..... Why is it at a time of great need, for example a close family member is dying/ gone or maybe you have done such a regrettable thing you wish to take it back (remember these are just examples), a majority (not saying all of you) turn to god in someway? Some of you might even blame god for what has happened, surely this then means you must have a belief?
2007-09-22 22:43:32 · 30 answers · asked by N00B154 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Please don't think that I am preaching as I am just plainly interested because I have started a non-fictional piece of work and your answers help me. I'm certainly not gonna be singing halelujah and praise the lord to ya am I.
2007-09-22 22:59:55 · update #1
My grounds for my curiosity stems from a friend of mine doing a college course survey and around 3 in 10 admitted this? That is why I am curious...
2007-09-23 01:00:20 · update #2
Sorry, I take it back as statistics show minority not majority so it was a slight exageration on my part there.
2007-09-23 01:14:39 · update #3
I would like to point out that when you here an Atheist say " oh God" it is not referring to God, it is just phrase to symbolise displeasure! The names, God and Jesus have been integrated into our vocabulary, IE; "Jesus Christ!!!" means "oh ****" among other things; " God knows" means " I don't know"; etc etc, I was gonna go on and on, but I don't think I have to I am sure you get the point!
As far as turning to God in times of woe, an atheist would not do this, I would like to know where you have witnessed an Atheist doing this, if you have then you are right he is not a true atheist, but don't confuse limited vocabulary for faith!
2007-09-22 23:02:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I really would like to know were you get the idea that most atheists turn to god. Have you been and questioned all of us when something bad happens to us what we think? Has there been a survey done by someone on a few atheists? I don't think so.
I do know that I never turn to god or blame him since I don't believe in him. I recently lost a family member for the first time, I'd never experienced a close friend or relative dying before and I never once asked why. I accepted that deaths happens to us all and some all powerful man in the sky has nothing to do with it. If I do something regrettable I never ask god if I can take it back because I don't believe in him. I just think "I wish I hadn't done that but I did and it's too late".
I've been through a lot in my life and I managed to get through it all by myself without any help from god. I never once turned to him, accepted him or even blamed in since I don't believe he exists. Although when I was about 12 or 13 (about 10 years ago) my parents broke up and I did try to become a christian and I tried to believe in god but I couldn't. I really did try but it didn't feel right. So even though I tried that once, I never really believed. I realised you can get through life without god.
2007-09-23 06:15:07 · answer #2 · answered by Belladona Spear 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Fair enough. Most atheists that I know, including me, don't do that - in fact, it's times like this that really prove to you what you do or don't believe. But let's think about it from your premises - that this happens sometimes. It's important to remember what god-concepts really are - comfort-blankets against the cold and infinite realities of life and death. So when someone means an awful lot to you, and it looks like they're going to die (and you know that means there's no going on, they just die and decay and leave you alone), then anyone can cast aside their complex knowledge and revert to being a kid with a comfort-blanket. And if the comfort-blanket doesn't succeed in bringing you comfort, you fling it from you angrily.
It's not exactly a belief, it's what actors call a willing suspension of disbelief. You know it's not true, but you're willing to try anything, especially if you love the person who's dying very much.
2007-09-23 06:27:37 · answer #3 · answered by mdfalco71 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My grandfather passed away from lung cancer 4 years ago. He did not tell us until the last four months of his life. Heaven was the only thing he thought of before he died, so I'd like to think he's up there with his family at last. It's a comforting thought, but that doesn't mean I believe in it.
Anyway, whenever a person is dying or has passed, the only person I blame is me. I grieve, try to find some solace, and move on. I still do the "what ifs" but the only thing I can do is make peace with it.
2007-09-23 06:10:35 · answer #4 · answered by CELTS! 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think that you will find most true Atheists do not turn to God at any time good or bad.The only people who think Atheists turn to God are self deluded religious folks who are so self assured in their beliefs that they can't comprehend that Atheists don't believe as they do.
I lost a friend to a heart attack right in front of me.No blame or grief was directed at God because I don't believe in any such deity.When I was homeless, I didn't ask God for help or blame God because I knew there was only one way to get out that situation and it was not going to come from something that isn't there and I was right.
2007-09-23 05:52:04 · answer #5 · answered by Demopublican 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Some might blame a God, I've never heard of it happening though. This is usually just something Christians teach to belittle atheists.
Generally it stems from the atheist's argument that a true and just God wouldn't allow bad things to happen. The conclusion of this argument to an Atheist is never "God killed my mother," instead we stick with "God does not exist."
2007-09-23 05:52:07 · answer #6 · answered by QuestionGuy2004 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well as I'm an atheist (thank god).
no seriously if you want to know the truth Jesus was not a christian but a Hebrew.
may be people when they are scared have to call on some thing and out of habit they call on god or Jesus. for my self i don't and when in trouble look for a piratical way out and if i have lost a loved one remember them living not having gone up to heaven.
If there wasn't a god people would invent him as some people have the need to believe in some purpose of life and good luck to them,
I on the other hand feel we are judge by the way we live, by other people and not a god.
hope this has help
2007-09-23 07:27:46 · answer #7 · answered by leigh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Often, in times of stress, you'll hear people appealing to God for help, even if they are nominally atheistic. But, just like when you stub your toe, or something unexpected happens, you utter a profanity, like "Crap!", doesn't mean you did, are going to, or want to. It's simply a common verbal form of exclamitory expression of pain, disgust or fear. In the same way, even an atheist is likely to say things under stress like, "God help me, if this doesn't quit, I'm gonna....." It is hard for an atheist to use profanity, since most revolves around asking god to curse something or someone. So, in the case of an atheist, appealing to god is simply a turn of phrase, and means nothing as regards actual beliefs.
2007-09-23 06:18:16 · answer #8 · answered by John Silver 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How did you get a 'majority' from 3 in 10??
I have never 'turned to god' in times of trouble. I don't believe in god. I may have said 'Oh, god' or 'Jesus', but only because it's a common expression where I'm from. It doesn't mean diddly-squat!
And I have certainly never blamed anything that has happened to me on god - if it's bad, it's my husband's fault; if it's good, it's my fault!!
An atheist
2007-09-23 08:07:21 · answer #9 · answered by Grotty Bodkin is not dead!!! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A great many of us? 3 in 10 in a straw poll is not "a great many"
were they actually atheists to begin with or just lapsed xians.
I find it unlikely that an atheist would go from "no gods exist" to "it's the xian gods fault" in one easy step
2007-09-23 09:04:17 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