Atheists, tell me, a Roman Catholic: why should I become an atheist?

[Simon Moon]

Before I begin, I ask that you please avoid being hostile or anything. I'm a Roman Catholic, but I feel like many people of faith immediately jump to degrading atheists as people, rather than trying to understand their mindset. I'm heavily confused right now, and am asking both Catholic and atheist sites for their mindsets. Obviously, Catholics are going to defend Catholicism, while atheists are going to defend atheism. I ask that you please be civil about it, as this could be life-changing for me.


I've been questioning how to improve in my Roman Catholic faith lately...but this morning I came to the realization that I never really questioned my faith itself. I was lightly raised Catholic and recently took it upon myself to grow closer to God. Now, for probably the first time in my life, I feel like I'm genuinely considering atheism as a possibility.

From what I understand, atheists do not accept the possibility of a supernatural being, and restrict themselves to our "natural" human thinking. Previously I thought that atheists are simply conditioned by society to the point where they are unable to "rationally" believe in a supernatural being...God doesn't allow us universally undeniable proof of his existence as a test of faith. Now, though, I feel like it's impossible to tell whether that mindset is correct, or whether atheists are correct in their focusing on our natural human mindsets. I do feel like I've felt something while praying throughout the past. 

The other night, for example, I was planning on praying for about fifteen minutes, but felt oddly calm and ended up taking about an hour. Now I feel like that could have just been because I was comfortable, and my mind was "making things up" as I was more convinced in my faith.


Atheists, why do you reject the idea of God, and why should I? I know that your answers will include "there's no evidence" and all that, but please try to explain.

Atheism is nothing more than not being convinced that a god or gods exist.

I don't reject the idea of god. I do not believe a god exists. My atheism is an outgrowth of my skepticism when correctly applied to the god claim. My atheism is also not a dogmatic position, it is a provisional one. If I am ever presented with a case for the existence of a god that meets its burden of proof, I will no longer be an atheism.

I have been presented with all the evidence, the texts, the arguments from theists (not just Christians), and have found that they do not meet the burden of proof.

I have always cared whether my beliefs are true, or likely to be true. My main epistemological goal is to have as many true beliefs as possible, and as few false beliefs as possible. The single best method to reach that goal, is by basing my beliefs on: demonstrable and falsifiable evidence, reasoned argument, and valid and sound logic. None of the god claims meet those criteria.

Bad reasons to believe things are: feelings, claims of revelations by others, the word of clergy, ancient texts, flawed philosophical arguments, faith, unsupported miracle claims, etc.

Hope that helps.