Atheists: If God doesn't exist, then why...?

Question

are there more Christians than atheists in the US? Doesn't being grossly outnumbered make you think that you might just be wrong?

Even if theists are wrong, what's wrong with you that you just won't conform? Can't you see that if we have to admit you're right, we also have to admit that we've been ignorant? That is so embarrassing -- it's cruel of you to try to do that to us.

Answer 1

Well before I answer your question, let me just sum up your argument in a nutshell. Basically you think that just because the crowd currently believes in Christianity, that Atheists should relinquish their beliefs and conform to something they don't agree with? Oh hell, while we're at it, let's just bully the Jews and Muslims and Protestants into conforming as well; they're a minority too right? Because it's ALWAYS been a good idea to give in like mindless sheep to the greater authority, as opposed to being critical to what we're told and questioning common "facts".

To give you a little history lesson (since it seems you know little of your own faith), Catholics were under severe persecution for a good several hundred years before they even had a foothold in the world. Roman officials persecuted them until the Edict of Milan was instilled by Constantine, and even then the Church had to face schisms, heresies, and foreign powers like the Germanic tribes invading Rome. They were the minority as well, but did they conform? Of course not, they stuck to what they believed in because it was important to them. I believe in all fairness it's right to say Atheists should have that same freedom. Just because their beliefs don't agree with yours doesn't make them wrong.

And here's a question for you to consider anyhow, to put your mind into the universal truth behind religions. If you'd study religions of the past in depth, you'd find a correlation behind their gods: Most religions praise some omnipotent being who controls things THAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND. Important religions of the past devoutly praised the sun and moon as gods, because they didn't understand how day changed into night. Now we've come to the understanding that it's merely our planet revolving around a massive star, with a smaller rock orbiting our own planet that we call the moon. Christianity seems to do that for us: It gives people a way to relieve their anxieties from wrongs they've done, and to help move on when things don't go well in life or don't make sense. Have you ever considered that in a few thousand years, people could be looking back on our faith knowing what happens after death, and praising new gods to answer newer questions we can't comprehend?

I'd suggest you take a look into some of the writings by Carl Sagan, or rather look up "pale blue dot" on www.youtube.com. You might be able to have a better understanding of the Atheist mind frame after seeing what some of our great minds have to say about faith in general. We aren't the uptight, arrogant, science-obsessed people you seem to think we are. We want answers just as badly as you do, and share a good portion of beliefs moral-wise with you. However, we just believe that God can't logically exist. You don't have to admit that we're right, because we're just as unsure as you are about what happens in the end. We never claimed for you to admit ignorance either, because it's certainly fact that some of the world's greatest minds were Catholic... And I certainly don't see how following our faith makes us cruel. I think you have a lot of thinking to do about Atheists, because you seem to have it all down wrong.

Answer 2

You really don't want to hear why I think there are more Christrians than atheists in the US. However, being outnumbered is meaningless. A majority of people once thought slavery was a good idea and twisted scripture to suit their purposes. A brief review of US history shows that majority opinion has been wrong about most every issue.

The fact that I don't conform actually illustrates what's right with me. I am able to make decsions for myself, by myself. It took a lot of psychothearpy to overcome the indoctrination my parents did to me.

As far as I'm concerned Christians have had four hundred years to understand that humanity has redefined the nature of reality. Aristotle's Solipsism is flat wrong! Each person's subjective perceptual experience is NOT the basis of reality. Humanity has known since Galileo and Newton that the physical realm is the only objective reality. Christianity has had more than enough time to realize they were completely wrong and adjust their doctrine to be consistent with how reality actually operates.

How dare you assert that it's cruel of atheists to force believers to admit that they've been ignorant. No atheist has ever burned a believer at the stake! No atheist has ever tortured a Christian for being a believer. You assert it's cruel of atheists to insist that believers face the truth about the nature of reality? Don't you think it's about time the faithful did a little reality check? A little embarrassment is nothing, NOTHING compared to the horrors perpetrated by the Church on those who were intelligent enough to figure out the real truth, despite centuries of Christian atrocities.

Edit: Too bad DuckPhup missed this question. He'd have given you something to really think about.

Answer 3

you're making assumptions on defective data. case in point, in case you have been properly suited then the extra believers in a inhabitants might recommend that the final wellness of that u . s . could be extra suited than extra secular international locations. France an earthly u . s . with a many times irreligious inhabitants has the main effectual wellness provider interior the international. the rustic, the main religious u . s . interior the western international, has the thirty seventh effectual wellness care interior the international, (look it up, stats by ability of the OECD). inspite of all of those prayers the irreligious French will stay longer, will stay longer devoid of ailment, would have much less psychological wellness subjects, fewer divorces, much less crime, have decrease infant mortality, fewer drug issues, fewer abortions. My opinion is which you do no longer possibly know what good judgment is and so you might totally study a situation, getting all the data, globally no longer in basic terms domestically, until eventually now you burst off a million/2 ******. Edit: properly church attendances is a trademark of being an energetic Christian and France it particularly is 12% interior the rustic it particularly is 40 3%. actually you at the instant are not claiming that France is a extra Christian u . s . than the rustic.

Answer 4

I am an atheist and I never try to make anyone feel stupid about their beliefs. However, to me it makes complete sense that there are more Christians than atheists in the US. From a young age, most people are told that God exists along with heaven, hell and all that jazz. Most people never stop to seriously question that.

More importantly, I feel that people believe in God because it's easy. It is much easier to believe in something that gives hope and makes you feel less responsible for your own life. Most people find it much harder to face the world with all the awful things when they don't feel part of a bigger picture.

I respect all religious views, but I think you should cut atheists some slack. In my opinion it takes great courage to be an atheist, and especially to share those views with others.

Answer 5

Woah..... why should I conform to *your values*?

If God DOES exist, why do only 20% of Canadians attend religious services, and only 30% report religion as being VERY important to them in 2001 (Down from 67% in 1946). [2001 being the last year a census was taken]. In comparaison to 57% in the US. (And yet in Canada, we have a lower violent crime rate, per capita.... Sometimes I wonder if there's a direct correlation between the two.)

I digress, what I'm trying to say is that your question is completely and absolutely absurd. Just because that's the majority DOES NOT make it *right* (one way or the other).

It's also cruel of you to tell us we're going to hell.

Answer 6

So, you're saying that if atheists out-numbered Christians, you'd conform? I doubt it!

Here's the answer that's as offensive as yours: The intentionally uninformed, intellectually vapid, and those in reality denial outnumber non-believers.

Answer 7

Why are there more non-Christians than Christians in the whole world? Does being grossly outnumbered make you wrong?

Answer 8

Haha, here I was chargin' mah lazer for a theological debate, but it turns out you're just being a satirist ^_^ I approve.

"What makes me sick is they do it at soldiers funerals...which I have seen personally. I dont get it!!"
Actually, you're thinking of the Westboro Baptist Church. They're not atheists. They believe in a vengeful God.

Answer 9

it's your own fault for being ignorant. we have nothing to do with that. do lay your troubles on us.

being outnumbered doesn't bother me at all....I don't think I'm wrong. do you think you're wrong? I didn't think so...I feel the same way with what I believe.

Answer 10

At one point in time, most people believed the world was flat. At one point in time, beating your wife within an inch of her life was considered acceptable, even in the most advanced countries. At one point in time, it was thought that you could cure illnesses by cutting people open and bleeding them.

Clearly, just because the majority of people believe it doesn't make it true.

But you knew that. :)