Just curious, why atheist?

[Acromnion]

I'm just wondering why everyone else "turned atheist"; what made you beleive there is no god rather than doubt there is one?

In my own opinion, ppl need a god because they are weak and need to believe something of greater force/being is taking care of them. Also they cannot take responsibility for their actions and need to be forgiven by that force when they sin because they can not forgive themselves. god is a form of coming to terms for irresponsible actions, but believing doesnt fix anything. Its like a kid with chocolate all over his face saying he didnt eat the chocolate bar, it was his imaginary friend... just someone else to take the blame but no more chocolate bar...

That along with other things makes me not believe there is a god... i still have my doubts though they are weaker than toilet paper. :P

[Tenspace]

Most of us atheists here were at one time religious. For me, it was knowledge that turned me away from religion. The more I learned about both religion and nature, the more I realized that one man's religion is another's mythology.

Tenspace

P.S. Welcome to the forum!

[Another brick in the wall]

My transistion to atheism was gradual. The first thing that turned me off to religion was the fact that church was a boring waste of time. After a long week of school, three hours of my precious weekend gets eaten up by church. Boring songs, boring books, boring activities, and praying, praying, praying. I was a Mormon and Mormons don't do anything without an opening prayer and a closing prayer. It gets really repetitive after a while!

When I got older, I started to notice problems in Mormon theology. For one, I learned in school that the Indians came across the Berring land bridge about 10,000 years ago, and not from Judaea on a boat as Mormonism taught. I also learned that all the monuments and temples were built by various Indian cultures, not Nephites or Lamanites. I also noticed that Joseph Smith's translation of the Egyptian papyrus was completely wrong.

A few years later, my Mom left the church. She made us watch all these anti-mormon videos to de-program us, but by this time it wasn't really necessary. I never liked church and now I had another reason not to go. Unfortunately, I now had to choose whether to go to the Episcopal church with my Mom or the Mormon church with my dad. This arrangement sucked because whenever I went to one I was always asked questions by the pastor/bishop about where I was last Sunday. This situation came to a head when the Mormon bishop asked me point blank if I was going to continue on in the church or leave. You see, in the Mormon church, there is this path they want to put you on: First they make you a deacon, then they promote through a series of higher positions that culminates with a mission trip. I told the bishop that I wasn't interested in being a deacon and afterward I attended the Mormon church sporadically. When I was about 12, I stopped going to church altogether. I got weekend jobs so I could have an excuse not to go. I figured as long as I'm miserable, I might as well be working. When I was getting my Eagle Scout award, I went to the Mormon church a few times to get the Bishop to sign my form. This was a new bishop, so he was nice about it. I kept going for a few more weeks before I stopped. I haven't been back since.

When I was in high school, there were two things that helped destroy any remaining faith in Christianity. First was the Age of Reason and second was the Landover Baptist web site. I didn't go completely atheist until I was in college. Here are two of the arguments I found most convincing:

Argument from other Deities: I read a lot, and I noticed common threads in various religions. If I didn't believe in all these other gods, why should I believe in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic God?

God of the gaps argument: I was always interested in science and I noticed how scientific explanations gradually replaced religious ones. I eventually concluded that religion was man's first crude attempt at science.

So here I am, 20 years old and much wiser. I have a good relationship with both my parents and I'm studying chemical engineering in college. My life is going quite well I think.

[Little Earth Stamper]

short answer: I wasn't raised religious, and I was interested in mythology as a kid. It was fairly early that I realized that Christian apologetics work just as well for every religion ever.

So, all religions are equally likely/unlikely.

[Evil_Mage_Ra]

My conversion from Christianity was very gradual, and did not involve one single event or idea. Probably the biggest factor was the realization that my belief came from my Christian upbringing, as with many Christians, and that most (if not all) defenses of Christianity come from rationalizing belief after-the-fact. Also, as I read the Old Testament, it became clearer and clearer that the Christian God was not a god for all mankind, but only for his "chosen people".

[lee]

My parents were buddhists who had me baptized in a catholic church and sent me to a protestant primary school. :lol: No really, I wasn't joking. But basically I grew up believing in the protestant teachings, it was when they started telling me that all non-protestants would go to hell for no other reason than just because they chose to believe in something else , that I started questioning their teachings.

Thankfully, the high school I went to was a secular one, so I guess I stopped being a protestant. I was then introduced to new school of thought, von daniken's book - chariot of the Gods, he claims that the bible is a record of actual alien visitations from the dawn of time, and that they are responsible for creating us humans in the first place. And me being the gullible fool that I was at that time, I snapped it up like candy. I believed everything back then, from aliens to bigfoot, to ghosts, even astrology and atlantis.

That was back in the 80's, with the advent of the the internet in the mid 90's, I decided to see if I could dig up stuff about alien visitations and stuff, imagine my shock when my google search turn up page after page of dissenting views to the paranormal, one thing led to another and I became a critical thinker and an atheist.

[Philboid Studge]

I made the mistake of bringing some of my burgeoning doubts about God into the confessional, where the priest could do no better than offer bromides to the effect that Jesus will look after his lost sheep. Later in Mass, watching the masses standing, kneeling, and babbling in unison, it occurred to me that a shepherd was an apt God for this flock. My superstitions slowly melted away (reading does that to you), and my life began. I was born again!

[Evil_Mage_Ra]

Thankfully, the high school I went to was a secular one, so I guess I stopped being a protestant. I was then introduced to new school of thought, von daniken's book - chariot of the Gods, he claims that the bible is a record of actual alien visitations from the dawn of time, and that they are responsible for creating us humans in the first place. And me being the gullible fool that I was at that time, I snapped it up like candy. I believed everything back then, from aliens to bigfoot, to ghosts, even astrology and atlantis.
I can relate to that. I remember getting into an agrument with my 8th grade pastor over poltergeists. He thought they were demons, whereas I knew the correct "scientific" explanation--they were clearly psychic manifestations from repressed memories. Little did I know that I was only trading one form of bullshit for another.

