Are you an Atheist? What Promted Your Choice?

[nikekidwonder]

Everyone believes in something 

 

[stockholm patriot]

Originally Posted by ABC



God doesn't do things for you... you do things for yourself. No matter how much you sit around and pray, you won't magically get a six-figure job and a great house. There are so many rich atheists that are "blessed" with good fortune? Nah, they just work hard or are in the right place at the right time. 

Yes I'm mad

Mark Zuckerberg

 

[stockholm patriot]

Originally Posted by ABC



God doesn't do things for you... you do things for yourself. No matter how much you sit around and pray, you won't magically get a six-figure job and a great house. There are so many rich atheists that are "blessed" with good fortune? Nah, they just work hard or are in the right place at the right time. 

Yes I'm mad

Mark Zuckerberg

 

[10littlefigures]

Originally Posted by Essential1

Originally Posted by 10littlefigures

Originally Posted by ABC

I stopped following God after being forced to go to church/take theology classes from basically birth to the end of high school... I went to a catholic H.S. that was a lot of fun, but there was a lot of forcing ideas onto students. Once I experienced freshman year of college I just didn't care anymore 

 kanyeshrug
Also, another turning point that pretty much cemented my status was when my cousin died last summer... he was 32 and died from cancer and religious folks were trying to tell me "it's part of God's plan, it was his time to go, it's all in the grand scheme of things..." etc, etc, bs, etc. How is it God's plan to take away a young man who was engaged with a good accounting job in downtown Chicago?? PLEASE, jesus freaks, explain this to me... because as far as I can tell, cancer is random and so is death. People die because of chance and poor luck. It's not some dude pushing buttons in the sky that turns off your life like a light switch, my cousin had the poor fortune to become sick and he passed. NOTHING beneficial happened from his death, it only ruined lives and made things a lot worse. If I have God to thank for all of the bad things in the world, then he sucks. 

did it have an impact on all of those closely involved? my mother is currently battling cancer and however much i hate to see how much it ravishes her i do believe there is a reason she has the disease. also why do you think cancer is random theres many different forms and many things that can be attributed to the disease.

Let me preference this with, I'm  sorry to hear about your predicament, and I really sorry to hear about it.. I hope your mom can fight and beat it..

All my grandparents died of cancer. But most specifically my grandfather on my dad's side because I was closer to him than anyone.. so I know your pain I once said to a counselor "I watched Superman become human.".. So I know exactly what you are going through.... I'm pretty sure it is what I have to look forward to when I get older also..

But why would there be a reason? Why would there be any explanation other than the cells of the body multiplying at an extraordinary rate (which is what cancer basically is)? Of course there are causes whether they be smoking, asbestos, radiation, etc. etc. 

But  if what you are saying is the case, then my lesson was I can be strong.. But why take my grandpa for that?  If that's God's work I don't want anything to do with that..

There's other ways to show that lesson than death...

Life is nothing but a cycle of extraordinary/ random / and at times tragic events..  If you seek explanation from something as to explain something so tragic then you will search forever..

It's one thing to try to pray for health. but meaning of death from a god, is painful. Because you don't get the answer. You get a "WHAT IF?"  There are explanations for everything, but they lay in the common man or woman. They lay in the environment. They can all be explained by random occurrence or just sheer obviousness.

Now when you apply the "there is a reason" argument. What's the reason for an intelligent 12-year old girl dying in a drive by? Or a 19 year old trying to turn his life around and killed during a mugging?

