Precisely what is it about atheism that is sinful to some of you folks?

Question

Please use detail. No generalities like 'unbelief'. You can not assert that unbelief is sinful because it requires no overt or covert action, and it requires no ill-thought whatsoever.

Pixie-Pagan, I agree. They have demonized what they can't understand. Someone also said that we deny God. How can we deny something that we don't think exists.

CL Richardson, you're talking out of both sides of your a s s and appear to have no idea what you're talking about. Self-centered is thinking that a man who died 2,000 years ago, died for you.

No1home2day, there's where you're wrong. Many of us do not deny that we have done wrong somewhere along the line. I repent just like you do, but I make amends directly to the person I may have harmed. I fix it and make it right. You however require the blood of a slaughtered lamb to fix your wrong-doings.

Hoff_mom, denial would be denying something exists when deep down we know it does. Denial doesn't fit.

Answer 1

I am afraid that unbelief is the only answer a Christian or Muslim can give you. Their scriptures call unbelief a sin.


I agree with you though. Unbelief requires no ill-thought. Perhaps that is why certain people need to demonize those who do not believe in their doctrines.

They assume motives to your disbelief like, "You just want to reject God" or "You KNOW the truth you just don't want to join because it will mean following rules" or they think you don't believe because you have some bad habit you want to justify.

Answer 2

Correct me if I am wrong but as i understand an atheist does not believe any type of god at all. The whole concept of evolution and creation comes in to play. There would be no reason for me to use the bible in trying to explain to them that a creator exists if they do not believe in one. It takes faith to believe in a creator. But I would tell an atheist to look around and examine the things that they see, where did all this stuff come from. Look at how we are wonderfully made, think about how we form from a single cell. Why do we admire such beautiful things, what about pleasures? We are able to taste food, we have desires to love, there are so many things that please us as humans. Look at the different animals. What makes us more unique than them. There is no way we could have evolved. The theory about the prebiotic soup makes no sense and if amino acids just occured and cause things to appear, where did the amino acids come from. I could go on and on, but I would encourage an atheist to really sit down on ponder on their non-belief, and have an open mind when it comes to comparing and contrasting.

Answer 3

I suppose you could classify it as denying the will of God.. which would be a sin... but I'm a Deist so I really don't care what you believe.. so long as it works for you.


Edit: as for how does it work with the not believing bit.. if you assume for a second that they are right.. then it doesn't matter if you believe or not... because it will still be God's will whether you believed it to be or not... but again.. I'm a Deist and don't think you a sinner... just rationalizing outloud.

Answer 4

It has nothing whatsoever to do with what's sinful to "us folks." (BTW, my atheist friends, thanks for answering on our behalf...) WE aren't the judges. WE didn't set the standard.

We believe that the evidence for God is present in His creation. We believe it experientially, and we believe it because the Holy Bible emphasizes it. This is the same Holy Bible that says that people will be judged according to their response to the evidence for God.

Now hold on; I already know that you firmly believe that there IS no evidence for God, and I'm not going to sit here and debate that with you, even though I firmly disagree. That's beside the point. We believe what is written in Scripture (which I ALREADY GET that you don't believe, so no need to rehash it.) Scripture says that atheism (which IS unbelief) is a sin. It's a denial of the Creator. Scripture says the following:

Deuteronomy 4:29
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

So scripture offers no excuse for unbelief (atheism). To choose NOT to seek is the sin. A sin of omission, perhaps, but still a sin.

And not because "we folks" said so.

But what I'm really curious about is why you care. If you don't believe in my God or my beliefs, then why should it concern you that I believe that's a sin? You believe that faith in God makes me gullible, without knowing what experiences led me to that point. Gullibility is universally considered a negative trait, and yet it doesn't bother me that you feel that way. But "sin" is just a word, in your belief system. If what you believe is true, then the word doesn't apply to ANYONE, much less you. So why should it bother you?

P.S. Pip: I'm not a Calvinist. I don't believe that God predetermines who believes and is saved, and who doesn't. I more closely follow Arminian theology, which states that God foreknows the choice one will make with regard to salvation, rather than making it for them. Not every Christian believes that God arbitrarily marks some for eternal life and others for eternal damnation. Most of us actually believe that everyone gets a choice.

