Current Events > Why ain't everyone atheist?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Seems like a no brainer? Well at least why would you read the Bible? Are people really this blind to believe this or is all jsut a show that no one talks about?

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Because God wants it to be that way.

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Because tradition is essentially peer pressure from dead people.

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Because atheism is just as ignorant as Christianity, that might be why ;)

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Is this another episode of "the only religion is Christianity and all other religions are immune to criticism from athiests"?

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kinetika_ posted...

Because atheism is just as ignorant as Christianity, that might be why ;)

OK maybe not atheist but why do people follow the Bible? It's obviously a made up book thta has been debunked

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Hicks233 posted...

Is this another episode of "the only religion is Christianity and all other religions are immune to criticism from athiests"?

Well I don't really know other religions.

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Because apparently people can't find meaning in life or develop a set of morals without some fairytale to scare and motivate them. Humans also really hate not knowing everything, so gods are a convenient way to answer questions they are too stupid to answer.

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I've had too many out of body experiences while mediating (not even on drugs, but yes on drugs too) to not at least believe in the soul

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People don't care about what's real or not, they're in it for the hope it gives them.

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What good has atheism ever done for mankind?

It's funny when atheists call religious people dumb when they're the ones who can't figure out the value in believing there is something more than this.

Atheists seem to have severe depression 100% of the time >_>

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most people lack the mental strength or the desire to reject thousands of years of tradition. people want to think there is some explanation to the universe. and to think that something happens after we die. it's not fun to believe in nothing. also society expects you to have a religion. for most of history people who didn't, were seen at best as weird and at worst as evil

ConfessPlease posted...

Well I don't really know other religions.

Then why are you trying to have a discussion about religion?

Do you see me trying to start a discussion about the best gumbo recipe?

Lost_All_Senses posted...

It's funny when atheists call religious people dumb when they're the ones who can't figure out the value in believing there is something more than this.

Atheists seem to have severe depression 100% of the time >_>

Actually I don't find that true. Atheists from my experience seem to cherish life more because of the belief that there is nothing else. They also seem to have more empathy toward people and feel more remorse for their own wrongdoings, as there's no god to forgive them.


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Lost_All_Senses posted...

It's funny when atheists call religious people dumb when they're the ones who can't figure out the value in believing there is something more than this.

we know the value. it's why so many are religious. but some people realize that you can't just flip a switch and choose to believe something. if you don't believe it you don't believe it. sure I wish I thought there was something nice waiting. there COULD be. I could be wrong. but I doubt it. most of my experiences in 38 almost 39 years of life has convinced me that the universe is random and uncaring

ConfessPlease posted... OK maybe not atheist but why do people follow the Bible? It's obviously a made up book thta has been debunked

I've never completely read the bible, and that's because it's not worth my time since I've gotten my answers through different means and went down a different path. I'm pretty sure I will be flamed or ridiculed for saying this, but I view the bible as a piece of history and philosophy, despite how embellished it is with a lot of its stories. That would be why, I think, people follow it and put a lot of faith in it. I just can't believe that existence is governed by an omnipotent, sentient being. I also can't agree that existence is purely physical since we have immaterial/non-physical concepts that influence and control existence.

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Lost_All_Senses posted...

It's funny when atheists call religious people dumb when they're the ones who can't figure out the value in believing there is something more than this.

Atheists seem to have severe depression 100% of the time >_>

If you can't find meaning and happiness is reality, then that's a you problem and religion is just hiding the truth. "This life sucks, so I need to believe there is a better one if I guess right on which god I can't see is real".

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Imagine needing a book to find meaning in life

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Zikten posted...

. but some people realize that you can't just flip a switch and choose to believe something

There you go. There's the answer to this topic. Religious people can't just flip a switch on their faith.

hockeybub89 posted...

If you can't find meaning and happiness is reality, then that's a you problem and religion is just hiding the truth. "This life sucks, so I need to believe there is a better one if I guess right on which god I can't see is real".

I personally don't need religion, I just don't have a negative view on the decent people that do.