Faith doesn't need to be in a god.. Faith could be in yourself, your family, and others. 

you seemed to have grasped what im saying and seem like a smart guy so no need to debate i just think one way and you think another

 

 

[10littlefigures]

Originally Posted by Essential1

Originally Posted by 10littlefigures

Originally Posted by ABC

I stopped following God after being forced to go to church/take theology classes from basically birth to the end of high school... I went to a catholic H.S. that was a lot of fun, but there was a lot of forcing ideas onto students. Once I experienced freshman year of college I just didn't care anymore 

 kanyeshrug
Also, another turning point that pretty much cemented my status was when my cousin died last summer... he was 32 and died from cancer and religious folks were trying to tell me "it's part of God's plan, it was his time to go, it's all in the grand scheme of things..." etc, etc, bs, etc. How is it God's plan to take away a young man who was engaged with a good accounting job in downtown Chicago?? PLEASE, jesus freaks, explain this to me... because as far as I can tell, cancer is random and so is death. People die because of chance and poor luck. It's not some dude pushing buttons in the sky that turns off your life like a light switch, my cousin had the poor fortune to become sick and he passed. NOTHING beneficial happened from his death, it only ruined lives and made things a lot worse. If I have God to thank for all of the bad things in the world, then he sucks. 

did it have an impact on all of those closely involved? my mother is currently battling cancer and however much i hate to see how much it ravishes her i do believe there is a reason she has the disease. also why do you think cancer is random theres many different forms and many things that can be attributed to the disease.

Let me preference this with, I'm  sorry to hear about your predicament, and I really sorry to hear about it.. I hope your mom can fight and beat it..

All my grandparents died of cancer. But most specifically my grandfather on my dad's side because I was closer to him than anyone.. so I know your pain I once said to a counselor "I watched Superman become human.".. So I know exactly what you are going through.... I'm pretty sure it is what I have to look forward to when I get older also..

But why would there be a reason? Why would there be any explanation other than the cells of the body multiplying at an extraordinary rate (which is what cancer basically is)? Of course there are causes whether they be smoking, asbestos, radiation, etc. etc. 

But  if what you are saying is the case, then my lesson was I can be strong.. But why take my grandpa for that?  If that's God's work I don't want anything to do with that..

There's other ways to show that lesson than death...

Life is nothing but a cycle of extraordinary/ random / and at times tragic events..  If you seek explanation from something as to explain something so tragic then you will search forever..

It's one thing to try to pray for health. but meaning of death from a god, is painful. Because you don't get the answer. You get a "WHAT IF?"  There are explanations for everything, but they lay in the common man or woman. They lay in the environment. They can all be explained by random occurrence or just sheer obviousness.

Now when you apply the "there is a reason" argument. What's the reason for an intelligent 12-year old girl dying in a drive by? Or a 19 year old trying to turn his life around and killed during a mugging?

Faith doesn't need to be in a god.. Faith could be in yourself, your family, and others. 

you seemed to have grasped what im saying and seem like a smart guy so no need to debate i just think one way and you think another

 

 

[napoleon]

I realized I was ultimately responsible for all of my successes and my failures.

 

[napoleon]

I realized I was ultimately responsible for all of my successes and my failures.

 

[b smooth 202]

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

 

[b smooth 202]

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

 

[lostsoulswander]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

when !%!! hits the fan i'll die and decompose. Just like you and everyone else on this planet.
No judgment day @**%#%%$, no recap about all the good/bad crap ive done in life
just rot

 

[lostsoulswander]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

when !%!! hits the fan i'll die and decompose. Just like you and everyone else on this planet.
No judgment day @**%#%%$, no recap about all the good/bad crap ive done in life
just rot

 

[lobotomybeats]

Originally Posted by Essential1

Originally Posted by 10littlefigures

Originally Posted by ABC

I stopped following God after being forced to go to church/take theology classes from basically birth to the end of high school... I went to a catholic H.S. that was a lot of fun, but there was a lot of forcing ideas onto students. Once I experienced freshman year of college I just didn't care anymore 

 kanyeshrug
Also, another turning point that pretty much cemented my status was when my cousin died last summer... he was 32 and died from cancer and religious folks were trying to tell me "it's part of God's plan, it was his time to go, it's all in the grand scheme of things..." etc, etc, bs, etc. How is it God's plan to take away a young man who was engaged with a good accounting job in downtown Chicago?? PLEASE, jesus freaks, explain this to me... because as far as I can tell, cancer is random and so is death. People die because of chance and poor luck. It's not some dude pushing buttons in the sky that turns off your life like a light switch, my cousin had the poor fortune to become sick and he passed. NOTHING beneficial happened from his death, it only ruined lives and made things a lot worse. If I have God to thank for all of the bad things in the world, then he sucks. 

