I’m an atheist. So why can’t I shake God?

[Brian37]

Turns out it's pretty hard to believe in nothing when your psyche is wired for faith.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/postevery...age%2Fcard

After reading the article, my questions are:

Why on God's green earth is the human brain wired for faith when our development is the result of purely evolutionary processes with no supreme being involved at all?

Is it possible that God gave us brains that are pre-wired for receptivity to His existence to make it easier for us to believe in Him?

I think this could be a valid point. It seems like there is some sort of "instinct" in humans to worship something. There are exceptions though, of course.

Or god belief is a product of our species flawed perceptions and are merely human's projecting their own desires and fears on non existent things. Maybe humans merely make up god claims because they don't know any better and that false comfort acts as a placebo.

[robvalue]

Superstitions can become self-affirming, too. If a particular ritual makes you think you've achieved something, then not doing it could make you feel like you haven't, and so you feel worse.

Damn our thick skulls!

[Cyberman]

And not only ours. Most, if not all, animals can condition themselves to adopting superstitious behaviour.

[loganonekenobi]

My two cents on this subject comes from my background of course. I live in small town america where being part of the Christian club is important to be accepted into the community. They cant legally do anything to the non christian but they can and will do everything possible to the detrement of any one not Christian. I have experienced this personally so no one try to tell me otherwise.

We cant shake it yet cause it is every where. always reminding us that more needs to be done to keep religion from ever becoming strong enough to do harm again.

[Ravenshire]

but there is free will, which allows people to do bad things.

Do you even understand how vile this concept, or a "god" that would allow it is? The criminal has "free will" to do as much evil as they wish, but at the cost of the "free will" of the victims. The victims get to suffer and die, or worse, but your gawd gets a pass "'cuz free will!!!" The very idea is repugnant.

[Ravenshire]

Sure, some believers may be angry at something called god and then they get confused and start calling themselves atheists. But atheist being angry at god? Give me a break.

Yep. I'm about as angry at gawd as I am angry at Dearth Vader or Lord Voldemort.

[Brian37]

but there is free will, which allows people to do bad things.

Do you even understand how vile this concept, or a "god" that would allow it is? The criminal has "free will" to do as much evil as they wish, but at the cost of the "free will" of the victims. The victims get to suffer and die, or worse, but your gawd gets a pass "'cuz free will!!!" The very idea is repugnant.

BINGO!

If  both the criminal and victim have "free will" I find it absurd if you care about the victim to allow the "free will" of the victim to be less of a priority than that of the criminal. It puts humans at lab rat status.

But, if the goal of this god is to glorify himself, then the "free will" claim works. Because he set up the rigged bet which benefits him regardless of what humans do, it's all about groveling for his attention. The perp grovels for forgiveness and the victim grovels for protection.

[God of Mr. Hanky]

Turns out it's pretty hard to believe in nothing when your psyche is wired for faith.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/postevery...age%2Fcard

After reading the article, my questions are:

Why on God's green earth is the human brain wired for faith when our development is the result of purely evolutionary processes with no supreme being involved at all?

Is it possible that God gave us brains that are pre-wired for receptivity to His existence to make it easier for us to believe in Him?

I think this could be a valid point. It seems like there is some sort of "instinct" in humans to worship something. There are exceptions though, of course.

The instinct is purely of a social nature, gods need not apply. It was usesful in the early days for getting people to collaborate on building huts, dig wells and latrines, and rally troops against a threatening predator. Like everything else, the Elmer Gantrys Peters, Moses, and other useless assholes learned how to take advantage of this, using it to enslave them and future generations mentally and economically.

[scoobysnack]

but there is free will, which allows people to do bad things.

Do you even understand how vile this concept, or a "god" that would allow it is? The criminal has "free will" to do as much evil as they wish, but at the cost of the "free will" of the victims. The victims get to suffer and die, or worse, but your gawd gets a pass "'cuz free will!!!" The very idea is repugnant.

Free will is essential to the learning of all souls, which we all are in human form, and to other souls in the spiritual realm spectating. Experience leads to wisdom. Earth is just a temporary place for us to experience and learn. When we leave we go back into the spiritual realm. It's actually perfection once you start to understand the grand plan. God is in control. Although some say that there is any suffering on earth means God is vengeful being simply means they don't fully understand the purpose of life which I hope to help explain. Life is to experience, and it allows those at various level to interact with others, as in multiple vibrations can exist on this plain. When we leave our host which acts as an anchor and identify with as our body we will gravitate to where we are based on our vibration level at that time.

Why do bad things happen? The answer is to learn lessons. Life on earth is finite, that's a guarantee. Why are people allowed to harm others? Well, the simple answer again is that this is just a school, and not heaven on earth. It has to be fair to those who are also in need of learning, and unfortunately they are the people that harm others. Ironically we chose to come here to exist in this realm and experience the physical, and we understood what we were getting into, but for this experience to work we were required to forget where we came from. Life is really just a cycle of souls that are not perfect yet, which is why we are here.

In the spiritual realm it's completely segregated. Birds of a feather will flock together. Jesus is also a powerful being that can help if you invite him into your life.

[The Grand Nudger]

Would god violate a rapists free will if he waited until the rapist had made the decision to rape, stepping in after that moment but before the rape occurs to protect the victim?  Nope.  No more than a cop who sees an assault-in-progress and stops it before serious harm is done has somehow violated the free will of the perpetrator to assault the victim.

In either example, only harm is prevented, not the ability to decide to do a shitty thing. In one case god stays his loving hand as the girl gets raped, in the other a lowly primate steps up to the plate and does what god will not, or cannot. I know who I'm gonna toss my chips in with if I need help.......

These free wills excuses are just horrid.