Why I don't believe in "God"

[Beaudreaux]

I am sorry to hear that you were saddened, but can take a positive learning away from it. Praying to God, Allah, Buddah or Santa Claus is no more effective than not praying at all. It upsets me that people are told different and lead down a path of disappointment.

I read that someone commented that you had incorrect expectations of God. I don't know what you prayed for, but let's assume it was something purely good. Perhaps a loved one was ill and you asked God to remove their illness and suffering, as many people do everyday. The Bible is clear that God will answer prayers (Matthew 7:7, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:24, John 14:12-14, Matthew 18:19 and James 5:15-16). What possible reason could he have for not granting a good request? The answer, sadly, is obvious.

 

[Heneni]

Don't give up. You lived without the tooth fairy and you can live without a belief in God. It's actually rather freeing in the long run. You get to decide what you believe based on your knowledge, not what someone has told you. :yes:

You have to admit though...that if god was only an illusion..you would be hard pressed to explain why you experience the feeling of 'freedom' from something that does not exist?

 

[Alla Prima]

I am sorry to hear that you were saddened, but can take a positive learning away from it. Praying to God, Allah, Buddah or Santa Claus is no more effective than not praying at all. It upsets me that people are told different and lead down a path of disappointment.

I read that someone commented that you had incorrect expectations of God. I don't know what you prayed for, but let's assume it was something purely good. Perhaps a loved one was ill and you asked God to remove their illness and suffering, as many people do everyday. The Bible is clear that God will answer prayers (Matthew 7:7, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:24, John 14:12-14, Matthew 18:19 and James 5:15-16). What possible reason could he have for not granting a good request? The answer, sadly, is obvious.

Except prayer makes us better people. Tempers our arrogance and helps us realize our compassion for others. Just don't expect instant results.

 

[Heneni]

I am not an Atheist let me start off by saying. I believe in an afterlife, I don't believe in God anymore at all. I was always on and off about the existence of God, not closed minded at all....I even prayed from time to time. Here is my story:

I have always had a hard life since birth basically. This isn't a sob story, this is just some info on my past. Last week something devastating happened to me, it was the final straw. I won't get into details but it was/is very traumatic for me. I cried longer/harder than I have in my life and it was the first time I really really wanted to die. I am a strong person and I have dealt with a lot, but this was the ONLY thing I had left in my life.

After about a full day/night of sobbing in bed, I woke up and got desperate. I started to pray. I prayed like I have never prayed before. I prayed for a miracle and that God would help me and not let this nightmare be true (nobody died so I wasn't asking for someone to come back to life or anything impossible). I began to read up on religions.. yes me, someone who was always against bible belts. I began to meditate, pray NON stop..I literally prayed probably hundreds of times within one week alone. Long heart felt prayers. Not just asking him to help me and nothing more. I promised I would change my ways, I would become more spiritual..I would pray every single day of my life, I would do anything...if he please just helped me. For the first time I felt close to "God".

Inside I felt like I had changed, I began to believe "God" would actually help me. I felt positive, I felt spiritual and connected to "God". I prayed to him, I wrote to him, I talked to him and told him everything. I even apologized for every sin I have ever committed. I was fully prepared to be a spiritual person, and to change my ways. I felt things were going good and God was going to give me a chance. Today I took a huge blow.

God did NOT do a damn thing to help me. God officially let my misery come true. After everything I have been through, he took the one thing I had away from me. After my prayers, after I felt how much I had changed, after everything was going well. I was fooled. I tricked myself into believing there was a "God" helping me. That I was actually talking to someone who cared about me and was going to help me if I prayed hard enough, repented my sins and changed my ways. I believed that "God" was there. He was NEVER there.

Now I feel broken, I feel dead inside. I have lost every single thing that meant something to me in my life. The odd thing is, I am not only talking about what happened to me. I lost "God" too. I felt like he was a friend for the first time, I felt like I could get help from him. I turned to this invisible being and I did every single thing I could to get help from him. There is no God. I am so beyond sick of people making excuses saying "God works in mysterious ways". I am also sick of people saying "If it wasn't in God's will, it won't happen." That is an EXCUSE. That is something you say when your prayers don't come true, and when they consequently do...it's all "praise God".

I don't care what you all believe I am not in any way trying to convince you to believe what I do. But now I am positive there is NO God. This was the final straw. I am done trying to convince myself that something exists when I have absolutely nothing in my life to show me he does. No God would be this cruel. There are coincidences in life and there is luck.