[Acromnion]

Thankfully, the high school I went to was a secular one, so I guess I stopped being a protestant. I was then introduced to new school of thought, von daniken's book - chariot of the Gods, he claims that the bible is a record of actual alien visitations from the dawn of time, and that they are responsible for creating us humans in the first place.
I actualy watched a cool documentay on the history channel that debated that all the major happenings in the bible were alien manifestations... the north start leading the 3 kings to bethlahem (sp?), the flaming bush and voice that delivered the 10 comandments etc... interesting take show, i was surprised they aired it on tv.

[veritas]

Most of us atheists here were at one time religious. For me, it was knowledge that turned me away from religion. The more I learned about both religion and nature, the more I realized that one man's religion is another's mythology.

Tenspace

P.S. Welcome to the forum!
Being religious really has no significance or relevance to the existence of God. I always hear "I used to be religious but then I got smart". You dont usually hear, "I used to have a relationship with God, and then I got smart". I just dont think that being religious has anything to do with it. When you truly make God a part of your everyday life, and look at Him as basically your best friend in the world, you really will experience Him. However, it takes more work on your part than just going to church and only thinking about Him when things go wrong.

[veritas]

I made the mistake of bringing some of my burgeoning doubts about God into the confessional, where the priest could do no better than offer bromides to the effect that Jesus will look after his lost sheep. Later in Mass, watching the masses standing, kneeling, and babbling in unison, it occurred to me that a shepherd was an apt God for this flock. My superstitions slowly melted away (reading does that to you), and my life began. I was born again!
I've been to catholic services and I have a lot of friends that are catholic. There's a lot of things that I really dont understand why they do them. Like going to confessionals and asking the priest to forgive them, and repeating the same prayers over and over and over.... And why would you you have to repeat a prayer over and over a certain number of times to be forgiven? Wouldn't God hear the first time? And I really dont understand the hail Mary thing either. Is this the only kind of church that you have ever been to in your life?

[joli]

Guess I am an oddball. My parents are not religious, nor were my grandparents on my mother's side. I guess working in the realm of science they were to busy looking for answers in more reasonable areas.

I was introduced to religion outside the home. I had friends that would mention God or Jesus... or Krishna. If I had questions on religion, my parents would give me a general overview of what they knew…always following it up with a disclaimer of course. :D If I pressed for more details they were more then open to me visiting the local pastor or Rabi for answers.

When my Grandmother died in 6th grade and I came back from the cremation and a friend’s mother tried consoling me with the whole "Your grandma left to be with god... he will take good care of her now" speech to which my reply back was "no, she's dead and on our mantle in the family room." I remember seeing her blank expression and my Dad's brief expression of approval in the midst of all the sadness.

Growing up I never labeled my self an atheist. I guess I didn’t see why I should have to. My response to questions like what is your religion was simply that I was not superstitious.

[HMS Beagle]

I'm atheist in the same way that I'm bipedal. I could crawl around on all fours if I chose, but it would be denying who I am, and I'd look pretty stupid.

[whoneedscience]

Being religious really has no significance or relevance to the existence of God. I always hear "I used to be religious but then I got smart". You dont usually hear, "I used to have a relationship with God, and then I got smart". I just dont think that being religious has anything to do with it. When you truly make God a part of your everyday life, and look at Him as basically your best friend in the world, you really will experience Him. However, it takes more work on your part than just going to church and only thinking about Him when things go wrong.
Growing up, I knew plenty of Theists and drug addicts, and somehow the argument of "here, just have a relationship with god" sounded a lot like "here, just smoke this and you'll understand everything. I still think both are complete bullshit, it just took me a while to realize that both are just thinly veiled self-righteousness and ignorance that can only decay the capacity for reason more quickly the more involved someone gets.

[Tenspace]

Most of us atheists here were at one time religious. For me, it was knowledge that turned me away from religion. The more I learned about both religion and nature, the more I realized that one man's religion is another's mythology.

Tenspace

P.S. Welcome to the forum!
Being religious really has no significance or relevance to the existence of God. I always hear "I used to be religious but then I got smart". You dont usually hear, "I used to have a relationship with God, and then I got smart". I just dont think that being religious has anything to do with it. When you truly make God a part of your everyday life, and look at Him as basically your best friend in the world, you really will experience Him. However, it takes more work on your part than just going to church and only thinking about Him when things go wrong.
Religion == God Worship. Amazing how all those years when God was a part of my every breath don't count because I am now a non-believer. :)

Tenspace

[ghoulslime]

Not withstanding the Mormon Church’s best efforts to brainwash me, I arrived at my present conclusion having diligently studied most of the world’s major religions and seeing they are all nothing more than different versions of the same mortal opiate.

Atheism is the ultimate conclusion of the intellectually honest.

[Little Earth Stamper]

Most of us atheists here were at one time religious. For me, it was knowledge that turned me away from religion. The more I learned about both religion and nature, the more I realized that one man's religion is another's mythology.

Tenspace

P.S. Welcome to the forum!
Being religious really has no significance or relevance to the existence of God. I always hear "I used to be religious but then I got smart". You dont usually hear, "I used to have a relationship with God, and then I got smart". I just dont think that being religious has anything to do with it. When you truly make God a part of your everyday life, and look at Him as basically your best friend in the world, you really will experience Him. However, it takes more work on your part than just going to church and only thinking about Him when things go wrong.
Religion == God Worship. Amazing how all those years when God was a part of my every breath don't count because I am now a non-believer. :)

Tenspace
Well, since any who seek god find him, the fact that you don't see god means that you weren't looking for him, Q.E.D.

Anyway, I'm suspicious of god being real, because when people find him, he tends to take a form that matches their cultural expectations, and he tells them exactly what they want to hear.

I mean, it was a rare occurance that people living in America sought god and found YHWH. They mostly found Raven and Coyote and those folks. And for some reason, no matter how often their contemporaries in Europe sought god, it was always YHWH/Jesus and never Raven.

There's also the fact that, if one religion is true, then the rest are largely false. This isn't as much of a problem with the polytheistic faiths, but it is thrown into sharp relief with the monotheistic faiths.

Basically, in order to be a Christian, you have to argue that the testimony of a handful of people is credible, because why would they lie, while at the same time arguing that the vast majority of humanitymhas been deluded or lying about religion. This paradox lead me to discarding Christianity even before I decided I was an atheist.

