Why are you an Atheist?

[Ashmoria]

I'm an atheist because in my heart, I really don't feel that a god or gods could really exist. It just doesn't make much sense to me.

I don't care if you believe in god or gods. I actually am interested in what reasons people use to justify their faith, and how they overcome hurdles to said faith. But I just haven't found any compelling reason to believe, nor do I believe I ever will.

what other reasonable reason IS there besides "i dont believe in god"?

[Samuraikoku]

what other reasonable reason IS there besides "i dont believe in god"?

"I don't need a crutch to escape the idea that there is no afterlife".

[New Genoa]

I'm an atheist because in my heart, I really don't feel that a god or gods could really exist. It just doesn't make much sense to me.

I don't care if you believe in god or gods. I actually am interested in what reasons people use to justify their faith, and how they overcome hurdles to said faith. But I just haven't found any compelling reason to believe, nor do I believe I ever will.

what other reasonable reason IS there besides "i dont believe in god"?

People have their reasons, that make sense to them. Appeal to emotions, usually, and that really doesn't hold its weight for me when it comes to religion. Of course, when I'm discussing morals I myself will resort to appeals to emotion, so I can sort of understand where they are coming from. Maybe.

[Ashmoria]

what other reasonable reason IS there besides "i dont believe in god"?

"I don't need a crutch to escape the idea that there is no afterlife".

the underlying reason still is that you dont believe in god.

[Ashmoria]

what other reasonable reason IS there besides "i dont believe in god"?

People have their reasons, that make sense to them. Appeal to emotions, usually, and that really doesn't hold its weight for me when it comes to religion. Of course, when I'm discussing morals I myself will resort to appeals to emotion, so I can sort of understand where they are coming from. Maybe.

but either you believe in god or you dont.

if you believe, even if you hate the idea of god, even if you find it a crutch, even if you wish you didnt, you arent an atheist.

if you dont believe it doesnt matter your reason. you are an atheist because you dont believe.

[New Genoa]

People have their reasons, that make sense to them. Appeal to emotions, usually, and that really doesn't hold its weight for me when it comes to religion. Of course, when I'm discussing morals I myself will resort to appeals to emotion, so I can sort of understand where they are coming from. Maybe.

but either you believe in god or you dont.

if you believe, even if you hate the idea of god, even if you find it a crutch, even if you wish you didnt, you arent an atheist.

if you dont believe it doesnt matter your reason. you are an atheist because you dont believe.

I'm not really sure what your point is... Sorry... seems like you're stating the obvious?

[Cannot think of a name]

what other reasonable reason IS there besides "i dont believe in god"?

"I don't need a crutch to escape the idea that there is no afterlife".

Without the inherent lack of belief, this wouldn't be atheism but rather a Greek myth-like rejection of god. If your only reason for not being religious is that you do not need it, that would not rule out belief. You're rejecting god because you don't need him/her/it/them/etc, but that can still be coupled with the belief that et al is there, you just don't care. Atheism is the lack of belief and therefore free of reasons to consider a god or gods regardless of ones need for crutches.

[Mosasauria]

I just don't have faith in a deity or higher spiritual being of any kind, and I don't think I'll find any faith.
Hence, Atheism for me.

[Ashmoria]

but either you believe in god or you dont.

if you believe, even if you hate the idea of god, even if you find it a crutch, even if you wish you didnt, you arent an atheist.

if you dont believe it doesnt matter your reason. you are an atheist because you dont believe.

I'm not really sure what your point is... Sorry... seems like you're stating the obvious?

oh i am

my response was "because i dont believe in god" and so was the guy's above us.

it seems to me to be the only actual answer to the question.

now "how do you justify it?" or "how did you come to be an atheist?" are also interesting questions. but "why are you atheist?" only really has one answer.

[Leepaidamba]

but either you believe in god or you dont.

if you believe, even if you hate the idea of god, even if you find it a crutch, even if you wish you didnt, you arent an atheist.

if you dont believe it doesnt matter your reason. you are an atheist because you dont believe.

I'm not really sure what your point is... Sorry... seems like you're stating the obvious?

It is stating the obvious. Someone is atheist because they do not believe in any god. There can be no other reason. One can have reasons for why they don't believe in any god, but that's it.

[Fersceau]

If you've ever played Portal 2, you'll remember this quote
"Science isn't about why, it's about why not." -Cave Johnson, scientist, lemon burner
So applying this to religion. Why believe in God? Why not believe in God? The argument for or against God could go either way. We will not know of God's existence or lack thereof until we die. I personally am Catholic, but I don't approve of what the Vatican does. Sure abortion is wrong, but don't force non-Christians to accept your view. There have been several things that the Church has infuriated me on. For example, when I was in school, I received religion classes. The Churches on homosexuality was and I quote,"Homosexuality is contrary to natural law; While homosexual acts are sinful, the Church teaches these people need love and compassion; Celibate gay couples should never be insulted." I still believe there is some good in religion and thus cling to my faith. I hope the wrongs of the few do not influence the many.

[Fnordgasm 5]

my response was "because i dont believe in god" and so was the guy's above us.

it seems to me to be the only actual answer to the question.

now "how do you justify it?" or "how did you come to be an atheist?" are also interesting questions. but "why are you atheist?" only really has one answer.

How did you come to be an atheist or when did you realise you were an atheist all along?

I have a memory, a really old memory from when I was in primary school of being asked by another child if I believed in God. To be honest I'm not even sure if this memory is even real but I remember this kid introducing doubt into a subject in which I had not known that such doubt existed and my faith disappeared in an instance. To this day, regardless of whether that actually happened like I remember it or not, I don't think I've ever truly believed.

