If it is your choice, isn't that "free will"? Don't many of you reject the idea of "free will"?
2007-12-09 23:02:48 · 23 answers · asked by Tuna fish 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Supergirl, yes, we are all born atheists, we also are born without any sense of right or wrong, cannot walk or talk, read or write, the list goes on, I would think that a weak argument for atheism, but that's just my opinion.
2007-12-10 05:39:05 · update #1
I choose not to believe because I see no reasoning or proof that would convince me otherwise.
2007-12-09 23:05:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
First off - let me explain why rational thinkers may reject the idea of 'free will'. You can exercise your will to the extent that your environment (nature and nurture) dictates. Meaning that your will is limited to your experience. In simple terms, if you grew up as a devout Christian and never came across any external influences to your religion, then your will can not dictate otherwise than to be a Christian. If you grew up as a devout Christian and you travel abroad and experience people from other cultures, your frame of reference is widened, changing the extent to which your will is able to make a decision. This is what is meant with the rejection of free will - your choice is limited proportionally to your experience.
Everybody draws their own conclusion from available information. I concluded that there is no beneficial reason for me to believe in any supernatural phenomena (god, satan, good, evil, soul, afterlife, Santa, life force, et al). I experience being judged by people, but that in no way will motivate me to consciously contradict the information I have access to.
Is atheism a choice? Definitely not. It is a conclusion. I think it is a choice to have irrational faith. To have faith is a learned behaviour. We are all born atheist.
2007-12-10 07:32:03 · answer #2 · answered by Supergirl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you cannot. That would be incorrect. I do not believe in God because there's not enough evidence to prove his existance. I never rejected the possibility of one or more, I just don't believe it can be proven. That's not choice - that's COMMON SENSE.
Free will is a myth if you ask me. I mean, absolute free will. It should NEVER be confused with choices and consequences that come from those choices.
If I point a gun to your head and tell you to shoot the person next in line in order to save your life, most (notice ''most'') probably you'll do it. Would you have done it had I not pointed the gun to your head? Of course not. So where's free will there? What's ''free'' about setting conditions?!
We as human beings may have choices, but we most definitely don't have free will.
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2007-12-10 07:20:55 · answer #3 · answered by Poppy Pickette AM - VT 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, I don't reject the idea of free will. I reject the non-logic of the christian position[s] which range from predestination ( the most honest if you ask me, and you did) to a three and only god that in omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent, such a being could not be refused, and if such a being exists, and created me, then it also stands to reason that he created me for the express purpose of becoming an atheist, perhaps to challenge you.. Who are you to question God's divine plan for Atheists??
2007-12-10 07:12:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
No one really chooses to be an atheist, we choose to examine the evidence rationally and base our beliefs upon what we observe which naturally leads to atheism.
Really, would anyone actually choose to be a member of the most discriminated group in human history?
2007-12-10 07:22:28 · answer #5 · answered by bestonnet_00 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've been an atheist since I was born. Being conceived and travelling out of the birth canal is hardly a choice.
Try harder with your weak semantics.
I CONCLUDE there is no god. Get it? Is that so hard for you to understand? A conclusion, not a choice?
PS: There is no god.
2007-12-10 07:06:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
You can assume what you like. But until you accept the fact that atheists are all different people with different ideas and reasons for not believing in deities...you will just have to keep assuming stuff.
Unless you were adressing one specific 'atheist', in which case, you forgot to address them personally.
2007-12-10 07:05:49 · answer #7 · answered by Bajingo 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
You are correct. I choose not to believe in your Dogmatic rubbish. I do not reject the idea of freewill. What would give you that idea? I do not however think that this freewill came from a Deity.
2007-12-10 07:13:46 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not necessarilly a choice, it is that there is no scientific facts to base a religious choice on and since atheists have no ingrained feelings of faith, it is logical they would go with the evolutionary theory.
2007-12-10 07:08:18 · answer #9 · answered by dallas 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Common sense tells me there is no such thing as God.
Nobody has total free will, we are the product of our genes and upbringing etc.
We are all capable of murder, yes. However, because of the above, most of us cannot carry out such a crime.
2007-12-10 07:13:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are wrong. I don't believe because there is no scientific evidence.
I believe in evolution and big bang theory because the facts tell me it is true.
Do I not fall off the earth because I believe in gravity or because it is a fact?
2007-12-10 07:28:48 · answer #11 · answered by penster_x 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