Athiests, any of you want to believe but just find the concept of a higher power too illogical?

Question

Believing in God and joining a religion are not synoymous.

Answer 1

I wanted to believe before, and was even a seriously practicing Christian, but I more and more understood it never touched my heart, and that the only thing I was longing for in Church was the beauty of the liturgy and the music. Jesus, God, salvation from sin, and so on, was never important things for me.

Thus, I found trying to be a Christian was some kind of self-delusion (for me). Christianity isn't about beautiful liturgies, kind friends and good music. Nothing of what I sought in Church was central to Christian beliefs, and nothing that was central in Christan beliefs was important for me.

So, I left Church for Buddhism, where I suddenly found sounds reasoning, useful practices to train your mind in order to develop stronger love and compassion, and so on. Actually, since I became a Buddhist, about a decade ago, I have never for a single moment regretted or doubted my decision.

I still hold the Church in high regard, but it's simply not meaningful for me. I never felt a personal need for a God or that kind of higher power. Also not when I was a Christian and tried to believe (just because it seemed irrational to be a Christian and not believe in God ...).

Thus, two things together make this question utterly non-problematic for me: no inner need for God from my own heart and no outer rational reason for me to believe in him.

And just a note, regarding the last words of your question: I don't find believing in God illogical, I just don't find any rational reasons to choose this logical possibility over other equally logical possibilities!

Answer 2

I am a Deist, i belive there is actually too much unexplainable stuff to totally logically rule out a Creator/God (it cant be disproven either) but he is more like a scientist and the universe is his expirament he watches, observes, and studies the interactions of what he created he does not manipulate things nor does he favor one group of people over any other. I have come to belive it is the religons of the world that are corrupted. humans allow themselves to use their religous views of God as a crutch or an excuse. when i belive everything we need to make decions about right and wrong is in our hearts. I dont need angels or scripture to tell me i am doing right and i dont need demons or a devil to know if i am doing something wrong

I think Jesus and Santa were both real persons at one time both were great men whose stories over time grew legendary, the same way John Henry and Paul Bunyon were both real men at one time but the stories of their feats grew every generation it was retold into the larger than life mythical persons we 'know' them as today.

I like to view Jesus as a teacher and philosopher not a deity

Answer 3

"A higher power" is not the problem. In fact, I think most atheists buy into that concept to one degree or another. It's just that God is almost never described as simply being some amorphous, undefined higher power. "He" is almost always defined as this super-human, all knowing, all powerful, creator of all things, who makes rules for us and passes judgement over us... That's the god atheists don't believe in.

Answer 4

I'm afraid that doesn't really make a lot of sense. I certainly don't want to believe in the Christian God. I do believe in a sort of afterlife, which covers the major draw of most religions. So there is nothing of interest to me in any of the religions.

Answer 5

A lot things that believers believe about God and an afterlife are pretty nice ideas. I just can't find any reason to think they are true. And once I get to thinking about them alot I realize that it isn't necessary for me to believe in them, either. I'd rather work on making THIS life be good than to spend my time trying to get into an afterlife that isn't there.

Answer 6

The concept of an all loving and powerful deity is great but I have been blessed with the capability of thought and just cannot knowingly lie to myself every day. I think the concept of Santa is great too but we all quit believing in him when we are kids.

Answer 7

I just don't see the benefit of wanting to believe. If higher power exists then fine but I just don't go around wanting to believe.

Answer 8

I don't want to believe because I find the concept illogical.

Answer 9

It's not a matter of wanting to, I don't really like evolution but the facts are there. I wouldn't mind believing but the facts are not there and it does have quite a few problems with consistency and logic.

Answer 10

I don't know. That's kind of an interesting question. "Want to believe"? I've never really thought about whether I want to believe something or not. I just believe what seems believable to me and I don't believe what doesn't.