Atheists

[mercer_sensei]

Originally Posted by Sanouske

I really don't agree with just picking a religion just to have one. >_> This is my train of thought, I do believe that there are some powers out there that we can't really explain or account for, but I do not believe in an 'all powerful' being (god) existing or any other god for that matter. Everything has limits. I am sure you have all herd this before, If god is all powerful can god create somthing so heavy that he/she is not able to lift it? Anyways, I just don't feel like following somthing I don't believe in. If there is a god he/she should want eveyone to live happily and not have being a religion follower be a requirment for getting into heaven. The deciding factor should be how you live your life. Heaven is supposed to be for 'good' people who loved and cared for others right? Anyways, that is my two cents.

I agree sanouske, I dont believe that randomly picking and believing in a religion is a good choice at all. I do believe. I think thats the most important thing, there is something out there, what it is Im not sure, but there is something out there. Belief in something, rather than belief in nothing.

[skullreken]

Originally Posted by overfiend1976

Uh, because I have no time in my life to waste believing in fairy tales? I'm sorry, I stopped believing in crap like that when I was 5 and knew without question that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and all the rest were total marketing ploys.

PRO TIP: That's all religion is, is a marketing ploy.

How else is religion going to survive and make money and influence peoples lives and politics if they don't weigh in on folks irrational fears of the unknown? Give me a freakin' break.

Heaven? Yeah, take the Alpha Centuri exit, take a left and go 42 parsecs. It'll be the 14th quadrant on your right. Hell? Yeah, that's a lot easier to get to. It's in New Jersey.

Thats just total ignorance! Why dont you rephrase that mate?
Some of us who have posted here have religious beliefs
we have respected your views and opinions as an Atheist by defending your right not to believe in religion or to be subjected to religion
so pay us the same courtesy by not attacking our faiths and creeds

[whiteday26]

I consider myself to be an atheist (seems I wouldn't be a true atheist according to skullreken), I do believe in some kind of supernatural force that might be controlling something -.-, but officially, I don't believe in any religion, nor do I go to any religious gatherings/ church services/ temples/ rituals etc for religious reasons. (Maybe I should make my own religion, but then, I have no super powers.)

I do believe there might be an after life, whether it is divided to hell and heaven, I don't care, yet. (Personally, if there was hell and heaven and someone you wanted to see in heaven went to hell, it wouldn't be heaven. -.-) I stand neutral against atheist and religious people.

Having no religion wouldn't mean instant ticket to hell, if there was a some kind of god. If someone who had been living life in a part of the world where the religious message of a particular god hasn't been reached, had been told to change religion at the age of 80 or something. I really doubt he would, and moreover if he was a good man, well respected and was generous to others blah blah blah. Would a god worth believing in, send him to hell, just because he didn't believe in him?

On the other case, a religious fanatic doing something illegal (and causing harm to others (like Witch Hunting of Medieval age, chopping off hands of a bread thief on the spot)) just because the rule that their god has permitted to do so, would go to heaven despite the other people's life being ruined?

If something like god existed, he should be sensible enough to sort out the good from the bad without having to get people to believe in them.
This is why I don't have a religion. Living my life peacefully and harmonically is more important than choosing the right god to believe in.

...and I can't be bothered to wake up in Sunday morning to attend any religious services. :P Need my beauty sleep~

[Barzillal]

I believe and follow a denamination of faith
I am not as fervent as what is required but im quite steadfast on the belief of a higher power that is unexplainable by science and reason. I do not have against Atheist, nor anyone of those sort. They have their belief and they have their reason not following a certain religion. I myself would say that the faith I participate is filled with immorality that contradicts to the teachings and doctrines of the faith, but to generalize everyone in that religion isnt good at all lol =P
as whiteday said, a person who doesnt belong to a certain circle of faith does not guarantee a ticket to hell lol, if God, Allah, Buddha etc will be sensible enough to pick those bad seeds to the good ones.
@skull lol yes well I could say it is a little ignorant to call religion a markeeting ploy

[overfiend1976]

Originally Posted by skullreken

Thats just total ignorance! Why dont you rephrase that mate?
Some of us who have posted here have religious beliefs
we have respected your views and opinions as an Atheist by defending your right not to believe in religion or to be subjected to religion
so pay us the same courtesy by not attacking our faiths and creeds

I was speaking in general terms, not to individuals. Like I say, people can believe whatever they want, as long as they don't push me into having to believe it. And frankly, I DO NOT like the tactics utilized by religion today, be it Catholic, Protestant, Islam or whatnot. They've all become far too much about 'strong arming' folks into doing shit. And I get to say so because I spent 5 years in Catholic school :P

[Cinder_Bird]