[Sir Sin-O-Lot]

I'm just wondering why everyone else "turned atheist"; what made you beleive there is no god rather than doubt there is one?

In my own opinion, ppl need a god because they are weak and need to believe something of greater force/being is taking care of them. Also they cannot take responsibility for their actions and need to be forgiven by that force when they sin because they can not forgive themselves. god is a form of coming to terms for irresponsible actions, but believing doesnt fix anything. Its like a kid with chocolate all over his face saying he didnt eat the chocolate bar, it was his imaginary friend... just someone else to take the blame but no more chocolate bar...

That along with other things makes me not believe there is a god... i still have my doubts though they are weaker than toilet paper. :P
I believe that faith in god is a mental dependence and is what makes people weak. It takes one away from reality into a world of ultimate justice and security.
Also, Jesus told me he wasn't real.

[Philboid Studge]

Is this the only kind of church that you have ever been to in your life?
No. I've been to a couple of different flavored Protestant varieties; I've attended Shinto ceremonies in Japan; was on hand for an exorcism in Thailand (which was not a Therawad Bhuddist function, I hasten to add); ... does Amway count?

V, I will say that as an erstwhile Catholic, I can relate to much of what you say about God. "When you truly make God a part of your everyday life, and look at Him as basically your best friend in the world, you really will experience Him." The only thing I disagree with there, in retrospect, is the word "really." At some point, it morphed into "seemingly."

The confessional could be an excellent catharsis. It did not simply erase trangressions, it also imbued a sense of responsibility. Repeating prayers -- a la the roasary -- is meditative. It's no coincidence that Eastern religions incorporate repetitious chants in order to "be with God." The last thing I appreciated about Catholicism -- it may have even overlapped into atheism -- was its admission of mystery. "The mystery of faith ..." Even the Holy Ghost, the third ingredient of that 3-in-1 oil known as the trinity, is considered an unknowable entity (on Earth). I respected the fact that they didn't think they had all the answers.

There, you got me to defend a religion, ya bastid. Happy?

[NihilistThug]

I've never been religious, mystical or interested in that ridiculous 'rationalist' branch of philosophy that replaces magic with logic-as-a-thing-in-itself. The first things I read were books on physics, by the time I actually gave any thought to religion my by then ingrained scientific scepticism and empiricism simply made it a nonsense nonissue.
I feel the same way about morality, although I see most atheists can't give that bullshit up.

[Little Earth Stamper]

I've never been religious, mystical or interested in that ridiculous 'rationalist' branch of philosophy that replaces magic with logic-as-a-thing-in-itself. The first things I read were books on physics, by the time I actually gave any thought to religion my by then ingrained scientific scepticism and empiricism simply made it a nonsense nonissue.
I feel the same way about morality, although I see most atheists can't give that bullshit up.
There are two very good reasons for this:

A. We don't like being robbed, murdered, raped, lied to, slandered or assaulted. Call us crazy, but we prefer to live in a society where those actions are discouraged.

It is possible to create a society in which these actions are only discouraged against us personally, but to do that we have to become a supreme dictator or religious potentate or something, and we have to be cany enough to avoid assasination attempts from other would-be potentates, and from those who are mad that we exercised our kingly right to rape them or lie to them or oppress them in whichever way.

In many ways, encouraging a society-wide system of morals is an easier way of ensuring that we personally are treated fairly.

B. Humans evolved as social, rather then solitary animals. Morality stems from evolved survival behaviors. Feelings like empathy aren't anomalies, but are actually integral to the evolutionary path we found ourselves on. They enabled primitive society to function in a productive way. Whether they are necessary any longer is debatable, but like it or not, they're still here, like our apendices (apendixes?).

[NihilistThug]

In response to Little Earth Stamper:
A.
1. Get a gun, hire a security agency (or live in a community where the owner provides security). Fear of getting shot and high difficulty of actually pulling off crimes tends to discourage it.
2. Morality is still bullshit. At the most you've give a reason to want other people to believe bullshit, doesn't give me any reason to. And you're also wrong. Ideology (under which morality falls) has caused far more murder, chaos, robbery and general stupidity than any self-interested egoistic greed did. Greed gives us desktop computers, morality gives us WW2. And since there is no such thing as 'real' morality, since it's total bunk, the chances are that it's more likely to be some horrible idiotic self-sacrificing herd morality that makes people waste their lives and serve their idol the State in murdering other people. Because, you know, they're 'evil'.
B. I enjoy being around (some) people, but I'm only around people because I enjoy it. Other than that my interactions with other people are limited to market transactions. It's just a matter of self-interest.
And a lot of that altruistic bullshit is either ingrained by some stupid code by the State who wants to sacrifice you to it's meat grinder (or your family or religion who want to do the same thing) or vastly overrated (Huxley is guilty of this). I am me, I am only me, and when serving other people gets in the way of my personal ends other people can suck my dick.

[Little Earth Stamper]

In response to Little Earth Stamper:
A.
1. Get a gun, hire a security agency (or live in a community where the owner provides security). Fear of getting shot and high difficulty of actually pulling off crimes tends to discourage it.
...
Why do you think that it's difficult to pull off crimes?

It's because as a society we've chosen to discourage certain actions as immoral. To me, it's still morality, even if I enforce it at the barrel of a gun; I still choose certain behaviors which are wrong, and deserve punishment, and certain others that are not wrong, and do not deserve punishment. For example, giving me a piece of cake is not wrong, so I won't shoot you. Trying to stab me is, so I will.

I consider this a moral code based on self interest, but perhaps this is a misuse of the term

Not to mention that there are numerous crimes that can't really be stopped by one-on-one violence. See, when you do not consider other people to be worthwhile, they reciprocate, and it's harder to build up goodwil. This leaves me vulnarable to those who are better schmoozers. I have limited funds to hire security, and probably can't match the funds of a huge conglomorate, or, say, a church. If the Mormon church of your brave new world decided I wasn't paying my dues, they could crush me pretty damn easily, and I wouldn't really have much recourse.

EDIT: Oh yeah, my fucking family, wanting me to make sacrifices for them just because they made considerable sacrifices of time, money, and mental health to get me to the point where I could stand on my own two feet without dying. Really, by your logic, don't I owe my parents whatever amount of money they invested in me?

