A Question for Atheists

[Nutz]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

Looking back, it was gradual. I don't think about an afterlife. My life is based in the here and now. If I trusted you then I would be more than happy to explain the process but we don't have that type of relationship. I hope you understand.

Treat people with the dignity of being human until they give you no reason to. Sometimes the kindest act is to shut someone down or off.

Disir, the only really I am asking is to have some sort of understanding of the Atheist thought process. Are their ideals based on spirituality, politics, economic, social...
Everyone has a process they go through when any decision is made and there is usually a trigger.

 

[Syriusly]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

As a kid I was taken to church and Sunday school, but never really believed.

At some point in my life- probably around 12 or 13, I realized that I didn't believe in any God, and that for a variety of reasons 'God' made no sense to me. I rarely mentioned that at the time because there was so much animosity towards anyone who said there was no god.

Now I am basically a quiet Atheist- I don't go around telling believers that they wrong, but if someone insists on telling me that I am wrong, I will defend my lack of belief in their God.

By the way- I enjoy reading the Bible.

 

[Disir]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

Looking back, it was gradual. I don't think about an afterlife. My life is based in the here and now. If I trusted you then I would be more than happy to explain the process but we don't have that type of relationship. I hope you understand.

Treat people with the dignity of being human until they give you no reason to. Sometimes the kindest act is to shut someone down or off.

Disir, the only really I am asking is to have some sort of understanding of the Atheist thought process. Are their ideals based on spirituality, politics, economic, social...
Everyone has a process they go through when any decision is made and there is usually a trigger.

My apologies for the delay in responding. I figured it would be better if I made this attempt with more than 15 minutes and unlimited access to coffee. I think the closest trigger would be a critical thinking course I took when I was in my early twenties. I had several luxuries that many people did not have. I did not settle down and immediately have children and, while most women my age were having children and trying to remember what adult conversation was, I had freedom. I had the ability to travel and a thirst for knowledge. As I said, it was gradual. There was/is no evidence.

Some people really need to believe that there is a god and that whatever drudgery/pain or BS that they put up with now will pay off when they die. Too, that there was a purpose for their existence and that they are unconditionally loved. I understand that but, I am not one of those people.

 

[Nutz]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

Looking back, it was gradual. I don't think about an afterlife. My life is based in the here and now. If I trusted you then I would be more than happy to explain the process but we don't have that type of relationship. I hope you understand.

Treat people with the dignity of being human until they give you no reason to. Sometimes the kindest act is to shut someone down or off.

Disir, the only really I am asking is to have some sort of understanding of the Atheist thought process. Are their ideals based on spirituality, politics, economic, social...
Everyone has a process they go through when any decision is made and there is usually a trigger.

My apologies for the delay in responding. I figured it would be better if I made this attempt with more than 15 minutes and unlimited access to coffee. I think the closest trigger would be a critical thinking course I took when I was in my early twenties. I had several luxuries that many people did not have. I did not settle down and immediately have children and, while most women my age were having children and trying to remember what adult conversation was, I had freedom. I had the ability to travel and a thirst for knowledge. As I said, it was gradual. There was/is no evidence.

Some people really need to believe that there is a god and that whatever drudgery/pain or BS that they put up with now will pay off when they die. Too, that there was a purpose for their existence and that they are unconditionally loved. I understand that but, I am not one of those people.

So, would it be safe to say, 'intellectualism', was the major influence in denying faith?

 

[Disir]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

Looking back, it was gradual. I don't think about an afterlife. My life is based in the here and now. If I trusted you then I would be more than happy to explain the process but we don't have that type of relationship. I hope you understand.

Treat people with the dignity of being human until they give you no reason to. Sometimes the kindest act is to shut someone down or off.

Disir, the only really I am asking is to have some sort of understanding of the Atheist thought process. Are their ideals based on spirituality, politics, economic, social...
Everyone has a process they go through when any decision is made and there is usually a trigger.

My apologies for the delay in responding. I figured it would be better if I made this attempt with more than 15 minutes and unlimited access to coffee. I think the closest trigger would be a critical thinking course I took when I was in my early twenties. I had several luxuries that many people did not have. I did not settle down and immediately have children and, while most women my age were having children and trying to remember what adult conversation was, I had freedom. I had the ability to travel and a thirst for knowledge. As I said, it was gradual. There was/is no evidence.

