Why do you hate God?

[johndoe122931]

Since people are doing their testimony, I'll go ahead.

I was raised entirely without religion. I grew up in a tiny town with a church on every corner, but my parents were indifferent to it. I have never attended a church service, or even a church wedding or funeral. At the first opportunity I left the small town, and after that I was always in the art world or in academic circles, where it is more common to be an atheist. A demonstrative and practicing religious person would be seen as odd in that world.

Since I never had to reject a Christian upbringing, it has allowed me to learn from the best theological thinkers without getting worked up about talking snakes.

On this forum, an atheist is defined as someone who lacks a belief in God. So it's no problem to lack that belief while also not falling into the belief system on the other side, in which religious people are condemned as unthinking followers, judged in contrast to our own group of superior thinkers.

Thank you for giving us your story I really appreciate it. 

If I may ask, what theologians do you read or follow? What have you taken from what they have written or talked about if anything?

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I understand that there are many different reasons as to why one chooses to become an atheist.

You can see from the responses so far, that people who were raised Christian and became atheist still think in terms of sola scriptura literalism.

That is, they can't conceive of mythical writing or allegory as anything other than literal truth. Nor are they aware of how many important Christians in history reject sola scriptura literalism. 

This is why I think so many atheists left their church at about age 12 and stopped learning anything about it from then on. Their conception of Christian belief is that of a 12-year-old. This is then reinforced by poorly-informed people like Hitchens, who has led many sheeple astray.

Wow, very interesting analysis. I am surprised to hear an atheist say that about Hitchens. I have always found him to be quite interesting myself, at least on his outlook on religion. I always thought his story about the Navy captain and the wind analogy intriguing and funny. It is unfortunate he passed so early, I would love to have gone to one of his lectures.

[Neo-Scholastic]

To the OP, many different kinds of people become atheists for many different reasons. Some do so after much intellectual deliberation, others in reaction to abusive treatment. As a group they are distinguished by a common intellectual concern but individually they are as diverse as any other collection of individuals. There really is nothing to understand about 'them' that is unique despite the superficial commonality of being atheists.

Good morning Neo-Scholastic,

Yes, I understand that there are many different reasons as to why one chooses to become an atheist. My question is more specifically why did you personally become an athesit?

I used to consider myself an existentialist atheist up until I was born again in the 1990's. I did not reply directly to your OP because I was a little put off by the word wall.

My personal opinion, as of late, is that intellectually motivated athiesm is at least in part motivated by a commitment to evidentialism, i.e. the belief that only beliefs supported by empirical evidence are rational. Of course there is no evidence for this position, making it self-referentially incoherent, but it is a position that finds plenty of expression here.

[Belacqua]

The bible is meant to be taken literally.

[Brian37]

Since people are doing their testimony, I'll go ahead.

I was raised entirely without religion. I grew up in a tiny town with a church on every corner, but my parents were indifferent to it. I have never attended a church service, or even a church wedding or funeral. At the first opportunity I left the small town, and after that I was always in the art world or in academic circles, where it is more common to be an atheist. A demonstrative and practicing religious person would be seen as odd in that world.

Since I never had to reject a Christian upbringing, it has allowed me to learn from the best theological thinkers without getting worked up about talking snakes.

On this forum, an atheist is defined as someone who lacks a belief in God. So it's no problem to lack that belief while also not falling into the belief system on the other side, in which religious people are condemned as unthinking followers, judged in contrast to our own group of superior thinkers.

Thank you for giving us your story I really appreciate it. 

If I may ask, what theologians do you read or follow? What have you taken from what they have written or talked about if anything?

---

You can see from the responses so far, that people who were raised Christian and became atheist still think in terms of sola scriptura literalism.

That is, they can't conceive of mythical writing or allegory as anything other than literal truth. Nor are they aware of how many important Christians in history reject sola scriptura literalism. 

This is why I think so many atheists left their church at about age 12 and stopped learning anything about it from then on. Their conception of Christian belief is that of a 12-year-old. This is then reinforced by poorly-informed people like Hitchens, who has led many sheeple astray.