[lesserpanda]

Nihilist there are problems with your second theory. In A.2, you claim that ideologies have caused more harm than greed and egoism. Which ideologies are you referring to? Stalinism, perhaps, or Nazism? Well, a huge thing behind those ideologies were the greed, egoism, and downright craziness of those propping the regime up.

In B, you make reference to altruistic bullshit, and use this as if you were describing morality. Please do not confuse the two. Morality is simply a code of values - may be altruistic, though not always. The idea of acting purely for one's own interest also falls under the heading of morality, so I hate to disappoint you, but you're a pillar in the moral empire.

I understand your distaste for the moral code we've been drilled with, but even in your rejection of this 'common' morality, you exhibit your own ethics code.

[Blindwatchmaker]

I'm just wondering why everyone else "turned atheist"; what made you beleive there is no god rather than doubt there is one?

//

Rational thought. The rejection of ideas based on purely supposition.

[Blindwatchmaker]

1. Get a gun, hire a security agency (or live in a community where the owner provides security). Fear of getting shot and high difficulty of actually pulling off crimes tends to discourage it.
...

//

No, it doesn't. In the US, where weaponry is prolific, they have an enourmous percentage of population imprisoned compared to other developed nations.

It merely raises the stakes.

[Little Earth Stamper]

I'm just wondering why everyone else "turned atheist"; what made you beleive there is no god rather than doubt there is one?

//

Rational thought. The rejection of ideas based on purely supposition.
I consider myself an agnostic, but I'll answer anyway:

I just tend to assume that things for which I have no evidence don't exist. For example, I assume that there is not a colony of gnomes living under my house. I'm pretty sure I won't be kidnapped by aliens. It's the absence of evidence that does it.

I don't particularly have a problem with a deistic point of view; maybe it's true, maybe not. But your organized religions make a large number of claims about god's behavior, most of which aren't supported by much of anything at all. To me religion is like discovering you can't find your shoes, and declaring they were stolen by a midget named carlos. If you have a large volume of predictions, each of which are random, you have a large chance of getting things wrong.

Oh, and as for the crime thing, in parts of the middle east, people are often armed to the teeth, and if you fuck with someone, there's a very good chance they or their allies will come after you. Somehow, though, this has not ensured peace.

The more guns = less crime equation just doesn't hold true consistantly.

[DennisRB]

I actualy watched a cool documentay on the history channel that debated that all the major happenings in the bible were alien manifestations... the north start leading the 3 kings to bethlahem (sp?), the flaming bush and voice that delivered the 10 comandments etc... interesting take show, i was surprised they aired it on tv.
I don't believe those alien stories at all, but if I had to choose between them and the GOD alternative, I would choose aliens. Considering that the only planet that we know of with the correct climatic conditions to support life does has life on it. (thats a 100% life success rate) Why shouldn't there be millions of other planets with life forms much more advanced than us that are able to travel to and interfere with our planet? There are 50 billion galaxies each containing around 100 billion stars each. So just going by the numbers, at least its possible, unlike the GOD myth, which has nothing stacked up in its favor what so ever. Look how far we have come in the last 5 generations in terms of technology. However, we are still so primitive that the majority of people still believe in religion! (religion will disappear totally once the remaining religious myths are destroyed by science)

[StillSurviving]

Being religious really has no significance or relevance to the existence of God. I always hear "I used to be religious but then I got smart". You dont usually hear, "I used to have a relationship with God, and then I got smart". I just dont think that being religious has anything to do with it. When you truly make God a part of your everyday life, and look at Him as basically your best friend in the world, you really will experience Him. However, it takes more work on your part than just going to church and only thinking about Him when things go wrong.
For most atheists,
"I used to be religious" = "I used to have a relationship with an imaginary, omniscient, omnipotent being whom I called XXXXX"

Most people who grew out of their imaginary friends don't tell people "I used to have a relationship with Frank." Instead they say "I used to have an imaginary friend." They now realize there in fact was no relationship; just as you have no more a relationship with an actual God than I have, as there is no God with whom to have a relationship.

[RedRob]

I can write a book on this but this is just a quick overview of my own descend to atheism.

Unlike most people on this forum I was not raised Christian, Jew or Atheist, I was in fact born to a rather secular Muslim family that never drilled anything in my head. There were some mentions of God but no one ever tried to feed me BS. This is probably not what most former Muslims now, Atheists go through, but my family was made up of intellectuals who had difficulty in believe things “just because” some books says you have to. My mom still believes in god and insists she is Muslim, but she does not pray or wear a wail, so I guess she is in denial. My dad does seem to care and never says anything in regards to god or religion, I guess out of respect for my grandmothers (on my moms and dads side) who are both very religious but don’t push their beliefs onto others.

I decided there was no god when I saw my friends, neighbors and family get slaughtered just because they believed something. Just to be sure that there was no god, I enrolled into a religious school in the country where I was living in as a refugee. The school was fairly impressed with me and I was one of the best students there. The Imam of my school even gave me awards for this. I was only 11 at the time and I studied the Koran along side other mythology books (the Bible, etc.) and realized it was all a bunch of BS for sure at this point. I was still not an atheist but I eventually started to call myself one after graduating from HS and moving out of my parent’s house.

I became an atheist because I see no proof of god, just like there is no proof of the sock noams that live in the dryer and steal socks. Sure the socks seem to disappear but to assume that the noams are stealing them is exactly like assuming that god exists because you can’t explain certain things that happen in life.

Given that the theory of god was not based on science but rather on philosophy it makes it very hypothetical and there for as possible as any other crazy theory based on belief. I think it should be up to the believers to prove their theories and until then I see no reason to believe in god just like I see no reason to believe in dryer machine noams since they have not left any proof of their existence either.

[Dan Bukszpan]

I've been an atheist for as long as I can remember. I was raised in a Jewish family, I was bar mitzvahed, but not for two seconds did I ever believe in any of it. I had no transition period or anything like that. I was born an atheist the way people are born gay, and I could no more will myself into believing in god than a gay man could will himself into getting erect while perusing Hustler magazine.

