I'm curious to read some of your reasons because it seems it isn't a well thought out decision, or it is based on simple reasons like 'just because' or 'I don't see proof'. I'm coming from a Buddhist background, and despite some misunderstanding, Buddhism is not Atheist. A thorough investigation will prove this.
What is a Deity? In Buddhism, a person, through training their mind can achieve mastery of the subtle body even in dream, and they can also achieve profound realizations in which they join an enlightened society of holy beings. They can see Deities, or highly realized beings (Bodhisattvas and Buddhas) either with their mental consciousness or even with their coarse eyes. Precise examination of Buddhism, especially completion stage in Highest Yoga Tantra, and gaining personal experience of this will show the existence of Deities. As personal experience of many people shows, especially in the commentaries by Masters of what is possible, disbelief becomes baseless and useless.
2007-12-18 01:55:18 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because there's no evidence for any gods. I'm an atheist for exactly the same reason that I don't believe that there are any polka-dotted chimpanzees dancing on my head. That's a "simple reason", as you said, but of course it's also a perfectly good reason.
Your second paragraph is mostly false. You were doing better before you said that stuff.
2007-12-18 01:58:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
Actually, most people would argue that believers believe simply because they're indoctrinated. In other words, they haven't thought about it, they've just been programmed. I have never experienced any supernatural phenomena in my entire life. I have told God to kill me to prove a point. I tried to sell my soul to prove a point. I've broken mirrors, walked under ladders... You name it. It's all just superstition and it has no effect what so ever. Also, why would I worship some guy that may have never existed? No credible historian of the time (ie. without a bias toward promoting Christianity) ever wrote about Jesus. Plus, the story is a copy of about 8 different religious icons including Horus, Dionysus, Hercules, and the list could go on and on. I thought about it and it made more sense to just try to live this life like I get no other life and not waste if praying for things... Instead, I plan for things.
2007-12-18 02:00:38 · answer #2 · answered by clint 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the concept of 'god(s)' was made up by very simple, primitive people thousands of years ago, who had no other way of explaining the world around them. I think we have moved on significantly since then.
Religion is a man made, learned thinking system, which is inherently dangerous to the growth and success of us as a species.
We are born with neither the knowledge of, nor the requirement for any deities. It is a very negative social control device.
2007-12-18 02:02:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is a cut and paste from a very similar question I answered about 3 days ago
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I have faith in things I can observe and the strength of my faith is determined by the amount of information I can gather about it.
My faith in the form of the chair I am sitting on is strong.
The harder it is to observe and the less information I have about it, the weaker my faith in it becomes.
So I have less faith in the form of very distant stars because my only observance of them is of light that left billions of years ago - I could make a prediction of what it might be like but essentially I am guessing as to the finer details.
Once you get to God - I have made no observations, even the anecdotal information I get is sketchy and varied and usually supplied by people with a need to believe rather than a reason. So I have no faith in God because not even once have I observed God and I suspect all the anecdotes to be lies.
That is the logic behind my choice of atheism.
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That neatly sums it up for me
2007-12-18 02:01:18 · answer #4 · answered by Sly Phi AM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personally, I consider myself an agnostic practicing Buddhism as a philosphy, as opposed to a religion.
I am open to acknowledging that if I had the benefit of your experiences, perhaps I also would practice it as religion.
Namaste', A.
2007-12-18 10:30:26 · answer #5 · answered by Dances with Buddha 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because I don't see proof. How is that not a well thought out answer? I don't see proof in highly realized beings should I believe in them? No.
2007-12-18 02:00:27 · answer #6 · answered by That's Why 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am an Atheist because I do not believe in god.
I do not believe any of the 'evidence' a higher-entity exists is really evidence.
I think the bible is just a book that people took way to seriously.
2007-12-18 01:58:41 · answer #7 · answered by LS 3 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Disbelief is as baseless and useless as belief.
There is no certainty. Your practice should reveal that to you.
2007-12-19 06:53:52 · answer #8 · answered by Sophrosyne 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because there are theists who hold a belief I do not share and who make a claim that they cannot provide good evidence for.
2007-12-18 02:00:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, lack of any kind of evidence is the best answer I have.
(And I hate to say it, some one else's personal experience isn't good enough reason for me.)
2007-12-18 01:58:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