Okay,
Despite being an atheist in America, where I am persecuted (though very subtly, in social-psychological methods) I'm going to ignore the venom I suspect I have the right to issue, and just give it to you guys staight and scientifically. Here is the rational breakdown for all of you:
Agnostics are those who are inherently monotheist (single, anthropomorphized (human-looking) god), but do not ascribe to a specific church, that is an organization is not necessary to them in their personal form of worship. A great many Christians are actually under this category, but because most people inherit their religious beliefs from their parents, they still align themselves with organized churches out of social pressure.
Deists are those who believe in a higher power of some sort, though it has no form or intentions that people can really understand or relate to. It is generally seen as being benign or nuetral in its affect on humanity, since deism follows that the universe has itself a plan, and that humans are a part of it, not the center of it.
True atheists are those who, quite simply, only believe in those things they can see, and prove are physically real within their perception. "It is only 'true' if it can be proven to a satisfactory degree", is the core of atheism.
Here is the kicker for all of you, besides environmental factors - inheriting religion from parents and peers - religion is also genetic; different people inherit different genes that actually affect how likely they are to be religious, as these genes determine their 'incredulousness' (sorry about spelling), and how likely they are to believe something without evidence. So, even after outside factors like traumas and personal revelations are factored in, there is still a deep, biological level that does much to determine whether someone can be influenced by religion.

So, just keeps these things in mind when discussing this issue guys.

- The Bird

[Riser]

Originally Posted by wondering

I'm not trying to personally attack any atheists here in animea so don't take this personally. I don't get it. If an atheist believes that when he/she dies, they'll only be six feet under, then why don't they just pick a religion? I am not endorsing any particular religion in any shape, form, or manner. I'm just saying, pick a religion and follow it. If the religious people were right, and you picked the "right religion" then congratulations, you're in heaven. If the religious people were wrong all along, then you're still six feet under like you originally thought. What have you got to lose? Anyone know what I mean?

One thing I think should be pointed out if they don't believe in a religion , and still follow it. Then wouldn't the result be the same, as far as i know religion is about believing if you don't, and still go to church you wouldn't you still go to hell (i don't really know anything about religion so sorry if thats wrong) and then theres that whole thing of working for something you don't think is real. (whole thing might still works if your not sure about religion)

[kami]

I, like many people here, am also an atheist. It seems to me that religion is the human way of explaining things that we cannot understand. We don't really know how we came to be, who we are, why we're here, and how the universe came to be. We don't know why life exists. Religion is many people's way of dealing with not being able to understand these questions and wanting answers.

For an atheist believing in religion is like believing in magic: it just isn't possible. It defies all laws of everything we believe in and is out of our comprehension.

I also think that religion brings a lot of people happiness and comfort. It makes their lives simpler in a way, because the major questions of the universe are answered for them. Religion puts them at ease and give them motivation to do good in life. In this sense it really does benefit society. It can also be a social gathering, and gives more meaning to people's lives.

[crystalgazer]

I'm not an athiest (though I don't really consider myself a follower of any religion - I'm probably more a deist than anything else) but I do have a lot of respect for the athiest mindset, such as it is; not believing in heaven or hell makes you realise that this world and this time is all you have, and you should make the best of it and be good to others and yourself not because you're scared of a vengeful deity that will torture you for your sins after you die, but because it's simply the right thing to do, and our own common sense and consciences should be more than sufficient for us to tell the difference between right and wrong. I've met athiests that are some of the most spiritual people I know, who believe in the inherent goodness of mankind and become more in awe of how wonderful the universe is the more they learn about it through science.

To me, this view of the world doesn't get nearly enough respect, and most people seem to think that if you have a creed, any creed, you're somehow more moral than those who simply want to discover the truth for themselves. And asking 'I don't get why athiests wouldn't just believe in something to save themselves' is proof of that, as is the common line that 'athiests believe in nothing'. As people have said here, they believe in a lot of things; in mankind, in the science that keeps the universe moving, in this world. Is that really worse or less easy to understand than having faith in any given religion?

And personally, the God that I believe in is not petty enough to exclude good people from heaven, if there is one, just because they didn't believe in Him. I think He's too busy keeping a thousand billion galaxies in working order to worry about things like that. :)

[kami]

Originally Posted by Cinder_Bird

Here is the kicker for all of you, besides environmental factors - inheriting religion from parents and peers - religion is also genetic; different people inherit different genes that actually affect how likely they are to be religious, as these genes determine their 'incredulousness' (sorry about spelling), and how likely they are to believe something without evidence. So, even after outside factors like traumas and personal revelations are factored in, there is still a deep, biological level that does much to determine whether someone can be influenced by religion.

I have a bit of a problem with this. I don't see how people could possibly know if certain genes influence someone's ability to believe in religion. I would suspect the reason that most people who have parents who are religious are religion because their parents taught them to be that way. It is the nature vs. nurture thing, and I think nurture logically makes much more sense than nature. Children are greatly influenced by their parents, and if they're parents teach them from birth that God exists then they are considerably more likely to believe.