did it have an impact on all of those closely involved? my mother is currently battling cancer and however much i hate to see how much it ravishes her i do believe there is a reason she has the disease. also why do you think cancer is random theres many different forms and many things that can be attributed to the disease.

Life is nothing but a cycle of extraordinary/ random / and at times tragic events..  If you seek explanation from something as to explain something so tragic then you will search forever..

I think this is why most people are believers.  They refuse to think anything, including their very existence, is absolutely random.


Also, I think most people are actual closeted non-believers or skeptics but fear any consequences (god's wrath if they happen to be wrong, being ostracized by family etc..) that may come from admitting it.

 

[lobotomybeats]

Originally Posted by Essential1

Originally Posted by 10littlefigures

Originally Posted by ABC

I stopped following God after being forced to go to church/take theology classes from basically birth to the end of high school... I went to a catholic H.S. that was a lot of fun, but there was a lot of forcing ideas onto students. Once I experienced freshman year of college I just didn't care anymore 

 kanyeshrug
Also, another turning point that pretty much cemented my status was when my cousin died last summer... he was 32 and died from cancer and religious folks were trying to tell me "it's part of God's plan, it was his time to go, it's all in the grand scheme of things..." etc, etc, bs, etc. How is it God's plan to take away a young man who was engaged with a good accounting job in downtown Chicago?? PLEASE, jesus freaks, explain this to me... because as far as I can tell, cancer is random and so is death. People die because of chance and poor luck. It's not some dude pushing buttons in the sky that turns off your life like a light switch, my cousin had the poor fortune to become sick and he passed. NOTHING beneficial happened from his death, it only ruined lives and made things a lot worse. If I have God to thank for all of the bad things in the world, then he sucks. 

did it have an impact on all of those closely involved? my mother is currently battling cancer and however much i hate to see how much it ravishes her i do believe there is a reason she has the disease. also why do you think cancer is random theres many different forms and many things that can be attributed to the disease.

Life is nothing but a cycle of extraordinary/ random / and at times tragic events..  If you seek explanation from something as to explain something so tragic then you will search forever..

I think this is why most people are believers.  They refuse to think anything, including their very existence, is absolutely random.


Also, I think most people are actual closeted non-believers or skeptics but fear any consequences (god's wrath if they happen to be wrong, being ostracized by family etc..) that may come from admitting it.

 

[stockholm patriot]

Originally Posted by lostsoulswander

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

when !%!! hits the fan i'll die and decompose. Just like you and everyone else on this planet.
No judgment day @**%#%%$, no recap about all the good/bad crap ive done in life
just rot

THIS

No douche bag in a *#@$%+@ white robe and hippy sandals telling me I can't live eternity at his tree house cause we're not friends
Who knows we might morph into pure energy and live in the Tron universe, truth is no one knows...what's sad is religious think "they know what's going on"

When +++# hits the fan for them they're gonna feel mad hurt and violated, wasted your whole life trying to gain acceptance in a guy's tree house in the clouds you never met.

 

[stockholm patriot]

Originally Posted by lostsoulswander

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

when !%!! hits the fan i'll die and decompose. Just like you and everyone else on this planet.
No judgment day @**%#%%$, no recap about all the good/bad crap ive done in life
just rot

THIS

No douche bag in a *#@$%+@ white robe and hippy sandals telling me I can't live eternity at his tree house cause we're not friends
Who knows we might morph into pure energy and live in the Tron universe, truth is no one knows...what's sad is religious think "they know what's going on"

When +++# hits the fan for them they're gonna feel mad hurt and violated, wasted your whole life trying to gain acceptance in a guy's tree house in the clouds you never met.

