Are there actually believers hiding behind an atheist sheath ?

Question

I have alot more respect for someone who truly are atheist simply because science, or their own 5 sences have never felt, seen, or been able to see God.

But how about the mislabled atheist who are believers that were either forced to go to church, and do good, or just simply rebelious believers who hate God for things that have happened in the past, or currently happening now, with violence, murders, rape, plagues, mental illnesses, and all other bad things that happen to human beings.
These are not atheist at all. They know there is a God, but they hate him, and are at war with him, and who better to rally their anger behind, then atheist.
In definition, they are not atheist, but heathen at most.
And you can know the differance by the ones that will curse God, say vulgar things about him, and also curse those that follow him, whereas a true atheist simply refers to Christian as uneducated, void of free-will, and sometimes ignorant, which also means greatly uneducated.

While I do not agree with the understanding of an atheist, the fact they offer to possibly belive in God if there were irruputible fact to back it up, gives me a heap more repect then one who really knows there is a God, but hates him. for those I simply pray God have mercy. and for true atheist I pray God give you the fact, or Truth that will help if you so seek it.
http://godandscience.org/apologetics/nogod.html#belief

I will withdraw the terminology "sheath" as I only used it because those hiding behind the belief of atheist, uses the knowledge of the atheist as a sheath.

Answer 1

A sheath?

Oooh... I like how you metaphorically say that Atheism is the "sheath" and belief and faith is the "knife" or "sword" within. :)

Answer 2

There are many reasons why people dont believe in God.

1)They are turned off by Preachers that have done them wrong.Or Preachers that say one thing and do another thing.Hypocrites.
2) That is the way they were brought up.
3) They are fearful because the demons inside them make them nervous around people that love Jesus.
4) They have had a tragedy in their life and they can not understand that if there is a God .How could He do this to me.
5) They have had a good life and think they do not need God.Many people that are rich rely on their money instead of God.
6) They have way to many things going on in their life to survive and they do not have the time for such a thing as a God.
7) Pride
8) Guilt.They don't think they are good enough.
9) They never hit bottom.Someone was always there for them and told them everything is going to be all right.
10) They think about it but put it off
11) They have been indoctrinated in a cult
12)To intelligent to rationalize that there is a God. It makes no sense to them
13) They were taught there was not a God
14) They have not seen any evidence of God
15) They have never experienced the supernatural
16) They just dont care
17) They see leaders that say they are a Christian and see how they act and what they do and they say If that's what it is like to be a Christian I want no part of it
18) They see contradictions in the Bible that make no sense to them.
19)They believe if the turn to God they will not have anymore fun.
20) They were made to go to church when they were young and hated the experience
21) A Minister or a priest may have molested them

Answer 3

I only became a non-believer of the christian god through reading and understanding. I don't hate Jesus. I actually think he was good, and did good. I just don't believe he was the son of god. I do not even believe in an all seeing sky dictator. I know something created the universe. I know we are lucky as heck to be here on earth. We could just be some frozen molecule on Pluto, or burning cell on Mercury. I am not a creationist, because it is just myth. It's like that of the Jersey Devil, Sasquatch, and the Lochness monster. Did you know there is a pope who is said to have cast the Lochness monster back to the sea forever? What the hell is that? These man made religions, man made in the likliness of some god, are ridiculous and outdated. Maybe we shouldn't have burned up David Koresh. Could he have been the next? Life is life. Be kind, merry, and knowledgeable.

Answer 4

It's possible...

I mean...there were times when I was a kid, and my hands felt just like two balloons, and sometimes I get that feeling once again, I can't explain, you would not understand, this is not how I am...

I have become...comfortably numb...

There is no pain, you are receding, the distant ships smoke on the horizon...

That "emotion" could be drug induced...or "reverence" induced...I mean...when you're impressed to the point of awe by a really killer high view from a mountain or valley or whatever...what is that feeling? Feels pretty "God-like" sometimes...so...

My point is...even I, an agnostic who admits he doesn't know if there is or if there isn't, gets a "reverence" feeling sometimes that makes ya' kinda wonder...cause it's a pretty damn high up there feeling...and it makes ya' feel "good" in that normally narcotic way that requires only your own "reverent" thinking...

Whether or not that feeling is all my brain's doing, or something else entirely, somehow "above my brain..."

I don't know...

Answer 5

I would bet there are a few. I think in general the theist who is mad at their god is more likely to say they are not religious, and not state they are an atheist.
There are also many people who call themselves Christian that don't believe a word of it and go along because it's easy. They don't have to disappoint there family or be subjected to social scrutiny.
There are also the atheist, anti-theist. Some might misconstrue their anger with religion with anger at some god.

Answer 6

I call myself an atheist but am really a pragmatist. God's existence doesn't matter because belief or not does not change my world.


