Why do athiests become most religious when facing death?

Question

I have not met an athiest who doesn't say "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!" When in danger or facing life threatening situation.

Angelguide's quote "And I tell you they are more spiritual than people who are religious." Now there is a contradiction.

Have you athEIst (thank you for the spell check guys) heard of "There is no atheists in the fox hole."

Penny Lane, less caffeine perhaps? Was this question insulting? I doubt I'd get insulted if you'd tell me I was acting "unchristian" like. It's just an observation and hardly anyone in the thrid world contries are atheists. I wonder why there are so many in a society where people have the resources to play thier own god.

Answer 1

when i was in Iraq, i saw that way to much. and I've been deployed 3 times.

LOL..I'm getting thumbs down because I've actually witnessed it. classic!

Answer 2

Oh My god, I don't think you know what in the hell you are talking about. I use those expressions all the time. and that is what they are, is expressions.
People say What the f**k, oh sh**, and dammit to hell. I could give you at least five more, but you get the idea.
And, for your information, there have been many atheists in foxholes. Many atheists have died for this country, and willingly. there are atheists in Iraq right now, fighting Bush's illegal war. So get your facts straight.
People are going to be derogatory about whatever atheists do, no matter what. All they need is an excuse.

I had someone ask me why atheists are so rude to christians?
I said,'' I reply, as I am addressed''!
And he said that both sides needed to start being nicer to the other.
And he wanted to know why I couldn't be the bigger person, and go first.
Well, I have been an atheist, since earlier this year, and I have read countless insulting questions on this site, everyday.
And when we defend ourselves, we are called rude, and nasty, and ignorant, and a host of other names.
So,I suggest that maybe the christians might really start to practice what they preach, and try a little kindness, and a lot more courtesy.
Why should it be, that the atheists have to go first.?

Answer 3

First of all, Why is that believers are always experts on what non-believers are thinking at the time of death? I'm an atheist, know other atheists, and have never had a near death experience or witnesses a deathbed confession. Who are you hanging out with? Second, how does saying OMG in a stressful or surprising situation change anything? Does it change facts or personal beliefs or is it the same as saying the f-word when you stub your toe?

Answer 4

I'm more likely to say something that starts with an "s" when I get stressed. That doesn't mean that I believe that my problem has anything to do with going to the bathroom. My husband's response might lead you to believe he wants to have Anglo-Saxon intercourse.

Don't confuse verbal habits with belief. TOO MANY "religious" types confuse a show of religion with real faith in action as it is.

I'm not an atheist. I'm not a theist. I AM agnostic on the subject.

Answer 5

I served with an atheist in the NAM that threw himself on a live grenade. He won the DSC posthumously. I didn't hear anything about a deity, and of the six people that could have reacted, the only one that did was the only atheist in the crowd.

Answer 6

Saying "Oh my god!" is a general exclamation, not an appeal to a higher power. For us, anyway. Perhaps when you yell OH MY GOD! when startled you are literally calling for God to...do...something. For us, it's just an expression of surprise, dismay, shock, etc. Much like saying, "Crap!," "Holy cow!," "Oh, hamburgers!," or my personal favorite, "For corn's sake!"

Doubtless there are some atheists who decide they want religion when faced with death. For every one of those, there are dozens more for whom religion never crosses their minds. When you don't believe in something, it's highly unlikely that you will suddenly yearn for it.

A friend of mine who is an atheist has often said that he really envies his friends who have faith in whatever they may individually have faith in. He wishes he could believe in something that he can't find any proof for, but he just can't bring himself to do it. I asked him if he ever thought he might become religious when faced with death and he said that he doubts it, but you never know what might happen to your logic at a time like that.

Personally, I don't see myself ever being all OH WOW I COULD SURE GO FOR SOME JESUS RIGHT NOW when I'm dying or in danger of dying, but nobody knows until they're there.

For you to claim that "all" atheists "always" call out to God in danger is both ignorant and ridiculous. You don't know whether all do, because you haven't sampled all of them. Nor has anybody.

Answer 7

not just athiests but also religious folks as well, yes those who beleive suddenly faced with possible death for what ever reasons suddenly find god. My bigger question is why do beleivers only choose to acknowledge church on Easter, Chritmas and other religious events? WHY not every Sunday (or whatever day church is held)?

Answer 8

You can say the same thing about 'christians'

Especially those who want the last rites/viaticum performed on their deathbed (despite living a life of selfishness and cruelty), as if god would really be dumb enough to fall for that type of insincerity.

Answer 9

That is not exactly a prayer. There are all sorts of sayings that can be traced back to stuff that they no longer have any meaning for.

When someone says that they are planning on flying under the radar of someone, does that mean they are actually flying a plane under a radar system or does it just mean the person is trying to not be noticed by someone?

I will say, "oh my golly gee willickers". I actually do. Does that mean that I believe in golly gee willickers? I have no idea what that would even be.

Answer 10

I'm a hospice nurse. I've sat at the bedsides of more dying people than you've ever known unless you are one, too. I've never once had an atheist patient convert on their deathbed!

Answer 11

Lots of us say "oh my god!" in surprise, we learned it from our religious parents, it's a useless habit.

I was shot near the heart in a store robbery, and I can tell you 'god' was the last thing on my mind, I was far too busy fighting for my life for such trivial matters to race through my mind.