 

[an dee 51o]

When I die, @%*# it I wanna go to hell
'Cause I'm a piece of *!%#, it ain't hard to +@+%$$' tell
It don't make sense, goin' to heaven wit the goodie-goodies
Dressed in white, I like black Timbs and black hoodies
God will probably have me on some real strict *!%#
No sleepin' all day, no gettin' my d licked
Hangin' with the goodie-goodies, loungin' in paradise
@%*# that *!%#, I wanna tote guns and shoot dice


If there's a god that can do anything and perform miracles, I don't like him. Not only because I think my own situation is #+!%@! up, but there are like, billions of people with worse lives then me. How about saving some Africans?

 

[an dee 51o]

When I die, @%*# it I wanna go to hell
'Cause I'm a piece of *!%#, it ain't hard to +@+%$$' tell
It don't make sense, goin' to heaven wit the goodie-goodies
Dressed in white, I like black Timbs and black hoodies
God will probably have me on some real strict *!%#
No sleepin' all day, no gettin' my d licked
Hangin' with the goodie-goodies, loungin' in paradise
@%*# that *!%#, I wanna tote guns and shoot dice


If there's a god that can do anything and perform miracles, I don't like him. Not only because I think my own situation is #+!%@! up, but there are like, billions of people with worse lives then me. How about saving some Africans?

 

[ginzo]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

It's funny christians/catholics always act like they know whats going on. How much of an booty licker do you have to be to tell someone that they are going to hell for their actions?
"Oh it's in the bible genesis 2 verse 3" Keep holding on to your faith of their being a god that's looking out for you. I say do you. But in the end you're only believing in god for your own selfish reasons. Such as getting into heaven, eternal life etc.

 

[ginzo]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

It's funny christians/catholics always act like they know whats going on. How much of an booty licker do you have to be to tell someone that they are going to hell for their actions?
"Oh it's in the bible genesis 2 verse 3" Keep holding on to your faith of their being a god that's looking out for you. I say do you. But in the end you're only believing in god for your own selfish reasons. Such as getting into heaven, eternal life etc.

 

[j de phx]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

Yeah Atheists are definitely going to hell. Acting like you always know what's going on is such a sin. That is why i act confused and never use my brain that God gave me

 

[j de phx]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

It's funny atheists always act like they know whats going on. I wonder what they'll do when +#@! hits the fan.

Yeah Atheists are definitely going to hell. Acting like you always know what's going on is such a sin. That is why i act confused and never use my brain that God gave me

 

[hazeleyed honey]

Originally Posted by djshabby2005

Originally Posted by wawaweewa

...because believers cannnot explain this; If the proposed omnipotent god has given man free will to do as he chooses (and that is why the world is such a corrupt place), then what is the purpose of god? Even if such an entity exists, it's irrelevant. 

god gave man  life and free will to follow his rules or not... follow his rules = heaven, dont = hell..... pretty simple....

Lack of convincing evidence as well as overall disillusionment to the idea of religion.  I can see the appeal and understand why people can devote themselves to it but in the end its just not for me.

what actual evidence have YOU yourself tried to find rather than just going by hearsay and watching others practice their religion


and to the OP... it just seems like you made your decision based on pain and anguish like you mentioned... at the end of the day i have the same question for you.... what actual evidence or research have YOU done of ANY religion for you to feel there is no god. and really, everyone goes thorugh pain and anguish, its apart of life. life is hard, some peoples life are harder than others, thats just the way it is. just because a person is religious doesnt mean their life will be easier.

just think of all the muslim countries that are at war now. they are in fear of there life everyday, i cant imagine a more painful life, seeing my family and friends being killed everyday right in front of me, yet they still pray five times a day as they are supposed to. Not to ask god for help. but to thank god for giving them what they have....