Wow, very interesting analysis. I am surprised to hear an atheist say that about Hitchens. I have always found him to be quite interesting myself, at least on his outlook on religion. I always thought his story about the Navy captain and the wind analogy intriguing and funny. It is unfortunate he passed so early, I would love to have gone to one of his lectures.

That isn't an "interesting analysis" of Hitchens, it is patently absurd. Hitchens is extremely well educated. On can only argue his bluntness can turn off even some atheists, but to claim he has a 12 year old's  understanding of religion is laughable. Hitchens has a very deep understanding of the world's religions, not just Christianity.

[johndoe122931]

Thank you for giving us your story I greatly appreciate it. 

I am curious as to what you mean by the god wars and exclusion?

LOL, I like the question you pose to me for evidence, but my reason here is not to debate nor evangelize. I am sure you have heard it all so no point really for me to put in my own 2 cents on this subject. 

I am happy to hear you have made amends with your family. I hate to hear families broken apart based on whether or not you believe in God.
Thank you again so much for sharing with us your story!

Genocide and murder is/was committed in the name of god. Christianity is very exclusionary if you don't believe.

I said agreement, not amend, there is a difference.

Oh ok, I see what you mean by god wars. Exclusionary meaning that you are not "one of us' or not accepted until you accept Christ? Is that what you mean?
Sorry, you're right there is a difference, But I'm still happy that at least you came to an agreement with your family and I hope you still have a positive relationship with them.

[Belacqua]

I am surprised to hear an atheist say that about Hitchens.

He was a propagandist, careless about facts. 

This book lists a number of his factual errors.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Atheism-Myth-...filtered=1

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That isn't an "interesting analysis" of Hitchens, it is patently absurd. Hitchens is extremely well educated. On can only argue his bluntness can turn off even some atheists, but to claim he has a 12 year old's  understanding of religion is laughable. Hitchens has a very deep understanding of the world's religions, not just Christianity.

[johndoe122931]

Good morning Neo-Scholastic,

Yes, I understand that there are many different reasons as to why one chooses to become an atheist. My question is more specifically why did you personally become an athesit?

I used to consider myself an existentialist atheist up until I was born again in the 1990's. I did not reply directly to your OP because I was a little put off by the word wall.

My personal opinion, as of late, is that intellectually motivated athiesm is at least in part motivated by a commitment to evidentialism, i.e. the belief that only beliefs supported by empirical evidence are rational. Of course there is no evidence for this position, making it self-referentially incoherent, but it is a position that finds plenty of expression here.

Yeah my apologies for that "word wall", I kinda got off on the wrong foot. 
So, you say you were born again in the 1990s. Are you a Christian or does that have some other type of atheistic meaning that I missed?

[Brian37]

I am surprised to hear an atheist say that about Hitchens.

He was a propagandist, careless about facts. 

This book lists a number of his factual errors.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Atheism-Myth-...filtered=1

---

That isn't an "interesting analysis" of Hitchens, it is patently absurd. Hitchens is extremely well educated. On can only argue his bluntness can turn off even some atheists, but to claim he has a 12 year old's  understanding of religion is laughable. Hitchens has a very deep understanding of the world's religions, not just Christianity.

Hitchens was not a "propagandist" anymore than Galileo was for telling the truth. Not liking criticism does not make the critic a propagandist.

[johndoe122931]

I am surprised to hear an atheist say that about Hitchens.

He was a propagandist, careless about facts. 

This book lists a number of his factual errors.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Atheism-Myth-...filtered=1

---

That isn't an "interesting analysis" of Hitchens, it is patently absurd. Hitchens is extremely well educated. On can only argue his bluntness can turn off even some atheists, but to claim he has a 12 year old's  understanding of religion is laughable. Hitchens has a very deep understanding of the world's religions, not just Christianity.

Thank you for the book reference. I just added it to my cart.

[Brian37]

If you have not read, you should, "God Is Not Great" by Christopher Hitchens.