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Because religion frees people from having to think or worry about death since it promises an eternal reward.

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Lost_All_Senses posted...

I just don't have a negative view on the decent people that do.

I mean I don't care if people want to believe in God. I only care when they try to influence society cause of their beliefs and make laws based on their concept of "sin". like trying to prevent gay people from marrying.

I always found this

https://youtu.be/_wA5NmQESx8?t=207

to be lame - so no, I'm not an Atheist

Lost_All_Senses posted...

There you go. There's the answer to this topic. Religious people can't just flip a switch on their faith.

No one is born religious, but almost every society throughout history beats one into your head and tries to shame you into keeping in line. Staying religious is easy. Rejecting it is hard.

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three kinds of people

those who unquestioningly believe, those who question beliefs, those who question and whose conclusions converge on belief

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Zikten posted...

I mean I don't care if people want to believe in God. I only care when they try to influence society cause of their beliefs and make laws based on their concept of "sin". like trying to prevent gay people from marrying.

I completely agree with all that. My argument is against the idea that it does nothing for anyone, which is what TC is implying. It's a shallow perspective.

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Atheism is a religion too. Like it or not. lol

hockeybub89 posted...

No one is born religious, but almost every society throughout history beats one into your head and tries to shame you into keeping in line. Staying religious is easy. Rejecting it is hard.

Not being against religion =\= supporting forced religion.

That's like saying I support sex and you trying to turn it into me supporting rape.

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Nikra posted...

Atheism is a religion too. Like it or not. lol

If you're going to argue that every thought is a religion, sure.

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ConfessPlease posted...

the Bible

which Bible?

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Lost_All_Senses posted...

Not being against religion =\= supporting forced religion.

That's like saying I support sex and you trying to turn it into me supporting rape.

I think religion only exists because of thousands of years of force though, with a dash of human ignorance.

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Religion is man made and flawed inherently but spirituality is legitimate.

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ConfessPlease posted...

Well I don't really know other religions.

Time for you to do some learning then.

Look into the different perspectives of mono and pantheistic religions, look into the different approaches of Wicca and Baha'i. Start to learn to understand the role that faith plays when combined with human social structures, fears and desires. Look into how some are proscriptive and demanding, while others are more relaxed. Take the time to appreciate how religion acts as a unifying factor for societies and has been used as a tool for expansion and conquest.

Look at the ideas within Confucianism and Buddhism and how they provide structure and goals for people. When you're ready to come back to Christianity, look at how it splintered off from Judaism, what was different about its message and then look at how Islam splintered and the differences there.

You might not agree with what you find out, but I hope you find it interesting and that it helps you to understand how and why religion has been so important to human societies.

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Generally it's the same reason people are racist, homophobic, support their local sports team.

They were raised that way.

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Online atheists are mostly antitheists. There isn't really anything special about being an atheist. It's like being a theist. How many people are just theists? It's impossible to prove whether God exists or doesn't exist, so while there are arguments for both, being a theist or an atheist shouldn't really have much affect of someone's life.

But many online atheists spend much of their time bashing other religions. I'm sure a lot of atheists hate being associated with r/atheism, but they are the most vocal atheists (probably because they are really antitheists) and many atheists on CE act like users on r/atheism.

r/atheism users are generally very ignorant; for the most part they have not read the Bible (let alone any other religious book, but online atheists are mostly anti-Christian) and have no intention of reading it. When they quote the Bible it is almost always taken out of context - both historically and in relation to the surrounding verses.

I've seen plenty of ignorant Christians online (these are all from terrible internet blogs and not from legitimate sources, but still) who insult or try to discredit Islam while having no actual knowledge about Islam or having any intention to gain any actual knowledge. They quote the Quran or Hadith with no context, much like users on r/atheism do with the Bible, and after reading a few lines on these sites you can tell just from the tone that they are terrible sources.

I don't know how religious people can disrespect others for believing in a different religion. They can disagree about religious matters obviously, but in the end everything comes down to faith; it's no wonder that people believe in different things. And there isn't even a religion in which every believer believes the same thing. From what I've seen atheists (i.e. antitheists), even serious scholars of atheism, seem to lack this respect for religious belief.