the people that are considered "religious" are the people that actually take the time to learn about there religion, whatever it may be, i dont want to make this a religious battle saying which is right or which is wrong, but lets just say there are many loopholes in a lot of religions. these are the same religions that cause people to disagree or contemplate what is the truth and what is not.


sorry for the caps im not mad at all just trying to emphasize a few things...at the end of the day its up to YOU to learn about religion on your OWN and not just make assupmtions through what you see in the media or just watch your friends practice there religion

if it matters im muslim.... with all the hate towards my religion these days i will probably just get the usual immature replys here on NT

but if you are serious about learning or if you even want to prove your statement (god doesnt exist) to be true. pick up a quran one day and read through completely. and then see if you have questions about anything. it will explain why everything is the way it is. everything makes sense. in stead of asking people questions about there religion, or certain aspects of it, just look it up.

im done



I come from a Muslim family and Islam to me does not have the answers...at all. It is a complete rehash of Judaism and Christianity, mixed up with a bit of different things here and there, and Prophet Mohammad just Arabicized it.

Going back to your answer about free will...Free will vs. fate/destiny. How do we have free will if our destiny is already laid out in front of us? So, whatever we "choose" to do, does not control our outcomes because it is supposed to already happen,correct? Why does God want us to see and obey him all for ourselves when he knows if we will or not anyways? All that seems so illogical to me.

I don't want to believe that there is fate or destiny laid out for me, because that means I have no control of my life and that is what I believe.

If God is the more Powerful,All Knowing,all the Merciful, why is there so much corruption and misery in this world? God and religion is about imposing morality and morals, but then does the God you believe in have morals or morality?

Ok, there is no proof  God does not exist, but I do not know if there are God or Gods and I am happy with that answer. I do not need to know. It just seems so illogical to me believing in this God/gods that come with institutionalized religions. So many things that I see are so wrong with those beliefs.

I just cannot grasp that Earth has been around for maybe 65 billion years, and us humans have come to be since maybe 2 million years ago and I should believe the Earth was created by God JUST for us. Us humans are so self-absorbed to think that Earth was created just for us so we can be put on it to live to obey God and be his slaves.

 

[hazeleyed honey]

Originally Posted by djshabby2005

Originally Posted by wawaweewa

...because believers cannnot explain this; If the proposed omnipotent god has given man free will to do as he chooses (and that is why the world is such a corrupt place), then what is the purpose of god? Even if such an entity exists, it's irrelevant. 

god gave man  life and free will to follow his rules or not... follow his rules = heaven, dont = hell..... pretty simple....

Lack of convincing evidence as well as overall disillusionment to the idea of religion.  I can see the appeal and understand why people can devote themselves to it but in the end its just not for me.

what actual evidence have YOU yourself tried to find rather than just going by hearsay and watching others practice their religion


and to the OP... it just seems like you made your decision based on pain and anguish like you mentioned... at the end of the day i have the same question for you.... what actual evidence or research have YOU done of ANY religion for you to feel there is no god. and really, everyone goes thorugh pain and anguish, its apart of life. life is hard, some peoples life are harder than others, thats just the way it is. just because a person is religious doesnt mean their life will be easier.

just think of all the muslim countries that are at war now. they are in fear of there life everyday, i cant imagine a more painful life, seeing my family and friends being killed everyday right in front of me, yet they still pray five times a day as they are supposed to. Not to ask god for help. but to thank god for giving them what they have....

the people that are considered "religious" are the people that actually take the time to learn about there religion, whatever it may be, i dont want to make this a religious battle saying which is right or which is wrong, but lets just say there are many loopholes in a lot of religions. these are the same religions that cause people to disagree or contemplate what is the truth and what is not.


sorry for the caps im not mad at all just trying to emphasize a few things...at the end of the day its up to YOU to learn about religion on your OWN and not just make assupmtions through what you see in the media or just watch your friends practice there religion

if it matters im muslim.... with all the hate towards my religion these days i will probably just get the usual immature replys here on NT

but if you are serious about learning or if you even want to prove your statement (god doesnt exist) to be true. pick up a quran one day and read through completely. and then see if you have questions about anything. it will explain why everything is the way it is. everything makes sense. in stead of asking people questions about there religion, or certain aspects of it, just look it up.

im done



I come from a Muslim family and Islam to me does not have the answers...at all. It is a complete rehash of Judaism and Christianity, mixed up with a bit of different things here and there, and Prophet Mohammad just Arabicized it.

