Zone1 I've been an atheist for 60 years and have never once been tempted to believe in any god

[Crick]

When I was 10 years old, we had a dog named Silver. A sealyham - sort of a largish Westie. He had been struck by a car when I was much younger and that had left him blind in one eye. We adapted. He adapted. But whenever he entered an unfamiliar space (the furniture moved, for instance) he would collide with things. I felt bad for him. Like most children my age I believed what I was told was the truth by my parents and the church they took me to. So I prayed as fervently and selflessly as I could manage that God would restore his vision. But, as would happen in any bad movie, his poor vision led Silver to wandering out in front of another car where he suffered another concussion which left him completely blind. Now all dogs go to heaven because all dogs are innocent. Every non-human form of life is innocent of the many sins the Bible spells out. Initially, I was angry. How could God cause my innocent dog to suffer, regardless of his motive or intent? The standard "mysterious ways" line didn't help at all. What did help was the realization that the best explanation was not that god was mysterious or unknowable, but that he simply wasn't there. The existence of the god described by the Bible and by our preacher and the believers I would talk with was simply not possible; not only because it violated all the laws of nature but because absolutely no evidence I could find supported the idea. Every thing I could learn about the world and how it worked refuted the idea of a caring, personal god who had created miraculous humans and a miraculous Earth to be their home and was everpresent, watching over us and, on proper supplication, violating the laws that he himself had set in place - if he felt like it.

As the years went by I simply became more and more convinced that there is a great deal about the working of the universe we do not yet know, but the basics - the principal of uniformitarianism, holds, everywhere and everywhen. Nothing is supernatural. No will directs or inspires the stream of events taking place over the passage of time. Only physics.

What signs or signals should I have caught that might have lured me back to my childhood faith? And how might my life have been different had I done so? I have lots of friends and I'm pretty sure most of them think I'm a nice guy. I buy fully and heartily into the Golden Rule. I believe it to be the sole basis of human civilization. How do you think my complete lack of divine faith hurt me? Will your god throw into a lake of fire because I led a good life but failed to do him obeisance? That is, of course, precisely what scriptures tells us. Why would ANY of you believe, much less WORSHIP such a god? He seems a monster. Would anyone care to correct me?

 

[ReinyDays]

No one likes little girls with lying tongues ... by starting this thread, you fully admit to a higher power ... one that chastises little girl lying tongues ...

Anthropology states humans are a social animal ... our evolutionary advantage ... you are anti-social and hate the Truths the Bible lays out ... have all the sex you want, and use abortion to murder your children ... and lie lie lie ... over the internet, no one will kick your ass ...

You acknowledge God by hating Him ...

 

[candycorn]

good for you.

 

[rampart]

the

When I was 10 years old, we had a dog named Silver. A sealyham - sort of a largish Westie. He had been struck by a car when I was much younger and that had left him blind in one eye. We adapted. He adapted. But whenever he entered an unfamiliar space (the furniture moved, for instance) he would collide with things. I felt bad for him. Like most children my age I believed what I was told was the truth by my parents and the church they took me to. So I prayed as fervently and selflessly as I could manage that God would restore his vision. But, as would happen in any bad movie, his poor vision led Silver to wandering out in front of another car where he suffered another concussion which left him completely blind. Now all dogs go to heaven because all dogs are innocent. Every non-human form of life is innocent of the many sins the Bible spells out. Initially, I was angry. How could God cause my innocent dog to suffer, regardless of his motive or intent? The standard "mysterious ways" line didn't help at all. What did help was the realization that the best explanation was not that god was mysterious or unknowable, but that he simply wasn't there. The existence of the god described by the Bible and by our preacher and the believers I would talk with was simply not possible; not only because it violated all the laws of nature but because absolutely no evidence I could find supported the idea. Every thing I could learn about the world and how it worked refuted the idea of a caring, personal god who had created miraculous humans and a miraculous Earth to be their home and was everpresent, watching over us and, on proper supplication, violating the laws that he himself had set in place - if he felt like it.

As the years went by I simply became more and more convinced that there is a great deal about the working of the universe we do not yet know, but the basics - the principal of uniformitarianism, holds, everywhere and everywhen. Nothing is supernatural. No will directs or inspires the stream of events taking place over the passage of time. Only physics.