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hockeybub89 posted...

I think religion only exists because of thousands of years of force though, with a dash of human ignorance.

I personally don't care about thousands of years ago. I'm basing it around the religious people I know today.

Also, remember I am only defending good faith religious people to co-exist with non-religious people

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There obviously is a god

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Damn_Underscore posted...

It's impossible to prove whether God exists or doesn't exist

I really wish this wasnt regurgitated so much like its a smart thing to say, because it really isnt. Most atheists reject the claim that god exists because the claim is based off a faulty premise, a premise that is ublnfalsifiable because of a lack of evidence.

More power to ya if you believe in god/gods, just really wish more people were honest that believing in mostly emotional and not logical.

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I've never met happy Atheist so why would I want to be one?

Prestoff posted...

More power to ya if you believe in god/gods, just really wish more people were honest that believing in mostly emotional and not logical.

I think people who believe understand this. It's atheists always running around talking about how "there's no proof." Like no shit

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kinetika_ posted...

Because atheism is just as ignorant as Christianity, that might be why ;)

Most atheists are agnostic atheists. You're just ignorant about what an atheist is. Agnostic atheism is the most rational position. It is to say you're not sure enough to claim to know about any gods or the existence of a supernatural realm, but to also say that you don't believe in any of it (because there's no evidence). This is the most rational and wisest position. Most agnostics are atheists.

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ledbowman posted...

I think people who believe understand this. It's atheists always running around talking about how "there's no proof." Like no shit

It's an atheist response to when a believer tries to make an argument for God's existence. There's literally no proof, especially when believers make the idiotic argument like "you can't prove or disprove that God exists or not".

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Anytime I criticize the tenets of religious belief and deities I get called a fedora tipper.

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The Bible has some good writing in it, its not all genealogies. There are some clever, funny passages and books like Proverbs have some neat idioms in them.

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Lost_All_Senses posted...

I personally don't care about thousands of years ago. I'm basing it around the religious people I know today.

Also, remember I am only defending good faith religious people to co-exist with non-religious people

Religion is only as big as it is because people are raised into it and society expects them to be a part of it. When you grow up like that, it is hard to change.

ledbowman posted...

There obviously is a god

Surely you have the studies and evidence that support this. Surely your regular interactions with this god have established its personality and behavior. No way you're just looking at the questions you don't have answers for, or your negative views on real life, and making up an unfalsifiable claim that conveniently explains it all and makes it all worth it.

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Some people think a spiritual take on life makes more sense then a materialistic perspective. Not sure what's hard to understand about that. Maybe you guys should try thinking from different points of view every now and again.

Because dying is scary.
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JlM posted...

Because dying is scary.

It's all about this. Humans need rational explanations for the world and death is something no one can comprehend because you can't come back from it.

So believing in a higher power ensures that death isn't the end.

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thrashmetal14 posted...

Some people think a spiritual take on life makes more sense then a materialistic perspective. Not sure what's hard to understand about that. Maybe you guys should try thinking from different points of view every now and again.

But the evidence doesn't currently support a spiritual take. The creator could just as likely be a giant, sadistic dragon that rips you apart limb by limb for all of eternity, no matter how good you are. There are infinite possibilities if you want to go down the unprovable route.

It's not reasonable to believe in. Popular religions always get a pass when it comes to believing in the illogical while everyone else who does it is called wrong, crazy, or stupid.

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hockeybub89 posted...

But the evidence doesn't currently support a spiritual take. The creator could just as likely be a giant, sadistic dragon that rips you apart limb by limb for all of eternity, no matter how good you are. There are infinite possibilities if you want to go down the unprovable route.

It's not reasonable to believe in. Popular religions always get a pass when it comes to believing in the illogical while everyone else who does it is called wrong, crazy, or stupid.

It's not about man-made religion or what the "creator" is or isn't. It's about spiritual worldviews vs. purely materialistic worldviews.