I've tried though. In my late teens going through the usual shit an awkward socially-inept teen goes through. I turned to religion. When I had time to myself which was more often than not and when I wasn't busy sorting out the entire world's problems in my head, I'd contemplate how pathetic I am and my thoughts turned to God. I honestly couldn't tell you how long I tried to prove to myself that God existed but I know I stopped being religious long before I stopped being a depressed, socially-retarded loser.

[Galloism]

what other reasonable reason IS there besides "i dont believe in god"?

"I don't need a crutch to escape the idea that there is no afterlife".

I'm not sure belief in any kind of an afterlife is essential to the belief in God.

[Ifreann]

"I don't need a crutch to escape the idea that there is no afterlife".

I'm not sure belief in any kind of an afterlife is essential to the belief in God.

Doesn't really come into play when you're not going to die.

[Galloism]

I'm not sure belief in any kind of an afterlife is essential to the belief in God.

Doesn't really come into play when you're not going to die.

Well, true.

I don't really think about such things.

[Ashmoria]

my response was "because i dont believe in god" and so was the guy's above us.

it seems to me to be the only actual answer to the question.

now "how do you justify it?" or "how did you come to be an atheist?" are also interesting questions. but "why are you atheist?" only really has one answer.

How did you come to be an atheist or when did you realise you were an atheist all along?

I have a memory, a really old memory from when I was in primary school of being asked by another child if I believed in God. To be honest I'm not even sure if this memory is even real but I remember this kid introducing doubt into a subject in which I had not known that such doubt existed and my faith disappeared in an instance. To this day, regardless of whether that actually happened like I remember it or not, I don't think I've ever truly believed.

I've tried though. In my late teens going through the usual shit an awkward socially-inept teen goes through. I turned to religion. When I had time to myself which was more often than not and when I wasn't busy sorting out the entire world's problems in my head, I'd contemplate how pathetic I am and my thoughts turned to God. I honestly couldn't tell you how long I tried to prove to myself that God existed but I know I stopped being religious long before I stopped being a depressed, socially-retarded loser.

i was a bit of a skeptic from when i was a child. it used to annoy me when the priest would say that the time of jesus' return was getting closer. even as a child i would think "well its not getting farther away no matter how remote the day might be"

but i lost all faith or expectation of the existence of SOME god gradually over time as i realized that even if there is a god he isnt doing anything for us or against us, believers and non believers getting good and bad at the exact same rate. to me a god who has no effect on us is the same as having no god at all. '

so i am an atheist.

[Samuraikoku]

I'm not sure belief in any kind of an afterlife is essential to the belief in God.

Since we now know many of the things that were attributed to gods in the past ("why does it rain?"), and we're investigating those which we don't, I think belief in the afterlife is an important reason why people still believe in a faith.

[Galloism]

I'm not sure belief in any kind of an afterlife is essential to the belief in God.

Since we now know many of the things that were attributed to gods in the past ("why does it rain?"), and we're investigating those which we don't, I think belief in the afterlife is an important reason why people still believe in a faith.

Important?

Maybe.

I question it's essentialily though.

[Samuraikoku]

Important?

Maybe.

I question it's essentialily though.

I don't think it's essential either. But I tried to explain why I mentioned specifically the belief in the afterlife.

[Aesthetica]

If you've ever played Portal 2, you'll remember this quote
"Science isn't about why, it's about why not." -Cave Johnson, scientist, lemon burner
So applying this to religion. Why believe in God? Why not believe in God? The argument for or against God could go either way. We will not know of God's existence or lack thereof until we die. I personally am Catholic, but I don't approve of what the Vatican does. Sure abortion is wrong, but don't force non-Christians to accept your view. There have been several things that the Church has infuriated me on. For example, when I was in school, I received religion classes. The Churches on homosexuality was and I quote,"Homosexuality is contrary to natural law; While homosexual acts are sinful, the Church teaches these people need love and compassion; Celibate gay couples should never be insulted." I still believe there is some good in religion and thus cling to my faith. I hope the wrongs of the few do not influence the many.

I always liked the Three Letter Scrabble Game...

Religion player - W.H.O.
Science player - H.O.W.

[Tlaceceyaya]

there is always Pascal's Wager

I can't summarize it well, so listen to this creepy guy for a few minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNcWdV0LYG4

[Streamland]

Important?

Maybe.

I question it's essentialily though.

I don't think it's essential either. But I tried to explain why I mentioned specifically the belief in the afterlife.

The Zealots and Sadducee didn't believe in the afterlife, but they WERE Jews and believed in Yahweh.

So it's perfectly possible.

Also, Deists don't believe in an afterlife. Take Jefferson or Einstein for instance.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

why would researching other religions be necessary, he was born atheist so he is just returning to factory defaults. To molest the analogy further ask yourself why a god would build people with atheism pre-installed?

*facepalm*
I said it's NOT necessary.

@Others: How exactly can you have two religions at the same time?

Hinduism and Jainism. Hinduism and Buddhism. Sikhism was a combination of Hindu and Muslim beliefs. Chinese folk religions easily merged with Buddhism. Japanese Shinto-Buddhism is another example.

[Samuraikoku]

The Zealots and Sadducee didn't believe in the afterlife, but they WERE Jews and believed in Yahweh.

So it's perfectly possible.

Also, Deists don't believe in an afterlife. Take Jefferson or Einstein for instance.

Possible yes - I didn't dispute this and I'm not doing it now. But there is an important part that still believes in it.

[Tlaceceyaya]

But those were hybrid religions. They didn't believe, say, Christianity and the aztec religion separately and simultaneously.