Some people really need to believe that there is a god and that whatever drudgery/pain or BS that they put up with now will pay off when they die. Too, that there was a purpose for their existence and that they are unconditionally loved. I understand that but, I am not one of those people.

So, would it be safe to say, 'intellectualism', was the major influence in denying faith?

If that is the only way for you to interpret what I am saying, fine.

 

[AVG-JOE]

“I don't know if there is an afterlife.”

There isn't.

It's a notion contrived by humans to assuage man's fear of death.

You can't know that any more than a worshiper of either The New Testament or The Koran can know that there is a life after death.

The answer to that question is "unknowable", plain and simple.

In as much as facts are impossible, strong belief in either direction requires faith.

 

[AVG-JOE]

I believe that anything is possible.

That said, ass-u-me-ing God is, the thought of the ancient stories compiled in The Torah, The New Testament and The Koran being the last word on said God seems both ridiculous and arrogant.


Our history is strong evidence that if God is, She/He/It does not seem concerned about the day-to-day details of our world.

If Momma's little bastards have a collective Father, His name is 'Time'.

 

[Disir]

I believe that anything is possible.

That said, ass-u-me-ing God is, the thought of the ancient stories compiled in The Torah, The New Testament and The Koran being the last word on said God seems both ridiculous and arrogant.


Our history is strong evidence that if God is, She/He/It does not seem concerned about the day-to-day details of our world.

If Momma's little bastards have a collective Father, His name is 'Time'.

I don't believe that anything is possible but that which can be achieved while living. I don't have a bone to pick with you. It's just the best thing going right now.

If you go back prior to the Judeo-Christian time line then you encounter the same issues: politics, topography, economic situation and "science" with other religions, cultures and empires. There is so much that needs doing right now with the living that afterlife is more an avoidance or denial of the present. You don't find an afterlife in too many religions of the past.

But, you know...........whatever.

 

[Nutz]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

Looking back, it was gradual. I don't think about an afterlife. My life is based in the here and now. If I trusted you then I would be more than happy to explain the process but we don't have that type of relationship. I hope you understand.

Treat people with the dignity of being human until they give you no reason to. Sometimes the kindest act is to shut someone down or off.

Disir, the only really I am asking is to have some sort of understanding of the Atheist thought process. Are their ideals based on spirituality, politics, economic, social...
Everyone has a process they go through when any decision is made and there is usually a trigger.

My apologies for the delay in responding. I figured it would be better if I made this attempt with more than 15 minutes and unlimited access to coffee. I think the closest trigger would be a critical thinking course I took when I was in my early twenties. I had several luxuries that many people did not have. I did not settle down and immediately have children and, while most women my age were having children and trying to remember what adult conversation was, I had freedom. I had the ability to travel and a thirst for knowledge. As I said, it was gradual. There was/is no evidence.

Some people really need to believe that there is a god and that whatever drudgery/pain or BS that they put up with now will pay off when they die. Too, that there was a purpose for their existence and that they are unconditionally loved. I understand that but, I am not one of those people.

So, would it be safe to say, 'intellectualism', was the major influence in denying faith?

If that is the only way for you to interpret what I am saying, fine.

I didn't mean for that to sound offensive if you took it that way.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Obviously there's a difference between 'possible' and 'plausible'

What I believe is plausible is that rocks floating in sun beams in space are common and wet rocks floating in space happen.

Sometimes those wet rocks sprout, for lack of a better word, 'life'.

Occasionally that life has a biosphere that's lush enough, and enough Time & Luck for a species to evolve which begins to think in words and, for better or for worse, here we are... The last Hominid standing on Mother Earth. Sort of. Almost.

To the best of our collective knowledge thus far, we're unique... but if our collective knowledge has taught us anything, it's the limitations of our collective knowledge.

At this moment on this Timeline, anything truly is possible

`​

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

“I don't know if there is an afterlife.”

There isn't.

It's a notion contrived by humans to assuage man's fear of death.

You can't know that any more than a worshiper of either The New Testament or The Koran can know that there is a life after death.

The answer to that question is "unknowable", plain and simple.

In as much as facts are impossible, strong belief in either direction requires faith.