Sometimes I envy religious people, because they have this belief system that allows them to think, in all seriousness, that faith is a greater virtue than honesty, intelligence, integrity, personal responsibility, etc., and so they don't really have to set the bar too high for themselves. They can basically behave in any old fucked up way that they want, and as long as they have faith, it's all good. Personally speaking, I'd rather make sure that my time spent on earth was spent doing things that actually matter.

I hope that every single religious person on earth encounters the same thing when they die --- I hope that their final perception in their last flickering moment of consciousness is the verity that it was all bullshit. That they could have spent their lives enjoying themselves, but that they chose to believe in virgin birth instead. That they could have savored what precious time they had, but that they fasted to atone for "sins" instead, as if anyone gives a shit. That they could have been having sex all those years, but that they chose to take a virginity pledge instead.

Assholes.

[DennisRB]

I wish I was religious. That way I could always look forward to "heaven" when I feel that there is nothing left for me on earth (during depression etc), or I could tell myself that every bad thing that happens to me occurs for a reason and its gods will. I could commit crimes and immoral acts and blame Satan, then just ask for forgiveness, no worries. Its certainly not easier to be a non believer, we don't have any bullshit to fall back on. The world is real and it is now, when you are dead its over. Simple as that.

Atheism comes as a harsh reality. No one chooses it as an easier way of life. There is simply no reason for me to believe that any gods exist. All evidence (and lack of) points to a world without god.

I can't remember the exact day when I realized gods did not exist for sure. My father has never believed, but my mother and the rest of my relatives did. I never got brainwashed by them. I did have some religious friends at school, I went to church with them and hung out ant Sunday school, I prayed with them etc, but deep down I don't think I ever really belied in anything. My prayers went unanswered and the church had so many contradictions with itself and science it did not seem possible that it could be real.

I think a great moment that made me questions the church (and my stupid year 7 teacher) was when we had a religious group come to school to try and brainwash all the kids about religion. They tried to debunk evolution by erroneously stating that evolutions claims we evolved from chimpanzees. (even at 12 years old, I tried to cut it ad explain that evolution only claims that we shared a common ancestor, but I was told to shut up) The idiots then told us how chimps can close their feet similar how we can close out hands (to hold branches etc). They then told all the kids to try and do it with their own feet. When no once could do it, the professed that it was proof that evolution was wrong. I couldn't belive how stupid these people were, and my teacher fell for it, he then gave his own rendition to our class about it. I was not allowed to make any comments for about it. They also handed out copies of the new testament, which came in handy to roll smokes with.

[whoneedscience]

You sound like an Aussie to me, Dennis.

When I lived in Australia, I had all kinds of problems with authority. It just seemed to me as though the culture there treated younger people like crap, whereas in the States kids are allowed to develop more. Now, I'm from the Northeast (renowned liberal area), so this may not mean anything, but you'd think that encouraging kids to think for themselves would do more than telling them to shut up, yet Australia and the US have about the same percentage of religious fanatics. For once, I don't have any evidence for this, but what do you Aussies think?

[Amazonis]

I think a great moment that made me questions the church (and my stupid year 7 teacher) was when we had a religious group come to school to try and brainwash all the kids about religion. They tried to debunk evolution by erroneously stating that evolutions claims we evolved from chimpanzees. (even at 12 years old, I tried to cut it ad explain that evolution only claims that we shared a common ancestor, but I was told to shut up) The idiots then told us how chimps can close their feet similar how we can close out hands (to hold branches etc). They then told all the kids to try and do it with their own feet. When no once could do it, the professed that it was proof that evolution was wrong. I couldn't belive how stupid these people were, and my teacher fell for it, he then gave his own rendition to our class about it. I was not allowed to make any comments for about it. They also handed out copies of the new testament, which came in handy to roll smokes with.
Those lunatics came around to brainwash when we were even more immpressionable (grade six, i think). I got suspended for calling the old women a "dumb bitch". Anyway, you waisted the bible on smokes? It wipes the arse a treat! :D

[Amazonis]

You sound like an Aussie to me, Dennis.

When I lived in Australia, I had all kinds of problems with authority. It just seemed to me as though the culture there treated younger people like crap, whereas in the States kids are allowed to develop more. Now, I'm from the Northeast (renowned liberal area), so this may not mean anything, but you'd think that encouraging kids to think for themselves would do more than telling them to shut up, yet Australia and the US have about the same percentage of religious fanatics. For once, I don't have any evidence for this, but what do you Aussies think?
Thats surprising. I know that the religous people in America are a lot more fanatical that in Australia. I think most Aussies who claim to be christians are just such simple and shallow people that they probably don't give theism or atheism a socond thought. However, in America the christians are more vocal about their faith, and religion plays a bigger role in politics. Maybe you just came from a right wing area in Australia, and moved to a left wing area in America. I come from a rather let wing suburb in Melbourne, and i don't really come into to much cinflict with xtians.

[DennisRB]

I agree Amazonis. You hardly hear anyone vocally pushing their religion here. The US and OZ probably have the same % Christians etc, but most of our Christians are not as full on. For example, every time you see some news clips from America, whether it be a disaster or a sporting win the Yanks can't help but "thank god". It gives me shits that they thank god for their win, or thank god that they survived the plane crash etc. You don't hear is as much when Aussies are interviewed, but because our culture is becoming very American, it seems to be on the increase.

And as for my stupid teacher, he was just as asshole. Most of my other teachers were great and always listened to my ideas.

Good work on dumb bitch comment. Its good to see the school rewards this behavior by giving you a few days off school.

[peepnklown]

I am Jesus and know that god is a lie.

[Bighead]

This is only my second comment since registering for this site. So, I'm fairly new here too...it's also my first site that I've come to regularly and actually posted any replies in...so anyways....

My becoming an Atheist was a long process. Not as long as for some, but whatever...(I'm not too articulate). I become "born again" when I was 8 and then got baptised in a freezing fucking lake in Massachusetts. We didn't go to church that often, but our church was actually pretty nice. I was raised protestant, and the church that we were going to in Massachusetts was actually having service in a Unitarian church, but the Unitarians didn't like our preacher guy talking about certain things, so they stopped having services there...then they moved it to a mansion in Groton on a HUGE tract of land. I had fun at that church because the families were close, and I was in the "youth ministry/propaganda department" and so was the pastor's daughter, who was just freakin hot...she was the only reason I enjoyed going to church because we had our youth ministry "meetings" on Friday nights in her bedroom, and it was good.

