Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Starboy · 09-02-2003, 07:12 PM

I am an atheist because:

1) The best explanation for the supernatural claims of the religious is human nature.

2) The lack of anything claimed to be supernatural that can't be explained by natural means.

3) The desperate claims of various religions vs. the almost perfect harmony of science, to the point where investigators on opposite sides of the globe completely unaware of one another often produce the same results. If there were a supernatural wouldn't religion have much better agreement?

4) The natural claims that religion is necessary for peace and harmony and the very obvious condition of war and strife due primarily to religion.

There are more but for any sane person any one of these would be enough.

Starboy

NonHomogenized · 09-02-2003, 07:15 PM

I chose 'other', for two reasons. First, I didn't choose atheism. I became an atheist. Second, and more important, it was a lack of any reason to believe, other than other people's fantasies. It's not just a lack of physical evidence; it's a lack of any reason to do so. Ok, so there's no evidence of an afterlife, that means I won't believe in it, but it goes beyond that. Why should there be an afterlife? How would the existence of an afterlife change the way the universe works and looks? How would it change my life? Are any expected changes reflected in reality? If there were a god, what possible motivation would it have to do the things it appearantly does, and not do some of the things it appearantly does not? All these questions and more, I asked, and, eventually, realized the whole idea was a silly bunch of fabrications, imaginings, and delusions.

Ottman Out · 09-02-2003, 09:17 PM

I chose "other". It's been over 25 years since I "converted", and I don't remember with certainty all the reasons. In fact, I don't think I really "chose" atheism in the sense of weighing the pros and cons; I think all the doubts gnawed away in my subconscious and one day (as a teenager) I consciously realized that I no longer believed in God.

I think the lack of physical evidence, and the lack of any obvious effects from attending church or praying, started to prepare me. Then other reasons came into play. The multitude of religions, and the fact that which religion a person adheres to is largely an accident of birth, was a major reason, especially given the Christian idea that non-Christians will burn in Hell. The unbelievability of the Christian story, that God would have a chosen people and then change the covenant by becoming a particular man living in a small corner of the world, struck me at some point. I think my studying of the theory of evolution may have been the final straw, but perhaps by then I was already an atheist (at least a weak one).

BTW, there is already an "atheists' testimony" thread in Secular Lifestyles (it's always near the top of the forum).

Queen of Swords · 09-02-2003, 09:25 PM

Why am I an atheist? I read the bible.

MadMez · 09-02-2003, 09:46 PM

When I finally looked at myself in the mirror and, with grim thoughts of how alone I as a sentient being was, descided that I'd think with my mind and speak with my mouth (instead of heart and arse) and make my own mind up about life by treating "faith" and "belief" like the imposters they are...

It came and chose me.

EGGO · 09-02-2003, 10:26 PM

I didn't choose to become an atheist; it was seeing whatever 'proof' religions had for themselves.

Then I looked at Christianity in an objective view, then after that, I compared it to a cult.

Guess what? No difference recall.

So I wouldn't say it was JUST lack of physical evidence, it was lack of logic.

And here I am.

Insomniac Dreams · 09-03-2003, 03:35 AM

I'm an atheist because the bible shoudl only be called the good book with the greatest of irony.

Barcode · 09-03-2003, 07:21 AM

Why?

I don't even recall making a " conscious " choice -- Christian stories and other religious myths never seemed plausible to me. I honestly thought it was some kind of game like Santa Claus that adults made up when I was a kid.

Nothing much has changed .....

Rusting Car Bumper · 09-03-2003, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by spacer1
I was wondering how many of the atheists here chose their atheism due to the lack of physical evidence of any "being" in the observable world, or whether there were, perhaps, other reasons for choosing atheism.

I didn't choose my atheism. I no more choose to be an atheist than I choose to believe that I have 6 fingers on one hand.

The fact is that many beliefs are not chosen and we are often compelled to believe (or not) as we do.

DC

TomboyMom · 09-03-2003, 09:02 AM

Main reason: It seemed to me that the definition of God was itself meaningless. If God cannot be perceived with any sense, then to me that is the same as not existing, therefore God does not exist.

Other reasons:
Naturalistic explanations now available for existence of cosmos and humanity are sufficiently explanatory.

I have never seen a shred of evidence for the existence of any god.

Multiple conflicting organized religions smack of superstition and exploitation.

