What do atheists believe?

Question

Why don't you believe in God?
And if you dont believe in God who made the universe and everything on Earth? and what do you believe in?

and no we didnt come from monkeys...

Answer 1

Ladies and gentleman,
Presenting the uneducated youth of Christianity.

Answer 2

The only people who think evolution has anything at all to do with people somehow coming from monkeys are Christians.

Atheists don't believe in gods, yours or any others. The fact that the Earth exists does not mean that it must have had a creator. I believe that it did, but that's not in any way proof that it "must" have.

Answer 3

We believe in being nice to at least one person every day. And we know ahead of time what it is we will do to be nice.

We believe the animals thrive on survival of the fittest. Males fight with each other to win the female. The strongest male wins and his genes go on to procreate the next generation. Along the way, some of the animals have part of their DNA destroyed (a lucky hit by cosimic rays) and this may (or may not) give them diffenent characteristics. If it makes him stronger, you can see the basis for evolution. We did not evolve from monkeys but we did evolve from ape-like creatures who were the first hominids. .

Answer 4

Atheists believe in lots of different things. The sole common element is the lack of a belief in a god (supreme being, higher power, etc.).

Here's why I don't believe in God:

First, you have to define the term "God." The problem with most theists is that this term is a moving target.

In addition, because there is no evidence either for or against the existence of God, you cannot use deductive logic (a+b=c; therefore c-b=a). You can only reach a conclusion by inductive reasoning using the balance of evidence (90% of A is also B; C is B, so the chances are 90% that C is also A).

So to begin with, I will assert (and others may shoot this down) that the only RELEVANT definition of God states that GOD INTERVENES TO CIRCUMVENT NATURAL LAWS.

If God circumvents natural laws, then it becomes impossible to understand natural laws. All scientific findings would have to include the stipulation, "It is also possible that these results are an act of God, a miracle, thereby making our research meaningless."

However, we have been able to expand our knowledge of natural laws (evidenced by every appliance in your kitchen). Therefore, because the scientific method leads to applicable discoveries, and the likely conclusion is that God, at least the intervening kind, does not exist.

Additionally, if God is defined as all loving, all powerful, and all knowing, then it is impossible to explain suffering. Either God is not all loving (he acts sadistically), not all powerful (he cannot prevent suffering), or not all knowing (he created suffering by mistake because he didn't know the consequences of his actions). A God who is not all-loving, all-powerful or all-knowing is also not sufficient for the definition of God, because any God that fails to meet these criteria becomes bound by rules that are greater than God.

If God is bound by external rules and/or does not intervene in our existence, then God is either non-existent or irrelevant. The classic Bertrand Russell argument is that I cannot prove that a china teapot is orbiting the sun between the earth's orbit and Mars. But while I cannot prove this is not true, the evidence against it is compelling.

The evidence against God is equally compelling, and while it is not possible to prove beyond any doubt, it makes enormously more sense to live your life as if there were no God.

It is more compelling to me that humans have invented God (a) to help people deal with the pain and fear associated with death and loss, and (b) to reflect the thoughts of the ruling powers in a particular time. Humans are always searching for explanations. When none were found, it was the natural inclination to declare that the cause of the unexplained was "God" (or gods). As the faith grew, miracles (coincidences) and laws were ascribed to this Divinity, and an orthodoxy grew up around it.

Now it seems unhelpful to believe in such superstition. The only matters that aid in our ongoing well-being are work, location, health, sustenance, and pure, blind luck.

So that's why I don't believe God exists. And you know what? It's okay if you do believe God exists.

Regarding the origins of the universe, perhaps you should consider this: 150 years ago, we didn't know about bacteria. No clue. It wasn't understood until Louis Pasteur determined that germs caused disease.

You are asking the same questions that scientists ask. You have, however, asked this in the Religion & Spirituality section, where we are mostly humanities majors, not biologists or physicists. Would you come to R&S to find out what opus number was Mozart's 40th Symphony? I think not. You're asking us to play to our weakness. Quite frankly, you're being unfair.

So let me suggest two things:

1. If you are serious about wanting to know the current evidence-based understanding on the origins of the universe and on evolutionary theory, there are excellent descriptions found at http://www.talkorigins.org .

2. Consider that you are proposing (not so subtly) that anything that is not explained is a place for God to be discovered. This is commonly referred to in ontology as "the god of the gaps" theory. It typically assigns God to any blank space that science has not yet reached useful conclusions. Remember what I said about disease? Before bacteria were discovered, it was assumed God was punishing the ill, or that they were demon possessed, or some other supernatural phenomenon caused sickness. This is the same god of the gaps.

Science never assumes, and should never assume, anything is supernatural. The purpose of science is to discover through measured observation, testing, and repetition what natural causes lead to our natural world. If you impose a statement "God caused it," then this stops the search for knowledge, because God is ultimately unknowable. This is the reason that the "god of the gaps" theory is discounted among learned ontological academicians, and is ignored by science.

Answer 5

the big bang

humans and monkeys has the same ancestor that lived many many years ago.

its all about physics and biology. earth was created by asteroids floating around the sun. water came on earth through comets and meteors. then with the help of the moon, biology did all those miracles in the water. just watch discovery channel more often.

does it says HOW god created everything? he could use the big bang to created everything.

Answer 6

I don't believe in god for the same reason I don't believe in Big foot...because there is no evidence to prove his alleged existence.

As for what I believe? A lot of things actually. I believe in the positive power of Humanity to do good in the world. I believe in the use of reason to solve problems. I believe that truth is objective and not subject to the desires of humans, reason is the only way to perceive the world, and each person should act in their own self-interest *without* infringing on the rights of others.

Answer 7

There is nothing that all atheists believe. Atheism is the *absence* of belief in the existence of gods - that is the only thing that defines an atheist.

I don't believe in gods because all reason and evidence shows that such a belief is absurd.

Science shows that we are apes, the products of evolution. People only deny that because they are ignorant of the facts or determined to disbelieve them.

Answer 8

I have been a practicing Buddhist for a few decades and am also atheist. Many Buddhists believe in God, but I am not one of them. Personally I think there is no beginning to time and hence no creation or Creator.

Answer 9

Atheists can believe in anything...only one thing they cannot believe is in gods.

I don't believe in god because there is no evidence to support the existence of any god.

There is no evidence that supports the notion that any god "created" or "made" anything.

I never said we came from monkeys. I came from my parents. I don't know where you come from.

Answer 10

we believe in various things.

we dont believe in god for various reasons.

we dont believe the universe had a creator. nor did the earth.

and your right we didnt evolve from monkeys. we evolved from a common ancestor of great apes.

Answer 11

I believe you should believe whatever you want, and not worry about what anyone else believes.
Individual beliefs are private, and usually boring. Have a nice evening.