What signs or signals should I have caught that might have lured me back to my childhood faith? And how might my life have been different had I done so? I have lots of friends and I'm pretty sure most of them think I'm a nice guy. I buy fully and heartily into the Golden Rule. I believe it to be the sole basis of human civilization. How do you think my complete lack of divine faith hurt me? Will your god throw into a lake of fire because I led a good life but failed to do him obeisance? That is, of course, precisely what scriptures tells us. Why would ANY of you believe, much less WORSHIP such a god? He seems a monster. Would anyone care to correct me?

same people who told me about baby jesus also told me about santa claus and the easter bunny. i think we teach children to be skeptical, a vital life skill, in this way.

 

[Frankenstein]

When I was 10 years old, we had a dog named Silver. A sealyham - sort of a largish Westie. He had been struck by a car when I was much younger and that had left him blind in one eye. We adapted. He adapted. But whenever he entered an unfamiliar space (the furniture moved, for instance) he would collide with things. I felt bad for him. Like most children my age I believed what I was told was the truth by my parents and the church they took me to. So I prayed as fervently and selflessly as I could manage that God would restore his vision. But, as would happen in any bad movie, his poor vision led Silver to wandering out in front of another car where he suffered another concussion which left him completely blind. Now all dogs go to heaven because all dogs are innocent. Every non-human form of life is innocent of the many sins the Bible spells out. Initially, I was angry. How could God cause my innocent dog to suffer, regardless of his motive or intent? The standard "mysterious ways" line didn't help at all. What did help was the realization that the best explanation was not that god was mysterious or unknowable, but that he simply wasn't there. The existence of the god described by the Bible and by our preacher and the believers I would talk with was simply not possible; not only because it violated all the laws of nature but because absolutely no evidence I could find supported the idea. Every thing I could learn about the world and how it worked refuted the idea of a caring, personal god who had created miraculous humans and a miraculous Earth to be their home and was everpresent, watching over us and, on proper supplication, violating the laws that he himself had set in place - if he felt like it.

As the years went by I simply became more and more convinced that there is a great deal about the working of the universe we do not yet know, but the basics - the principal of uniformitarianism, holds, everywhere and everywhen. Nothing is supernatural. No will directs or inspires the stream of events taking place over the passage of time. Only physics.

What signs or signals should I have caught that might have lured me back to my childhood faith? And how might my life have been different had I done so? I have lots of friends and I'm pretty sure most of them think I'm a nice guy. I buy fully and heartily into the Golden Rule. I believe it to be the sole basis of human civilization. How do you think my complete lack of divine faith hurt me? Will your god throw into a lake of fire because I led a good life but failed to do him obeisance? That is, of course, precisely what scriptures tells us. Why would ANY of you believe, much less WORSHIP such a god? He seems a monster. Would anyone care to correct me?

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like [h]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.


24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

 

[sealybobo]

When I was 10 years old, we had a dog named Silver. A sealyham - sort of a largish Westie. He had been struck by a car when I was much younger and that had left him blind in one eye. We adapted. He adapted. But whenever he entered an unfamiliar space (the furniture moved, for instance) he would collide with things. I felt bad for him. Like most children my age I believed what I was told was the truth by my parents and the church they took me to. So I prayed as fervently and selflessly as I could manage that God would restore his vision. But, as would happen in any bad movie, his poor vision led Silver to wandering out in front of another car where he suffered another concussion which left him completely blind. Now all dogs go to heaven because all dogs are innocent. Every non-human form of life is innocent of the many sins the Bible spells out. Initially, I was angry. How could God cause my innocent dog to suffer, regardless of his motive or intent? The standard "mysterious ways" line didn't help at all. What did help was the realization that the best explanation was not that god was mysterious or unknowable, but that he simply wasn't there. The existence of the god described by the Bible and by our preacher and the believers I would talk with was simply not possible; not only because it violated all the laws of nature but because absolutely no evidence I could find supported the idea. Every thing I could learn about the world and how it worked refuted the idea of a caring, personal god who had created miraculous humans and a miraculous Earth to be their home and was everpresent, watching over us and, on proper supplication, violating the laws that he himself had set in place - if he felt like it.

As the years went by I simply became more and more convinced that there is a great deal about the working of the universe we do not yet know, but the basics - the principal of uniformitarianism, holds, everywhere and everywhen. Nothing is supernatural. No will directs or inspires the stream of events taking place over the passage of time. Only physics.

What signs or signals should I have caught that might have lured me back to my childhood faith? And how might my life have been different had I done so? I have lots of friends and I'm pretty sure most of them think I'm a nice guy. I buy fully and heartily into the Golden Rule. I believe it to be the sole basis of human civilization. How do you think my complete lack of divine faith hurt me? Will your god throw into a lake of fire because I led a good life but failed to do him obeisance? That is, of course, precisely what scriptures tells us. Why would ANY of you believe, much less WORSHIP such a god? He seems a monster. Would anyone care to correct me?

