxide, absorbs sunlight, water, and nutrients....and the change of weather is due to ocean currents, winds, and the Sun.

Even Catholics had their faults...Bishop in the medieval times tortured and killed people that believed the Earth was round and that the Earth revolved around the Sun rather than the Sun revolving around the Earth. This was probably because they believed God created the Earth and therefore we must be the centre of attention and therefore everything must revolve around us.

Before DNA was discovered, people believed birth defects, disease, and all things that had anything to do be being alive was the work of God.....until that is, DNA was discovered and scientists realised that the entire blueprint of life is hidden within a strand of hair.

One could argue that God created DNA.....which could be true, but the fact remains that technology is improving, science is progressing, we may not have the answer to the common questions asked during Religion vs. Atheism debates, but they will be answered sooner or later.

I personally think God and miracles are just ways to explain things that we can't explain......and because of the fact that we are human, everything has to be explained and has to have a reason or else we won't be satisfied....some turn to religion while others turn to science.

But for now, yes....God created man....or until science proves otherwise.

Answer 5

Creationism, Evolution, both are great topics for debate!
I am a Christian as well but after reading your question I asked a few of my Atheist friends about what they believe. Most took the approach that Atheists are left to their own devices to form their own purposes in life and their own personal morality based on what they feel is right, not what people said 5,000 years ago. most believed that life has two separate purposes. Some believed in evolution, and others believed in Abiogenesis. Sorry this is so long but here I will explain what they told me a little further.

The first ,the evolutionarily stance, is that the purpose of life is to preserve your own genes and pass them down to future generations. It may sound callous to you and me, but I was assured that this is the evolutionist stance on life.

The second was Abiogenesis, or the fact that that life in its most basic form, (probably as a free strand of primitive DNA or RNA), came to this planet by itself or with help if you want to go the "alien route", it was simple evolution by replication and, later, natural selection that got us here. Given the amount of time and the abundance of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen on our planet at the time, it is thought that it was only a matter of time before abiogenesis occurred.

So I hope this helps! :) I know it did explain a little more to me about the differences in our beliefs ( my friends and I), but I also saw similarities between the two. Live and let live is my motto! :)

Answer 6

EVOLUTION! I'm glad to see yet another question that's never been asked before and shows that some believe in God without having seen any other exlpianation for Man!

Answer 7

Um, Tinman12, I don't know where you're getting your info from (probably from some delusional regious leader or another), but, while life has not YET been created in a lab, all 20 of the amino acids found in organisms have been created in the laboratory from "lifeless" chemical compounds. The more we learn about life, the closer we are coming to creating life. It's only a matter of time, and scientific research and experimentation. Some resources for those that aren't already programmed by religion to reject the search for truth:

http://www.bookrags.com/research/origin-of-life-woc/
http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/lab/2948/orgel.html

And for those of you who insist on misusing the word "theory"... here's a definition as it pertains to science:

the·o·ry (thē'ə-rē, thîr'ē)
n. pl. the·o·ries

A set of statements or principles devised to explain a group of facts or phenomena, especially one that has been repeatedly tested or is widely accepted and can be used to make predictions about natural phenomena.

omorris1978 - It's very nice to see a Christian that is trying to understand how other people think, rather than just spouting dogmatic rhetoric (My parents had an attitude like yours, that is what allowed me to think and reason for myself, which lead me to part ways with "Christianity"). Speaking with people like you gives me hope that someday Humans will stop killing each other over antiquated ideals, and that we will someday enjoy peace.

Answer 8

Well, you could start by researching Charles Darwin on the Origin of The Species! I'm not knocking you if you are a believer in a god, but why so incredulous that I and others are not? Do YOU believe in SANTA CLAUS??
Read other opinions at:
http://www.helium.com/tm/518836/story-insomniac-dyslexic-agnostic

Answer 9

The explanation is a story that is still unfolding. It starts with the high energy physics of the Big Bang. With religion, the story ends. God did it. End of story.

Answer 10

Serious answer. Atheist believe in evolution. Evolution is a lifeless rock starting out then producing microbes, and advancing over billions of years to that place where they ask and answer good questions here on Yahoo answers.
Christanity is belief that a delibrate act of a divine being said let their be life. Where exactly that point of life's beginnings is heated debate. But then again, here we are in yahoo answers.
You have to realize that a lifeless rock cannot produce life. Nobody can prove that. That requires faith to believe.
How do 4 elements, hydrogen, carbon, oyygen and nitrogen turn into the most basic form of life. It has never been done in a labortory.

Answer 11

look up evolution it's the only scientific explanation .under Darwinism .or for a quick view Richard Dawkins at Lynchburg in lecture on youtube .