Atheists, how different are those who believe in God with those who do not?

Question

I believe in God.

At the same time I watch movies, play some video games once in a while, listen to music, like sporst "basketball, baseball, soccer (when in the world cup). Watch TV, go to college, listen to the NEWS, have political preferences, go shopping, work, have a girlfriend, use th einternet as you can see, I like gadgets, I write and read, etc...

Is our belief the only differnce with atheist? or what?

My way to happiness is God, if you have some other way to happiness, congrats. good for you.

It does not bother me.

Kelly you cant stereotype. I love my family not because I am supossed to, just because I love them.

Answer 1

You're not different from me in any way.

Me loves your attitude (((HUGS)))

It's so refreshing.

P.S. I just wish more believers were like you and I wish they would realise that we atheists don't eat babies, don't support crimes, that we're not immoral, that we don't approve of sex industry, that we're not atheists only because it leaves our hands open to do whatever we want, that we're not snobs driven by pride and selfishness and so on.
.

Answer 2

I was married to a Christian for 6 years.

And I can tell you our differences go farther than that.

Atheists seek the truth in things. We want to know WHY and HOW things happen.

Believers do not do this. Believers are content that "this is God's will" etc.

They often give up on situations, thinking that they don't need to understand them.

In the atheist's eyes, this is foolishness. When the answers are there to be had, and a believer ignores them, it causes friction.

This difference in mentality is the main reason I am no longer married to that woman.

I could so clearly see why bad things happened in our lives, financially, romantically, etc. And I could clearly see how to remedy them. But she could only see that she was either "happy" or "sad". It was absolutely infuriating.

But that's just one personal example. But I can't begin to count how many times I have asked believers here "why" they think something happens, or "how" they think something happens, and their answer, almost invariably, is "Why should I care?"

This sort of mentality is why they are content to believe that mankind poofed into existence 6000 years ago, when we KNOW FOR A FACT that that did not happen.

Answer 3

Yes. the only true difference between a theist and an atheist is the belief in God. All other differences would have to be determined separate from their being labeled an atheist.

Answer 4

Everyone is entitled to his or her own beliefs!

I firmly support that!!

But, I also believe that some religious beliefs are benign, while some are ludicrous,... and some are dangerous. Religion is a filter through which every rational thought must pass, and many do not.

We would be better off without ANY religion in the world.

Answer 5

No, belief is not the only difference. At some level, people have a reason for their beliefs. For theists, they believe in god because they were told to and have not examined the question thoroughly for themselves. For atheists, they don't believe in god because they have examined the question for themselves. Since religious belief is so important in our society, the difference between people who are willing to examine their beliefs and those who aren't must be huge. It is this underlying difference (which represents an entirely different way of looking at the world) that is the most important difference between theists and atheists.

Drug addicts achieve happiness by self-delusion -- so do theists. Good for you and good for drug addicts. I achieve happiness by self-examination. Even better for me :-)

Answer 6

pretty much

Although I think theism changes how you view the world. I am very much a live and let live kind of person. I don't care really what someone does (as long as they aren't hurting anyone) but most theists will judge people because their particular brand of religion doesn't like it eg homosexuality, sex before marriage.

Of course this doesn't apply to all theists but certainly the majority

Answer 7

I'm Agnostic and have friends who have all different beliefs, mormons, christians, jehovah's witnesses and atheists.

It depends on how strict their beliefs are. My JW friends won't celebrate holidays or drink, the Catholic friends drink all the time! But ultimately we're all the same, we enjoy the same activities. That's why we're friends.

Atheists don't run around burning churches or worshipping the devil. They just don't believe in God.

Answer 8

Well none really other than the belief of God, but those that do believe in God usually believe he has set down a moral code and as a true believer one should follow that moral code, those who do not believe in God are not bound by this moral code, although they usually (in societies where a certain religion is predominate) follow it anyway without their realizing it.

Answer 9

I think so. My husband and I are the only atheists we know yet we somehow manage to have close relationships with our friends and family. We do things with everybody and that must mean that we share common interests with them. It's just that our beliefs are different.
We are not, however, friends with people who shove their religion down our throats. We have encountered people like that and it never ends well.

Answer 10

Belief in a god or gods (like Hindus) versus non-belief in any and all gods. That's about the only difference. In common we share the human experience, good and bad, warts and all.

Answer 11

Theists may lead similar external lives to atheists, but I think their internal lives are quite difference.

I don't think there are invisible beings watch me, judging me, arranging things to happen to me for whatever reasons. I don't take things personally the same way some theists do.