What you have experienced isnt uncommon among many people who search for god. But god does not come to us on our terms. It is his terms that matter. And the first thing you have to do...is abandon all preconcieved ideas that god will do whatever you greatly desire for him to do. God will do what he knows is needed. And the wisdom you are looking for is WHY he did not anwer your call. God deams your spiritual growth important. And he is truly a god who sticks with the loyal. If this situation has thrown you of course, then get back on course. As job said 'even though he slay me, yet will i trust in him.' Ask yourself whether you are able to still love god, no matter what he does or does not do for you. God loved you and moved heaven and earth for you, while you were still a sinner and while you were still dead in your sin. God does not have to do anything we want him to do. God will however do his will for your life, if you give up the notion of believing that what you think is necessary is indeed necessary.

Heneni

 

[challupa]

You have to admit though...that if god was only an illusion..you would be hard pressed to explain why you experience the feeling of 'freedom' from something that does not exist?

For me it's really a freedom from dogma not from God. I don't need to be tied into a system that tells me to have faith in things I can't possibly believe are true. For example I was taught there was a hell and that I should fear god. That teaching is very negative and when you can finally deprogram and realize that it isn't true, that is very freeing.

 

[blah782]

Blah,

I'm really sorry for your loss. I guess I can't quite figure out why you're convinced that God doesn't exist, but I hope things eventually work out for you and that you'll find some happiness. I'm also kind of curious as to how you see an afterlife as happening. Could you maybe explain that?

Katzpur

Because I have never seen him, I have never heard him, I have never felt him. For a being who is supposedly filled with "unconditional love"...he really has an odd way of showing it. When a person loves me, I know it. They don't even have to say it, it is in their actions. I cannot recall a single time 'God' has ever given me anything before. I don't mean that in a superficial 'give me what I want and I'll believe you' kind of way. I mean I haven't received any significant thing whether it be love, or hope or comfort from him etc. I can't believe in a being I feel no connection whatsoever to. Until I clearly see/feel/hear something that I know is 'God'....I am convinced there is none.

I see an afterlife happening just as anyone else would, just without God. When people are alive they are complicated creatures, filled with emotions and memories. I don't believe that they suddenly disappears once their body dies. With a God, nobody ever knows him to begin with. They just start to believe in this being that hasn't shown himself ever. Obviously to many religious people, they say they know God exists. They feel it, and that is fine. I just don't....even when I try so it certainly isn't like I am just being closed minded about it.

 

[blah782]

What you have experienced isnt uncommon among many people who search for god. But god does not come to us on our terms. It is his terms that matter. And the first thing you have to do...is abandon all preconcieved ideas that god will do whatever you greatly desire for him to do. God will do what he knows is needed. And the wisdom you are looking for is WHY he did not anwer your call. God deams your spiritual growth important. And he is truly a god who sticks with the loyal. If this situation has thrown you of course, then get back on course. As job said 'even though he slay me, yet will i trust in him.' Ask yourself whether you are able to still love god, no matter what he does or does not do for you. God loved you and moved heaven and earth for you, while you were still a sinner and while you were still dead in your sin. God does not have to do anything we want him to do. God will however do his will for your life, if you give up the notion of believing that what you think is necessary is indeed necessary.

Heneni

I respect your opinion. With that said, I think there are easy ways for people to make excuses to still believe in God no matter what (in general, not directed at you). Like I said before...if something good happens to you, everyone praises and thanks God. When something awful happens...it isn't his fault and he felt it was best for us. That way he can never lose. By saying God does what he feels is best, and not what we feel is best....basically means life is life and no matter what and you have no control over it. I hear many people say 'whatever happens it is God's will' when it is very possible that it's not God's will, it is just life without a God even in it. How are we to feel a difference? How is something awful happening to someone for no reason any different than something awful happening because that's how God wanted it? It isn't any different. One just sounds more wishful than the other.

The thing is, if God wanted me to believe in him or somehow be more spiritual..then the opposite just happened. I now no longer believe in him whatsoever. I've stopped praying, I've stopped trying..I am done. If he had helped me, that would have without a doubt convinced me he was there for me and he is out there. That would have been the moment I 'found God'. It just never happened. I wish I had that moment like many people have but I didn't.

