Why are YOU an Atheist?

[pocaracas]

But properly speaking, the Bible isn't one book. Nobody judges the Bible historically or from a position of literary criticism as one book. This is just Christians and Jews and religious ideologues (including atheists) who speak from within literary criticism of the Bible as if it is one book, thanks to the Council of Nicaea.

Properly speaking, the Bible is a collection of many books, some fiction some non-fiction. Others combining the two.

You see this book:
http://books.google.pt/books?id=puuQM4Dx...dy&f=false

Although it only has one name on the cover, each chapter was written by a different person. Each chapter was written by an expert on the particulars of that chapter's content.
Is it just a collection of different books? or one book with many chapters?

Does it matter?

[Vincenzo Vinny G.]

But properly speaking, the Bible isn't one book. Nobody judges the Bible historically or from a position of literary criticism as one book. This is just Christians and Jews and religious ideologues (including atheists) who speak from within literary criticism of the Bible as if it is one book, thanks to the Council of Nicaea.

Properly speaking, the Bible is a collection of many books, some fiction some non-fiction. Others combining the two.

You see this book:
http://books.google.pt/books?id=puuQM4Dx...dy&f=false

Although it only has one name on the cover, each chapter was written by a different person. Each chapter was written by an expert on the particulars of that chapter's content.
Is it just a collection of different books? or one book with many chapters?

Does it matter?

Of course. The books within the "Bible" were never meant to come together to form one book. They span centuries, written by vastly different authors, many in different languages and countries.

If I combine Mein Kampf with The God Delusion, The End of Faith, the Bhagvad Gita, and a set of Encyclopedia Brittanica, is it "one book"?

Would you classify it as fiction or non-fiction? Autobiographical?

As atheists we need to be in line with academia here. Hating religion is not an excuse to divest ourselves of reality.

[pocaracas]

So, then, lets list all those different books and classify them.
Since I am a biblical ignorant, I leave that task to others.

[Rayaan]

So, then, lets list all those different books and classify them.
Since I am a biblical ignorant, I leave that task to others.

I'll help you.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/...ion/story/

[Vincenzo Vinny G.]

We're all ignorant here.

The only difference is, some are more ignorant than others.

How do you judge what is fictional vs nonfictional? What's the judging process?

[WhatIfGodWasJustAMyth]

It makes sense.
Ever since I was young, like really young, (I’m only 15) I have been forced in to church and had religion shoved down my throat. I guess that’s normal for growing up in the "Bible Belt" but you know : fsm-grin:

But Christianity never made sense to me, too many lose ends.
So after about 2-3 years of questioning it I decided to explore other religious views.

None of those made any sense either. Shocker!

So my young and impressionable mind as it is decided everyone who believed in religion were the equivalent to brainwashed Nazis.
And that idea scares me. :/

So call it a conclusion or rebellion against my upbringing, I’m an atheist as of now.

Guess I’m going to hell!

[Brunitski]

Don't worry mate; there is no hell, no god, no fairies, no unicorns, no angels. Rest easy.

[Whateverist]

To the OP:

Why am I an atheist? It seems that some people believe in something they call gods (but sometimes only one). Since those people are classified as theists, no matter which brand of gods they subscribe to, anyone who does not share a belief in any of those gods must be - by default - an a-theist, someone without a belief in gods.

Now I don't really spend much time looking for these gods. I've never gotten a good enough description a god to make me feel confident I could identify it even if I tripped over one. It is hard to be sure just how eternal they are and just how omni- their various super powers must be. And then there is the question of their role in the creation of the universe.

I've never understood what the minimal creator requirement would be for godhood. I'm pretty sure those physicist who bring heavy new elements into creation for the fleetingest of instants are not gods. But just how much of the universe must a putative god be responsible for anyway? Half? 1%?

However that may be, there is then the question of whether they may (or perhaps must) work within the constraints of the material at hand. In other words, must they also be responsible for determining the very properties of the stuff they create - or - can they get partial credit if they at least take something very basic but pre-existing but, by putting their own special whammy on it, make it into the stuff we perceive?

Then there is the question of intent. Even if gods create 100% of the universe from scratch, must it represent a deliberate attempt at perfection? What if god is just some being on a grand scale that, as a natural 'bodily' function just excretes galaxies or maybe big bangs? It would certainly be 'his' creation but would it satisfy the creator requirement of godhood if it were not a deliberate creation representing the realization of some holy goal?