That's just some background...sorry if I babble...

I joined the military and moved around a lot...I ended up going to this little church in the California Monterey Bay area. By that time, I was actually doing some critical thinking, and I was having a little trouble coming up with an explanation for the Devil. He's omniscient, and omnibenevolent and all that right??? So why make the devil and hell and sin and all that? He already knows who's going to choose what and who's going to go where...so he makes people that he knows are going to suffer an eternity of hell.....basically.

I asked some religious folks (preachers, bible-thumpers, grandma) and only one person could ever give me even a semblence of an answer, and it was something to the effect of, god didn't want robots, he wanted people to have free-will etc....all arguments that I had dismissed with the logic that I had used to get to the question at which I had arrived...anyways...I figured that was just for god to know, and me to find out when I die...then I read a book by some religious physicist trying to explain whether the universe could exist without a god or whether a god is even possible (I don't know how you could say that an omnipotent being who created the laws of physics would be bound by them), but he was trying...anyways...after reading that book, I was fairly convinced that xtianity was wrong.

Then I started studying other religions like islam, buddhism, hindu, shinto...I realized that it was all a bunch of bullshit, and have been mad at those 23 years of my life wasted on a bullshit dogma when I could have actually led an enjoyable life, not confined by the laws of my religion. Goddamit. F Christ and F Christianity, and F religion :mad:

Besides, like I said in the first post I wrote on this site, I killed god last week anyways.

[alaspooryorick]

I might as well be honest, although this is actually really quite embarassing, though mildly funny. Although, the end point is that at least I am no longer a deluded theist.

So I come from a pretty religious family, I went to Sunday school for eight years and suffered through years of church, and I actually went to church camp for quite a large portion of my youth and admittedly had a great time. Although I guess I was always a little skeptical...we had a "testimony" night one year and I heard all these kids talk about these mystical visions or miraculous experiences, etc., and I couldn't believe them. Why? Because in my very selfish eleven year old mind, God never made himself apparent to me! So I actually lied just to fit in. Oh the irony.

Then, when I was a little older (maybe fifteen?), the one week I was at church camp, the guy I really liked for a few years got together with one of my best friends. So I never went to church camp again, and essentially stopped believing in God. :P

Granted, a lot more intellectual thought has also led me to the conclusion that I don't believe in God, but ah yes, immature pubescent hormones is in fact the original cause for my atheism.

And, as Billy Joel says, the sinners are much more fun.

[whoneedscience]

You hardly hear anyone vocally pushing their religion here. The US and OZ probably have the same % Christians etc, but most of our Christians are not as full on. For example, every time you see some news clips from America, whether it be a disaster or a sporting win the Yanks can't help but "thank god". It gives me shits that they thank god for their win, or thank god that they survived the plane crash etc. You don't hear is as much when Aussies are interviewed, but because our culture is becoming very American, it seems to be on the increase..
Would you agree that Aussies cling more to what in the States has become an antique notion of rugged individualism, and simply don't like being told what to think or how to live? That used to be the ideal here, but honestly I think it's completely decayed into almost a century of mob mentality, from the Cold War to MTV.

Maybe I went a little far in comparing religious fanatics. When I lived there (outside of Sydney), I didn't really notice religion, and was surprised to see similar statistics on religiousness for the US and OZ. I do remember being considered as somehow handicapped for being an American, thanks to the load of crap (TV/media) we ship overseas.

[nvxplorer]

When you truly make God a part of your everyday life, and look at Him as basically your best friend in the world, you really will experience Him. However, it takes more work on your part than just going to church and only thinking about Him when things go wrong.
Many who look for god find him buried in their own psyches. Some become so obsessed, that the line between themselves and their extra-egos becomes blurred. They become god. These people can be seen regularly on TBN, and I'm beginning to think we have one in the White House as well.

[Kamikaze189]

I'm went from being religious to atheist very quickly.

Up until I was about 11-12 years old I was the typical religious person. I'm sure everyone knows the drill, I was happy, life great, blah, blah, blah.
Then, in a matter of months my parents divorced, a family member died (due to depression and loneliness, we think), and I had to move from a beautiful house on 6 acres to a subdivision. I don't mean to enforce the whole tragedy stereotype, but that's honestly how I came to this abrubt realization. A good loving god doesn't let these kinds of things happen. A good god doesn't tell your parents to lie to you. A good god, does not exist. Crystal clear to me. I had a brief suicadal phase, and then became an atheist. Just like that.

I'm 16 now and I have a greater understanding of my surrounding than I ever did before. I was a victim of brainwashing, and I now know that if tragedy hadn't happened, I probably would still be religious.

[CavKiller37]

I started doubting the crap that christians taught me back in high school. I went to catholic school up until 3rd grade and hated every minute of it. I remember one time when I was 11 or 12 I went to a a lock-in at an amusement park sponsored by some whacked out baptist chruch. The "spiritual counselor" (which is just another name for ass-goblin) wanted me to give my life over to christ and be reborn. I didn't really understand, so I asked the guy if I had to die to be reborn. I took religious crap too literally even back then. Then in high school I stopped going to church because it sucked and I didn't like being told that I was evil just for being human. In college I read a lot and realized that the like 98% of the country who are theists are flaming idiots. I told everyone in my family that I'm never going to church again and they cried a lot. But now most of them are pretty much atheists too. They can't ignore the logic. Now I'm in some stupid shithole of a muslim country and wading through a sea of body odor, sand and Islamic fundamentalism. At least I can prove the " no atheists in foxholes arguments" wrong. I've been under fire and I didn't piss my pants and start praying to god.

