Please tell me what atheist means

[Mr Olefemi]

I have been raised a christian and it is all I know.In my town in Nigeria and even throughout the country,when people talk about atheists they do it with hatred and laughter and all I have been told is that atheist people don't like god.Surely this can't be true because god created us and loves us so I can't understand how that makes sense.
SoI have the feeling that I'm being lied to,and you people are atheists but you don't sound bad to me so there must be another explanation.If it's because you don't believe in god I find that very strange but maybe it's because everyone around me does.
Do you believe in god? Or do you doubt god? If you do I'll try to understand but this is very strange to me.If you don't believe that is ok but I can't see why not.I don't think you actually have to believe in god to get to heaven because not everyone knows about him so he won't punish people for that,that would be unfair.
So tell me what you believe.Compared to the people in my community I am what they call a troublemaker for asking so many questions but you need to ask questions,that's how you learn.And maybe you can learn from me although I m not the most intelligent person.Humility is important for all of us.

[Tiberius]

Atheists are people who do not believe in God.

It's as simple as that. It is not true that we don't like God; you cannot dislike something that you don't believe exists.

[Mr Olefemi]

In Nigeria you would be laughed at for saying what you said, Adrian.I'm not laughing at you but I just can't believe that you don't believe in him.What convinced you to stop believing? Have you spoken to anybody about this? I myself don't mind it but it does confuse me how a person can go as far as stopping their belief like that.Sometimes I wonder why he does something or he doesn't answer a prayer but I would never stop believing.

[Tiberius]

What convinced me? A lack of evidence / reasoning that supported the existence of such beings. In my opinion, there aren't any good arguments that logically conclude that God exists.

Yes, I've spoken to many people about this. I started an entire internet forum to talk to people about this. You are in it.

[Nitsuj]

Well, we don't believe in God or heaven or hell, because we want proof. We think that there's too much evidence against them. And we're not bad people. We just believe some different things than others.

[Mr Olefemi]

What evidence are you looking for? What if you pray for something and see if it happens.But you have to try to summon up faith even though I know it's hard.The thing with faith is that you do it without any evidence, you just believe.
It sounds crazy but I have prayed in times when life is hard and eventually things happen,maybe not exactly how I asked,but in the end it works out and then I look back and see how one thing followed onto the next thing,then I realise that I can't see the future so I can't plan each thing, but god sees it,and can put the pieces in place.
Maybe sometimes it's not god and it's just me using common sense but the important thing is that I feel a sense of guidance and I'm sure he's there pushing me in the right direction.It takes faith but it also takes action.I'm not saying to try it if you really don't believe but maybe one day you might like to try just for the sake of it and if you still doubt it at least you gave it a try.Sorry if I sound like I'm preaching to you and I know it's your choice.But I will tell you this,if you had my faith it would excite you very much and make you want to talk about it.But I wouldn't force anyone,there's enough of that back home and to be honest I think some people don't believe as much as they say they do,it's very taboo to openly doubt.

[Scented Nectar]

I have been raised a christian and it is all I know.In my town in Nigeria and even throughout the country,when people talk about atheists they do it with hatred and laughter and all I have been told is that atheist people don't like god.Surely this can't be true because god created us and loves us so I can't understand how that makes sense.

Atheists do not believe god is real. If he was real, I would not like him, since the bible shows that the main character, god, is a nasty genocidal narcissistic dictator. I am glad he's not real. Unfortunately, the wars and injustices caused by religions all over the world are very real. And that is something I don't like.

God does not love. He demands love though, at the threat of eternal torture. Nice guy! Good thing hell is not real. No crime deserves punishment that lasts forever. That is simply cruel. Especially as a punishment for not loving/worshipping the punisher on demand. Have you actually read the whole bible yourself? The preachers will only read you parts of it. You should read all the killing of babies that god does, the killing of people who have harmed no one that he orders, the entire tribes of people he orders killed, the slavery he condones and the total denial of human rights to women. If the god of the bible's rules were followed by the people around me, I would have been put to death many times over by now in my life.

SoI have the feeling that I'm being lied to,and you people are atheists but you don't sound bad to me so there must be another explanation.If it's because you don't believe in god I find that very strange but maybe it's because everyone around me does.