Actually one can know that for certain – an 'afterlife' is clearly the contrivance of humans, along with the rest of religious dogma. It's 'knowable' because man alone is the source of that information; man alone created the afterlife myth, and man alone can do away with the myth.

Consequently there is no 'faith' involved in acknowledging the fact that there is no 'afterlife,' where faith exists only to perpetuate the afterlife myth.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Good argument. Doesn't change my mind that an after-life remains within the realm of possibilities, but it's a good argument.

And I agree... the plausibility of an after-life I feel is thin at best.

 

[Disir]

Looking back, it was gradual. I don't think about an afterlife. My life is based in the here and now. If I trusted you then I would be more than happy to explain the process but we don't have that type of relationship. I hope you understand.

Treat people with the dignity of being human until they give you no reason to. Sometimes the kindest act is to shut someone down or off.

Disir, the only really I am asking is to have some sort of understanding of the Atheist thought process. Are their ideals based on spirituality, politics, economic, social...
Everyone has a process they go through when any decision is made and there is usually a trigger.

My apologies for the delay in responding. I figured it would be better if I made this attempt with more than 15 minutes and unlimited access to coffee. I think the closest trigger would be a critical thinking course I took when I was in my early twenties. I had several luxuries that many people did not have. I did not settle down and immediately have children and, while most women my age were having children and trying to remember what adult conversation was, I had freedom. I had the ability to travel and a thirst for knowledge. As I said, it was gradual. There was/is no evidence.

Some people really need to believe that there is a god and that whatever drudgery/pain or BS that they put up with now will pay off when they die. Too, that there was a purpose for their existence and that they are unconditionally loved. I understand that but, I am not one of those people.

So, would it be safe to say, 'intellectualism', was the major influence in denying faith?

If that is the only way for you to interpret what I am saying, fine.

I didn't mean for that to sound offensive if you took it that way.

We're good.

 

[sealybobo]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

I was baptized and raised Greek orthodox. When I was a teen and in my 20s I ran into born again who preached a lot of fire and brimstone stuff you just didn't hear in my church so at first I decided my sect was the best. Eventually I realized christianity was just another corrupt man made organized religion but I still believed god was real. The more I looked the more I realized even god was made up. If god never talked to anyone then what reason do I have believing?

The more I debate with theists the more sure I am. And watching the cosmos helped because it explains the history of science and religion. It also explains why primitive man invented god.

All the evidence points to god was made up. Before the organized religions humans debated if a god or gods existed. The honest answer is we don't know. We just can't believe all this happened without a creator.

Let's just say a lot of the arguments theist made for why there must be a god are wrong. For example if something must have made the universe what made the thing that made the universe? Instead of god being eternal maybe the cosmos is.

When you die that's it. Just like the dinosaur that lived 1 million years ago. It didn't to to heaven to live forever so why you?

The more you understand the cosmos the sillier the idea that were special is.

Do you really believe in heaven? You can't see that's just wishful thinking?

Don't put your trust in the writings of the ancients.

 

[sealybobo]

It wasn't a moment in my life when I came to the conclusion that the Judeo-Christian God doesn't exist, but rather a slow realization that there simply isn't any objective evidence to support it. The historical and scientific record don't support the story and there are huge logical problems in the Bible, specifically about God's actions and the role of Jesus. I just came to the conclusion that the Bible is just another creation myth and is no more real than the Greek myths about Zeus or the Norse myths about Odin.

I won't rule out the existence of some supernatural force, but if it does exist, I suspect it is something akin to the Deist conceptualization of God, as a prime mover who starts the universe and then promptly does nothing with it. Or something like the Force is which everything is interconnected. Or maybe something no human can even wrap his brain around. However, I don't think that version of a god is a personality like Jehovah. Again, I have no data either way for the existence of the supernatural.

As far as death, who knows. I suspect that as I lose consciousness and my brain dies it's like falling asleep. I just fade out and that's that. However, I may be entirely wrong. If something akin to the Force does exist and we're all interconnected on some level, then I guess I would join with that. I just have no belief in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic version of heaven or reincarnation or going to Valhalla.

My belief system comes down to three tenents:

1) You get one shot at live, so make the most of it. Live, learn, love.
2) Don't be a dick.
3) Aspire to be more than you are. Don't settle and don't stop.

