Understanding Atheism

[we-live-now]

I apologize if this is the wrong spot to post this. I am curious.

I am trying to understand Atheism better. I believe most atheists are some of the most intelligent and sharpest people around.

(Just so you understand my viewpoint, I am a person who believes the Bible is God's word and literally true, but we simply can't see this hidden "true reality" yet. However, I don't like to call myself a "Christian" because they have so much religious garbage that man mixed in and has to "do".)

So, my question is this.

Do most atheists reject "God" because of the way he is portrayed by the broken and blind people called "Christians" who follow him/her? Or is it something else?

Let's say we could invent our own God who:

1) Is like the most loving father, brother, mother, best friend that most of us never had that we just wanted to be with all the time.
2) Is all powerful and all knowing and all sovereign with no "buts" ( and not "double-speak" like the Christians teach)
3) Loves us all truly unconditionally exactly as we are and simply wants to spend every moment loving us
4) Requires nothing of us in return (and if he did, he would give it to us)
5) Assures us that "all will see me and be with me one day" and no person will be left out regardless of their religion or beliefs.
6) Overlooks all your wrongs and mistakes but lovingly tries to help you with them.
7) Wants to give us all things and help him rule and reign

If there was such a God as this, would atheists want to be around him/her/it? Why or why not?

 

[Sha'irullah]

It simply comes down to all religions together not Christianity. The Bible is flawed and its origins are known well enough to say it is not divine. Atheists reject the existence of all gods or any based on the lack of evidence not on their emotional whims.
You can create the nicest god possible like Krishna for example and still an atheist would deny it because of the lack of evidence for this god's existence. That is it simply. Until evidence is provided an atheist will remain an atheist

 

[apophenia]

Let's say we could invent our own God who.....

If there was such a God as this, would atheists want to be around him/her/it? Why or why not?

That is a big if to an atheist. If there were a god such as this comes under the same category as "if you could go back in time and change your past ...".

But hypothetically ? If there were an all-powerful beneficent loving god would I 'want to be around * ?"

Of course.

I'm happy to engage in those feelings. Those feelings are called 'rasas' in hinduism. I engage my emotions, imagination and intentions in all sorts of ways. It can be very delightful, and often very supportive and healing.

So I don't think atheists lack a belief in god because they are inimical to those positive feelings. Although some may ... I can't presume. It's more an intellectual, rational mind thing. No evidence, no belief.

But there is certainly evidence that invoking positive images of nurturing, compassion etc is healthful for body and mind.

You might like to find out more about bhakti - hindu devotional yoga. It is all about that IMO.

And it is possible to engage in bhakti as an atheist - although many hindus would be appalled at that suggestion.

In Tibetan buddhism, their are 'deities' representing these qualities and feelings, which are visualised and even prayed to. But it is also taught that these deities are aspects of our own nature. So atheism need not exclude employing such practices and feelings.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Do most atheists reject "God" because of the way he is portrayed by the broken and blind people called "Christians" who follow him/her?

Yep. They are all just waiting to be bathed in the insight of a true intellect such as yours.

(Get over yourself.)​

 

[Drolefille]

Here's a question to challenge your assumptions, why do you focus on atheists not believing in the Christian god? Atheists don't believe in the Christian god, the Hindu gods, the Greek gods, etc.

I can't speak for anyone else, but personally I want to KNOW that deity exists. I want to believe, but cannot in lack of evidence. so if such a god existed as you describe, I'd still need the evidence.

 

[Deidre]

I'm a former theist, and identify as an atheist (with spiritual leanings as of late)
That said...atheism isn't really about rejecting 'god.' For me, it was more of a realization that the idea of god can only really be that...an idea. A subjective idea. For there is no objective proof of a deity's existence. Without proof, there only lies ideas...concepts...beliefs.

2+2 = 4 ...I don't believe it to be true, it just is true.

God exists...in as much as one believes him to. Atheism has showed me that reality can be scary without the crutch of religion helping me, but it has helped me rely on myself more, and grow. Not that religious people can't be introspective, but relying on a deity can cause a person to not learn how to think critically and independently. I grew up in a strict Christian household, so I speak from experience.

 

[Jumi]

Do most atheists reject "God" because of the way he is portrayed by the broken and blind people called "Christians" who follow him/her? Or is it something else?

It's because I have no reason to believe.