I don't believe in any gods at all. I do not believe in a powerful creator/ruler who is reading my thoughts and judging me on them and who is going to punish or reward me after I die. Why do you believe? Is it because the people around you believe? Do you have any proof that any gods exist? If you think there is some sort of creator, why do you think it must be the christian version of god when there are so many other religions who also think that they are the right one? Do you believe out of fear of hell, just in case?

Do you believe in god? Or do you doubt god? If you do I'll try to understand but this is very strange to me.

There is no reason at all to believe that any god is real. The bible was written by humans. The concept of gods was created and passed on to others by humans. No one has ever seen a god, or an afterlife of heaven or hell, or proven any kind of magic whatsoever. There are many things that we don't know the answers to, but we can't just say 'since I do not know, a magic being who can read our minds must have done it'.

If you don't believe that is ok but I can't see why not.I don't think you actually have to believe in god to get to heaven because not everyone knows about him so he won't punish people for that,that would be unfair.

Even after people know it's still unfair. Why punish if they still don't believe after some person tells them they should? Who is harmed? Is god's ego hurt? If god wanted people to believe, then why didn't he just make us all believers?

So tell me what you believe.Compared to the people in my community I am what they call a troublemaker for asking so many questions but you need to ask questions,that's how you learn.

Being a question asking troublemaker is good. That is how improvements happen in the world. It is also a good way to improve personal knowledge. If you don't ask something, you have less chance of finding the answer.

And maybe you can learn from me although I m not the most intelligent person.Humility is important for all of us.

Don't put yourself down so much. You are probably a lot more intelligent than you've been led to think. Belief in god usually means that you believe the story that you are naturally a bad person, a sinner, and not very worthy of much. It's not true. Religions always like to give credit to god for the good things, and blame devils and evil humans for the bad things. The truth is that everything is due to a mix of what we do ourselves (both good and bad things) and the things in life that just happen by chance (also a mix of good and bad).

I hope I haven't scared you away with all my talk above.

---

[youtube]SIsYwAKfxyI[/youtube]

[Mr Olefemi]

You are being very disrespectful to god,Scented Nectar,and he will verily punish you with hellfire.I'm joking,that was my impression of one of the pastors back home.I do agree that god is painted as a bad character in the bible,with so much punishment and wrath,but honestly I think that is a misinterpretation of his character.
It's such a shame that simple things get turned into complicated things by people who have plans and are prepared to twist the basics.Much of the bible s lies written by men anyway,so the twisting has been there from the start.I would happily rip out most of the bible and just keep Matthew,Mark,Luke and John.
Originally I believed because those around me did,and it's part of my culture.But I like to think that I am an independent thinker and I honestly do believe.Last year I was an atheist for about two weeks,I lost all faith,but then I thought about it and I regained it.I don't think it's bad to lose faith because believing in what you can't see is hard,and seems stupid too and I admit that.
But I also don't think it's unintelligent to have faith.I don't have any proof, and if I did it would ake faith impossible.I don't think that god is christian or muslim,I think that all religions are talking about the same god.They talk about him in different ways and say that he works in different ways so that's why I try to be careful to just keep it simple.
I don't believe because I fear hell.And I don't fear for you either because you probably do follow the teachings of Jesus,because they're so simple.As long as you are respectful and basically good,that's it,you're in.The rest is just theatrics and unnecessary drama.Actually I don't believe god feels it necessary for us to know him or believe in him,the important thing is our behaviour.That's why christianity and other religions should put more focus on that.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

In Nigeria you would be laughed at for saying what you said, Adrian.I'm not laughing at you but I just can't believe that you don't believe in him.What convinced you to stop believing? Have you spoken to anybody about this? I myself don't mind it but it does confuse me how a person can go as far as stopping their belief like that.Sometimes I wonder why he does something or he doesn't answer a prayer but I would never stop believing.

Hold the phone there Buckeroo.

You asked simple question and received a simple, accurate and honest answer.


As I don't live in Nigeria the only interest I have in the superstitions of your country is academic.

I don't know you and have no interest your personal superstitions. Your argument from incredulity is boring and predictable.

This is an atheist forum. I welcome you if you have come with an open mind of enquiry. No evidence of that so far.

[chasm]

Atheist: a person with a disbelief for one or more deities.