[Kamikaze189]

At least I can prove the " no atheists in foxholes arguments" wrong. I've been under fire and I didn't piss my pants and start praying to god.
Thank you. :lol:

[DennisRB]

Would you agree that Aussies cling more to what in the States has become an antique notion of rugged individualism, and simply don't like being told what to think or how to live? That used to be the ideal here, but honestly I think it's completely decayed into almost a century of mob mentality, from the Cold War to MTV.
Well, I think that most Australians think they are very individualistic, when in fact they are exactly the same as everyone else in Australia and the US. Most kids grow up watching 3 hours of American TV every night, watching utter shit like big brother and American/Australian Idol, and listening to utter shit like nelly and eminem. I never turn on the commercial TV or radio channels, I have already killed enough of my brain cells and cant afford to loose any more by watching/listening to that shit.

I was born in 1981, when I was going to high school, the totally fucked up "home boy" trend started up, imported direct from the US. This involved middle classes white morons wishing they were poor and black, like their favorite gangstar rappers, putting on baggy clothes and wareing their hats sideways, then walking around the streets at night in gangs bashing any poor guy that might pass them for no reason other than its cool. I'm sure they all felt "a notion of rugged individualism, and simply didn't like being told what to think or how to live"

Who likes being told how to think and how to live anyway? And why has "not being told how to think and how to live" become and antique ideal in America? I don't like "being told how to think and how to live" and its not because its an Australian, its simply because I am human. The whole MTV culture is fucked. It revolves around being materialistic and tries to tell us that unless we are beautiful or a "bad ass mofo" we may as well not exist. Plus all the music they play is shit.

So to summarize. If you asked anyone here, they would all tell you how individual they are, whilst drinking their can of coke and looking "bling" in their Oakly sunnies, nike shoes and von duch shirt. And they would also be glad to tell you how much safer they feel from the evil Muslim terrorist threat now that our country has been involved in unprovoked invasion of foreign countries.

Maybe I went a little far in comparing religious fanatics. When I lived there (outside of Sydney), I didn't really notice religion, and was surprised to see similar statistics on religiousness for the US and OZ. I do remember being considered as somehow handicapped for being an American, thanks to the load of crap (TV/media) we ship overseas.
Its unfortunate that Americans get such a bad rap all over the world, but if TV programs and politics are are all foreigners get to base their opinions on you can't really blame the mentality. I think Australia is probably right behind you in that respect too. Our politics are just as fucked, and I'm fairly certain you wouldn't get great TV viewing from us either.

http://www.mediaman.com.au/articles/irwinjacko.jpg

[Blod]

I'm just wondering why everyone else "turned atheist"; what made you beleive there is no god rather than doubt there is one?

In my own opinion, ppl need a god because they are weak and need to believe something of greater force/being is taking care of them. Also they cannot take responsibility for their actions and need to be forgiven by that force when they sin because they can not forgive themselves. god is a form of coming to terms for irresponsible actions, but believing doesnt fix anything. Its like a kid with chocolate all over his face saying he didnt eat the chocolate bar, it was his imaginary friend... just someone else to take the blame but no more chocolate bar...

That along with other things makes me not believe there is a god... i still have my doubts though they are weaker than toilet paper. :P
Hm, I never became an atheist- fortunately was born and raised such because of the communism in Albania, and we being the first and only official (at the time) atheist country around. Also both my parents were, and still are, atheists; my brother too. After the system collapse in the 90s these religious non-ideas began the flux in the country, of course disguised under the banner of humanism, progressivism, etc. The bad thing with atheism at us, is that some ppl identified it with communism, and therefore "bad" (I guess the Christlamists gave a hand for this forced misconception, after all, these irrational parasites are constantly being funded from their respective hierarchs abroad in Turkey, Arabia, Greece, Italy, these correlations well known, and they don't even care to hide it).

On the personal scale, the thing is that no theist can ever use logic to back up any of his assertions, and I disrespect ppl who don't use logic or who refuse to use it. I guess I'm a logico-fascist or sth, but I have never encountered any theist that makes sense when he talks about religious stuff, and the worst part is that most of them don't make much sense neither on other topics or discussions. I see religion as a deprival of mental health and sth that stands in the way of making humans evolve their brain functions to some higher level, and if one thinks a bit about it, I know that every sound person will spot that every theist, he has spoken to, displays some mental deficit of various level. Dangerous or non-dangerous, these are my thoughts and experience, and I am all for abolishing religion and forcing and integrating the teaching of the methods of logic in our (or any) educational system.

Why an atheist? Because it's the default rational position. It's based on logic and logic is the only valid method of interpreting reality. All else is obsolete and immediately dangerous to life if applied to a large scale (as is done). The religious folk instead of logic, uses opinion and belief for many, if not most, of things in its life, and that's disgraceful for the human species. Life is beautiful and religion makes it boring and mediocre.

greets

[Bighead]

I'm just wondering why everyone else "turned atheist"; what made you beleive there is no god rather than doubt there is one?

In my own opinion, ppl need a god because they are weak and need to believe something of greater force/being is taking care of them. Also they cannot take responsibility for their actions and need to be forgiven by that force when they sin because they can not forgive themselves. god is a form of coming to terms for irresponsible actions, but believing doesnt fix anything. Its like a kid with chocolate all over his face saying he didnt eat the chocolate bar, it was his imaginary friend... just someone else to take the blame but no more chocolate bar...

That along with other things makes me not believe there is a god... i still have my doubts though they are weaker than toilet paper. :P
Hm, I never became an atheist- fortunately was born and raised such because of the communism in Albania, and we being the first and only official (at the time) atheist country around. Also both my parents were, and still are, atheists; my brother too. After the system collapse in the 90s these religious non-ideas began the flux in the country, of course disguised under the banner of humanism, progressivism, etc. The bad thing with atheism at us, is that some ppl identified it with communism, and therefore "bad" (I guess the Christlamists gave a hand for this forced misconception, after all, these irrational parasites are constantly being funded from their respective hierarchs abroad in Turkey, Arabia, Greece, Italy, these correlations well known, and they don't even care to hide it).

On the personal scale, the thing is that no theist can ever use logic to back up any of his assertions, and I disrespect ppl who don't use logic or who refuse to use it. I guess I'm a logico-fascist or sth, but I have never encountered any theist that makes sense when he talks about religious stuff, and the worst part is that most of them don't make much sense neither on other topics or discussions. I see religion as a deprival of mental health and sth that stands in the way of making humans evolve their brain functions to some higher level, and if one thinks a bit about it, I know that every sound person will spot that every theist, he has spoken to, displays some mental deficit of various level. Dangerous or non-dangerous, these are my thoughts and experience, and I am all for abolishing religion and forcing and integrating the teaching of the methods of logic in our (or any) educational system.