1) Is like the most loving father, brother, mother, best friend that most of us never had that we just wanted to be with all the time.
2) Is all powerful and all knowing and all sovereign with no "buts" ( and not "double-speak" like the Christians teach)
3) Loves us all truly unconditionally exactly as we are and simply wants to spend every moment loving us
4) Requires nothing of us in return (and if he did, he would give it to us)
5) Assures us that "all will see me and be with me one day" and no person will be left out regardless of their religion or beliefs.
6) Overlooks all your wrongs and mistakes but lovingly tries to help you with them.
7) Wants to give us all things and help him rule and reign

If there was such a God as this, would atheists want to be around him/her/it? Why or why not?

Why would he have created evil and made bad things happen to us if he was perfect and loving?

What would stop an all powerful god from being with us?

Why would an all powerful god need our help to rule?

 

[Nietzsche]

I speak as an pagan who lives as an atheist;

I want a God(read as, the Christo-Islamic Creator Interventionist) who I know to be there, not ones who show up every 1 out of 9,999,999,999,999 times. I want a God who don't let the world turn to **** and allow 6 or more million people to die FOR NOTHING. I want a God who will give me comfort as I suffer.

Give me that and I'll worship. If not, if s/he exists and doesn't do that, I will rebel. Satan can not possibly be worse. In fact, he is better, because atleast he has the balls to say "This shouldn't be".

 

[Bunyip]

I apologize if this is the wrong spot to post this. I am curious.

I am trying to understand Atheism better. I believe most atheists are some of the most intelligent and sharpest people around.

(Just so you understand my viewpoint, I am a person who believes the Bible is God's word and literally true, but we simply can't see this hidden "true reality" yet. However, I don't like to call myself a "Christian" because they have so much religious garbage that man mixed in and has to "do".)

So, my question is this.

Do most atheists reject "God" because of the way he is portrayed by the broken and blind people called "Christians" who follow him/her? Or is it something else?

Great questions. For me it is simply the lack of evidence that stands between me and belief in the existence of a god.

Let's say we could invent our own God who:

1) Is like the most loving father, brother, mother, best friend that most of us never had that we just wanted to be with all the time.
2) Is all powerful and all knowing and all sovereign with no "buts" ( and not "double-speak" like the Christians teach)
3) Loves us all truly unconditionally exactly as we are and simply wants to spend every moment loving us
4) Requires nothing of us in return (and if he did, he would give it to us)
5) Assures us that "all will see me and be with me one day" and no person will be left out regardless of their religion or beliefs.
6) Overlooks all your wrongs and mistakes but lovingly tries to help you with them.
7) Wants to give us all things and help him rule and reign

If there was such a God as this, would atheists want to be around him/her/it? Why or why not?

Well no, and I don't mean to offend you - but you are describing some sort of all powerful parent, I would not want to hang around him mainly because I am an adult and do not need a parent any more - I am a parent.

 

[Valjean]

Why do you say atheists reject God? Most atheists are pretty much indifferent to God.

 

[Bunyip]

Why do you say atheists reject God? Most atheists are pretty much indifferent to God.

I would think that if one rejects god, you could not by definition be atheist. To reject god infers that you believe it exists.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Do most atheists reject "God" because of the way he is portrayed by the broken and blind people called "Christians" who follow him/her? Or is it something else?

I'm an atheist, by default, since I don't believe in any deities, regardless the religion. However, I do believe in the supernatural and have religious practices.

In my experience and witnessing many ( I wont say all ) atheist have some sort of experience, perspective, or finding knew knowledge that makes them leave Christianity. I was at a Buddhist meeting and one person said he used to be Catholic. Since Buddhist don't believe in God, they are atheists. He said he was glad that he can find happiness from within himself rather than looking outside himself. He says that he feels that he is more centered in life. He doesn't have to look up to a Supreme being because he realize that it is within his own nature to make himself grounded in life.

I rarely hear any atheist who never had any experience with any organized religion and concluded they didn't believe without calling themselves an atheist.

Also, when you reject someone.. you normally know who they are and that they exist. Since an atheist does not know God and does not believe He exist, there is no reason they would reject Him. I think this line of "rejection" thinking is very insulting because it's telling the atheist he/she made a messed up decision (which some aren't decisions) and they are going to hell for not believing what the Christian believes.

If God existed in the way scripture defines Him, I would not want to believe Him because of several things:

Let's say we could invent our own God who:

1) Is like the most loving father, brother, mother, best friend that most of us never had that we just wanted to be with all the time.