No need for a god.

Why is this god hiding? Only the organized religions have an answer for that. He's testing you.

But theists say his existence is obvious and if it isn't for you there must be something wrong with you or you don't want it bad enough.

Wanting it to be true is their problem. What I want matters not.

 

[sealybobo]

It wasn't a moment in my life when I came to the conclusion that the Judeo-Christian God doesn't exist, but rather a slow realization that there simply isn't any objective evidence to support it. The historical and scientific record don't support the story and there are huge logical problems in the Bible, specifically about God's actions and the role of Jesus. I just came to the conclusion that the Bible is just another creation myth and is no more real than the Greek myths about Zeus or the Norse myths about Odin.

I won't rule out the existence of some supernatural force, but if it does exist, I suspect it is something akin to the Deist conceptualization of God, as a prime mover who starts the universe and then promptly does nothing with it. Or something like the Force is which everything is interconnected. Or maybe something no human can even wrap his brain around. However, I don't think that version of a god is a personality like Jehovah. Again, I have no data either way for the existence of the supernatural.

As far as death, who knows. I suspect that as I lose consciousness and my brain dies it's like falling asleep. I just fade out and that's that. However, I may be entirely wrong. If something akin to the Force does exist and we're all interconnected on some level, then I guess I would join with that. I just have no belief in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic version of heaven or reincarnation or going to Valhalla.

My belief system comes down to three tenents:

1) You get one shot at live, so make the most of it. Live, learn, love.
2) Don't be a dick.
3) Aspire to be more than you are. Don't settle and don't stop.

Thank you for that response. So are you more of an agnostic or a flat out Atheist?
Do you have an issue with people of faith, or think less of them?

Most atheists are agnostic atheists. We don't claim to know either way but we see no evidence. Theists claim to know.

 

[sealybobo]

PaintMyHouse Not to be offensive...but you are pretty much anti-Christian (or any faith), right? Do you think less of people of faith?

I guess I'm anti religion because religion has been so authoritative. So aggressive to anyone that doesn't believe. So corrupt.

Here is where christians cross the line. Their holy book says anyone who doesn't believe goes to hell. That is laughable. And I believe you must believe this this to call yourself a christian. Am I wrong?

 

[sealybobo]

Good argument. Doesn't change my mind that an after-life remains within the realm of possibilities, but it's a good argument.

And I agree... the plausibility of an after-life I feel is thin at best.

Its possible but logically and scientifically the stories of the ancients don't make sense.

The ancient Greeks hoped to achieve such greatness that they'd be invited to mount olymis. Or they told stories of men who were demi gods. Humans are very creative superstitious and inventive. We hate not knowing but all signs point to wishful thinking.

Be greatful you were born. Think about all the other children your parents didn't have.

 

[sealybobo]

Was there a point in your life where you determined/ decided there is not God? No flaming please, I am sincerely interested. Do you have thoughts on a afterlife? Do you hold a belief in anything else besides science?

Again, no flaming. Can you define your belief system and how it was developed?

The bible and other holy books, don't line up with reality.

that said, I believe there is something, the idea that we are the result of a LOT of coincidences that require me to make assumptions that that is what got us here, is so absurd my vocabulary is to limited to properly describe.

And the more you know about astronomy psychology and biology and other sciences the more you realize that god was made up.

Did something create the cosmos? Why is it hiding? We could be inside one cell in its body. What created that creature? What created the tardigrades in a drop of water? Everything created came out of a star. We can crush atoms and recreate the big bang.

If you put the history of the universe on a 12 month calendar humans have been around for 40,000 years of 14 billion. We will only be here another million give or take. The universe will go on. There are billions of planets with life. We aren't special just lucky.

You and me are lucky. Had your parents not had sex when they did you'd have missed the boat. Just chance you made it. Pure luck. Enjoy

 

[lutraphile]

I dunno, I wasn't raised religious (though my grandmother invested lots of time in trying to convert me) and I never found arguments for religion very convincing. I define myself as an atheist because I don't think there's any real reason to believe in a god, but I understand why some do believe in that vague notion. What I absolutely do not understand is how people can vehemently believe in a religion and know perfectly well that if they had been born on the other side of the world they would believe something else just as passionately.