Then there are the questions pertaining to having a plan-for-man. But I won't even go there. Suffice to say I find the concept so vague as to be incomprehensible. Until someone tells me exactly what the minimal requirements must be for godhood, I can't be bothered to wonder if there are any.

[Great Ape]

Please open up and share.

For me, I cannot remember ever believing. As a young child my school had Christian prayers and hymns during assembly, but like most kids I mimed or hummed, and just pretended to pray. That in itself was no big deal, laziness not rebellion, But by maybe 8 or 9 I was sure I was an atheist although I don't recall anyone ever asking. I remember thinking it was unfair that two other kids whose parents were Jehovah's witnesses were excused from the religious section of school assemblies whereas I could not opt out. That's my first solid memory that I can now say "I was already an atheist by then".

One of my parents is quietly atheist although I cannot remember that being a direct influence. I can guess it may have set a precedence in my mind that it was 'allowed'. Even so, I remember being wary of mentioning my atheism to teachers even though they were just regular teachers (it wasn't a particularly religious school or anything) and may well have been atheists for all I knew.

My other parent is a bit religious, and sent me to Sunday school which I hated. The Sunday school was a different denomination to the proper school, which may have helped give me a broader awareness of religious doctrines and the inherent contradiction that raises. I remember thinking that the preacher was nice and well meaning, a true example of a harmless 'good Christian'. I just didn't buy the fairy tales.

So, I think the single biggest factor for me personally was that I never believed the bible stories. I now know that my personality type is very analytical and independent, but awareness of that only came much later. Looking back, even as a child I could see that the bible stories were no more credible than the fairy tales which even as a kid you know are fiction. Plus they were boring and I never had any interest in the mystical "wisdom" hidden in the pretentious answering question with questions nonsense.

By my teens I was definitely atheist and knew of the word, but I wasn't militant. My only interest in religion was avoiding it. The school didn't sing hymns or say prayers except once a year when we had to go to the local church - I liked the walk there and it was a bit of a skive from regular classes. In the compulsory Religious Education class I found that whilst everyone was disinterested, I was the only atheist in the class - my teacher taught about other religions but clearly was Christian. After years of detecting my lack of belief, she confronted me about it, to which I mischievously answered that I was a Satanist despite having only the vaguest understanding of what that means. She actually cried and I felt bad, but I also couldn't believe that she believed me. I remember thinking that only someone who believes the fairy tales in the bible would be gullible enough to believe a 15 year old kid saying that they are a Satanist.

During collage I met people who came from privileged backgrounds who had been taught debating. I was amazed that well educated and intelligent people were so religious, albeit in a hypocritical way. They introduced me to the rugby anthem "Jerusalem", which I still find a very powerful and moving song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6iaf_jUy2Q
For me there are certain memories and associations that make that song very rousing. The words are nonsense (and I am even quite liberal on the nature of patriotism), but sung in a certain way at certain times it can make Brits cry with patriotic pride. No wonder many armies stick to religion. Experiencing how easily patriotism could be triggered in myself reinforced to me how manipulative religion is; how it is effectively brainwashing and nearly always reinforces some variation of 'them and us' regardless of the "love thy neighbour" wrapping.

Coincidently one of my best friends at the time was studying theology - we never had theological discussions but he is now a vicar.

As an adult I have been very fortunate to have lived in multiple countries, and have friends from even more. I regularly visit countries I never dreamt I would see, and witnessed other religions in a way that I am certain my RE teacher cannot have. I politely follow the etiquette expected when visiting temples or shrines or whatever. Despite the window into certain other religions, enhanced by reading up on what I see, my atheism has only been reinforced. Religion comes from a small mind with limited horizons. I also met American people who were openly amazed that I was an atheist; they had clearly been taught to imagine atheists as either Satanists or communists.

I now realise how damn lucky I am to have been born in modern times, in a country were atheism is widely acceptable (much more so than I found in USA), and despite the best efforts of the religious bigots to undo time. Only now that I value this freedom so much, and am more aware of the religious threats to it, did my disinterest in religion turn to concern about the negative influence it has on everyday lives and threat it is to human progress.


So what about you?

I was born an atheist. I've never believed in God. I don't have an elaborate story of how I lost my faith. I don't regret offending any of the people I have offended with my beliefs. I have been physically attacked by a man because of my beliefs. I try to be candid when asked a question, but some people can't handle the truth, I suppose.

[binny]

I am an atheist because it doesn't make any sense to me to believe in god or any gods, not even aliens or ghosts or Santa.