Why Are Athiests So Obsessed With God?

[slotty]

But they have an opinion about something tangible, not a collection of stories passed down along the ages with all the distortion that that would bring.

 

[Brutus1964]

The purpose of this thread was not to offend but to get atheists to really think about why they are atheists.

Are you an atheist because of a lack of evidence, or evidence you perceive to be in the contrary? Are you just turned off by the concept of God because of how religions and people portray him? Are you angry with God for your own misery or the misery of the world?

 

[slotty]

I do not wish to offend either. I'm atheist because of the total , utter lack of any evidence whatsoever. I am amazed how so many people in a free society in the west can be so indoctrinated by stuff written by men a couple of thousand years ago, so yes i'm turned off by the way your god/gods are portrayed. On your final point, i am a very happy individual, and all the misery in the world is caused by man, an awful lot of the time using religion to minipulate the masses.

 

[marv]

Like it or not, religions - at least the major ones - play a prominent part in our everyday lives. So it pays to learn about all the various gods that Protestants, Catholics, muslims, and what have you, when that inevitable moment comes when:

Friend: What church do you go to, marv?

Me: None.

Friend: Well, what religion are you? I'm sure there's a church in the....

Me: (interrupting) Well, I'm sure there's a lot of churches in the area that...

Friend: (interrupting) Well, say, why don't you and the missus join us this Sunday and....

Me (interrupting): Thanks for the offer, but I don't think so. I started to tell you that I'm an atheist.

Friend: Aw, there's no such thing as an atheist....

...and the "discussion" begins!​

 

[Neildo]

Athiests aren't obsessed with God, they're just sick and tired of the sheep mentality caused by religion. So obviously if one is to try and snap them out of it, they have to attack the root of the problem.

- N

 

[Michael]

I must ask this question. Why are atheists so obsessed with God?

Most are not and don't give two cents. However, come to a Religous Forum and you may find a few.

If you do not believe in him why do you expend so much energy thinking about him and those that do believe?

Again, most I know don't spend really ANY significant amount of time thinking about Gods at all.

It seems to me that a true atheist would be neutral on the entire subject.

True atheist?

Sore ha nan desu ka

There are any number of reasons,

- some people feel a lot of resentment for having had spent so many years of their life wasted worrying about this imaginary thingy (feeling either guilty or immoral or punishing themselves for this or that or maybe being severely manipulated by people in the church, etc. . . .)

- some people just have an interest in religion

- yeah, I like the one, I can’t very well go up to someone in the parking lot and comment on their idiotic bumper-sticker and moronic beliefs

- many know that the church has a lot of support and money and can ultimately effect our lives if we don’t get out there and do something about it.

So there are a whole host of reasons . . . . .

But, really, the last one is the one I worry about the most. Especially with someone like GW Bush in the Whitehouse – it’s a serious concern. I imagine that GW is exactly the type of person the founding fathers were concerned about when writing our constitution.

I think it is a test of their abilities and ours that we’ve lasted this long. And we need to continue their fight and get out there and make sure the law is upheld and these religious nutters are held at bay. Forums like this allow like minded people to come together and discuss the more serious and sinister side to the lovey-dovey-church.

But, also, it is interesting to discuss religion, weather monotheistic or poly or Buddhist etc. . . . . If you’re a history buff I think that you’d have to have some interest in religion as it has had such a major effect on our history.

 

[Cris]

Water,

So where are your guns, nukes, WMD's, biological weapons etc.?
You fight *people* with words, or what? And they are to fear your words ... because you are ... who exactly?

Logic and reason are independent of the proponent or reputation of the speaker, so who I am is irrelevant since the strength of logic can stand on its own. It isn’t fear that is sought but the hope that the victims of religion will find a way to penetrate the dark veil of their indoctrination and see the ludicrous nature of their theistic fantasies. The only weapon is an appeal to theists to think clearly.

 

[Godless]

OUCH!!.

well said Chris.

Brutus I din't become an atheist overnight, I've been an atheist for over 20 years, I've been a catholic by family religion, a babtist by the late teens and a christian in my early twenties, I have a very inquisitive mind, and none of those denominations could answer my question. WHERE IS GOD?.

God is said to be in the heart of men. they said!.
I watched men kill, rape, molest children, start wars killing thousands. Oviously the heart of man did not have any god.

Why come to a religious forum?. Well this is Sci-Forums, the "sci" stands for SCIENCE!!.
Religion is discused here with an open mind, mainly to open THEISTS MINDS!. Case in Point the (Defender of Faith) SouthStar became an atheist in this forum so has Medicine Woman, amongs others that have visited our pages but hardly post. Is it our mission to change your mind? No. Most atheist come from a religious background, most atheists hardly know physically anyone else to be atheist, so we discuss here amongs our peers. science, religion, politics, etc...

G.

 

[Raithere]

I must ask this question. Why are atheists so obsessed with God?

Religion is simply another form of human expression. It springs from our tendency to anthropomorphize the world around us.

As a human, I am interested in all forms of human expression.

~Raithere

 

[Q25]

Are you an atheist because of a lack of evidence, or evidence you perceive to be in the contrary?

born and raised actualy

Are you just turned off by the concept of God because of how religions and people portray him?

