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The Paradox of Atheism and God

PoetPhilosopher

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
Some people may think that atheism is the rejection of God, but what if atheism could actually incidentally end up the path to God? What if God exists, but not in the way that most religions claim? What if God is not a personal being, but a transcendent reality that can only be experienced through reason, logic, and evidence? Something which some atheists seem to be very familiar with.

Some people may say that atheists are doomed to hell for not following the Bible, but what is hell? Is it a literal place of fire and torment, or is it a metaphor for the suffering and despair that we create for ourselves and others? Is hell something that God imposes on us, or something that we impose on ourselves? Is hell eternal, or can it be overcome?

Perhaps hell is just especially real if one makes it a fear of theirs and a mental reality. Perhaps hell is the result of ignorance, hatred, and violence. Perhaps hell is the absence of love, compassion, and peace. Perhaps hell is not something that awaits us after death, but something that we experience in life.

If that is the case, then atheism may very well be the path to God. By rejecting the false and harmful notions of God that are propagated by some religions, atheists may be closer to the true nature of God than those who blindly follow them. By seeking truth and knowledge through reason and evidence, atheists "may" potentially be able to glimpse the divine order and beauty of the universe. By living morally and ethically without fear or coercion, atheists may be able to express the love and kindness that are the essence of God. In my opinion.

Maybe God does not care about what we believe, but about what we do. Maybe God does not want us to worship him, but to respect him. Maybe God does not demand our obedience, but our freedom.

Maybe atheism is not fully the rejection of God, but may end up one of many paths to the discovery of God.
 
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Heyo

Heyo

Veteran Member
PoetPhilosopher said:
Atheists don't worship anything, but they value truth, knowledge, and morality. Atheists don't follow any scriptures or dogmas, but they use their own rationality and conscience to guide their actions. Atheists don't fear any eternal judgment, but they accept the consequences of their choices and actions on their own.
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You are assuming quite some things about atheists which are not warranted. Some people who happen to be atheists use rationality and value truth, knowledge and morality - but that is not because they are atheists. Atheism doesn't require anything but that the number of gods you believe in is zero.
 
ChristineM

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
PoetPhilosopher said:
Some people may think that atheism is the rejection of God, but what if atheism is actually the path to God? What if God exists, but not in the way that most religions claim? What if God is not a personal being, but a transcendent reality that can only be experienced through reason, logic, and evidence?

Atheism is not a belief system, but a lack of belief in any gods or supernatural entities. Atheists don't worship anything, but they value truth, knowledge, and morality. Atheists don't follow any scriptures or dogmas, but they use their own rationality and conscience to guide their actions. Atheists don't fear any eternal judgment, but they accept the consequences of their choices and actions on their own.

Some people may say that atheists are doomed to hell for not following the Bible, but what is hell? Is it a literal place of fire and torment, or is it a metaphor for the suffering and despair that we create for ourselves and others? Is hell something that God imposes on us, or something that we impose on ourselves? Is hell eternal, or can it be overcome?

Perhaps hell is just especially real if one makes it a fear of theirs and a mental reality. Perhaps hell is the result of ignorance, hatred, and violence. Perhaps hell is the absence of love, compassion, and peace. Perhaps hell is not something that awaits us after death, but something that we experience in life.

If that is the case, then atheism may very well be the path to God. By rejecting the false and harmful notions of God that are propagated by some religions, atheists may be closer to the true nature of God than those who blindly follow them. By seeking truth and knowledge through reason and evidence, atheists "may" potentially be able to glimpse the divine order and beauty of the universe. By living morally and ethically without fear or coercion, atheists may be able to express the love and kindness that are the essence of God. In my opinion.

Maybe God does not care about what we believe, but about what we do. Maybe God does not want us to worship him, but to respect him. Maybe God does not demand our obedience, but our freedom.

Maybe atheism is not the rejection of God, but the discovery of God. And that might lead to some unhappy theists, and a few unhappy atheists, alike.
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Atheism : disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.

Nothing more, nothing less.
 
PoetPhilosopher

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
Heyo said:
You are assuming quite some things about atheists which are not warranted. Some people who happen to be atheists use rationality and value truth, knowledge and morality - but that is not because they are atheists. Atheism doesn't require anything but that the number of gods you believe in is zero.
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Which leads to semantics games, even if other statements have points. Which leads me to renounce my acceptance of Atheism.
 
PoetPhilosopher

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
I now know where I stand:

Screenshot_20230924-092400~3.png

Screenshot_20230924-092426~3.png

Honestly, you can't fault people for telling the truth, though. Some truths are harder than others. And the onus is on me to accept them - not others.
 
PoetPhilosopher

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
McBell said:
Things are not always that simple.
However, it has been my experience that people tend to make things much more complicated then they are need to be
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And in my case, those complications provided context and without them, I don't see the same merits.
 
PoetPhilosopher

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
I wanted to apologize. Sometimes, asking provocative questions isn't necessary, if you don't properly understand all of the other side's views to begin with.
 
ChristineM

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
PoetPhilosopher said:
Actually, I know where this will lead.

You'll post the Dictionary definition.

And I'll say "You know that statement is true how?"
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Because they all agree it is the accepted definition. Of course you can make up whatever bs massages your ego but it does not change the definition.

Oh and i am one, it's how i live and how all the atheists I know (quite a few) live.
 
PoetPhilosopher

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
ChristineM said:
You are not earning any brownie points here?
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I formerly considered myself non-theist due to thinking that the ideas surrounding atheism could be conceptualized and discussed openly, but now I changed my mind to agnostic, realizing that atheism is a specific position that hides behind a definition and neither wants praise nor criticism or scrutiny, but that being said, I still deeply apologize for any offense taken, especially at myself going to lengths to describe what I saw in most atheists.

As for brownie points, let it land where it may.
 
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