Why I am an atheist (page 4)

fjtoth

leavingwt:

You say there are "many," but can you name even one?

drwtsn32

Atheists comfort themselves by accusing believers of being "ignorant" and of not fully understanding evolution. The real problem for atheists is that they have no desire at all to get acquainted with the creator, and sadly for them they will never get to know what is experienced by those who have an intimate relationship with him.

You are confusing atheists with anti-theists. Atheism is a simply a default position of non-belief.

We can read and study and take courses on atheistic evolution and be free to reject it.

Um, evolution has nothing to do with theism.

Just wondering, but can you possibly name a single other "real" thing that affects our universe that requires "faith" in order to prove its existence? (Besides your god, of course.)

I like being specific. 'Belief in god' is a very broad topic that's fun for kicks with a couple of congenial friends and some good scotch (or alcohol of preference) but that's about all its good for. Its the specifics that count in making decisions about living life.

I don't believe in the god of the bible. Too many promises and prophecies and too little delivery along with a host of other reasons. The dude's too mean.

I don't believe in the Jewish god, the Muslim god, the Hindu gods, or the gods of the American indians. Oh and the Mormon thing, don't believe that either, although in my youth a young Morman girl who filled out a t-shirt even nicer than the one in the photo was a powerful, powerful inducement for belief. Those are the only belief systems I have studied in any detail. I judge that the probability of their correctness is quite low.

Is it possible other concepts of god might be correct?

Sure, but here's my razor (as in Occam) How would a belief in god affect my daily life? As it turns out not much.

Since leaving the dubs, my daily life is not much different than before save for missing the obnoxious meetings and the loss of the sense of guilt over every minor deviant thought. I don't steal, cheat, lie (well everyone lies a bit and being from Texas its in the genes), murder rape, etc. In fact, other than the religous rites, I can't think of many ways I've changed. So, if a belief in god has so little effect on my daily life, why should I even be concerned with the question? Its somewhat irrelevant (but fun to talk about).

Finally, if god really wanted to be believed in, he could do a much better job of the business. Its all pretty opaque. If there is an ultimate cause, then in due time he or she will reveal themselves or not. In the meantime, I think I'll struggle along best I can on my own.

Damocles

fjtoth

drwtsn32:

Apparently you are the one who is confused. Those in this thread who have labeled believers as "ignorant" have identified themselves as atheists, not as anti-theists.

still_in74

here is the best answer I have ever heard.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o

leavingwt

leavingwt:

You say there are "many," but can you name even one?

I would like you to please give me your definition of "genuine".

One evangelical Christian preacher that became an atheist and wrote a book about it is John W. Loftus.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/john_loftus/christianity.html

We can dismiss his story by by saying his experience was not "genuine".

-LWT

Anti-Christ

Damocles, very good point.

drwtsn32

Those in this thread who have labeled believers as "ignorant" have identified themselves as atheists, not as anti-theists.

There certainly are "believers" who do not understand even the simplest components of evolution yet still feel qualified to declare it as false.

There are certainly those that, upon understanding evolution, realize that god is not necessary to explain the diversity of life. If that leads them down the path of atheism, so be it. But in reality evolution has nothing to do with the belief in god.

And finally there are many "believers" that also accept evolution as fact.

fjtoth

Damocles,

I read what John Loftus wrote about his experience and those of others who reject belief in God. Nowhere does he claim to have had a meaningful encounter with God or a relationship with him. Frequently he mentions his struggle with the God idea and his anger toward what he understands God to be. That's far from being the person who truly wants to know God and to understand why he thinks and acts as he does.

If we make up our minds as to what God ought to be, he becomes our own creation, not who and what he actually is.

fjtoth

drwtsn32,

I've never claimed that all believers fully understand the processes of evolution or that no evolutionists believe in God.

So what is your point? Are you still denying that there are "atheists," including within this thread, who speak of believers as "ignorant"?

Why I am an atheist

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