Why Aren't You an Athiest?

[Invincible 2,091]

(This coming from an atheist) - 

 

Just accept it that some people want to believe. People should feel free to believe whatever they feel (or in Atheism's case, not believe at all).

 

I personally find actual devout believers of any religion admirable, some people just need that extra assurance about the fate of their "soul", afterlife, continued existence, and so forth and it feels like a cop out to me. But believing and/or following a teaching because you truly believe can be actually inspiring.

[KeithDJohnson 40]

This thread reminds me of the parable of the Sower and the Seed. Matthew 13.

Edited April 24, 2015 by KeithDJohnson

[Commissar Alexer 763]

Because life would be meaningless.

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

I believe in God. Even if my faith runs low on battery, even if I give benefits of a doubt, I can't fight the feeling that there is a higher being that truly love me enough to keep me here. And clinging on to my faith. I may not have had a spiritual experience with God, but it's like, He's just there. In my heart. Like a foot print in the sand.

It's weird. But comforting to believe in a life after this one. Only for eternity.
 

[Rambling Puppet 22]

I am an athiest. Logic and reason, knowledge and freedom from spirital pipe dreams.

[ThatOneComrade 1,091]

Well then. That's a first.

Because I prefer having a faithful lifestyle, I guess. It's in my nature. ...Not meaning religion's in my nature, of course, but faith is the kind of thing that comes naturally to me. So why would someone like me not want to be religious? I like it.

[Lunia 332]

I'm catholic and I do believe that once we die something has to happen to you. Also what made everything that we know of? People could show scientific theories ,but in the end their is many holes in there. Also it's nice to be faithful. Finally though it's more of the experiences I've had in my life that just tells me that I should believe. Some of those experiences were frightening, others were enlightening, some even very helpful. After all of this, it made me think that I should just believe.

[N.W. 3,619]

Because I feel like religion plays a big role in my own philosophy, even if I'm currently agnostic.

Being spiritual in some sense or another helps me.

[Guest90210 3,568]

I believe in God. Even if my faith runs low on battery, even if I give benefits of a doubt, I can't fight the feeling that there is a higher being that truly love me enough to keep me here. And clinging on to my faith. I may not have had a spiritual experience with God, but it's like, He's just there. In my heart. Like a foot print in the sand.

 

 

Wonderfully said. These are also my thoughts on the matter.

 

Whether the faith is that of a mustard seed, or of the world's oceans combined, the feeling of a Higher Power existing and working as a force through all that is reality never fully eludes me. I can sense something higher than myself in my heart and in the experiences I've had. At times it feels like something is pulling the strings in the game we call life. There is so much wonder and mystery that no one has even come remotely close to discovering that the thought of a God existing as a being of love and complexity is inherent; As you said - like a footprint in the sand.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Rivendare

[GenderIsAnIllusion 2,177]

Because life would be meaningless.

I find meaning in my own life. I don't need a god to give my life meaning.

[1Bit 1,531]

I'm not an atheist, because it would really suck ass if there wasn't some higher power watching over us or an afterlife. 

[BlueDiamond 10]

I'm not Atheist because I was born into an islamic family do it is kind of all I know.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

I'll keep it simple.

You could say I'm agnostic. My answer to whether or not I believe any gods exist could be put as the following:

"Don't know, don't care."

 

There just isn't any reason to believe that any omnipotent being exists. It's possible that some such being could exist but even if such is the case, whatever deity doesn't seem to bother much with our existence. Disenfranchising me from organized religion is the history of religious leaders abusing their power and committing atrocities and acts of misanthropy all under the banner of their god. It's something that's happen before and continues to happen to this day. I really want no part in it.

[SCS 7,537]

Atheism is too depressing for me, and it also just doesn't make sense.

 

I don't have much hope for this world, so I hang onto what little I can get.

[LittleMac 3,085]

Without going into too much detail, I don't think I'd have made it this far in life if I had no faith in God

[JamesBobbyDReed 103]

I always compared life to a tv show. some

things felt like they were written in my life, even

though that is impossible.

 

I also believed in god since I was in kindergarten

due to tradition. But today, I know that god

exists because theres evidence of an afterlife.

 

And there is an afterlife. which means that there

is more out there that we dont know about.

 

I decided, why not? God is there.

[Nightfall Gloam 18,260]

I am not an Athiest because I have been born into a Christian family and, because I'm still too young to legally move out, thus leaving me with not much choice on weather or not I worship any religion

[Twilight Frost 271]

Personally, even though I think this topic is legal here, this is not the kind of place to be discussing on a pony forum despite this being a general discussion thread. I thnk topics like this for fourms like this is very toxic and will only lead to hurt feelings. So!