Answer 5

All humans are born with a sin nature, and bent towards doing that which displeases God. In your flesh or natural self, you can do nothing that pleases God nor bring you closer to Him. In God's economy, one sin brings eternal punishment. Therefore, the sin of atheism, which is essentially denying the existence of God, is equal to any other sin, and will bring eternal judgment unless those sins are forgiven, which is only possible through Christ.

Answer 6

I dont say its a sin, you're just on the wrong path in life. Some Christians would say you are sinning, and I understand where they're coming from, because you know the true/right thing to do yet refuse to do it(and that's the proper definition of a sin).

Answer 7

They generally believe that unbelievers are willfully disobeying and choosing to deny God's existence while deep-down knowing that He's really there.

If they don't believe this then they have a hard time understanding how God is just... or they're not thinking too hard about it (generally the case)

Answer 8

Well, actually, the Bible DOES say that unbelief is a sin, but that's not what you're really looking for, is it?

The problem with atheists is that they refuse to acknowledge that they have sinned and broken God's Laws, since they deny the existence thereof.

You see, according to the Bible, we have ALL sinned. We have told lies, we have used God's name in vain (blasphemy), we have had murderous thoughts, we have had thoughts of lust, etc, etc, etc.

There is nobody who is exempt from having broken God's Law, but the payment for this rebellion against God's authority (ie high treason) is death.

God said "I am the Lord your God". By calling oneself an atheist, you are calling God a liar. This is prideful and arrogant, as though the atheist has existed for several billion years and travelled the universe over and has all knowledge!

We are finite, physical beings. God is infinite and does not reside in the physical universe as we know it. God is Spirit. Because of that, we can not directly perceive God with the 5 senses.

So, for someone who has never travelled the vast reaches of the universe, for someone whose lifespan can only be compared to a neutrino that exists a billionth of a second as it leaves the nucleus, it is extremely arrogant to say that God doesn't exist, just as it would be extremely arrogant for this neutrino to say that the person out of which this atom is located doesn't exist!

Many of us have discovered that God DOES exist, as He has revealed Himself to us.

God will NOT reveal Himself to someone who is so proud that he denies God's existence. God said He gives grace to the humble.

So, if there is an atom in my left shoulder that emits a neutrino that exists for about a thousandth of a second, before it even reaches the outer orbit of the electron shell, how does it have the nerve to say that I don't exist?

Likewise, a short-lived (90? 100 years? out of 10,000 years - or 80 billion if you believe the secular scientists), infinitesmally small (5 to 6 feet tall, compared to the depth and breadth of the universe) little person can actually say that God doesn't exist!

God, who sits in the heavens, laughs at such a one for his folly!

So, it is this pride, this arrogance, this rebellion against God, and this calling God a liar, altogether, that makes the atheist a sinner, not to mention that he or she breaks God's Laws on a regular basis.

And what about the person who has lied, and then says he doesn't want to be lied to? How is that for additional hypocracy on top of it all as a double-standard?

Or the person who has taken something that wasn't rightfully theirs to take, and then doesn't want anyone to steal from them? Again, a double-standard of hypocracy.

That, too, is sin!

So, how can an atheist say he is moral? how can he deny that he has sinned, and that he is a sinner?

The only way to escape is by denial, but as they say, ignorance of the law is no excuse, and if you run a red light under the pretense that you don't believe in red lights, that doesn't make you any less guilty.

Answer 9

I find it the most annoying when atheists come here to simply bash believers, and there are many of them in this section. Face it, mature atheists hang out in sections they actually have an interest in, not the religious/spiritual section, as they have no religion and don't believe they have souls, so spirituality is out too. Basically, I think most of us simply feel a bit sorry for them, but that's about it, except for all the bashers and trolls, which we just wish would go away.

As far as the sin part, I have my own sins to deal with, don't really have the time or energy to deal with anyone elses.

Answer 10

Atheism is not sinful, As you don`t believe. Sin is only sin when you know right from wrong.

However, You NOT believing, still doesn`t make it, untrue.

Peace & God bless from Texas <><