Why do you not believe in the concept of a God?

[Deesse23]

What lead you to become an atheist? Were you a believer before you became an atheist? What happened to cause you to turn away from your faith? What religion or God did you follow before you became an atheist if any at all? When you turned away from God what did your friends and family say or do?

I am interested to hear the impact it had on your life. Was it a positive one or a negative one? Are you still struggling with the outcome of your choice? How does it feel to be free from such ideologies and beliefs?

What lead you to become an atheist?:
I was raised a "culturela christian", like so many people. In my teens i realized that the idea of the christian god is contradictory and that there is not sufficient evidence fo rme to accept this proposition. It seems much more likely (in the absence of sufficient evidence) that this god is a creation of human minds than vice versa.

Were you a believer before you became an atheist?
Didnt go to church, was not an "active" believer. Rather someone who filled the gaps in his knowledge with the idea of a god, or lets say: My parents and environment filled those gaps startign when i was a child. If i hadnt been indoctrinated as a child, i may never had become religious in the first place.

What religion or God did you follow before you became an atheist if any at all?
Christianity, but as i just said, only because i was spoon fed as a little child.

Last but not least, regarding your thread title:
What concept? There are numerous, conflicing and contradictory concepts of deities out there.
I am ssusming you are talking about the concept of a christian god (and even witin christian religion there are disagreements over the general concept, hence schisms and persecution of fellow christians across the ages).

When you turned away from God what did your friends and family say or do? 
Not much. My parents were victims to childhood indoctrination just as i was, and they werent "strong" beleivers too. In my dads case i suspect he is a antheist as well.

How does it feel to be free from such ideologies and beliefs?
Well, i feel .....free. Other people have no power over me with religion.

[arewethereyet]

I was raised Catholic by a Catholic father and Methodist mother.  Neither one put much stock in religion though I was put through the paces of a Catholic upbringing to include Catechism classes on Saturday mornings till I ended up in Catholic schools in the 6th grade and on through high school.

There was never a time that I really believed any of it.  I just went along with the rituals because that's what we did.  I saw the Bible as not really different from any other fairy tale and was actually surprised to find out that some people believe it's an historical account.

Various things happened along the way and I prayed fervently for god to help.  He didn't.  I keep trying to believe but it just didn't take with me.  In my early 20s I finally realized that I really didn't believe I had just been told that I believe.  Some time spent searching for a new faith practice led me to figure out that I didn't have to pretend to believe.  Not really any anger or hatred, just nothing.  Whatever it is that others claim to feel didn't happen to me.  And that's okay.

Thank you for sharing your story with us. If I may ask, how does your family feel about you being an atheist? Interesting to see a Catholic believer be with a Methodist believer. Was there much contention between the two of them? I see how you went through Catechism, did that help you or hurt you more with your relationship or understanding of God?

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Dad's gone now but he was also was atheist by his later years.  Mom HATED all things Catholic but didn't start going to church till a few years ago...I assume she's hedging her bets.  If anyone needs some redemption it would be my mother.
My sister is also atheist and my brother sent his son to Catholic school so he would get more individual attention due to some special needs.  I don't think he thinks about religion at all.
Catechism was something I had no say in.  I'd have rather been home watching cartoons.

[Angrboda]

I lost my belief in the Christian god before my teen years. I don't know why, I just no longer believed. In my middle years I became a follower of the Hindu god Kali. Something about her resonated with me. A few years ago, I decided that I wanted to become more serious about my Shaktism. But in considering what to take and what to leave in the vast collection of Hindu god stories, I realized that none of the ways of choosing what to incorporate into my belief were reliable ways of arriving at the truth. And the reliable ways of knowing the truth, were silent in the face of the question. I had no reliable way to decide what to believe. Many unreliable paths led to the goddess. None of the reliable ones did. Nothing that I believed had a reliable foundation, and so I lost interest in those beliefs.

[johndoe122931]

Thank you for sharing your story with us. If I may ask, how does your family feel about you being an atheist? Interesting to see a Catholic believer be with a Methodist believer. Was there much contention between the two of them? I see how you went through Catechism, did that help you or hurt you more with your relationship or understanding of God?

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Good morning Abaddon,

I'm sorry, but I don't think this is the appropriate thread to answer such a question.

Although I would love to hear why you do not believe in the concept of a God. If you would be so kind as to share your story it would be greatly appreciated!

Why isn't it an appropriate question?

Abaddon is merely trying to demonstrate why your logic is bad. What you are doing is selection bias. There are a myriad of god claims you rightfully reject. Try thinking about why you reject Zeus and not the one you believe to be true. 

Abaddon is merely saying you reject Zeus for the same reason Abaddon rejects the one you believe in. The only difference between a theist and an atheist is that we reject one more god claim than you do.

