I believe there is no god for the same reason I believe there is no such place as Narnia. God and Aslan are on the same footing, they are fictional characters in stories made up by people. You wouldn't expect me to believe in fairies, or elves or hobbits. So why should I believe in gods?
What puzzles me is not why anyone of intelligence is an atheist, but how anyone of intelligence can possibly believe in any particular one of the myriad fictitious stories upon which the various religions depend. Why that religion in particular? Why not believe the world is a boiled egg and we are all dust mites living on its shell? Because it's silly nonsense, that's why. Not a problem!
I can see the argument for agnosticism and for most of my life I held that position too - until i read "The God Delusion" and Prof Dawkins drew my attention to the scientific method, by the standards of which my actual position was clearly that of atheist rather than agnostic. My views did not change, merely my perception of what those views truly represent.
Scientists used to believe in something called phlogiston. Then they saw the light, and discovered there is no need for it. They didn't then carry on forever debating the issue. The same is true of God. We now know there's no need for it in the great scheme of things, so what's the point of conjuring it up? The only reason loads of people believe in God is because loads of people keep insisting God exists. There is no other reason.
OK - that's my answer to the original post on this thread. When I get a mo I shall maybe have a look at what other atheists have said - meanwhile I have a different fish to fry.
What puzzles me is not why anyone of intelligence is an atheist, but how anyone of intelligence can possibly believe in any particular one of the myriad fictitious stories upon which the various religions depend. Why that religion in particular? Why not believe the world is a boiled egg and we are all dust mites living on its shell? Because it's silly nonsense, that's why. Not a problem!
I can see the argument for agnosticism and for most of my life I held that position too - until i read "The God Delusion" and Prof Dawkins drew my attention to the scientific method, by the standards of which my actual position was clearly that of atheist rather than agnostic. My views did not change, merely my perception of what those views truly represent.
Scientists used to believe in something called phlogiston. Then they saw the light, and discovered there is no need for it. They didn't then carry on forever debating the issue. The same is true of God. We now know there's no need for it in the great scheme of things, so what's the point of conjuring it up? The only reason loads of people believe in God is because loads of people keep insisting God exists. There is no other reason.
OK - that's my answer to the original post on this thread. When I get a mo I shall maybe have a look at what other atheists have said - meanwhile I have a different fish to fry.