 

[Breathe]

That would make him a lousy craftsmen.

God is like your average DIY guy. Makes something, and can't be bothered half way through and goes to watch Sports... for... billions of years.

 

[BucephalusBB]

My beliefs are odd to many people because they contradict many religions.

Are you kidding me, they are odd to me and I am atheist!

The odd thing to me isn't the incarnationthing or whatever though, it's convincing yourself that God does not exist only because he does not listen to you.

No offence, but that is a very bad form of evidence.

Because I have never seen him, I have never heard him, I have never felt him. For a being who is supposedly filled with "unconditional love"...he really has an odd way of showing it. When a person loves me, I know it. They don't even have to say it, it is in their actions. I cannot recall a single time 'God' has ever given me anything before. I don't mean that in a superficial 'give me what I want and I'll believe you' kind of way. I mean I haven't received any significant thing whether it be love, or hope or comfort from him etc. I can't believe in a being I feel no connection whatsoever to. Until I clearly see/feel/hear something that I know is 'God'....I am convinced there is none.

Also, what did you believe? You say you lost your faith, but your texts almost implie you never believed in the first place..

 

[Beaudreaux]

Except prayer makes us better people. Tempers our arrogance and helps us realize our compassion for others. Just don't expect instant results.

I do not understand how prayer makes one a better person. In the middle east at this very moment there are many many people praying for your destruction. Are they better than me because I do not pray?

Also, people pray because they believe that they have the ability to have a personal conversation with an omnipotent being who will grant their requests. This makes them less arrogant how?

Finally, you say not to expect "instant results". When someone prays for God to save the life of a sick loved one, and that loved one dies, the results are in. God did not grant that request. The results may not be instant, but they are clear. Either God wants the loved one to die or there's no one listening up there.

 

[Beaudreaux]

What you have experienced isnt uncommon among many people who search for god. But god does not come to us on our terms. It is his terms that matter...
Heneni

Jesus is quite clear what his terms are on prayer (Matthew 7:7, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:24, John 14:12-14, Matthew 18:19).


Matthew 7:7 is particularly unambiguous.

• Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Are You saying that Jesus misspoke here? That sometimes not everyone who asks receives? Why do you think Jesus is wrong about prayer?​

 

[UnTheist]

The odd thing to me isn't the incarnationthing or whatever though, it's convincing yourself that God does not exist only because he does not listen to you.

Not existing and never being there both feel very similar to me.

 

[Alla Prima]

God is like your average DIY guy. Makes something, and can't be bothered half way through and goes to watch Sports... for... billions of years.

I say we fire him and do the job ourselves.

 

[BucephalusBB]

Not existing and never being there both feel very similar to me.

Exactly (eeven though you probably meant to correct me)
If now: not existing and back then: Never being there > then when was the change?

 

[Breathe]

I say we fire him and do the job ourselves.

LOL!
In time, in time.

 

[Alla Prima]

I do not understand how prayer makes one a better person. In the middle east at this very moment there are many many people praying for your destruction. Are they better than me because I do not pray?

Also, people pray because they believe that they have the ability to have a personal conversation with an omnipotent being who will grant their requests. This makes them less arrogant how?

Not all prayer is good prayer.

Finally, you say not to expect "instant results". When someone prays for God to save the life of a sick loved one, and that loved one dies, the results are in. God did not grant that request. The results may not be instant, but they are clear. Either God wants the loved one to die or there's no one listening up there.

Prayer isn't to change the lives of others directly but to change our own - our experience of life. There is nothing we can do about dying. Death is a result of life. But we can change how we experience the death of others - even our own death.

 

[blah782]

Are you kidding me, they are odd to me and I am atheist!

The odd thing to me isn't the incarnationthing or whatever though, it's convincing yourself that God does not exist only because he does not listen to you.

No offence, but that is a very bad form of evidence.



Also, what did you believe? You say you lost your faith, but your texts almost implie you never believed in the first place..

I don't understand how my beliefs are so odd to people just because I believe in an afterlife but not God. Many people believe in multiple Gods...just because peoples religions are written in a book doesn't make their beliefs any more valid than mine. They have no more proof that God exists than I do that he doesn't. Especially when there a million different religions, saying a million different things and everyone is claiming their religion is 'the correct one'. Someone who is atheist should understand that more than anyone.