Rene

View Poll Results: Why did you choose atheism?
Lack of physical evidence	58	69.05%
Other	26	30.95%
Voters: 84. You may not vote on this poll

09-02-2003, 09:46 PM	#25
MadMez Regular Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Bend, OR, USA Posts: 360	I think it chose me.... When I finally looked at myself in the mirror and, with grim thoughts of how alone I as a sentient being was, descided that I'd think with my mind and speak with my mouth (instead of heart and arse) and make my own mind up about life by treating "faith" and "belief" like the imposters they are... It came and chose me.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

09-02-2003, 07:12 PM	#21
Starboy Banned Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Tallahassee, FL Reality Adventurer Posts: 5,276	I am an atheist because: 1) The best explanation for the supernatural claims of the religious is human nature. 2) The lack of anything claimed to be supernatural that can't be explained by natural means. 3) The desperate claims of various religions vs. the almost perfect harmony of science, to the point where investigators on opposite sides of the globe completely unaware of one another often produce the same results. If there were a supernatural wouldn't religion have much better agreement? 4) The natural claims that religion is necessary for peace and harmony and the very obvious condition of war and strife due primarily to religion. There are more but for any sane person any one of these would be enough. Starboy

09-02-2003, 07:15 PM	#22
NonHomogenized Veteran Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: no longer at IIDB Posts: 1,644	I chose 'other', for two reasons. First, I didn't choose atheism. I became an atheist. Second, and more important, it was a lack of any reason to believe, other than other people's fantasies. It's not just a lack of physical evidence; it's a lack of any reason to do so. Ok, so there's no evidence of an afterlife, that means I won't believe in it, but it goes beyond that. Why should there be an afterlife? How would the existence of an afterlife change the way the universe works and looks? How would it change my life? Are any expected changes reflected in reality? If there were a god, what possible motivation would it have to do the things it appearantly does, and not do some of the things it appearantly does not? All these questions and more, I asked, and, eventually, realized the whole idea was a silly bunch of fabrications, imaginings, and delusions.

09-02-2003, 09:17 PM	#23
Ottman Out Regular Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Canada's capital Posts: 194	I chose "other". It's been over 25 years since I "converted", and I don't remember with certainty all the reasons. In fact, I don't think I really "chose" atheism in the sense of weighing the pros and cons; I think all the doubts gnawed away in my subconscious and one day (as a teenager) I consciously realized that I no longer believed in God. I think the lack of physical evidence, and the lack of any obvious effects from attending church or praying, started to prepare me. Then other reasons came into play. The multitude of religions, and the fact that which religion a person adheres to is largely an accident of birth, was a major reason, especially given the Christian idea that non-Christians will burn in Hell. The unbelievability of the Christian story, that God would have a chosen people and then change the covenant by becoming a particular man living in a small corner of the world, struck me at some point. I think my studying of the theory of evolution may have been the final straw, but perhaps by then I was already an atheist (at least a weak one). BTW, there is already an "atheists' testimony" thread in Secular Lifestyles (it's always near the top of the forum).

09-02-2003, 09:25 PM	#24
Queen of Swords Contributor Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Canada. Finally. Posts: 10,155	Why am I an atheist? I read the bible.

09-02-2003, 10:26 PM	#26
EGGO Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Amerrka Posts: 688	I didn't choose to become an atheist; it was seeing whatever 'proof' religions had for themselves. Then I looked at Christianity in an objective view, then after that, I compared it to a cult. Guess what? No difference recall. So I wouldn't say it was JUST lack of physical evidence, it was lack of logic. And here I am.

09-03-2003, 03:35 AM	#27
Insomniac Dreams Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: UK Posts: 101	I'm an atheist because the bible shoudl only be called the good book with the greatest of irony.

09-03-2003, 07:21 AM	#28
Barcode Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Portugal Posts: 633	Why? I don't even recall making a " conscious " choice -- Christian stories and other religious myths never seemed plausible to me. I honestly thought it was some kind of game like Santa Claus that adults made up when I was a kid. Nothing much has changed .....

09-03-2003, 09:02 AM	#30
TomboyMom Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 10,931	Main reason: It seemed to me that the definition of God was itself meaningless. If God cannot be perceived with any sense, then to me that is the same as not existing, therefore God does not exist. Other reasons: Naturalistic explanations now available for existence of cosmos and humanity are sufficiently explanatory. I have never seen a shred of evidence for the existence of any god. Multiple conflicting organized religions smack of superstition and exploitation. Rene

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.