Or the problem is simply that you don't have a proof of him??
2007-09-25 06:10:56 · 25 answers · asked by Cat Stevens 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Most of us atheists, including myself, *did* believe in a God at one point. We were raised to be Chirstians, were taught the bible, etc.
At one point I just started to question the bible. The more I questioned, the more the Christians started to tell me to "just believe." Sooner or later I came to the conclusion that the bible was written by man and that everything in there can be disproved by science.
2007-09-25 06:17:17 · answer #1 · answered by gopher646 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its more of an evidence issue but the concept of God varies so greatly among believers and religions. I find the deistic or more open ideas of God or a God force more plausible but I don't see any evidence for these actually existing either. I am open to evidence should it arise and if there is such a being I tend to think they are more along these lines than the big three monotheistic notions. The very fact that people seeking to connect to God get such varying pictures and contradictory messages in itself makes me skeptical. I do still consider myself somewhat spiritual. I have had feelings of deep connection and beyond my explanation when diving or in nature and somewhat with meditation. I enjoy eastern philosophies like Taoism as well as some Pagan naturalistic observances. I just hesitate to label any of this as supernatural or God when that is jumping to a large conclusion without real reason to do so other than wishful thinking. It works well if you have some connection that brings you peace and direction for yourself. When people start having to label it God and then say their vision is the one truth and everyone else should share it problems inevitably begin.
2007-09-25 13:25:50 · answer #2 · answered by Zen Pirate 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like the idea of a "concept" of God.
Was it the Buddha who said "Truth is God"?
I am an objectivist. I believe there is some concepts of "greater good" that we can aspire to.
I just don't personify those concepts.
The fact that there is no proof of God does not matter to me either way - there are plenty of things we don't have proof of. It's the contradiction and ridiculousness that bothers me.
2007-09-25 13:19:05 · answer #3 · answered by alanastarkey 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can understand the general concept of god. I have no real problem with that. Just as I understand the concept of dragons, unicorns and mermaids.
It is just when you get into the real world these concepts have nothing to support them.
The concept of the Abahamic gods actually is illogical and contradicts reality.
Edit:
WRT Mr X above.
Religion is not a compliment to rational thought. Yes, love and honor can be logically explained using the concept of memes and the evolution of societies.
This trite sort of thinking is like saying God is like air because you can't see air. Except that you can if you look in the right way, and you can measure air pressure and air speed and air temperature, and . . . But then air is real and God is not.
2007-09-25 13:16:49 · answer #4 · answered by Simon T 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No proof + undeniable reasons not to believe in this imaginary character = no problem with the concept.
The concept is not the problem, that is, after all, what gods are after all; concepts.
It's when people start to BELIEVE these concepts and try to convince others that they are real, that's when the problems start.
2007-09-25 13:14:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
There are some atheists of each type.
I haven't really thought about how I feel about the concept of god because the utter lack of evidence that any gods exist means that the god thing isn't a very good use of any more of my time.
If there were a god, I'd be extremely interested in learning about him/it. Of course I have no interest at all in hearing believers' opinions about gods.
2007-09-25 13:13:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think this is why I'm not a full fledged atheist. I believe in the concept of God or some higher power responsible for our existence, but I'm not ready to acknowledge it as anything specific such as the judeo-Christian God due to the lack of evidence.
2007-09-25 13:17:22 · answer #7 · answered by Drake the Deist 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Mostly the proof but I find certainly the xian concept of god really quite repugnant
2007-09-25 13:56:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In general, atheists do not 'believe' simply because the reasons or evidence purported to support the idea that invisible, magical sky-fairies (gods) 'exist' are not compelling, and thus are insufficient to initiate or sustain a mental state of 'belief'. The notion that there is a 'choice' involved seems silly to me.
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2007-09-25 13:26:49 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't have a problem with the concept of God. My problem is that I don't have visual evidence that He exists. If I could see him, then I would believe in Him. But until the day that happens, I can't acknowledge his existence.
2007-09-25 13:18:26 · answer #10 · answered by chexmix30203 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