Why an atheist? Because it's the default rational position. It's based on logic and logic is the only valid method of interpreting reality. All else is obsolete and immediately dangerous to life if applied to a large scale (as is done). The religious folk instead of logic, uses opinion and belief for many, if not most, of things in its life, and that's disgraceful for the human species. Life is beautiful and religion makes it boring and mediocre.

greets
Bravo!
:)

[whoneedscience]

I was born in 1981, when I was going to high school, the totally fucked up "home boy" trend started up, imported direct from the US. This involved middle classes white morons wishing they were poor and black, like their favorite gangstar rappers, putting on baggy clothes and wareing their hats sideways, then walking around the streets at night in gangs bashing any poor guy that might pass them for no reason other than its cool. I'm sure they all felt "a notion of rugged individualism, and simply didn't like being told what to think or how to live"
Rugged individualism is supposed to be more associated with the John Wayne/Lone Ranger ideal that died here in the states quite a while ago. I see your point on the "rugged" half of this, but I would place the death of the "individualism" about where you mentioned "home boys".

Its unfortunate that Americans get such a bad rap all over the world, but if TV programs and politics are all foreigners get to base their opinions on you can't really blame the mentality. I think Australia is probably right behind you in that respect too. Our politics are just as fucked, and I'm fairly certain you wouldn't get great TV viewing from us either.
You should see the restaurant chain that sprung up here called Outback Steakhouse. It's Cajun food but they attempted to theme it after Australia. I get a good laugh every time I go there. Interrestingly, I think they were trying to make a connection between Australia and the now dead cowboy romanticism.

Steve Irwin is always a good laugh, too, but people here definitely think that's what Aussies are like.

[kim chao]

well, i have read all comments about the topic, DOES GOD EXIST?, i am sorry to all, the comments were just childish thinking and nothing else. i am believing any religion but i believe that" GOD EXISTS". all coments that i have read were the conclusion of extensive reading and searching in the religious and scientific books but i am sorry to say you people are thinking negatively.

ALL RELIGIONS SAY THAT GOD EXISTS and they have their prooves but i am going to gave such of them except over common life. can every body tell me why humen are HUMEN? why not monkey, chimpanzy etc? although all have same origion that is mating of male and female. and if nobody can then tell me why we are born and why we died? and what happen to the dying ones where they go ? again if no answer then come to the nature. one fellow said that nature is infinite. if its true then why your scientists are crying that universe is worming and we are moving towards SUN? these are just few questions if you thing positively then everything will be more clear. just don't thing that GOD is in the church or other religious places.

i wanna ask all of you , WHO IS THAT CONTROLLS THE UNIVERSE AND OVER THOUGHTS.............................? WHY WE LOVE SOME THINGS AND HATE OTHERS............?
i am a science student and i have these answers , you can have but if you think ...........

[PissBoner]

well, i have read all comments about the topic, DOES GOD EXIST?, i am sorry to all, the comments were just childish thinking and nothing else. i am believing any religion but i believe that" GOD EXISTS". all coments that i have read were the conclusion of extensive reading and searching in the religious and scientific books but i am sorry to say you people are thinking negatively.

ALL RELIGIONS SAY THAT GOD EXISTS and they have their prooves but i am going to gave such of them except over common life. can every body tell me why humen are HUMEN? why not monkey, chimpanzy etc? although all have same origion that is mating of male and female. and if nobody can then tell me why we are born and why we died? and what happen to the dying ones where they go ? again if no answer then come to the nature. one fellow said that nature is infinite. if its true then why your scientists are crying that universe is worming and we are moving towards SUN? these are just few questions if you thing positively then everything will be more clear. just don't thing that GOD is in the church or other religious places.

i wanna ask all of you , WHO IS THAT CONTROLLS THE UNIVERSE AND OVER THOUGHTS.............................? WHY WE LOVE SOME THINGS AND HATE OTHERS............?
i am a science student and i have these answers , you can have but if you think ...........
If you were a true science student, you would know, you don't know shit.

Judging from your post, I would say you need to be an ENGLISH Student.

[Rhinoqulous]

well, i have read all comments about the topic, DOES GOD EXIST?, i am sorry to all, the comments were just childish thinking and nothing else. i am believing any religion but i believe that" GOD EXISTS". all coments that i have read were the conclusion of extensive reading and searching in the religious and scientific books but i am sorry to say you people are thinking negatively.

ALL RELIGIONS SAY THAT GOD EXISTS and they have their prooves but i am going to gave such of them except over common life. can every body tell me why humen are HUMEN? why not monkey, chimpanzy etc? although all have same origion that is mating of male and female. and if nobody can then tell me why we are born and why we died? and what happen to the dying ones where they go ? again if no answer then come to the nature. one fellow said that nature is infinite. if its true then why your scientists are crying that universe is worming and we are moving towards SUN? these are just few questions if you thing positively then everything will be more clear. just don't thing that GOD is in the church or other religious places.

i wanna ask all of you , WHO IS THAT CONTROLLS THE UNIVERSE AND OVER THOUGHTS.............................? WHY WE LOVE SOME THINGS AND HATE OTHERS............?
i am a science student and i have these answers , you can have but if you think ...........
I'm guessing the poor English comes from English not being your native tongue, so I'll leave that alone.

Why are humans human, and not monkeys or apes? Well, we're a type of Great Ape known as Homo Sapiens Sapiens, our genetic structure is different from monkeys, etc.

Where do we go when we die? Cleveland. Or we rot in the ground. One of the two.

I don't really recall scientists crying over the universe "warming" (?) or Earth falling into the sun. Could you please elaborate what you are talking about?

Rhinoq

[Paradox]

ALL RELIGIONS SAY THAT GOD EXISTS
:lol: You have no idea what your talking about. Actually most religions are either pantheistic, polytheistic or atheistic. Just a handfull of abrahamic religions made it big (Judaism, Islam & Christianity), so now everyone thinks that theism is universal.