Christians, is it true that deep down you really know God doesn't exist?

Question

Yeah, I didn't think so either. It’s an outlandish statement.

From just this morning, I can think of two particular questions that made that direct accusation. It's about as respectable as when Christians claim that all atheists secretly think God exists but just won't admit it.

Why must we project our own thoughts and beliefs on others? Is it that hard to accept someone coming from a different viewpoint, that we assume they must just be lying about what they believe?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ap.zbhHnUSRHvxDjNSp3L9rty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20070918074357AAJtwVu&show=7#profile-info-15sfCTU6aa

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...and we all know that Christians accuse atheists of secretly believing in God "deep down," too. Sadly, it goes both ways.

Answer 1

It is not just Atheists and Christians. Men and Women do this to each other as well.

I guess that we all assume that other people think the same way as we do, and if we just don't "get" their point of view, we just assume that they must be lying.

Someone who says that he like hazelnut is probably telling the truth, even though I am baffled that an otherwise intelligent person would feel that way about an obviously nasty tasting food.

Answer 2

Hi Rachael....I guess I'm the odd ball here since I don't look down upon anyone on what they believe or what they don't believe. Because of my religious background and was taught to be a Christian I have the concept and the faith to believe that there is a God. Now if one chooses not to believe in God then I'm not going to judge them for the choices they have made for themselves. This to me would be unethical. Why should I judge someone else's thoughts or views on Christianity or any other belief? When us humans were created or evolved, we were blessed with the knowledge to learn and to teach others and to make our own choices or decisions in life. What we choose is our own doing. Now as children we are taught by our parents what are good morals and ethics. They teach us what is right and what is wrong. When we become adults then we can choose what we believe in. No one has the right to choose for us as adults. I respect others viewpoints and I listen because their views although might be different from mine, doesn't mean they are wrong in their way of thinking. I don't know if God truely exists or not but due to my religious background I believe there is a God or great Spirit that created the earth and the heavens. Now I also have an open-mind to where I feel that God may have started the creation but evolution finished where God left off so do speak. I feel that both God and evolution had a part in the creation. Have a great day!

Answer 3

I really think you are looking at this the wrong way.

I know you Christians DO believe in god....but not for the reasons you should....(I know because I was once an Avid christian, and I know what "Faith" means, I know what "Believing" is...etc I also know how easy it is to get sucked into the whole religious thing)

I grew up, and looked into history (throw in a little scientific fact and logic) and there is no way that the modern christian bible is correct (actually, about 50% can be technically disproved (and since the bible "cant be wrong" that kinda translates to 100% but I digress)... another 40% is not fact, but unknown to anyone at the time.) about 10% is historically accurate.

It is very easy to convince yourself (in your head) that there is a God...but really every time you pray...it is to yourself and nothing more....its the sad truth....but if you can accept it and move on you can try to enjoy the only life you'll ever have. (I only say this stuff because its the truth, and the truth is what matters to me the most) I don't say this because of any other reason.

Answer 4

No one should project their own beliefs on anyone else. As a Christian, I believe atheists don;t believe in the existence of God. Otherwise, thwey wouldn't be atheists. I don't understand Christians trying to determine what someone else believes. Christians can't tell what other Christians believe, so how are we to tell what an atheist believes? Makes no sense.

Answer 5

Or when they say, deep down gay people are really straight and just want to have perverted sex.

You make a good point. Some people cannot be empathetic at all when it comes to someone who is different from them. Therefore they MUST understand everything in their own limited context even if the "horse's mouth" is telling them otherwise.

Answer 6

I admit, I'm guilty of asking this question (of course, it was in direct response to the oft-cited christian version of it).

We project things because we assume that what makes sense to us must make sense to everyone else. Brains don't work that way. Each is it's own independent laboratory with it's own set of testers that interpret data differently.

But again, thank you for bringing this to light. I understand your point, and agree with you.

Answer 7

That question is as stupid as the question "Deep down do atheists know that God exists?"

People see things through their own myopic world view and have trouble accepting that others have different paradigms.

Answer 8

Of course it is true for the most part. The idea of religion is a self-serving lie, to keep people in their own cocoons of security with the ideas of death and injustice.

I say "for the most part" because I suppose some people that are schizophrenic actually believe their own version of reality that they have created for themselves where dinosaurs in UFO's are coming down on them to take them to other planets. This could also be true of some theists.

Answer 9

Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.”

We would not exist if Jehovah did not create us.
We have to be humble and honest and admit that life just did not happen. There is an intelligent mind behind the design.

Answer 10

I think most likely religious people are like people who lie so often and keep telling themselves the same bs that eventually they start to trick themselves into believing it.

you can say that im giving them the benefit of the doubt by saying that they had the mental capacity to realize this at some point in thier lives in the first place, but I like to have some faith in humanity and human nature and that we all still do have common sense.