I have a loving mother on earth. I have a family both in spirit and living. We are all interconnected as One. I am one with all people as I interact with them. In my signature it says that many people don't have a term for God because God is life itself. God is in the food we eat; in the water drink; in the everything and everywhere (not animism). Why look up to a Supreme God when you are already interacting with God by living life itself?

That's my point of view. Maybe another atheist would say that he/she has their own set of morals they live by. They feel loved already, how does being supernatural make love any different than getting it from your own family member?

2) Is all powerful and all knowing and all sovereign with no "buts" ( and not "double-speak" like the Christians teach)
3) Loves us all truly unconditionally exactly as we are and simply wants to spend every moment loving us
4) Requires nothing of us in return (and if he did, he would give it to us)
5) Assures us that "all will see me and be with me one day" and no person will be left out regardless of their religion or beliefs.

6) Overlooks all your wrongs and mistakes but lovingly tries to help you with them.

I'm sure an atheist would consider number six. However, that's not reality. We have consequences to our mistakes even IF its eternal.
7) Wants to give us all things and help him rule and reign

If there was such a God as this, would atheists want to be around him/her/it? Why or why not?

I wouldn't because I see spirituality as natural. I don't see there needing to be a Supreme being to know that we are part of one Spirit. We can call that Spirit who or whatever we like. There is so much fancy things in Christiantiy that the basic message is lost in the golden gates and white horses.

Also, Christians should represent Christ rather than try to defend scripture. As such, when an atheist talks to a Christian in a sense they should be talking to Christ. Given a lot of Christians have differing opinions good and bad about their own faith, that is another reason why many atheist don't consider trying to belief; too much controversy.

 

[apophenia]

Why do you say atheists reject God? Most atheists are pretty much indifferent to God.

It's impossible to be indifferent towards something one does not believe exists. So perhaps better to say indifferent to ideas about god ?

.

 

[apophenia]

I have a loving mother on earth. I have a family both in spirit and living. We are all interconnected as One. I am one with all people as I interact with them. In my signature it says that many people don't have a term for God because God is life itself. God is in the food we eat; in the water drink; in the everything and everywhere (not animism). Why look up to a Supreme God when you are already interacting with God by living life itself?

That's my point of view. Maybe another atheist would say that he/she has their own set of morals they live by. They feel loved already, how does being supernatural make love any different than getting it from your own family member?

Lovely. Clearly said from the heart.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Lovely. Clearly said from the heart.

Thank you.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Lovely. Clearly said from the heart.

I too like that.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

To reject god infers that you believe it exists.

I think it's more like rejecting the existence of god.

 

[LuisDantas]

Do most atheists reject "God" because of the way he is portrayed by the broken and blind people called "Christians" who follow him/her? Or is it something else?

Christianity is a tremendous boost to atheism, but for the most part it is something else. Many of us just don't have affinity nor use for the concept, except to occasionally defend ourselves from its assumption.

Let's say we could invent our own God who:

1) Is like the most loving father, brother, mother, best friend that most of us never had that we just wanted to be with all the time.
2) Is all powerful and all knowing and all sovereign with no "buts" ( and not "double-speak" like the Christians teach)
3) Loves us all truly unconditionally exactly as we are and simply wants to spend every moment loving us
4) Requires nothing of us in return (and if he did, he would give it to us)
5) Assures us that "all will see me and be with me one day" and no person will be left out regardless of their religion or beliefs.
6) Overlooks all your wrongs and mistakes but lovingly tries to help you with them.
7) Wants to give us all things and help him rule and reign

If there was such a God as this, would atheists want to be around him/her/it? Why or why not?

I do already. You are describing a Boddhisatva. An odd all-powerful one (thanks to the second item), but a Boddhisatva all the same.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Regarding op.

It's due to the fact that information such as that of there being a god is introduced by which before, there was no such introduction at the start by any sort of deity.

Atheism imc is simply returning to what's original and letting god himself/herself /itself actually make the introductions provided of course any god is there to even make one. Human descriptions and allusion is not enough if they are the only ones doing all the talking with nothing going on anywhere else.

Otherwise there is just simply no god to speak of and the matter is settled by default.

 

[rstrats]

Although not specifically stated as such, it seems that there could be some posters here that may think that beliefs can be consciously chosen. I wonder if that is true? I define belief as a conviction - without any doubt - that someone or something does or doesn't exist or that a certain proposition is or isn't true.