Well, I never said it was an inappropriate question just not the appropriate thread. I suppose I would be willing to get into such a conversation on another thread just not this one because it will lead down a road that will take us away from the OP. Also, I would much rather have Abaddon speak for himself instead of somebody else speaking for him. If you would like to have this conversation on another thread that would be great because you are greatly misconceived on what my thoughts are on Zeus and other gods and would be very surprised as to my answer or maybe not. Lets us not assume and take this matter up in another thread. Thank you!

[Brian37]

Why isn't it an appropriate question?

Abaddon is merely trying to demonstrate why your logic is bad. What you are doing is selection bias. There are a myriad of god claims you rightfully reject. Try thinking about why you reject Zeus and not the one you believe to be true. 

Abaddon is merely saying you reject Zeus for the same reason Abaddon rejects the one you believe in. The only difference between a theist and an atheist is that we reject one more god claim than you do.

Well, I never said it was an inappropriate question just not the appropriate thread. I suppose I would be willing to get into such a conversation on another thread just not this one because it will lead down a road that will take us away from the OP. Also, I would much rather have Abaddon speak for himself instead of somebody else speaking for him. If you would like to have this conversation on another thread that would be great because you are greatly misconceived on what my thoughts are on Zeus and other gods and would be very surprised as to my answer or maybe not. Lets us not assume and take this matter up in another thread. Thank you!

Ok, if you want people to speak for themselves as individuals, AWESOME. Then you should also then understand why you can't call "atheist" a "worldview."

[Mister Agenda]

Thank you for sharing your story with us. If I may ask, how does your family feel about you being an atheist? Interesting to see a Catholic believer be with a Methodist believer. Was there much contention between the two of them? I see how you went through Catechism, did that help you or hurt you more with your relationship or understanding of God?

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Good morning Abaddon,

I'm sorry, but I don't think this is the appropriate thread to answer such a question.

Although I would love to hear why you do not believe in the concept of a God. If you would be so kind as to share your story it would be greatly appreciated!

Why isn't it an appropriate question?

Abaddon is merely trying to demonstrate why your logic is bad. What you are doing is selection bias. There are a myriad of god claims you rightfully reject. Try thinking about why you reject Zeus and not the one you believe to be true. 

Abaddon is merely saying you reject Zeus for the same reason Abaddon rejects the one you believe in. The only difference between a theist and an atheist is that we reject one more god claim than you do.

I'm a guess that it's because the question of why you hate God was a different thread.

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To be pedantic I believe in the concept of God, I just don't believe the concept is correct or refers to anything outside of the human mind. I suppose a major turning point was taking classes on world religions and logical fallacies in the same semester (in my mid thirties). Hilarity ensued.

[purplepurpose]

God has His plan, His will. Those who want to follow Him, must abandon their plans and will. And thats isn't something I'm willing to do.

[johndoe122931]

Well, I never said it was an inappropriate question just not the appropriate thread. I suppose I would be willing to get into such a conversation on another thread just not this one because it will lead down a road that will take us away from the OP. Also, I would much rather have Abaddon speak for himself instead of somebody else speaking for him. If you would like to have this conversation on another thread that would be great because you are greatly misconceived on what my thoughts are on Zeus and other gods and would be very surprised as to my answer or maybe not. Lets us not assume and take this matter up in another thread. Thank you!

Ok, if you want people to speak for themselves as individuals, AWESOME. Then you should also then understand why you can't call "atheist" a "worldview."

Yes, I understand that. That is why I asked for clarification before when another individual objected to my use of that term, but I received no input as to how one would like for me to describe the said view. My reasoning is that it is how one views the world or their reality. If you want to get picky with words that's fine, but please instead of just telling me not to use it give me another way to refer to it. Thank you!

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Why isn't it an appropriate question?

Abaddon is merely trying to demonstrate why your logic is bad. What you are doing is selection bias. There are a myriad of god claims you rightfully reject. Try thinking about why you reject Zeus and not the one you believe to be true. 

Abaddon is merely saying you reject Zeus for the same reason Abaddon rejects the one you believe in. The only difference between a theist and an atheist is that we reject one more god claim than you do.

I'm a guess that it's because the question of why you hate God was a different thread.

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To be pedantic I believe in the concept of God, I just don't believe the concept is correct or refers to anything outside of the human mind. I suppose a major turning point was taking classes on world religions and logical fallacies in the same semester (in my mid thirties). Hilarity ensued.

Good morning Mister Agenda,

I do apologize I am just trying my best to stay within the guidelines, rules, and regulations on how we must conduct ourselves within these threads. I don't mean to be difficult I'm just trying to do what is right and respect the forums and everybody in them. Thank you for your post!

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God has His plan, His will. Those who want to follow Him, must abandon their plans and will. And thats isn't something I'm willing to do.

Why?

[Nay_Sayer]

I most certainly do. Furthermore, I've dedicated my life to spreading the good word.
RAmen

[purplepurpose]

Johndoe: Why?

To be honest with you. It's hard to do(abandon your own will). Insanely hard. It's much easier to survive till the end. And thats what I have been unconsciously, consciously trying to do.