I never 'convinced myself' God doesn't exist simply because he didn't listen to me. I never felt him at first to begin with. I tried to believe in him and if anything I was convincing myself he did exist when I felt he didn't. I started to believe myself after a while by praying and meditating...convincing myself someone was listening. I felt that way because after I prayed I felt relieved. I assumed it was "God" but then I realize I could have vented to a friend about something and felt that exact same feeling. It wasn't God that made me feel ok after praying, it was me getting out my feelings vocally for once. The same thing people pay shrinks for doing every day.

Again I say, why would I believe in something I cannot see, hear or feel? I am supposed to believe in this being that hasn't showed me the slightest sign that he exists throughout my life? Then when I change and I pray and dedicate myself and still have no form of any valid proof he is there listening at all, I am not going to ignore that and act like I still think he i is out there.

 

[Storm]

I almost don't want to post in this thread, but you did put it in the debate section, so...

I am not an Atheist let me start off by saying. I believe in an afterlife, I don't believe in God anymore at all.

Forgive me if this has already been said, but that is atheism.

Here is my story: [snipped to save the endangered pixel]

There are no words for how deeply I sympathize. I've been there, EXACTLY. I'm sure the details differ, but I could have written this post at one point. :hug:

The thing is, that's not a good reason to disbelieve. It comes from anger, not reason. It's spite. God isn't a vending machine.

I think this is a major flaw in the popular conception of God as a loving, protective parent. Life sucks sometimes, and all the faith in the world can't change that.

Now I feel broken, I feel dead inside. I have lost every single thing that meant something to me in my life. The odd thing is, I am not only talking about what happened to me. I lost "God" too. I felt like he was a friend for the first time, I felt like I could get help from him. I turned to this invisible being and I did every single thing I could to get help from him. There is no God. I am so beyond sick of people making excuses saying "God works in mysterious ways". I am also sick of people saying "If it wasn't in God's will, it won't happen." That is an EXCUSE. That is something you say when your prayers don't come true, and when they consequently do...it's all "praise God".

You're right, those are excuses, and they p***ed me off, too. But I've come to see that it's just that God doesn't work that way. Our expectations are too high. The way it does work is it opens you up to reserves of strength you didn't know you had. It's all you, in the end.

I don't care what you all believe I am not in any way trying to convince you to believe what I do. But now I am positive there is NO God. This was the final straw. I am done trying to convince myself that something exists when I have absolutely nothing in my life to show me he does. No God would be this cruel. There are coincidences in life and there is luck.

But are you really? I said the same thing, but looking back, I was just having the spiritual equivalent of a temper tantrum.

I don't mean to belittle what you're going through. Quite the opposite in fact - I'm hoping my perspective can help you make peace with whatever worldview you choose.

 

[Storm]

I don't understand how my beliefs are so odd to people just because I believe in an afterlife but not God.

I don't find it weird at all, but then, it's not like I'm one to talk.

I never 'convinced myself' God doesn't exist simply because he didn't listen to me. I never felt him at first to begin with. I tried to believe in him and if anything I was convincing myself he did exist when I felt he didn't. I started to believe myself after a while by praying and meditating...convincing myself someone was listening. I felt that way because after I prayed I felt relieved. I assumed it was "God" but then I realize I could have vented to a friend about something and felt that exact same feeling. It wasn't God that made me feel ok after praying, it was me getting out my feelings vocally for once. The same thing people pay shrinks for doing every day.

OK, this is a bit different. I see two possibilities: either you're absolutely right and you were just feeling what you wanted to feel; or you were, possibly for the first time, truly open to it.

I don't think it's as easy as 'say your prayers, and God will listen/ answer.' As I said upthread, it's more like faith opens you up to yourself.

Again I say, why would I believe in something I cannot see, hear or feel? I am supposed to believe in this being that hasn't showed me the slightest sign that he exists throughout my life? Then when I change and I pray and dedicate myself and still have no form of any valid proof he is there listening at all, I am not going to ignore that and act like I still think he i is out there.

I'm not trying to convert you, just help you work through this. Where you end up isn't the point.

 

[Wandered Off]

You have to admit though...that if god was only an illusion..you would be hard pressed to explain why you experience the feeling of 'freedom' from something that does not exist?

Not at all. When children realize there aren't real monsters under the bed, there is a sense of relief. They are free from worry. They were free from real monsters all along, but they didn't know it.