Going back to your answer about free will...Free will vs. fate/destiny. How do we have free will if our destiny is already laid out in front of us? So, whatever we "choose" to do, does not control our outcomes because it is supposed to already happen,correct? Why does God want us to see and obey him all for ourselves when he knows if we will or not anyways? All that seems so illogical to me.

I don't want to believe that there is fate or destiny laid out for me, because that means I have no control of my life and that is what I believe.

If God is the more Powerful,All Knowing,all the Merciful, why is there so much corruption and misery in this world? God and religion is about imposing morality and morals, but then does the God you believe in have morals or morality?

Ok, there is no proof  God does not exist, but I do not know if there are God or Gods and I am happy with that answer. I do not need to know. It just seems so illogical to me believing in this God/gods that come with institutionalized religions. So many things that I see are so wrong with those beliefs.

I just cannot grasp that Earth has been around for maybe 65 billion years, and us humans have come to be since maybe 2 million years ago and I should believe the Earth was created by God JUST for us. Us humans are so self-absorbed to think that Earth was created just for us so we can be put on it to live to obey God and be his slaves.

 

[ramzs8906]

Just a few things.

1. Add Religious/ Spiritual beliefs to things NEVER to be discussed on #NT

2. Believe what you believe, you really can't convince someone how you believe something is correct because what's true to them is FOR them.

3. As a Non-Religious Christian (yes that is possible, and yes I do go to church; Religions = cults) I know for myself, first hand the power of prayer and seeing what my faith has done in my life and why certain things occur in my life. I know for myself that my faith in something I can not explain is what helps me keep going many days. And that's good enough for me, I don't need to convince anyone else that my faith belief is right, because it sits right in my soul.

Maybe its me, but I often find that many people who are Athiest (IMO) have a very pessimistic way of looking at life. I prefer to have that hope, that faith that when I pass I'll move on to a place better than here.

4. And just for the record, I'd rather live life believing in a Higher Power and die to find out he doesn't exist, than to live life as if God didn't exist, die, and be sitting there at the moment of Judgement about to go to Hell.

I'm not trying to preach, I'm just sayin.... We always try to take a logical approach to things about life itself, when there are so many illogical things around us we can't explain...

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler [+]

Spoiler

Like women 

 

[ramzs8906]

Just a few things.

1. Add Religious/ Spiritual beliefs to things NEVER to be discussed on #NT

2. Believe what you believe, you really can't convince someone how you believe something is correct because what's true to them is FOR them.

3. As a Non-Religious Christian (yes that is possible, and yes I do go to church; Religions = cults) I know for myself, first hand the power of prayer and seeing what my faith has done in my life and why certain things occur in my life. I know for myself that my faith in something I can not explain is what helps me keep going many days. And that's good enough for me, I don't need to convince anyone else that my faith belief is right, because it sits right in my soul.

Maybe its me, but I often find that many people who are Athiest (IMO) have a very pessimistic way of looking at life. I prefer to have that hope, that faith that when I pass I'll move on to a place better than here.

4. And just for the record, I'd rather live life believing in a Higher Power and die to find out he doesn't exist, than to live life as if God didn't exist, die, and be sitting there at the moment of Judgement about to go to Hell.

I'm not trying to preach, I'm just sayin.... We always try to take a logical approach to things about life itself, when there are so many illogical things around us we can't explain...

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler [+]

Spoiler

Like women