 

Below is a referral thread to an atheist forum. This referral link means that if you do join to talk about this topic or just to have discussions there for whatever reason, It gets reflected on my account there. We get plenty of theists on our forum all the time and one of our admins is a calvanist christian so we welcome anyone who believes, doesn't or is unsure of what they really are.

 

http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/forum/member.php?action=register&referrer=31487

 

[Somberhoof 156]

As for me, it's nearly impossible to be atheist if you was born and grew up in Siberia, where "Pagany", Budhism, Christianity and some other beliefs blossom and exist in harmony.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Why are you one? Are you comfortable knowing that once you die, it's over?

I know you weren't talking to me, but yes. If this is all there is, I am comfortable with that. 

 

There's no evidence in nature that an afterlife exists or is even necessary. Plants don't care about it, animals don't seem worried about it, dead people have never showed up at my house and offered me their thoughts on the subject. Only living people seem to care about this "life after death" and "sanctity of life" stuff. It's an expression of our survival instinct and fear of death. Comforting, yes, but hardly convincing.

 

At the same time though, I am not an atheist myself; I'm agnostic. I doubt the existence of an afterlife, but I don't rule it out. Nor do I rule out the possibility that a higher power exists. There may very well be some sort of god out there. But if that god is omnipotent and loves and understands all people, why should I have to pray to him? Why should I attend or donate money to his houses of worship? If he's all-knowing, he will respect and understand my reasons for not doing so. And if he doesn't understand and blindly condemns me to hell for not doing this or that, then he was unworthy of worship from the start.

[Somberhoof 156]

I know you weren't talking to me, but yes. If this is all there is, I am comfortable with that. 

 

There's no evidence in nature that an afterlife exists or is even necessary. Plants don't care about it, animals don't seem worried about it, dead people have never showed up at my house and offered me their thoughts on the subject. Only living people seem to care about this "life after death" and "sanctity of life" stuff. It's an expression of our survival instinct and fear of death. Comforting, yes, but hardly convincing.

 

At the same time though, I am not an atheist myself; I'm agnostic. I doubt the existence of an afterlife, but I don't rule it out. Nor do I rule out the possibility that a higher power exists. There may very well be some sort of god out there. But if that god is omnipotent and loves and understands all people, why should I have to pray to him? Why should I attend or donate money to his houses of worship? If he's all-knowing, he will respect and understand my reasons for not doing so. And if he doesn't understand and blindly condemns me to hell for not doing this or that, then he was unworthy of worship from the start.

...aaand that is why Religion and Faith are different things, my friend!

[Happy Spark is King 331]

Wonderfully said. These are also my thoughts on the matter.

 

Whether the faith is that of a mustard seed, or of the world's oceans combined, the feeling of a Higher Power existing and working as a force through all that is reality never fully eludes me. I can sense something higher than myself in my heart and in the experiences I've had. At times it feels like something is pulling the strings in the game we call life. There is so much wonder and mystery that no one has even come remotely close to discovering that the thought of a God existing as a being of love and complexity is inherent; As you said - like a footprint in the sand.

Look im ive gone from being religious to converting to being an athiest and i can tell you that i get what your trying to say. Something i have realized though is that god is something people believe for the comfort it gives them. Dont believe me, what do some religious people do when they are scared or troubled, they pray to god why, because like i said it comforts them and makes them feel safe. Im fine with this but the thing is god is just an idea that makes you feel good and pushes you to be the best you can be. Its very acceptable to believe in a god but the thing is that i know that this feeling that i dint gent anymore is just a false sense of security. Would i be happier to actually believe in a god? Yeah maybe but now that thats changed and i know god isnt in control of anything so yeah thats that.

[Trine 665]

Because morale issues in society is bad. And people without guidance have more or less just whatever attitude without some rules to follow. Its these times of things i question what justification of morality people follow sometimes.

7

 

Edit: Although i do find it reasonable in some cases. I just haven't really found any specific reason yet.

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2015 by Trine

[Not_active 732]

@@Admiral Regulus,

 

You can't make something from nothing; this is a fact. Follow the line as far back as you wish, but the only logical conclusion is a Creator.

If you can't make something from nothing, how did the creator do it?

[Ridley Wolf 291]

Because atheism is boring.

 

I, for one, don't want to live in a world where every single wonderful and miraculous thing has a "logical scientific explanation."