If a God that cared if you believed really wanted you to believe he would have done a better job proving he is real.

Humans are still uncivilized and superstitious. Easily conned into believing unbelievable things. If there is a god maybe it will reward your intelligence.

Why there is no god

Responses to common theist arguments

whynogod.wordpress.com

 

[Frankenstein]

If a God that cared if you believed really wanted you to believe he would have done a better job proving he is real.

Humans are still uncivilized and superstitious. Easily conned into believing unbelievable things. If there is a god maybe it will reward your intelligence.

Why there is no god

Responses to common theist arguments

whynogod.wordpress.com

This is the actual explanation!

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like [h]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.


24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

 

[luiza]

I've been an atheist for 60 years ( from Crock) .​

One of our resident Trolls feeding us more lies .

A 53 year old -- your stated age -- telling us that he has been an atheist for 60 years .

A bare faced liar is more accurate .

You amateurs are so easy to spot .
You are probably 82 and well past early signs of dementia .

 

[Meriweather]

What signs or signals should I have caught that might have lured me back to my childhood faith? And how might my life have been different had I done so? I have lots of friends and I'm pretty sure most of them think I'm a nice guy. I buy fully and heartily into the Golden Rule. I believe it to be the sole basis of human civilization. How do you think my complete lack of divine faith hurt me? Will your god throw into a lake of fire because I led a good life but failed to do him obeisance? That is, of course, precisely what scriptures tells us. Why would ANY of you believe, much less WORSHIP such a god? He seems a monster. Would anyone care to correct me?

1. God is not a genii who changes the physical world at our command. He is Spirit and Spiritual.

2. You did not recognize that your dog was in your loving hands; hands willing to work for and serve the needs of a special dog.

3. Speaking of work and service--those are the components of worship, along with thanksgiving and praise. Did you want to serve God in caring for one of his creatures...or, did you want God to serve you as your genii? Did you thank God for bringing that dog into your life, and did you praise Him for the opportunity to learn about lessons about serving other, perhaps later not a dog, but a fellow human being.

Is your own spirit stronger or weaker from caring for your dog? Could it be God answered your prayers in a way a small child wouldn't yet perceive or understand.

You loved your dog. You say you respect the Golden Rule. What more do you wish--a genii or an even stronger spirit.

 

[sealybobo]

This is the actual explanation!

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [g]Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like [h]corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.


24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Humans wrote that. But I do give thanks for whatever led to me being alive and getting this once in a lifetime experience. I just don't believe in heaven. That's wishful thinking.

God, thanks for the 53 good years. A few more would be great.

 

[Blues Man]

No one likes little girls with lying tongues ... by starting this thread, you fully admit to a higher power ... one that chastises little girl lying tongues ...

Anthropology states humans are a social animal ... our evolutionary advantage ... you are anti-social and hate the Truths the Bible lays out ... have all the sex you want, and use abortion to murder your children ... and lie lie lie ... over the internet, no one will kick your ass ...

You acknowledge God by hating Him ...

Why does that higher power necessarily have to be the god of the bible?

And how do you know there is only one? Oh yeah the bible told you

 

[Blues Man]

What I find sad about religions is that they teach people that they are so important that a all knowing all powerful being will actually take the time to get involved in the minutiae of their existences.

It is this sense of self importance that is a cancer in society

 

[Smokin' OP]

I believe in god...........someone/thing had to create the universe and earth.
I just don't believe in the religion that follows GOD and that it MUST be worshipped.
If people don't, something bad will happen?
Christians especially, see religion as a $$$ making opportunity.

 

[Blues Man]

I believe in god...........someone/thing had to create the universe and earth.
I just don't believe in the religion that follows GOD and that it MUST be worshipped.
If people don't, something bad will happen?
Christians especially, see religion as a $$$ making opportunity.

Religion is big business just ask the pope if you can actually get into the Vatican to see him

 

[sealybobo]

Why does that higher power necessarily have to be the god of the bible?

And how do you know there is only one? Oh yeah the bible told you

They can't use the bible as a source since we call bullshit on that book. So now they will go into arguing with us that the bible is authentic even though it was written hundreds of years after the fact.

I always say debating if there is a god must have been fun before Moses came down from the mountain and said he talked to him. Because then the debate switched to if that happened or not. Fuck you Moses you liar.

