Atheism, what led you?

[The Reality Salesman01]

Is that the case with what you hold as true? It makes sense that God was introduced to us, either through parents or Christian Propaganda.

No. Believing in an unfalsifiable claim is not the same thing as knowledge. There is nothing that I "believe in" without good reason. Give me an example, and I will stop believing in it.

[Raven]

Whether your an atheist or agnostic etc, what led you to what you believe in today? Also, why do you believe in what you believe in?

OK, here goes: I don't believe that there is anyone here but us, so to speak.
I reject the notion of there being any sort of omnimax deity such as you get in the Bible. I was raised in the Catholic church, historically one of the most corrupt and hypocritical institutions ever known to humankind. Leaving the institution itself aside, the belief system just did not work for me. The thing that really did in any belief in a god was what is often referred to as the argument from evil. I'm defining evil here as anything that is harmful, period. So that would include disease or natural disasters. I am aware there is no intent involved with natural forces, but my point is that people still get hurt. With all of the evil you have in this world, God, if he existed, was not doing his job.

Those nuns and brothers in school never wanted to address that. How many times can you be told "God moves in mysterious ways" or "Humans are not capable of understanding God's plan" before you want to scream? He is supposed to be our heavenly father, right? Jesus said that "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.b 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." That may be true, but what good does it do any of us? People still suffer and he still does not do anything about it. Why are innocent children born blind, or otherwise disabled? If a god does indeed exist then he is not doing a very good job. So what good is he? Furthermore, the god of the old testament is just plain malevolent, as can be seen in bible story after bible story.

So eventually I had to come to the conclusion that either god did not exist or that if he did, he wasn't a god I had desire to have anything to do with.

There are, of course many other arguments against the existence of a deity. The sheer lack of evidence should be enough, I would think. But when someone gets raised in a given faith, then they are not getting out easily or soon. Especially when you've been through 12 years of religious schools, had a fanatical mom, a sister who became a Sunday school teacher and another who became a nun.

So, for whatever it is worth there you are.

[Ucaslog1]

just started asking questions that religious people couldn't answer and being told to "just have faith". this wasnt enough for me....plus, believing that such a supernatural being exists is like not believing that fairies and unicorns exist.....

---

Whether your an atheist or agnostic etc, what led you to what you believe in today? Also, why do you believe in what you believe in?

OK, here goes: I don't believe that there is anyone here but us, so to speak.
I reject the notion of there being any sort of omnimax deity such as you get in the Bible. I was raised in the Catholic church, historically one of the most corrupt and hypocritical institutions ever known to humankind. Leaving the institution itself aside, the belief system just did not work for me. The thing that really did in any belief in a god was what is often referred to as the argument from evil. I'm defining evil here as anything that is harmful, period. So that would include disease or natural disasters. I am aware there is no intent involved with natural forces, but my point is that people still get hurt. With all of the evil you have in this world, God, if he existed, was not doing his job.

Those nuns and brothers in school never wanted to address that. How many times can you be told "God moves in mysterious ways" or "Humans are not capable of understanding God's plan" before you want to scream? He is supposed to be our heavenly father, right? Jesus said that "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.b 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." That may be true, but what good does it do any of us? People still suffer and he still does not do anything about it. Why are innocent children born blind, or otherwise disabled? If a god does indeed exist then he is not doing a very good job. So what good is he? Furthermore, the god of the old testament is just plain malevolent, as can be seen in bible story after bible story.

So eventually I had to come to the conclusion that either god did not exist or that if he did, he wasn't a god I had desire to have anything to do with.

There are, of course many other arguments against the existence of a deity. The sheer lack of evidence should be enough, I would think. But when someone gets raised in a given faith, then they are not getting out easily or soon. Especially when you've been through 12 years of religious schools, had a fanatical mom, a sister who became a Sunday school teacher and another who became a nun.

So, for whatever it is worth there you are.

I am very much the same as you. If such a perfect god existed, why is there so much suffering, most of the world is in suffering, thanks to the situation of my parents and upbringing, i was brought up in a much safer, cleaner, liberal society. but i cannot imagine what every single person in suffering is going through....for such people to live such horrible and painful lives, i wonder what god they praise, what would they be praising such a god for? for me, if a god exists, it is definitely not a god i wish to subscribe to or praise.

[TosinAsLeader]

Is that the case with what you hold as true? It makes sense that God was introduced to us, either through parents or Christian Propaganda.

No. Believing in an unfalsifiable claim is not the same thing as knowledge. There is nothing that I "believe in" without good reason. Give me an example, and I will stop believing in it.

Example of what?

[The Reality Salesman01]

No. Believing in an unfalsifiable claim is not the same thing as knowledge. There is nothing that I "believe in" without good reason. Give me an example, and I will stop believing in it.

Example of what?

Of something I believe in without a good reason and doesn't stem from some direct verifiable interaction and experience (a good reason to believe something).

[Neo-Scholastic]

With all of the evil you have in this world, God, if he existed, was not doing his job.

Shakes fist at sky and screams, "WHY????" Yawn.

[The Reality Salesman01]

With all of the evil you have in this world, God, if he existed, was not doing his job.

Shakes fist at sky and screams, "WHY????" Yawn.

he he he...I reject it as evil

[DeardoG]

I am a non-believer of any life after death because I have seen absolutely nothing of any logical standing that would have me believe it. I follow logic and reason and science has all the answers I need. I am open-minded though, because if I was to find any real evidence, I wouldn't strike it down, which is more than you can say for most religious people. I choose not to live my life fearing the same thing that I should be loving. I am a secular humanist. My family raised me roman catholic, due to being Italian, but I was soon able to break free from the grasp after properly researching the Bible V Science & common sense.

[TosinAsLeader]

Example of what?

Of something I believe in without a good reason and doesn't stem from some direct verifiable interaction and experience (a good reason to believe something).

um, the grass is green.

[Silver]

um, the grass is green.

Not really. The grass, like all things in the world, is colorless. Our eyes simply perceive colors depending upon how light reflects off objects.