I have always been an atheist. OK, that is not completely true. I am not an atheist. I am not a believer. I am not an agnostic. I am none of these because the answer to god's existence is unimportant.

People ask what would convince me that god truly exists. While I am not sure, I am certainly open to any tangible evidence. I do not know what evidence would convince me because I believe it is impossible to prove the existence of god. What evidence would convince you that god does not exist? See the conumdrum: it is difficult to answer their question! See falsifiability (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability ) for an explanation of theory and the rules of evidence.

Do not quote bible passages as evidence of god's existence. This is my standard of proof, not yours. However, if proof were proffered that convinced me god exists, I would change absolutely nothing in my life or my behavior. The existence or not of god does not matter. Like many humans I live a purposeful life and god does not add more purpose.

What if evidence were produced that convinced you god does not exist with certainty (evidence according to your standards of proof)? What would you change in your life?

- Would you stop evangelizing?
- Would you start sinning more?
- Would you stop helping those less fortunate than you?
- Would you feel that life is meaningless?

Let us examine one area Christians think about atheists. Christians seem to think non-believers hope that their good deeds will get them into heaven, should heaven really exist. The Torah (Old Testament) has a word for this: mitzvah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitzvah ). Many atheists such as myself perform mitzvahs not for the sake of getting an admission ticket into heaven, but because performing good deeds and helping those in need is the right thing to do. In other words, these are selfless acts.

Christians sometimes proffer Pascal’s Wager (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager ) suggesting to non-believers that they should accept Jesus (John 3:16) as some sort of insurance policy against hell, just in case it turns out god really exists. The fallacy with this line of reasoning is that faith in god for some reward or to avoid punishment is not faith at all. It is a selfish act to receive something in return for a belief. The point of religious belief so that one becomes a better person, not to receive a reward or please a spiritual being.

Even the Torah addresses sacrifices or any other act in an effort to please god as displeasing god.

So why do you believe in god? If it is to enter heaven, that is very selfish. If god, heaven, and hell do not exist, would you still perform mitzvahs and follow the Golden Rule or would you say what is the point? Mitzvahs are not meant to please god.

Many Christians also claim that only those who believe can live a moral life and those who do not believe in god have no moral compass. That implies that one lives a moral life, not because it is the right thing to do, but because god expects us to be moral. Again, the fallacy with this reasoning is that mitzvahs and morals should be followed because god or a holy book dictates rules to us and not for personal philosophical or spiritual reasons.

In summary, I have no stake in god's existence. I do not see existence of heaven or hell as a reward and punishment system. If the whole purpose of the Golden Rule preached by Jesus was to treat others and I would like to be treated, I can follow his philosophy without believing in god. What type of god would want me to pledge my fealty to him or her simply for the sake of believing or proving my allegiance? I would expect god is beyond pride and the need for some following.

For all those thumbs down votes, I ask you to examine your personal motivation for believing in god.

Why is the concept that one can perform selfless mitzvahs and possess moral values without belief in god so difficult for many Christians to comprehend?

Answer 7

Following these faiths based on mythological figures ensures the destruction of one's inner-being. Organized religion destroys who we are by inhibiting our actions, by inhibiting our decisions, out of fear of some intangible parent figure who, shakes a finger at us from thousands of years ago and says "Do it - Do it or I'll ******* spank you”.

I think it's better to have ideas about how to live your life. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier. People kill for it, people die for it. Life should malleable and progressive; working from idea to idea permits that. Beliefs anchor you to certain points and limit growth; new ideas can't generate.

I can change my beliefs and way of life in an instant, live how i want and for what ever reason i want. religious people cant. they are stuck with god, and they reject new ideas because since they have given their whole life to god, hes all they have.

i just haven't got my head around the concept of god, and i am sure i will in time, but i wont just give my life away to a fixed belief because every says i should, or because it will save me from eternal damnation. How can i fear and love god at the same time? there is just too many things that don't make sense. i will treat him as a friend or my equal, but never as someone who is above me.

Im 17 and im working my way through life step by step. I don't feel regret or guilt when i have sex, take drugs or drink alcohol. they are good and guilt free times. I do well at school and am not throwing my life away contrary to popular belief. I do not know what evidence would convince me that god exists. Im not waiting for god to jump out in front of me and say "i exist", they say god reveals himself in mysterious ways, so ill keep an eye out, but i wont stop my life just to argue his existence.

Answer 8

In every group of labled people there are always going to be those who pretend to understand, or follow the flock. It's foolish to assume that everyone is on the same page. There will always be one person who either doesn't get it, doesn't believe, or doesn't want to upset his/her life to be different.

Answer 9

I suppose there may be atheists like that, but most simply don't believe in a supreme being.

Answer 10

i actually like your question. my personal belief is that there are more agnostics than true atheists and true believers put together......lol but that's just my belief.
edit: the guy above me gave such a good answer that it makes me feel small and insignificant lol!!!