Xian God is too contradictory to be real.
Im just very surprised/disapointed that theists somehow cannot realize/comprehend this.

Are you angry with God for your own misery or the misery of the world?

my life was pretty happy so far,mostly b/c I believe in myself.
ups and downs I take it as it comes and try not to worry about anything bad too long.
and I know that when you need a helping hand you'll find one at the end of your arm!
god is something that belongs to the long distant past before people discovered science.
God doesnt do anything,cause it doesnt exist.

 

[cole grey]

Athiests aren't obsessed with God, they're just sick and tired of the sheep mentality caused by religion. So obviously if one is to try and snap them out of it, they have to attack the root of the problem.

- N

I would say that the "defect" you're sick and tired of is in the human, regardless of the existence of religion. Look at the other life forms on this planet - primates, wolves, and... sheep, for example. They don't have religion. Athiests are just like theists, they are able to use biological principles when convenient, and ignore them when they are not.
Doesn't the atheist say, "we are animals,"
and then say, "religion makes us act like animals, following our pack leaders for safety from the unknown."
Please let me know what the atheist perspective is that does not adhere to both of those statements, because I'm sure all athiests must not be using that logic.


This is a very good answer to BRUTUS' question...

Most are not and don't give two cents. However, come to a Religous Forum and you may find a few.
Again, most I know don't spend really ANY significant amount of time thinking about Gods at all.

True atheist?
Sore ha nan desu ka

Can I ask you, what is the meaning of "ha"? And also, what is the meaning of the whole sentence together sentence, as I have just barely begun to learn Japanese.

 

[Michael]

Can I ask you, what is the meaning of "ha"? And also, what is the meaning of the whole sentence together sentence, as I have just barely begun to learn Japanese.

Yeah, I just started teaching myself Japanese about a year ago. I can somewhat read/write the kana, albeit only just. But my spoken Japanese is really beginning to pickup.

About the "ha". I have a number of Japanese friends and sometimes I tease them by saying “What That?” Often they shorten their sentences to the essential, yet they always want me to help them with their English, so instead of correcting them, when they leave out a few words, I say: “What That” and we laugh. Why I typed it? This is what happens when you sit all day in a HOT as office and try to type a publication – loopy

Anyway, I’m not perfectly sure of it, but "sore ha nan desu ka" (pronounced and perhaps it can also be written in romanji as "sore wa nan desu ka") means “What is that?” The particle “ha” is pronounced “wa”.

If your interested in Japanese IM me and next week I can send you some info.

 

[one_raven]

If the majority of people believed that eating a tea leaf could cure cancer, despite there being absolutely no evidence that it did, then I would classify myself as an atealeafist and debate with tealeafists about their beliefs.

A lot of atheists I have met think of it as much more serious than simply that.
They believe, and I agree with them, that religions have historically caused much more harm than good to mankind and society.
Many of them see it as almost a responsibility to do what they can to rid humanity of the delusional ravings that cause so much strife and difficulty.

Also, it's not so much about whether or not the tea leaf would cure cancer, it is that they insist that all people eat those tea leaves because of THEIR belief system.
Beyond that, however, is the common atheistic belief that the tea leaves that are being force-fed to them actually cause cancer, rather than cure it.

 

[Lemming3k]

Are you an atheist because of a lack of evidence, or evidence you perceive to be in the contrary?

Theres a distinct lack of evidence and logic in my opinion, amongst other reasons.

Are you just turned off by the concept of God because of how religions and people portray him?

Well they dont exactly help.

Are you angry with God for your own misery or the misery of the world?

Not at all, i dont believe in god so i dont blame him for anything, any misery is caused by humans, likewise with happiness, but really my life just works fine without a god in it.

 

[the preacher]

prester john :welcome and " Because of the effect that the followers of these mythical beings have on the world." well put.
emphasis on the followers, delusional fundis, big danger.

 

[Brutus1964]

A lot of atheists I have met think of it as much more serious than simply that.
They believe, and I agree with them, that religions have historically caused much more harm than good to mankind and society.
Many of them see it as almost a responsibility to do what they can to rid humanity of the delusional ravings that cause so much strife and difficulty.

Also, it's not so much about whether or not the tea leaf would cure cancer, it is that they insist that all people eat those tea leaves because of THEIR belief system.
Beyond that, however, is the common atheistic belief that the tea leaves that are being force-fed to them actually cause cancer, rather than cure it.

Yea besides bringing us language, writing, reading, education, art, music, moral values, justice, civilization, democracy, freedom, and order what good has religion ever done for us?

 

[one_raven]

Yea besides bringing us language, writing, reading, education, art, music, moral values, justice, civilization, democracy, freedom, and order what good has religion ever done for us?

I would like to suggest you start another thread with that very statement and we can have it out in there.

 

[Tiassa]

Post removed to new topic.

 

[guthrie]

Yea besides bringing us language, writing, reading, education, art, music, moral values, justice, civilization, democracy, freedom, and order what good has religion ever done for us?

I second One Raven, would you like to start a thread on that, explaining your reasoning and evidence behind the satement?
(If your logic is that all things come from God, therefore all these do as well, then theres not much we can actually say except "Which god?")

Tiassa, what thread have you started and where?

 

[Tiassa]

I haven't, actually. Brutus followed up on One Raven's suggestion ... click here for the new topic.