Let's get back to debating generic god. Then both sides are on equal ground. No one has any evidence. No hard evidence like the Kings James version of the bible. LOL

 

[Blues Man]

They can't use the bible as a source since we call bullshit on that book. So now they will go into arguing with us that the bible is authentic even though it was written hundreds of years after the fact.

I always say debating if there is a god must have been fun before Moses came down from the mountain and said he talked to him. Because then the debate switched to if that happened or not. Fuck you Moses you liar.

Let's get back to debating generic god. Then both sides are on equal ground. No one has any evidence. No hard evidence like the Kings James version of the bible. LOL

But they all do.

One of my favorite quotes from Alan Watts is

Men suffer because they take seriously what the gods do for fun.

 

[ReinyDays]

Why does that higher power necessarily have to be the god of the bible?

And how do you know there is only one? Oh yeah the bible told you

Good questions ... I used the phrase "higher power" for this reason ... I believe in the God of the Angelican Bible (i.e. King James Version) ... I also keep several other tomes of such writings, like the Apocrypha ... and I've given some time and energy to the study of Hindu and Taoist believe systems ...

Across all human existence, some things are universal ... and they've been universal since the dawn of human writing ... starting with accounting records, that says everything about humans ...

LYING is EVIL ... speaking the TRUTH is GOOD ...

 

[martybegan]

When I was 10 years old, we had a dog named Silver. A sealyham - sort of a largish Westie. He had been struck by a car when I was much younger and that had left him blind in one eye. We adapted. He adapted. But whenever he entered an unfamiliar space (the furniture moved, for instance) he would collide with things. I felt bad for him. Like most children my age I believed what I was told was the truth by my parents and the church they took me to. So I prayed as fervently and selflessly as I could manage that God would restore his vision. But, as would happen in any bad movie, his poor vision led Silver to wandering out in front of another car where he suffered another concussion which left him completely blind. Now all dogs go to heaven because all dogs are innocent. Every non-human form of life is innocent of the many sins the Bible spells out. Initially, I was angry. How could God cause my innocent dog to suffer, regardless of his motive or intent? The standard "mysterious ways" line didn't help at all. What did help was the realization that the best explanation was not that god was mysterious or unknowable, but that he simply wasn't there. The existence of the god described by the Bible and by our preacher and the believers I would talk with was simply not possible; not only because it violated all the laws of nature but because absolutely no evidence I could find supported the idea. Every thing I could learn about the world and how it worked refuted the idea of a caring, personal god who had created miraculous humans and a miraculous Earth to be their home and was everpresent, watching over us and, on proper supplication, violating the laws that he himself had set in place - if he felt like it.

As the years went by I simply became more and more convinced that there is a great deal about the working of the universe we do not yet know, but the basics - the principal of uniformitarianism, holds, everywhere and everywhen. Nothing is supernatural. No will directs or inspires the stream of events taking place over the passage of time. Only physics.

What signs or signals should I have caught that might have lured me back to my childhood faith? And how might my life have been different had I done so? I have lots of friends and I'm pretty sure most of them think I'm a nice guy. I buy fully and heartily into the Golden Rule. I believe it to be the sole basis of human civilization. How do you think my complete lack of divine faith hurt me? Will your god throw into a lake of fire because I led a good life but failed to do him obeisance? That is, of course, precisely what scriptures tells us. Why would ANY of you believe, much less WORSHIP such a god? He seems a monster. Would anyone care to correct me?

All you did was replace one deity with another, the AGW Gaia deity.

 

[Blues Man]

Good questions ... I used the phrase "higher power" for this reason ... I believe in the God of the Angelican Bible (i.e. King James Version) ... I also keep several other tomes of such writings, like the Apocrypha ... and I've given some time and energy to the study of Hindu and Taoist believe systems ...

Across all human existence, some things are universal ... and they've been universal since the dawn of human writing ... starting with accounting records, that says everything about humans ...

LYING is EVIL ... speaking the TRUTH is GOOD ...

But the eastern philosophies don't presume they can know the unknowable.

The Tao that can be named is not the true Tao

 

[ReinyDays]

But the eastern philosophies don't presume they can know the unknowable.

The Tao that can be named is not the true Tao

Hundu actually expands this idea of unknowable things ... an important part of existence are things that cannot be known, and knowledge interferes with this dimension of reality ... but speaking lies is still evil ...

Of Taoism I know very little ... and suspect this tiny bit is actually Confucianism ... so go slower if you please ... I found salvation through Christ, and that keeps me happy ... and content ... you have to find your own salvation ...

Speaking lies is evil ... can we agree on that? ...