Religion/god is just wishful thinking.

[thesummerqueen]

While I can understand your sentiment as an atheist, your assessment is overly simplistic.

I had to give you kudos for this, Chad. I think we atheists do a disservice to ourselves when we try simplify the motivations behind religious belief and claim that there is only one influential factor. It seems only to reinforce the stereotype that atheists just don't "get" religion.

Do I think that fear of death factors into religious beliefs? Absolutely, I do, but to simply assert without evidence that something as complex as the motivations behind religion can be boiled down to one factor is, to me, counterproductive.

People in general, I find, dislike thinking in shades of gray. Finding "one" cause to anything at all is always so much simpler.

[Ryantology]

There is definitely more than a fear of death involved. There is also the cowardice of total submission to authority, the toxic fellowship one feels when they are part of a group which considers itself better than everyone else, the childish desire for ridiculously complex questions to have simple answers, the avarice of desiring a mansion in heaven, the ability to ameliorate one's self-hatred by justifying it with sin, the arrogance which makes one want to be a special snowflake in someone's eyes. For some, it is merely a tool used to gain influence, power or money. At best, it is a social gathering for people who have nothing better to do than waste Sunday mornings going to church and making fun of what their neighbors are wearing.

[downbeatplumb]

God is mixture of things.

A lazy explanation for things people haven't investigated. "God started life by waggling his magic nose"
Justice after life. "That bad man deserved punishment but died before I could kick him in the nuts, He shall be punished by god"
A way to placate the immature children "Granny is in a better place now"
And mishmash of abstract concepts "God is love, god is peace, god is moral" etc etc.

You can see why some societies still cling to the idea it is useful if you don't mind being wrong.

[Darkstar]

People in general, I find, dislike thinking in shades of gray. Finding "one" cause to anything at all is always so much simpler.

Hence, goddidit.

---

As for the rest of this thread, I definitely think the reasons for being a theist extend far beyond a simple fear of death.

[Godscreated]

[Atheist(KM)]

[Godscreated]

[Godscreated]

How do you know ''god'' is real? Can you demonstrate it, knowledge is demonstrable after all.

Through years of living in relationship to Him. The change in my life that I could not have accomplished, of coarse that would take an effort on your part to investigate, but please do, dig up the dirt and then find the change. They're plenty of witnesses to my life.

Also which ''god''? How do you know your god is right if I can simply say ''I have received revelation from the flying spaghetti monster I know he's real and if I don't believe Ill end up in his hell.''

I know my God is the true One for a very simple reason, He called me and gave me the faith to get started see Matt. 13:1-23. He made great changes in my life and no other god has ever approached me in any way. So what has your spaghetti god done with you, has he made your life better, does he comfort you during losses of loved ones, during troubling times and ect. What holy book has he given you to learn more about him.

In what way if your belief different from this one or, islam, paganism, ,pink unicorn, etc. How is yours any different if the amount of proof is the same along with, using the same logic.

My knowledge is of a God who has revealed His love for the world, for myself and for you. My God cares what happens to you, but will not force you to choose Him and is saddened when people reject Him, which is rejecting life itself. The proof belongs to me because I live in a relationship with God and God gives me proof because I desire it. None of the other characters you've mentioned have made a challenge to my God, if they can not challenge Him what good are they.

So, why should I consider your claim anymore seriously than these religions? Also, if I were a muslim or of another religion I could simply say to you'' the devil has deceived you'' after all, if the devil is real(which he isn't) how do you know you're not being deceived?

Satan has not been a challenge to God either, this however is for another thread. You haven't tried any of the others have you, then how is it you think you have anything to compare. If you want to know my God you need to open up to His calling and ask Him to teach you, all I can do is witness what He's done for me.
Satan can only deceive the minds not guarded by God, God promises me this. God says satan can fool all, even the elect if that were possible. Conformation from God I'm protected, as long as I trust Him, He will protect me from such deceit.

[Atheist(KM)]

How do you know ''god'' is real? Can you demonstrate it, knowledge is demonstrable after all.

Through years of living in relationship to Him. The change in my life that I could not have accomplished, of coarse that would take an effort on your part to investigate, but please do, dig up the dirt and then find the change. They're plenty of witnesses to my life.

Also which ''god''? How do you know your god is right if I can simply say ''I have received revelation from the flying spaghetti monster I know he's real and if I don't believe Ill end up in his hell.''

I know my God is the true One for a very simple reason, He called me and gave me the faith to get started see Matt. 13:1-23. He made great changes in my life and no other god has ever approached me in any way. So what has your spaghetti god done with you, has he made your life better, does he comfort you during losses of loved ones, during troubling times and ect. What holy book has he given you to learn more about him.

In what way if your belief different from this one or, islam, paganism, ,pink unicorn, etc. How is yours any different if the amount of proof is the same along with, using the same logic.

My knowledge is of a God who has revealed His love for the world, for myself and for you. My God cares what happens to you, but will not force you to choose Him and is saddened when people reject Him, which is rejecting life itself. The proof belongs to me because I live in a relationship with God and God gives me proof because I desire it. None of the other characters you've mentioned have made a challenge to my God, if they can not challenge Him what good are they.

So, why should I consider your claim anymore seriously than these religions? Also, if I were a muslim or of another religion I could simply say to you'' the devil has deceived you'' after all, if the devil is real(which he isn't) how do you know you're not being deceived?

Satan has not been a challenge to God either, this however is for another thread. You haven't tried any of the others have you, then how is it you think you have anything to compare. If you want to know my God you need to open up to His calling and ask Him to teach you, all I can do is witness what He's done for me.
Satan can only deceive the minds not guarded by God, God promises me this. God says satan can fool all, even the elect if that were possible. Conformation from God I'm protected, as long as I trust Him, He will protect me from such deceit.

So, by your logic if its in my head and I believe it, its real LOL. Again prove it, I read your ''holy book'' and it offers nothing but unproven claims. Yes FSM has given me comfort my life is much more fun and comforting than it was when I believed in your imaginary friend, this one is more fun.I feel much happier as an atheist than I EVER did as a Christian. Also, how can you prove your interpretation is true and other churches are false 38000 different interpretations of that book they all can't be right and, somehow your feeling are infallible, talk about prideful. So again if you can't prove for certain that your ''god'' is God, he is simply just another claim that is extraordinary which requires evidence, like, vampires, unicorns, bigfoot, etc. Just because you have a book doesn't mean squat if it doesn't have EVIDENCE to back it up, all you've proven is its in your head, personal revelation alone isn't evidence, as my FSM example showed.

[Godscreated]